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On June 19th, the Dragon Boat Festival, Chi Ou (second from right), an American teacher who has been teaching in Luoyang for 12 years, and “Sekos” (real name: Ronald Sakolsky), an American friend who supports China’s desert control cause, were invited to visit the Chinese Embassy in the United States to recall China. Published by Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Chen Mengtong)
22 years ago, Ms. Chi Ou, a 51-year-old American teacher, came to Luoyang Second Foreign Language School to teach through the Sino-US teacher exchange program jointly launched by the China Education International Exchange Association and the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations. After one year, she offered to stay and teach for a long time, spending 12 years of her life in China.
As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, Xinhua News Agency reporters conducted an exclusive interview with her via video link. When recalling every detail of his work and life in China, 73-year-old Chi Ou said that the people of China and the United States have many similarities. They are equally friendly, kind, enthusiastic, and helpful, so they should care for each other and help each other.
In September 2023, Chi Ou returned to Luoyang Second Foreign Language School and presented handwritten encouragement cards to students.
On August 22, 2006, Chi Ou held an open oral class for newly admitted students.
Chi Ou said that what she saw was not a job, but a group of children eager to see the world…
“No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” “Give your sincerity to your children.” “Love is always the answer.” Chi Ou practices the teaching philosophy she firmly believes in both inside and outside the classroom.
Chi Ou’s busiest time is before the start of each semester. She writes gentle words of encouragement on small pieces of paper weeks in advance, and waits at the school gate on the first day of school to deliver encouragement cards and “welcome candies” to the children, rain or shine. In 12 years, she wrote more than 50,000 encouragement cards for Chinese students. These cards are still precious memories in the hearts of graduating students.
On February 10, 2009, Chi Ou waited at the gate of Luoyang Second Foreign Languages School on the first day of the new semester, sending candies and new semester blessings to returning students.
On August 18, 2009, Chi Ou gave an encouraging hug to students in a speaking class.
This is an encouragement card written by Chi Ou to students, taken on August 22, 2023.
In order to make English learning close to life, warm and interesting, Chi Ou tried every means to innovate the classroom format and turned English classes into an immersive growth classroom. When introducing Western food culture, Chi Ouqiao used Luoyang local sesame pancakes as the base, paired with tomato sauce and cheese to make “pizza”, cleverly blending Chinese fireworks with Western flavors.
On June 20, 2005, Chi Ou made “pizza” for students at Luoyang Second Foreign Language School.
When explaining Hawaiian culture, she led the students to cut green garbage bags into grass skirts, use colored paper, straws, and wool to make garlands, taught everyone to imitate the swaying gestures of palm trees, and choreographed Hawaiian special dances… allowing the students to truly feel the exotic customs in a relaxed and joyful way.
On October 31, 2004, Chi Ou (second from left) participated in Halloween activities with students.
As a basketball enthusiast, Chi Ou finds that the topic of NBA basketball games is a good way to communicate with children. Therefore, she founded a basketball game named after herself and planned and organized more than 3,000 games to educate children in practice what sportsmanship is and how to work as a team. Although she no longer teaches at the school, the “Gail Cup Basketball Game” of Luoyang Second Foreign Language School continues to this day.
On August 19, 2009, Chi Ou interacted with students wearing Los Angeles Lakers jerseys in a speaking class.
In September 2023, Chi Ou (middle) kicked off the “Gail Cup Basketball Game” during his return to Luoyang Second Foreign Languages School.
In June 2016, Chi Ou successfully ended his 12-year coaching career in China and is about to return to the United States. At the farewell party, Principal Bai Fan of Luoyang Second Foreign Language School solemnly presented her with a gold and silver key that symbolized the identity of 2 Foreign Languages School, saying, “These two keys belong to you. One opens the school door, and the other opens the home. You are welcome to go home at any time.”
When invited to visit the Chinese Embassy in the United States during the Dragon Boat Festival this year, Chi Ou said affectionately, I have always cared about China, and China has long been my other home.
In June 2016, Principal Bai Fan (right) of Luoyang Second Foreign Language School presented Chi Ou with a gold and silver key symbolizing the identity of the Second Foreign Language School.
On September 10, 2023, when Ms. Chi Ou was invited to return to Luoyang for a visit, the teachers and students of Luoyang Second Foreign Language School celebrated her birthday.
An American friend named “Saikas” who supports China’s desert control cause also came to Luoyang to teach through the Sino-US teacher exchange program. After 27 years, he came to China again. He went to Inner Mongolia to visit the forest built with donations and planted a friendship tree with Yin Yuzhen, a national model worker. He returned to the school where he taught in Luoyang to interact with teachers and students.
On August 24, 2026, “Saikos” (left) and Yin Yuzhen cooperated to water the newly planted saplings.
On August 29, 2026, “Saikos” returned to Luoyang Foreign Languages Junior High School where he once taught, and communicated with teachers and students.
Build bridges with kindness and influence lives with life.
The stories of Ms. Chi Ou and Mr. “Saikas” are both beautiful chapters worth telling in the friendly exchanges between the peoples of China and the United States.
Time is like a song, and time is the witness.
The people of China and the United States have always had the same desire to establish a profound friendship across differences in systems, cultures, and languages.
Reporters: Wu Jingdan, Sun Ruibo, Li Jianan
Video: Lin Yu
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