Shanghai Woman's 20-Year Search for Foreign Teacher Who Changed Her Life

A Shanghai woman's 20-year search for a former foreign teacher with East China Normal University has brought more than 100 of his former students together online.

Ahead of today's Teachers' Day, Wang Yu took to Xiaohongshu (RedNote) to search for a former teacher surnamed Evans.

Wang graduated from East China Normal University in 2005. During her university years, Evans taught English and often spent his spare time helping students with their studies free of charge.

His teaching style left a strong impression on Wang. Instead of asking students simply to learn from textbooks, he encouraged them to ask questions, think independently and express their own views.

His classes were also unusual, with desks arranged in a circle and students invited to give speeches, perform or even sing English songs for oral assessments.

The letter Wang once wrote to Evans.  Ti Gong

A sketch of a teacher and a girl student.  Ti Gong

Wang said Evans spent hours answering students' questions after class and helped her become more confident.

The two lost contact after Wang graduated, partly because she lost her mobile phone and Evans left the university.

For nearly 20 years, Wang tried to find him without success.

Evans (left, standing) with his students.  Ti Gong

Her recent social media post unexpectedly connected his former students, who shared similar memories of Evans. Through them, Wang learned that his full name is Curtis Roy Evans.

Wang and local media contacted several universities where he was believed to have taught. They eventually tracked down an e-mail address and phone number, but their attempts to reach him have so far been unsuccessful.

Wang said she had prepared a Teachers' Day gift and hopes to find Evans and thank him for the influence he had on her life.