第一天来到中国：文化冲击！
First Day in China: Culture Shock!
红灯亮了，车辆却仍然穿行着。首次尝试过马路，我紧张地往前走着每一步，差点被一辆绿色桑塔纳出租车撞到，于是我赶紧退了一步，可是那辆车的司机还按了喇叭。我不懂为什么他要按喇叭，交通灯不是红色的吗？退回到路旁，我看别的行人都在勇敢地过马路。行人灯闪着令人愉悦的绿色，但好像不只是行人想接受那闪光的小绿人的欢迎，还有这里的车子！每一次看到行人们几乎快要被小汽车、公共汽车、摩托车等撞到的时候，我就退缩了。但是，除了他们的衣服被灰尘弄脏了以外，没人受伤，大家都成功地过了马路。我又开始过马路。走了几步后，一辆慢吞吞的、土气的拖拉机颠簸着开过来。为了躲过又黑又浓的尾气，我跳回到一辆绿色人力三轮车的夹缝中间。司机生气地按响了喇叭，强壮的腿用力踩在刹车上，那辆三轮车踉踉跄跄地骑了过去。我又回到路边，看到行人灯变成了红色。但是有几个行人，我不知道他们是因为看不见还是非常勇敢，不理信号灯坚持过马路。有些车减速了，有些车不减速；有些行人停下了，有些不停。在大太阳下，温度简直超过40度，但是我身上似乎已经干了，没有汗水流出来。我向前走一步，又退一步，又走，又退……我只能跳起这种难看的二步舞！
The traffic light was red, however cars continued to go through. On the first attempt to cross the road, nervously stepping forward, I was nearly struck by a green Santana taxi, and quickly took a step back. The driver hit his horn. I couldn’t understand why he hit his horn. Wasn’t the traffic light red? Back on the curb, I watched other pedestrians bravely walk across the road. The pedestrian light flashed a welcoming green. But it seemed it wasn’t just the pedestrians who accepted the little flashing green man’s offer, but the cars as well! Every time I saw a pedestrian nearly clipped by a car, public bus, motorbike, etc., I’d flinch. But, outside of clothes dirtied by dust, no one was hurt and all successfully crossed the road. I began to cross the road again. After a few steps, a very slow, very rustic tractor chugged by. In order to escape its thick black exhaust, I jumped backwards directly into the path of a green three-wheeled pedicab. The driver angrily ringing his bell, strong legs pedaling hard, the pedicab swung madly around me. Once again I’d jumped back. Standing back on the curb again, I saw the pedestrian light change to red. But a few pedestrians, unsure whether they were blind or really brave, continued to cross against the light. Some cars slowed. Others didn’t. Some pedestrians stopped walking, while some didn’t. The temperature easily surpassed forty degrees, but with my body seemingly dried out, there was no sweat to be seen. I took a step forward, followed by a step back, another forward, and another back. I could do nothing but dance an ugly two-step.
在一个离我家乡几千公里的十字路口，我低垂着头。好遗憾，自己连如何过马路也不懂。
At an intersection thousands of kilometers from my hometown, my head hung low. How pathetic, I didn’t even know how to cross a road.
由于无法过马路，我走到附近一个像飞机场一样宽、楼顶是弓形的建筑里。可那儿没有飞机，都是蔬菜。在菜市场的铁皮屋顶底下，熏肉、扔掉的烟头和霉烂的味道都窜进我鼻子里。在很多被人乱扔掉的红色塑料袋上，黑虫子飞来飞去。不知道是因为温度高还是里面的空气难闻，我呼吸困难，嗓子非常干燥。我想了想，可还是记不得自己上一次喝东西是什么时候了。我的嘴唇都皲裂了。一个卖西瓜的中年胖女人盯着我看。我对她微笑，她也微笑回应了。在她旁边，一个卖黄瓜和白菜的男人指着我，嘴里喊一些我听不懂的话。卖西瓜的又向卖黄瓜和白菜的喊了一声。接着，他们开始大声嚷嚷，其他卖菜的人也参加了进来。突然大家都大喊大叫起来，而我什么都听不懂。我头很痛，而且很渴。
Unable to cross the road, I walked over to a nearby structure that was as wide as an airplane hanger with the same arched roof. Instead of an airplane it was full of vegetables. Under the vegetable market’s tin roof, the smell of warm raw meat, discarded cigarette butts and mildew hung before my nose. Black flies hovered above the discarded red plastic bags. Not sure if it was from the temperature or the air inside, but it was hard to swallow. My throat was really parched. I thought for a moment, but I couldn’t remember the last time I had something to drink. My lips were chapped. A fat middle-aged woman selling watermelons was staring at me. I smiled at her. She smiled back. Next to her a man selling cucumbers and cabbage pointed at me and began to shout things I couldn’t understand. The watermelon seller began to shout towards the man selling cucumbers and cabbage. In turn, he began to shout at her. Other vegetable sellers joined in. Suddenly everyone began to shout and yell. I couldn’t understand anything. My head was throbbing and I was dying of thirst.
