Thirdly，they are young and enthusiastic。They and their students are almost the same age。This means that they are keen to have con-tact with their students outside the classroom。It is common to find the GAPpers playing basketball，table tennis or football with their stu-dents on the“caochang”。Some of the better GAP footballers have helped with the football coaching in the school。These are occasions when the conversation is totally in English。Moreover，many students invite the young British or Australian boys and girls to their homes to have en evening with their families so that both can exchange ideas about their national cultures。In these ways the GAPpers become not only teachers but also friends。
Finally，there is the cultural exchange。Many of the ideas about Britain and Australia in Chinese textbooks are out of date，and the presence of young people from abroad helps to make the Chinese more familiar with what life in Britain and Australia is really like。
The benefits of the exchange are not all in one direction。The GAPpers also gain a lot from living for six months in a Chinese community。People in the west know very little about the modern China：they get their information from newspapers or television，which usually provide only one side of the picture。Living in China helps the GAPpers understand how China is developing。Equally important，their contact with the ordinary people gives them an insight into what they are thinking。They discover how friendly and hospitable the Chinese are，and many come to love China and to wish to return again and again。Increasingly，they develop an interest in learning the Chinese language，and many stay in China to attend courses at Chinese univer-sities when they have finished their teaching。It is interesting to find that having a son or daughter living and working in China encourages their parents to come to visit them so that awareness of China in UK and Australia spreads more widely。