吳建勛 崔夢琪
Kelly是湖州安吉天略外國語學(xué)校的一位英語教師,來自遙遠(yuǎn)的非洲喀麥隆。她有個中文名叫朱曉羽。她說,喜歡安吉的竹子,最喜歡的兩個中文字就是“安吉”。
也許父母都是教師的原因,Kelly在喀麥隆接受了良好的教育,精通法語和英語,從小就立志長大后要成為一名老師。大學(xué)期間,Kelly對中國的歷史和文化產(chǎn)生濃厚興趣。2010年,Kelly第一次來中國,在貴州一所學(xué)校成為一名外籍英語教師。那年暑假,Kelly跟著朋友來安吉旅游,瞬間就被這里的綠水青山深深吸引?!爱?dāng)時,我就有了要在安吉待下來的決心?!盞elly回憶說。
機(jī)會終于在兩年后來了。2012年,Kelly經(jīng)朋友介紹來到安吉天略外國語學(xué)校擔(dān)任英語教師,時至今日,Kelly已經(jīng)在這個學(xué)校任教了整整7年。Kelly像一只黑孔雀,降落在安吉翠綠色的竹海里,散發(fā)著獨(dú)特的光芒。
Kelly性格開朗、奔放,留著一頭非洲特色的“辮子”。在學(xué)校里,Kelly是最受歡迎的老師之一。她上課時充滿著激情與活力,講究課堂教學(xué)策略,經(jīng)常瞬間就把孩子們帶進(jìn)充滿歡樂、趣味的英語世界。
放學(xué)時,孩子們會不停地用英語對Kelly說:Goodbye Kelly, see you tomorrow. I love you...Kelly也會用英語和孩子們一一道別,并適時給孩子們一個擁抱,Kelly說,這一刻,她是最幸福的。
閑暇時,Kelly經(jīng)常穿行于安吉的大竹海和白茶谷,安吉的好山好水好人好居令她生活舒適。喜歡游泳,每周都有固定的時間去游泳館。她學(xué)什么都快,有一次她去游泳館準(zhǔn)備大顯身手,可是游泳館閉館,于是就跟健身館的羽毛球教練學(xué)起了羽毛球。上手很快,在小朋友們的歡呼聲中,Kelly很快就和大家打成一片。于是打羽毛球也成了她的愛好。還會做衣服,她家里有一臺老式縫紉機(jī),空閑時她會給自己做一些非洲特色的服飾。還迷上了十字繡,每天晚上,都享受著十字繡帶來的快樂,她的繡品線條蒼勁、顏色鮮明,讓很多十字繡行家都贊不絕口。記者見識了她正在繡的一幅山水圖案,這幅作品表達(dá)了她對自己家鄉(xiāng)的美好愿望。
在安吉,Kelly已融入了當(dāng)?shù)厝说纳钊?。她常常穿梭于家門口的菜市場,一邊挑選當(dāng)?shù)氐臅r蔬,一邊用流利的中文和菜農(nóng)交流。當(dāng)?shù)夭宿r(nóng)們也習(xí)慣于這么一位“黑孔雀”頻頻光顧菜場,還會用半生不熟的英語和她打招呼。
雖然孤身在異鄉(xiāng),但Kelly處處都遇到家人般的溫暖。有一次,她生病住院動手術(shù),當(dāng)時很害怕?!癒elly老師,您別擔(dān)心,我會照顧好您的?!币晃粚嵙?xí)醫(yī)生,也是Kelly曾經(jīng)教過的一名學(xué)生對她說。Kelly當(dāng)時就熱淚盈眶。正是由于這位學(xué)生無微不至的照顧,Kelly很快就康復(fù)出院了。
Kelly告訴記者,安吉是她的第二故鄉(xiāng),已經(jīng)是安吉人了。在安吉,Kelly結(jié)交了很多當(dāng)?shù)嘏笥?。她每周都有固定的時間和他們聚會,一起分享美食,分享彼此的生活體驗,親切得就像一家人。有時,Kelly也會做她最喜歡的安吉菜筍干燒肉、紅燒魚和一些非洲特色菜來宴請她的朋友們。
Kelly的夢想是有朝一日回到非洲,開一家中文培訓(xùn)機(jī)構(gòu)和開一個民宿。她希望通過自己的努力,能讓更多的非洲同胞學(xué)習(xí)中文,了解中國文化;并且吸引更多的中國朋友到喀麥隆旅行,了解非洲。
African “ Peacock” Settles in Anji
By Wu Jianxun? Cui Mengqi
Coming from Cameroon, a far-away African country, Kelly now works as an English teacher at Anji Tianlüe Foreign Language School in Anji county, Huzhou city. Kelly has a Chinese name, Zhu Xiaoyu. She loves Anjis bamboo, and she also loves the name of place, the characters “An” and “Ji” specifically — they are her favorite Chinese characters.