靠在菜市场的墙边上是一个卖香烟和日用品的小摊子。摊子的后墙上挂着几个斜着的货架。货架上有可口可乐、橙汁之类的饮料。我又渴得咽了咽口水。
Against the vegetable market’s wall was a small stall selling cigarettes and daily necessities. Hanging on the stall’s back wall were a couple of sloping shelves. On the shelves were Coca-Cola, orange juice and other similar drinks. I swallowed dryly.
我说：“你好。”
I said, “Ni hao.”
他发出了一个声音。有可能是对我的回答，但是也许他只想把嗓子清一下。
He let out a sound. Perhaps it was an answer, but he also might have just been clearing his throat.
我开口准备继续用中文说话，但是除了英文单词，没有一句中文说得出来。我对这并不感到意外，那时候，我只认识一个汉语短语：你好。由于嗓子越咽越酸痛，我指着一瓶沾满灰尘、像是橙汁的饮料，伸出食指和中指说明自己要两瓶。他朝我喊了一些话。我摸了摸额头，根本不懂为什么今天大家都要大声说话。我不知道该做什么，就伸出两根手指，向那瓶饮料指了一下，又说：“你好。”他一边挑着饮料一边又喊了些什么。终于他挑对了那瓶饮料并把它递给我，同时又说了些什么。我没法说中文，只好用英文说：“我不懂。”他喊得更大声了。根据语气，我觉得他不高兴了。我把一些皱巴巴的人民币从我的口袋里拿了出来，向他伸出手，耸了一下肩。他拿走几张纸币。我不知道那是多少钱，因为我对人民币还不熟悉，但是希望他对我能像陌生人对一只三条腿的小狗那样，仁慈一点。说实话，那时候我渴死了，更重要的是这两天——48小时，我的睡眠却没超过两个小时，我真的不在乎他拿走多少钱。我用英文说了谢谢，他喊叫着回应了。站在他小摊子的太阳伞下，我打开盖子，一口气就把里面温热的液体喝光了。
I opened my mouth, ready to continue using Chinese, but other than English words, no Chinese came out. This wasn’t too surprising, as at the time, I only knew how to say “ni hao” in Chinese. Increasingly sore with each swallow, I stuck out my index and middle finger to show that I wanted two, pointing at a bottle completely covered in dust which looked to be orange juice. He shouted something. Rubbing my forehead, I really couldn’t figure out why everyone was speaking so loud today. No idea what to do, sticking out two fingers, I pointed at the bottle and again said, “Ni hao.” He’d choose one, while at the same time shouting something. Eventually he chose the right one and handed me the bottle. He spat out some words. I couldn’t do anything but say in English, “I don’t understand.” He shouted louder. From his tone, I guess he really wasn’t happy. I pulled a few wrinkled renminbi from my pocket. Stretching my hand out towards him, I shrugged my shoulders. He took a few bills. I didn’t know how much, I still wasn’t used to Chinese currency, but as a stranger would treat a small dog with only three legs, I was hoping he’d show a little mercy. Actually, at that time, dying of thirst, and more importantly not having slept more than two hours in the past forty eight hours, I really could not care less how much he took. Using English I thanked him. He shouted back. Standing below his stall’s umbrella, I immediately opened the bottle and drank every drop of the warm liquid.
