Home >> My Olympic Story (April 29-May 18)

Qi Xiaotong: Young Ambassador of the Olympic Games

I pose for a picture with Pakistanian athletes

My name is Qi Xiaotong. I am currently in fourth grade at Chuangshengyuan Primary School in Changping District. I am only nine-years-old. Every weekend, I go to famous tourist attractions in Beijing, such as the Badaling section of the Great Wall and the Thirteen Tombs of the Ming Dynasty, where I speak with overseas guests about the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and help them overcome whatever difficulties they might encounter. My weekends are unlike those of my fellow classmates -- I convey the friendliness, optimistic attitude and confidence of Chinese children to foreign guests. I feel that this is a worthwhile thing to do.

Last year I was elected as a "Young Olympic Ambassador." Soon after that I learned that the fifth World Powered Parachute Championships would be held near the Thirteen Tomb Reservoir. I realized this was a precious opportunity I couldn't let slip away. So I asked my parents to take me to the powered parachute venue, hoping to find a chance to talk to top athletes about Beijing, my beloved hometown. Just as I expected, a large number of athletes showed great interest when they heard me speak in English about some of Beijing's major tourist attractions. Some even took my picture. A silver-medalist named James even asked me to go on a ride with him in his powered parachute. This was really an unforgettable experience. I was nervous and excited when we rose into the sky, but I did not forget my role as an Olympic ambassador -- I continued to tell James about the Beijing sights below.

Last National Day, I went to Juyongguan with my father. During my visit there, I heard faint crying in the distance and followed the sound to an old Swedish woman lying on the ground and looking quite pale. There were two women standing by her not knowing what to do. I approached them and asked in English: "What's wrong with her?" One of the women, perhaps her daughter, replied, "She's had a heart attack." Without delay, I asked my father to dial 120 for first-aid service. I held the grandma's hands and comforted her in English until the ambulance arrived. After checking her condition and blood pressure, the doctor concluded that her situation was critical and she needed to be hospitalized. The doctor looked at me and my father and asked, "If possible, can this young translator come with us?" Without waiting for my father's response, and without hesitation, I jumped into the ambulance and accompanied the grandma to the hospital until the entire treatment process was complete.

Tests started at four in the afternoon and didn't end until eight in the evening. I was hungry, but I stayed with the doctors, translating the information so that the Grandma and her daughters could understand. To everybody's relief, the grandma was fine. She offered me 200 US dollars as a gesture of gratitude, but I said that I would not take the money. I told her I am a Young Olympic Ambassador and also an Olympic volunteer. Helping people is what I'm supposed to do, so I can't accept payment for it. Shaking my hand, the grandma said to my father, "Your daughter has drive. She will definitely be successful in the future. I want to watch her grow up. Each day I will say a prayer for her. If she ever has a chance to come to Sweden, I will take care of her."

I pose for a picture with children from Pakistan

The weekends I've spent at tourist attractions spreading Olympic spirit have not only been about assisting people through language. I've also made a lot of friends from around the world. My classmates and I may be young, but we are willing to offer our efforts to the cause of the Olympic Games.