Twin flowers bloom in the westernmost part of the world.
"You still have more than half a year left in your service period. What are your thoughts? If we reach an agreement, it will be easier to talk to Mom and Dad," asked Xu Hejing, the older sister.
"I want to... stay for another year," Xu Hejiao, the younger sister, said slowly after a moment's thought.
"Me too!" Xu Hejing said excitedly upon hearing her sister's answer.
This was a question of "to go or to stay," and the two sisters reached an agreement for the third time.
The first time was in May 2024.
As graduation approached, sisters Xu Hejing and Xu Hejiao learned about the Western China Volunteer Service Program. As students majoring in primary education, they immediately agreed to sign up to go to Xinjiang, wanting to apply their knowledge and also eager to see that different world.
They attended a sharing session on the experiences of volunteers in the Western China Development Program organized by their school. They learned that Xinjiang needed young people and that there were many opportunities there, making them firmly believe that young people could definitely achieve great things. "I saw an uncle showing off his Party member badge on the news; the simplicity and honesty of the people of Xinjiang made us yearn for it even more," Xu Hejing said.
The parents initially objected, but when they learned that the sisters were going together, they relented—they had been classmates and roommates since childhood and were each other's best support.
The train was traveling from Heilongjiang to Xinjiang. During the four-day, three-night journey, the two sisters leaned against the window, watching the magnificent scenery they had never seen before flash by.
The delicious food eased some of the homesickness. "Our first meal was hand-pulled noodles, so delicious!" "And baked buns, so delicious too!" "Yes, yes, yes!" The two sisters were equally optimistic. They were assigned to different schools: Xu Hejing went to Yukuriishtaqi Primary School in Azak Town, Artush City, while Xu Hejiao went to Shalatala Primary School in Gedaliang Township, Artush City. This was the first time in their lives they hadn't been together. But thankfully, they weren't far apart; they could meet by electric scooter.
Both sisters are Chinese language teachers and homeroom teachers. The students' reactions when they first stood on the podium left a deep impression on them. "They were incredibly curious." That day, the students surrounded them, asking questions about everything far away.
Teaching begins with overcoming difficulties. Xu Hejing started teaching second grade, and the first monthly exam results for her class were far from ideal. "I discovered that the children's pinyin and characters didn't match; they recognized the characters, but couldn't read them just by being given the pinyin. Some children also had problems with their pen-holding posture," Xu Hejing said.
Xu Hejiao has been teaching the class since fifth grade, with 40 students, mostly boys. "The local teachers said the boys were a bit mischievous." To manage the class, she put on a stern face even at their first meeting. Unexpectedly, she "earned" her first nickname from the students in the very first class. "It was really both funny and exasperating. It seems my 'reputation' has been established."
They started brainstorming solutions. Xu Hejing began by filling in the gaps in their first-grade knowledge, making her own pinyin flashcards and demonstrating pronunciation word by word; she corrected homework sentence by sentence, circling errors and writing encouraging words. Xu Hejiao consulted local teachers for teaching methods and expanded the topics in class. They also worked hard to transform their classrooms. When teaching "The Grassland," Xu Hejiao combined the vast scenery of the border region with the snow-covered forests of her hometown, guiding students to experience the magnificence of different regions through the text. When teaching, Xu Hejing would turn the text into a skit, "If I teach in a rigid way, they won't be interested."
The students' growth is evident in the details. Their compositions have evolved from awkward sentences to fluent and vivid ones, from flat and straightforward to full of genuine emotion. "The children and I are getting closer and closer," Xu Hejiao said.
Once, Xu Hejiao was sick and her voice was hoarse, but she still insisted on teaching. "They were especially well-behaved that day, listening quietly," Xu Hejiao recalled. After class, the children surrounded her and said, "Teacher, you must get better soon!"
Xu Hejing was once sick and receiving an IV drip at the hospital. That evening, she received a message from her class monitor: "Teacher, we miss you so much. Where have you been? Please come back soon."
A year passed quickly. Some left, and some joined. The two sisters hit it off for the second time after their one-year service period ended. "We decided to stay for another year and do our best," Xu Hejing said.
“We really can’t bear to part with these children,” Xu Hejiao added.
Over the past year, they remember that every year when the grapes and figs ripened, the children would quietly place the fruit on the podium; they remember that every holiday, the school teachers would invite them to their homes for dinner, to sing and dance together; and they also remember the wonderful times of strolling through the Kashgar Old City, taking photos, and eating baked buns.
Now, as they approach the halfway point of their second year of service, the two sisters are starting to think about the future.
“We want to stay in Xinjiang.” This was the third time they had reached an agreement.
They had discussed it seriously with their parents, whose attitude was: "Home is wherever you are."
"Go to the places where the motherland needs us most." These were the words the two sisters said when they left their hometown for Xinjiang. Now, this land beneath their feet is the place they have chosen to stay.
Shiliuyun/Liu Yiming, reporter of Xinjiang Daily
Source: Xinjiang Daily