在被困在这条马路过不去之前，我已经经过了四十多个小时的旅程：克利夫兰到芝加哥，芝加哥到洛杉矶，洛杉矶到香港，再坐巴士到深圳，又上飞机飞到广西北海，最后在一个新房子里过了一个不眠之夜。我跟行尸走肉一样，筋疲力尽、跌跌撞撞地回到了我的新家。
Prior to being trapped by an impassable road, over a period of forty hours of travel: Cleveland to Chicago, Chicago to Los Angeles, Los Angeles to Hong Kong, a bus to Shenzhen, once again back on board a plane for Beihai, Guangxi, followed by a sleepless night in a new home, I already had become a walking zombie. Nearly fainting from exhaustion, I staggered back to my new home.
大约十几分钟后，也有可能更久——已经记不清楚，我走到家门前。在走进新房子的一楼的时候，那气味让我回忆起了外面那个菜市场：霉烂味很重，这有可能跟亚热带气候有关，但至少没人大声嚷嚷。在一个角落里，我看到一个老奶奶坐在一把看起来很不舒服的木头椅子上。我看上去像是这里的入侵者。我露出紧张的微笑，就好像自己在图书馆里那样，低声地说：“你好。”她看着我，点了点她那个不但小，而且皱纹比干掉的苹果更多的脑袋。我想，有可能我进错地方了，这不是我的新房子？
About ten minutes later—it could have been longer, nothing was very clear—I reached my door. And as soon as I entered my new home via the first floor, the atmosphere reminded me of the market outside: the smell of thick mildew. Perhaps it had something to do with the subtropical location. At least no one was shouting. In one corner I saw an old grandmother sitting in what looked to be a very uncomfortable wooden chair. Feeling as though I was an intruder, smiling nervously, as if I was in a library, I whispered, “Ni hao.” She looked at me, and nodded a head smaller and with more wrinkles than a dried apple. I thought to myself, perhaps I made a mistake and this wasn’t my new home?
不知道该说什么，或该做什么，我只想去我的房间。我蹑手蹑脚地上三楼去了。听说在这栋房子里有些人住在二楼，其他住在四楼。我住的是三楼。我几乎走不动了，全身不舒服，筋疲力尽，我真不想遇到别人，只想到一个没有人大声嚷嚷的房间里去。
Not sure what to say or what to do I thought I should go to my room. I was told some people lived on the second floor and others on the fourth of this house. Mine was the third floor. With my legs almost unable to continue and my entire body sore, mentally drained, I really didn’t want to run into anyone. I only wanted to enter a room where no one was shouting.
进入房间，把门锁上以后，我往床上一倒，像一块又重又平的石头轰然倒在地上一样，我的屁股砰的一声落下。我又尝试着在新床垫上放松了一下。
After entering my room and locking the door, I fell back towards my bed, and like a heavy, flat rock smacking against the ground, my backside landed with a thud. I attempted to get comfortable on my new mattress again.
那块床垫，还被塑料膜包着。没有柔软的棉布，也没有枕头，我的脸直接贴在塑料上；没有床单，我全身贴在塑料包装膜上。过了一会儿，我又努力调整姿势，看到前面有一个布满灰尘的、被太阳晒褪色的小红灯。它就挂在电视机的边上。我无法入睡，于是拿出还在袋子里的遥控器打开了电视。电视上出现了一个很漂亮、头发造型完美的女歌手。她唱歌的背景中士兵一边行进、一边向不停被挥舞着的很大的中国国旗敬礼。因为她穿着军装，我估计她在大声唱着一首爱国的歌曲。
我从来没看过这种音乐频道，但我知道一件事情：中美的音乐频道完全不一样！
The mattress was still wrapped in plastic. With no soft cotton and no pillow, my face stuck to the plastic surface. With no sheets, my entire body stuck to the plastic film. After a while, shifting my body yet again, I looked over at a small, dusty Chinese lantern that had faded in the sun. It hung from the side of a TV. Unable to sleep, I used a remote control that was still in its bag to turn it on. On the screen appeared a beautiful woman with perfectly sculpted hair, not a hair out of place. In the background soldiers marched as they saluted a giant waving Chinese flag. Because she was dressed in a military uniform, I figured she must be singing a patriotic song. While I’ve never seen a music television station like this, I can certainly say: Chinese and American MTV were completely different!
