The People-to-People Dimension of China’s Belt and Road Initiative: Native Chinese Teachers’ Accounts of Cross-Cultural Encounters in the Philippines

Abstract

The people to people component of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) paved the way for more Native Chinese teachers to have lived experiences teaching in the Philippines. Through stories and reflections of teachers, including that of the author who is uniquely involved, this article offers insights on the accounts of their personal experiences in teaching Chinese Mandarin in the Philippines. The study totals seven faculty members from different international schools in the Philippines and a few volunteer teachers from the Ateneo de Manila University’s Confucius Institute—all with experience in teaching secondary students. These teachers compared their teaching experience in their home country with their teaching experience in the Philippines using a hermeneutic narrative approach. Transitional challenges range from differences in pedagogical designs, beliefs and attitudes, and curriculum expectation. This study hopes to draw implications on managing cross-cultural transition experiences and provide an understanding of the diverse teaching and learning environment of institutions with a westernized system of education for the benefit of future Native Chinese teachers who wish to work in the Philippines.