Chinese TV presenter working in the Krasnoyarsk school

Silu Chen works in School No 6 in Krasnoyarsk and, like many of her compatriots, has chosen a Russian name for her stay in the country. She is known to colleagues and students alike as Rita.

Chen doesn’t speak Russian, and speaks to children in English during lessons while also teaching French and Chinese. Schoolchildren are delighted with their classes: Rita does not set homework and makes sure to avoid boring topics. Classes are predominately for language practice and prioritise active communication on a variety of topics.

Pupils are enjoying the different style of lessons, and even the quieter ones have begun to speak English. And lessons continue outside the classroom. Rita teaches children to write Chinese characters and, in return, schoolchildren give her figure skating lessons.

Rita is 25 years old, and was born and raised in the Chinese city of Sichuan. She received a bachelor's degree there and then worked as a correspondent for children's television for four years. Two years ago, she moved to Canada, studying at McGill University in Montreal, where she wrote her dissertation on healthy eating. In her free time, she likes to watch movies, read books, and enjoys solving puzzles.

Rita arrived in Krasnoyarsk as part of a cultural exchange program. The main purpose of her visit is to participate in the 2019 Winter Universiade as a volunteer. She is delighted to be a part of such a large-scale sporting event and is looking forward to the start of the Student Games.