我往右边滚。我的皮肤从黏着的塑料包装膜上慢慢地剥离下来，呲呲的响着。我从卫生间的门里看进去，那个我非常熟悉的马桶和很舒服的坐便器都不在，只有一个瓷洞对着我。昨晚新老板说过，在我住的地方有一个西式马桶，但是那扇门被锁起来了。新老板说因为那家房东对她说等我搬出去以后他们要用，所以不想被别人弄脏了。
I rolled to my right. My skin slowly peeled away from the plastic cover making an awful sound. I found myself looking into the bathroom. The toilet I was very familiar with and its comfortable seat weren’t there. A ceramic hole stared at me. Last night my new boss had told me that there was a western-style toilet here, but that door was locked. My new boss said that the home’s landlord told her that after I moved out they would like to use it, so they don’t want others to dirty it up.
眼皮很重，头更痛了，我捏了捏鼻梁。我开始后悔我的决定：来到中国。
Eyelids heavy, a migraine growing, I pinched the bridge of my nose and rubbed. I began to regret my decision: the decision to come to China.
我闭上眼睛，开始回忆，才明白我本来对中国的期望跟现实完全不一样。天真的是，我愚蠢地把中国想象成电影里的世界，特别是一个被美国好莱坞创造的中国化世界：想象过我将住在一条很窄的小巷里，路面是鹅卵石做的，两侧是连成排的房子，房子的上面有很复杂的图案，都是上个朝代的艺术家用刀雕刻而成的。我错误地以为每一个石板做的倾斜的屋顶上都会挂着红灯笼。下午，天气不冷不热，我站在竹子阳台上，穿着一套后面绣着一只彩色老虎的丝袍，喝着一杯绿茶，我愉悦地欣赏小巷里非常有趣的舞龙舞狮活动、武术动作、北京杂技。接着是很多美女，她们头发乌黑发亮，穿着合身的旗袍。最后到处都会有鞭炮和烟花放起来！好像这不是现代的中国，至少不是北海市。好莱坞还没来到北海。
Closing my eyes, I had a chance to recollect, and I understood too late that my original expectations of China and reality were completely different. Naively, I foolishly imagined an overly “Chinese-like” China that was more fit for a world found in a movie, in particular a Hollywood produced movie: I imagined I would live in a narrow lane, the road’s surface cobblestone, both sides lined with connected houses. The outsides of the homes would be covered in intricate designs carved by the blades of a former dynasty’s craftsman. I wrongly believed that there would be red Chinese lanterns hanging from the edges of sloping slate roofs. On afternoons which were neither cold nor hot, I’d stand on a bamboo balcony. Dressed in a silk robe with a colorful tiger embroidered on the back, drinking a cup of green tea, I would happily watch a vibrant parade as it took place in the alley below: dragon and lion dances, martial arts, Beijing acrobats, followed by beautiful women, jet black, shining hair, adorned in form-fitting qipaos. At the end, firecrackers and fireworks would explode everywhere. It seemed this wasn’t modern day China or at least not in Beihai, Guangxi. Hollywood had yet to have arrived in Beihai.
我看着行李，感觉很失望。
Feeling quite disappointed, I looked at my luggage.
我精神疲惫地走到窗户边。从栅栏的窗户看向对面：除了一个房子贴了粉红色的瓷砖以外，外面没有其他好看的。
My spirit depleted, I shuffled over to the window. I looked through the window’s bars: other than a building’s pink tiles, there was nothing.
一只苍蝇飞下来，在栅栏上落下。一双复眼盯着我。
A fly flew down and landed on one of the bars. A pair of compound eyes stared at me.
我又转头看了看我的包。
I turned back and looked at my bags again.
仿佛不喜欢这里的环境，苍蝇飞出去了。我想像它那样，想成为它的搭档，陪着它飞出去。外语培训学校原来说我可以住在一套公寓房里，现在却把我安排在一个我显然不喜欢住的房子里，在一座好像大家都在生气、只会大喊大叫的城市，更别提还有一条无法通过的马路！是，我做了一个新的决定：跟随着那只苍蝇，我也要飞回家。
As if it didn’t like its surroundings, the fly flew off. And just like that, I wanted to become its companion, to join it and fly away. The English training school had originally said I could live in an apartment, but instead I was placed in a home that obviously wasn’t welcoming, in a city where apparently everyone was angry, a city that only wanted to shout and scream, not to mention a street that couldn’t be crossed! Yep, my decision was made: following the fly’s lead, I would also fly home.
我拿着两个大包。电视上的美女已经唱完了。
I picked up the two bags. The beautiful woman on the TV had stopped singing.
