Four Weeks at Asperger Works

My name is Helen, a sophomore from Shanghai Maritime University in China. Now I am also a volunteer at Asperger Works.

It’s the first time that I traveled alone and was an international volunteer. Four weeks were not be short, but they still passed quickly. This four-week volunteer experience meant a lot to me since I learned about a new, colorful, and different world. I also learned more about autism and Asperger Syndrome.

Looking at the globe, China is on the other side of America. There is a big cultural difference between China and America. But we are all people, we share human emotions. We all want a better word where everyone can live with dignity and happiness. That’s why I wanted to join this organization. “Our mission is to help adults with Asperger’s Syndrome lead productive lives through gainful employment and to educate employers about the positive side of hiring people with Asperger’s Syndrome.”

Sometimes there were five people sitting in a small office. I feel really close with each person and we have become like a big family.  We love each other. We ate lunch together almost every day，and we shared our life experiences. We had a really good time. Eva also took me to the museum and on a short tour of Lawrence, a really beautiful place.

Here l met Jingjing, Taixing, Eva, Adam, Daniel, and Lisa. They are all super nice and kind persons. Everyone helped me a lot. Without their company, my trip to America would have been less meaningful. We spent four meaningful weeks together. I designed six flyers for the Dinner of Hope and six covers for the souvenir booklet. I also went to Eva’s party for Raining’s birthday and to celebrate the Chinese New Year. We enjoyed the delicious food, dancing, singing and talking. We really had a great time.

As modern college students, we should get actively involved in volunteering activities. By participating, we can learn how to work well in a team, how to improve our interpersonal skills and organizational ability. Undoubtedly, all of those are critical to our personal growth. So, come on, join us. Let’s start volunteering now!