Memories of the neighbourhood
3 selected excerptsThese are excerpts from edited written oral histories. Time expressions follow the accounts; memories are not automatically verified historical facts.
010Personal recollectionSchool years
Beyond the classroom
Life in Huaqiao Xincun was concentrated within the neighbourhood. Besides daily classes, there were many extracurricular activities: dance classes, sports and school-organised factory and farm work. Each week, half a day was spent working in the school factory, for example packing crayons, or learning farming outside school, such as planting castor beans. The school emphasised all-round development.
Read the Chinese original English translation: draft
华侨新村社区生活范围集中，除日常学习外，课余活动亦丰富多彩，华侨小学不仅开设舞蹈班、开展体育活动，还有校办的工农活动。学校每周安排半天时间参加校内工厂劳动，如装蜡笔；或在校外的农场学农，如种植蓖麻等；注重学生的德智体美劳全面发展。
English translation is a draft awaiting human review.
New Village Memories: Oral Histories of Guangzhou’s Huaqiao Xincun · Chen Congyuan · p. 124 (PDF page 136)
011Personal recollectionSchool years
A gathering place at school
The school had a large Soviet-style assembly hall, an unusually large gathering place in Guangzhou. It often hosted meetings, ceremonies and social celebrations for overseas Chinese.
Read the Chinese original English translation: draft
校内有一座苏式风格大礼堂，其为广州罕见的大型集会场所，常举办会议、典礼及侨胞联欢活动。
English translation is a draft awaiting human review.
New Village Memories: Oral Histories of Guangzhou’s Huaqiao Xincun · Chen Congyuan · p. 124 (PDF page 136)
012Personal recollectionSummer holidays during school years
Gardens and food shared together
During the summer holidays, the school organised study groups in selected classmates’ homes. In the spirit of Lei Feng, pupils often helped neighbours weed their gardens, expressing friendship and a willingness to work. Returned overseas Chinese families also frequently exchanged food and culture, sharing snacks from the countries where they had lived, including Southeast Asia and North America.
Read the Chinese original English translation: draft
暑假期间，学校组织学生至指定同学家中成立学习小组。同学们常践行雷锋精神，协助邻里清理花园杂草，展现团结友爱、热爱劳动之风尚。此外，归侨家庭间文化交流频繁，时常会分享各自侨居国的小吃，如东南亚或北美的特色美食。
English translation is a draft awaiting human review.
New Village Memories: Oral Histories of Guangzhou’s Huaqiao Xincun · Chen Congyuan · p. 125 (PDF page 137)