My experiences in the Child Care Center!
I volunteered as a kitchen staff member at a childcare center. I had a part-time job as a cook when I was in Japan, so I thought I could help, and that’s why I chose this volunteer position. I was nervous because I had no idea what childcare was like or how big it was, and I was worried about whether I would be able to do the job well. When I visited, the staff welcomed us warmly and I felt at ease. First, I was taught how to use the kitchen and the rules, and I helped little by little.
While helping out two days a week for eight weeks, I gradually got used to the job and was able to communicate and complete the tasks I was assigned without making any mistakes. My work consisted of washing dishes, wiping tables, making snacks, and helping to prepare lunches. I chatted with Sukh, a kitchen staff member, and the staff member in charge of the classroom in front of the kitchen. Sukh is from India, so we compared Indian and Japanese cultures, and I taught each other’s native languages with staff from Spain and Nepal. In the afternoon, when cooking was finished, I would sometimes play with the children. I was very happy that the children remembered my name.
In this fieldwork, I learned various communication skills, including basic cooking skills, how to speak at work, and how to talk to children. I learned new knowledge such as food hygiene, recipes, and how to store ingredients when working in a kitchen, and while volunteering, I learned how to communicate with people who have different ways of speaking, cultures, and common sense. Sometimes I couldn’t understand what they were saying, but I was able to communicate by using translations or easy-to-understand words. This was the only experience I had where I was able to work in an English-speaking area, and I believe that what I learned here will contribute greatly to my future.
Thanks to everyone involved me!(*˘︶˘*).｡.:*♡