站在门旁，我听见门后传来几个低沉的声音，其中一个明显是女性的响亮的声音。一定是之前被美女唱歌的声音遮盖了，以至于我没早点听见。他们至少是两个人，一个男的和一个女的。他们在一起低声地说话。不用猜都知道他们正在讨论什么：“他在干什么？要偷走什么？估计想用我们的干净马桶！”
Standing next to the door I could hear hushed voices, one of which was clearly a woman’s, coming from behind the door. They must have been hidden by the woman’s singing and that’s why I hadn’t heard them earlier. There were at least two, a man’s and a woman’s. They were whispering to one another. No need to senselessly guess what they were discussing: “What’s he doing? What’s he want to steal? Bet he’s planning on using our clean toilet!”
我又向窗户外看了一眼。不行，窗户有栅栏，我可不是那只小苍蝇，不能从窗户逃跑。我沮丧地想着，那些栅栏是防止人从外面进入的，但是似乎这房间像监狱一样，也防止人出去。但是，就算自己能从窗户爬下去，然后呢？连这里的马路我都不知道如何过去，又怎么敢指望自己能找到一辆出租车带我去飞机场？更重要的是，如果最后我能找到的话，怎么说清楚让司机带我去机场？用双手展开模仿飞机飞起来，在原地打转，嘴里发出引擎的声音希望他能明白我的意思？
I glanced back at the window. Nope, the window had bars, and I wasn’t that little fly. I couldn’t escape through the window. Sadly I thought, those bars were for keeping people from entering, but as if this room was a prison cell, they also kept people from leaving. But, even if I could climb down from the window, what would I do after? I couldn’t even cross a road here, so how could I dare think I could find a taxi who would be willing to take me to the airport? More importantly, if I found one, how could I explain that I wanted him to take me to the airport: spread my hands and imitate an airplane taking off, spinning in circles, my mouth making engine noises hoping he’d understand my meaning?
这根本不是我第一次出国，我不是什么都不了解的无知国外旅客！这也不是第一次失去自己的方向，可是为什么我不禁啜泣？
This certainly wasn’t my first time abroad, and this visitor wasn’t so ignorant that he was totally clueless! And this wasn’t the first time I’d lost my way, so why was I whining?
我站着没动，肩膀耷拉着，包在地板上放着，不知道该做什么，我的视线又回到电视上。电视上正在播出一则推销中国的广告。虽然我完全听不懂，但是我越看越感兴趣：有着异域风情的景点和名胜，令人难忘的长城，无数的兵马俑永远警觉地伫立着，翠绿色梯田里的水稻在阳光下闪闪发亮，旅客们在广阔的沙漠上骑着骆驼……一切都像我的梦想中的那么有魅力。
Standing, but not moving, shoulders sagging, the bags back on the floor, not knowing what to do, my eyes went back to the television. What appeared to be a commercial advertising China came on. I couldn’t understand a thing, but the more I watched, the more captivated I became: exotic locales and the country’s famous spots; the unforgettable Great Wall of China, the countless Terracotta soldiers forever standing vigilant, vibrant green rice terraces and their rice paddies shining in the sunlight, tourists riding camels through a vast desert, they were all as enchanting as the places in my dreams.
最终，门后的说话声停止了。我把耳朵贴在门板上，能听见他们的脚步声越来越轻了。他们走下楼去，然后楼下的大门砰地被关上了！我赶紧向房间的窗户跑去。我在窗帘的后面躲起来，隐藏起自己，偷偷看了看那两个刚刚在我的门后小声嘀咕的主人。他们是一个年纪大点的男人和一个好像是他的老婆的女人，样子都长得差不多：矮个子，身材比较结实，面带愁容，正站在楼下抬着头仔细观察我的窗户。我的新房东彼此喊了一些话以后，就向拐角处走去，消失了。
Finally the voices behind the door had stopped talking. Ear pressed against the door, I could hear their footsteps getting quieter as they went downstairs. After reaching the ground floor the front door slammed shut with a bang! I quickly ran over the to the room’s window. Hoping to conceal myself, I hid behind the window curtain and spied on the owners of the whispering voices who had recently been behind my door. A middle—aged man and what looked to be his wife—both similar in appearance: short, blocky figures, faces scowling—stood below and looked up as they scrutinized my window. After shouting something at one another, my new hosts walked around a corner and disappeared.
