据央视新闻报道，8月23日凌晨，经过10多个小时飞行，美国友人“赛考斯”（本名罗纳德·萨科尔斯基）抵达北京首都国际机场。
刚一现身，“赛考斯”便笑着迎向镜头，用不太流利的中文激动地反复说道：“我回来了！”
After more than 10 hours of flying, retired US high school history teacher Ronald Sakolsky arrived in Beijing early on Sunday, beginning an emotional return to China more than two decades after a chance encounter changed his life. "I am back. I am an old man, but I am not tired," Sakolsky said cheerfully, waving to reporters at the airport.
“这次见到她
我要给她一个大大的拥抱”
“赛考斯”是美国一名退休高中历史教师，1999年，他在河南洛阳一所学校任教，被电视里殷玉珍扎根荒漠、治沙植绿的坚守深深打动，随即奔走联系多家美国机构，最终筹得5000美元并捐给了殷玉珍。
二十多年过去，当年的5000美金长成了5万多棵树，成为沙地里的一片绿洲。
今年5月，殷玉珍在网友的帮助下成功找到了“赛考斯”，两人进行了线上交流。这段跨越山海、历经岁月的中美友谊故事，终于迎来一个温暖的后续。
In 1999, while teaching English in a Luoyang school, Sakolsky was deeply moved by the story of Yin Yuzhen, acclaimed as China's desertification hero. He tirelessly raised $5,000 to support her tree-planting initiative in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region.
Twenty-six years later, that initial donation funds have transformed into over 50,000 mature trees across Maowusu, the fourth largest sandy area in China.
With the help of netizens, Yin successfully located Sakolsky online in May. Their conversation online after
26 years gained widespread attention and sparked plans for a reunion offline.
在出发前，“赛考斯”表示，这次见到殷玉珍后的第一件事，就是给她一个大大的拥抱：“当年第一次拥抱她的时候，她很害怕，就那样僵在原地，这一次不会那样了。一想到要见到她，我就已经忍不住掉眼泪。我可能会激动到说不出话来，但她会懂的。虽然她几乎不会说英语，我也只会一点中文，但我们的内心能够读懂彼此。”
His upcoming reunion with Yin is particularly meaningful. Before leaving for China, Sakolsky said the first thing he wanted to do when they met was give her a big hug. Recalling their first embrace, he said Yin had been so nervous that she froze in place. This time, he expects the reunion to be very different. "I probably won't have any words to say, but she will know because we communicate through the heart and we always have," he said.
“赛考斯”手机上保存的一幅他与殷玉珍的画，由一名中国小学生创作。
“赛考斯”表示，自己常告诉朋友们：“我是‘老内’，不是‘老外’。”
“中国将永远是我的一部分。因为在中国的生活，我变成了一个更好的人。”
"China will always be a part of me," Sakolsky said. "I became a better person because of my life in China."
到中国仅两个月时，“赛考斯”就看到了殷玉珍的故事，那一刻就受到了触动。
“我参与那片森林的事，不是为了被特殊对待，而是为了感谢殷玉珍，感谢中国。这件事证明了中国人民是多么美好。我作为美国人，也需要敞开心扉认识这一点，只要携手合作，就能为地球作出有益的贡献。”
"It just proves how beautiful the Chinese people are and that we as Americans need to open our minds to see this. And together we can do something very good for this earth," he said.
殷玉珍采摘沙地长出的果蔬亲手蒸馒头迎接“赛考斯”
为了这场相见，殷玉珍已经准备了两个多月。她发动全家总动员，把亲戚都请到家里搭手帮忙，一心想把自家最好的一切，都留给远道而来的老友。
“赛考斯”到来之前，殷玉珍蒸上了馒头，采摘了沙漠里长出的新鲜瓜果蔬菜，用心准备着。
Yin, meanwhile, has spent more than two months preparing for his return. She has gathered relatives to help, prepared steamed buns and picked fresh fruits and vegetables grown on the once-barren land.
为了和老友顺畅交流，殷玉珍还学起了英语，空闲时反复默念bird（鸟）、tree（树）、forest（森林）这些和沙漠、林海有关的单词。她还一遍遍练习着“more、more”，笑着说，到时候一定要让“赛考斯”多吃一点，好好尝尝沙漠土地种出来的美味。
She has even been learning English, practicing words such as “bird,” “tree” and “forest,” as well as “more,” so she can encourage her longtime friend to eat more when he arrives.
殷玉珍在菜园子里为“赛考斯”选取新鲜果蔬。（图源 内蒙古日报）
据中国日报网报道，在北京短暂休整后，23日下午，“赛考斯”将继续启程奔赴内蒙古鄂尔多斯，与殷玉珍再相逢。
24日，二人将前往鄂尔多斯市乌审旗，那里是“赛考斯”最初见到殷玉珍植树的地方。
According to local authorities, after a brief rest in Beijing, Sakolsky will continue his journey to Ordos at around 5 pm today, where Yin will welcome him at the airport. On Monday, the duo will visit Uxin Banner, the place where Sakolsky first saw Yin planting trees. On the afternoon of the same day and throughout Tuesday, they will engage in interactions and visit a fruit cultivation base there.
期待两人的重逢！
来源：央视新闻微信公众号 中国日报网
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