Perhaps because her parents are both teachers, Kelly had a good education in Cameroon and is fluent in French and English. During her college years, Kelly grew interested in Chinese history and culture. In 2010, she came to China for the first time to become an English teacher at a school in Guizhou province. That summer, Kelly followed a friend on a trip to Anji in Zhejiang province, and was instantly captivated by the clear water and lush green mountains.
“At that time, I made a decision: Im gonna stay here.”
The right opportunity finally came to her two years later. In 2012, Kelly was introduced by a friend to Anji Tianlüe Foreign Language School as an English teacher, and has now been teaching there for seven years. She landed in the emerald green bamboo sea of Anji like a unique, radiant black peacock.
Cheerful and open-minded, she wears the African-style dreadlocks, and is one of the most popular teachers in the school. Her classes are full of enthusiasm and energy, and are always smartly organized. She just has this magical power to instantly bring her pupils into an English world that is joyful and fun. At the end of the school day, the children habitually keep saying good bye to Kelly in English: “Goodbye Kelly, see you tomorrow, I love you.” And Kelly always answers them one by one with a “goodbye” and a hug, which is her happiest moment.
In her spare time, Kelly often goes on short trips through the large bamboo sea and the white tea valley in Anji. She really enjoys living comfortably in the embrace of beautiful mountains and waters. She loves swimming, which she does every week.
She is a quick learner for almost everything. Once she went to the swimming pool ready for a vigorous workout, only to find the place was closed. She then turned to learn playing badminton from an instructor at the gym, picking it up at an impressive speed. Playing badminton has since become another of her hobbies. She can make clothes as well. She has an old sewing machine at home, and in her free time she likes to make herself some special African dresses. She is also addicted to cross-stitching, which has become her night pastime. In her cross-stitching works, strong lines and vivid colors are often used, which have been praised by many cross-stitch connoisseurs.
In Anji, Kelly has already integrated into the local community. She often visits the vegetable market in front of her house, picking up local seasonal vegetables while chatting with the vendors in fluent Chinese. The vendors are getting used to welcoming the “black peacock” as well, sometimes greeting her in English in a clumsy but friendly manner.
Although she was alone in a foreign country, Kelly is treated kindly and warmly everywhere, like her family are actually around. Once she was hospitalized for surgery. Just when she was feeling very scared, a voice comforted her: “Ms. Kelly, dont worry, I will take care of you.” It turned out that this voice belonged to her internist, who had been one of her students. Kelly was so surprised that she was moved to tears. It was this students thoughtful care that helped Kelly recover quickly.
To Kelly, Anji is her second hometown and she is already an Anji native. She has made a lot of local friends and with them there is a routine for getting together every week to share delicious foods and each others life, as close as a family. Sometimes, Kelly also cooks her favorite Anji dishes such as dried bamboo shoots, braised fish and some African specialties to treat her friends.
Kelly has a dream: to return to Africa one day and open a Chinese training institute and a B&B. She hopes that through her efforts, she can make her fellow Africans learn Chinese and understand Chinese culture. At the same time, she is also thinking about inviting her Chinese friends to travel to Cameroon and learn more about Africa.