家庭重聚

我最早的记忆来自于我的外婆，我喊她“婆婆”。我记得她教我折纸、教我包水饺，但我印象最深刻的，还是她将我拉近，对我和我的姐妹们讲普通话。她的语气温暖，语调优雅。虽然我真正能听懂的只有几个短语，但我总能通过她那谨慎而始终充满关爱的语调读懂她的心意。

当我在阿克米尔孔子学院的教室上第一堂汉语课时，我就知道，我将更加了解我的外祖母和她祖国的文化。我学到了她为我们做的月饼背后丰富的历史意义，也学到了如何书写优美的中国字。每天在课堂上，我都用着她给我起的中文名——欧莉雅。

因为要在孔子学院表演，我穿上了漂亮的传统服装，与同样热爱学习和探索中国语言文化的一群人一起唱歌跳舞。学习汉语将我远远推出了自己的舒适圈，我很高兴能和班上同学一起用“快闪”在全校表演中文歌曲。我们收获了许多笑容，而我也为展示所学而自豪。去年，我们还获得了去费城唐人街游玩的机会。我们花了数周时间学习怎样用中文点菜、问路以及搭乘交通工具。在老师的帮助下，我们讲汉语买了纪念品，喝了珍珠奶茶。学习实践的感觉太奇妙了。最后，经过三年在汉语班的努力，我和我的两位同学成了阿克米尔第一批全美中文荣誉学会入会者。孔子学院为我们学校的学生提供了开阔眼界和学习文化的绝佳机会。

去年1月，我的外婆过世了，但我绝不会忘记，她收到我手写的中文卡片、与我在电话里练习中文时多么高兴。学习汉语给了我机会，让我能和母亲这边的亲戚重新开始联系。今年夏天拜访他们时，我可以用他们的母语和他们交流，并对他们的文化表现出更大的赞赏和理解。我将永远感谢孔子学院和优秀的老师，是他们给了我与婆婆、与中国文化“重聚”的机会，中国文化将永远是我的一部分。

Some of my earliest memories come from my grandmother, my Popo. She taught me how to make origami and how to make dumplings. What I remember most however is her pulling me close and speaking to me and my sisters in her warm and elegant Mandarin Chinese. I could always distinguish her meaning from the tone of her voice- cautioning,caring, and always loving — but I could only truly understand a few concrete phrases.

When I began studying Chinese with the first class of the Archmere Confucius Institute, I knew that I would gain a deeper insight and understanding into my grandmother and her culture. I learned the rich history behind the moon cakes she cooked for us and how to write beautiful Chinese calligraphy. I used the Chinese name she had given me — 欧莉雅 - everyday in class.

Performing at the Confucius Institute, I was able to try on beautiful traditional clothing and sing and dance with a whole family of people who were enthusiastic about learning and exploring Chinese language and culture. Learning Chinese pushed me outside of my comfort zone so much so that I was happy to sing and dance Chinese songs in a “flash mob” with my class in front of the entire got a lot of laughs and smiles, but I was simply proud to show off what I had learned. We also got the opportunity to travel to Chinatown in Philadelphia last year. We spent weeks preparing by learning how to order food in Chinese and different words for directions and transportation. In Chinatown, we were able to buy souvenirs and order bubble tea in Chinese with the help of our Chinese teacher. It was amazing to practice everything we spent so much time , after three years of hard work in Chinese class, my two classmates and I were Archmere’s first National Chinese Honor Society inductees. The Confucius Institute has given my school an amazing opportunity to expand its boundaries and culture.

My grandmother passed away last year in January, but I will never forget how pleased she was to receive a handwritten Chinese card from me and practice Chinese with me over the phone. Learning Chinese has given me a chance to reconnect with my mother’s side of the family. When I visit them this summer, I can converse with them in their native language and show a greater appreciation and understanding for their culture. I will always be grateful to the Confucius Institute and my amazing teacher for providing me the tools to reconnect with my Popo and the Chinese culture that is and always will be a part of me.

文章来源：《当代家庭教育》 网址: http://www.ddjtjyzzs.cn/qikandaodu/2021/0508/1204.html