我又看起了电视：漂在一条小河上的一只木船上的旅客正兴奋地欣赏着一个古老的水乡。河边，很多穿着长裙的美女在相互泼水，山上的寺庙一半被云海笼罩着，充满神秘色彩……类似的迷人场景连续播出来。尽管这两天我的想象力好像因为失眠和时差退化了，但是现在我能重新感觉到想象力，我的激情渐渐又开始复苏。我又回顾了一下来中国之前的想法：也许某一天有机会在著名的少林寺练习功夫；有机会跟中国人享受丰盛的宴会，能尝试各种各样的正宗中国菜肴——在冬天吃北京烤鸭，夏天吃广东点心。就这样，我来到我梦想中的地方！电视上播放的那些冒险将会接蹱而来！反正，北海不是一个海边城市：在大太阳和蓝蓝的天空下有没有海滩的烧烤晚会和小小比基尼女郎跳来跳去呢？因为只看过这个城市的很小一部分，甚至都不能算一个街区，我有什么权利判断整个城市，甚至整个国家呢？
I looked back at the television: floating on a small river in a wooden boat a group of excited tourists enjoyed an ancient river town, along riverbanks wearing long dresses beautiful girls splashed each other with water, mysterious mountain temples half-hidden in a sea of clouds, and other similarly enchanting places continued to be shown. Even though these two days may have cast my imagination aside through insomnia and jet lag, I could feel my imagination, my passion slowly return to life. Once again I began to think about how I felt before I had arrived in China: hadn’t I thought that perhaps someday I’d have a chance to study Kungfu at the famous Shao Lin Temple? I’d have the chance to enjoy colorful banquets with Chinese people, tasting any and all authentic Chinese cuisine, from Peking duck in the winter to Cantonese dim sum in the summer? And just like that, I had arrived in the place I had wanted to arrive in! The potential adventures shown on the television were endless! Anyways, wasn’t Beihai a beach city: under the hot sun and blue skies on the beaches wouldn’t there be barbeque parties and small bikinis jumping around? Having only seen a small part of a city, which didn’t even quantify as a city block, what right did I have to judge an entire city, let alone an entire country?
我感到极度的振奋，我小心地站在厕所里，怕自己不小心踩到马桶里。我用冷水洗了澡，身心像一个花蕾在春天里轮回了。虽然卫生间没有肥皂，但是从克利夫兰市起飞，到大约四十多小时之后的现在，我终于又感到身体干净了。旅行的污垢和今早的怀疑被水冲走了。
My spirit feeling extremely lifted, standing carefully over the toilet fearful I might accidentally step in, I took a cold shower, and like a flower in the spring, my mind and body were reborn! And while there was no soap in the bathroom, for the first time since a departure that began in Cleveland, approximately forty hours earlier, I finally felt completely clean again. Alongside the grime from traveling my earlier doubts were washed away by the water.
我想，这个决定是不是我自己的选择？学生、新老板和她的培训学校是不是希望我来？难道我没有责任心？昨晚我认识了新老板，她一句难听的话也没对我说。确实，我住在一个好像不欢迎我的房子里。难道我一个大男人躲在门后、窗帘后不羞耻吗？
I thought, wasn’t this decision my own own? And, aren’t many students, a new boss and her training school expecting my arrival? Didn’t I have a sense of responsibility? And, when I met my new boss the previous evening, she hadn’t shouted a thing, not even once. And, sure, I was living in a home that didn’t seem welcoming. But, was I without shame, a grown man who hid behind doors and curtains?
因为没有毛巾，我用早上穿破的衬衫把身体擦干，精力充沛地打开行李包的拉链，拿出我最喜欢的衬衫和一条新内裤。包一下子开了，我的新生活随之迸发开来！我把棒球帽戴上，满血复活地出门了！
Without a towel, using the shirt I’d worn that morning to dry myself off, with fresh vigor, I opened the zipper on my bag and pulled out my favorite shirt and a clean pair of underwear. My bag having burst open, I was ready to allow life to follow suit! Pulling on my baseball hat, totally energized, I was off!
