'Canadian mom' teaches virtue of volunteer work

Rouhieh Tabibzadegan is known as "Canadian mom" among her students at Yunnan University of Finance and Economics.

Having taught English at the university in Kunming, Yunnan province, for 14 years, Tabibzadegan is single and views China as her husband and the students as her children. "I came to China to serve," she said. "I did not come here to have fun. I receive fun from what I see and what I learn," she said. "To serve means to sacrifice, and my sacrifice is my marriage. Because I have no child, I view all my students as my children. They call me 'Canadian mom' and I have to live up to their trust."

Apart from teaching, Tabibzadegan has organized three English corners at the university to help students practice their spoken English. She has also arranged speaking and singing contests in English.