在外面，我用帽子挡住大太阳，不一会儿就又走到今天早上挑战的地方：那个无法通过的十字路口。快到的时候，我听到右边有像一个又大又丰满的虫子打在车窗上的啪嗒声。我转向那个声音的方向，只见一只巨大的黑水牛拉着木板车慢步过来。坐在车上的是一个拿着小鞭子的农民：一顶宽边草帽遮住了他的大半张脸，他皮肤黝黑，像老皮革一样粗。他疑惑地盯着我看，然后吐出很大一口痰。潮湿的痰撞在路面上发出啪嗒一声！太了不起了！我碰到一个真真正正的农民，一个非常地道的农民！也许是因为一种冒险家的快感，或者内心的浪漫主义，或者自己由于缺乏睡眠而迷糊了，但是我相信，在那一刻，不管“发现”什么事情，都令我印象深刻！想象着他脑子里会有多少有趣的故事，我想试试模仿一下他的动作，也吐一口痰。可是我嘴巴太干了，只能吐出一点点口水，在我的下巴上可耻地挂着。我很高兴地对他打招呼：“你好！”他没有回答，只点了点头。那很完美！那黑水牛不理我，继续散步过去了。
Outside, my hat blocking out the strong sun, in no time I was again walking towards this morning’s challenge: that impossible to cross intersection. Nearly there, to my right I heard what sounded like a big, plump bug smacking against a car’s windshield with a splat. I turned in the direction of where the splat struck the road. And what did I see but a huge black water buffalo pulling a wooden cart strolling forward. Sitting on the cart was a farmer and his little whip. A wide brimmed conical straw hat concealed half of his sun-tanned face, the skin rough as old leather. He eyed me suspiciously, then spat out a big slimy wad of spit. It smacked wetly on the pavement– splat. Outstanding! I’d just run into an authentic, salt of the earth Chinese farmer! Perhaps it was due to an adventurer’s high, the romanticist within or I was just delirious from a lack of sleep, but I believe, at that moment, no matter what I would have “discovered”, it would have left a deep impression! Imagining the many interesting stories he must carry in his mind, wanting to try and imitate his attitude—rough, yet totally free of societal manner—I spat myself. But, my mouth was too dry, and I could only spit out a little, and it hung shamefully from my chin. Nonplussed, I happily greeted him with a, “Ni hao!” Besides a slight nod of his head, he didn’t respond. It was perfect! The black water buffalo ignored me and continued to saunter by.
红灯的时候，不出所料，车子都随便开过去了。谁在乎？我自言自语。在越南的胡志明市市中心，混乱比规律更正常，我也照样开摩托车；在菲律宾，八个随身带刀的流氓围着我，威胁我让我滚开；在自己生活的阿拉斯加后院差点被公驼鹿踩死……我还怕什么！在我旁边等着六七个准备过马路的人。我躲在这个小队伍里面：人多势众。好像想保护我一下，他们离我更近了。灯绿了，我们开始慢慢过马路。没人喊叫，车子在行人的前面和后面开过去了，我们终于穿过了那条路！我想大家都应该互相祝贺，但是一过马路，其他六个行人就向他们自己的目的地走了。
The streetlight was red, but as expected, cars continued to pass through as they liked. Who cares, I said to myself! In the center of Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City, a place where chaos was more common than order, hadn’t I ridden a motorbike with confidence? In a rough part of the Philippines hadn’t eight thugs who more than likely were armed with knives surrounded me as they threatened me to get lost? Had I not nearly been trampled to death by a bull moose in my Alaskan backyard? What was I afraid of! To my side was a group of six to seven people waiting to cross the road. I secretly moved in between the group: safety in numbers. As if they wanted to protect me, they moved in closer. The light was green, and becoming one, we started to slowly cross the road. No one shouted. With cars passing in front and from behind our group, we eventually crossed the road! I thought we should congratulate one another, but after crossing the road, the six people went their separate ways.
站在那条路的另一边，欣赏着路边漂亮的南方棕榈树，我才意识到天气不是那么热，这里正是非常舒服美好的夏日。我深吸一口气，露出一个很开心的微笑。那微笑代表心满意足，是意识到自己真的做出了正确的决定的那种满足。我往前一步，开始一辈子难忘的冒险之旅！
Standing on the other side of the road, admiring the attractive southern palm trees that lined the streets, realizing that it wasn’t as much hot, as just what it should be on a summer’s day, I took a deep breath, and revealed a happy smile. The smile represented total satisfaction, the kind of satisfaction you find once realizing that you truly had made the correct decision. I took a step forward and began a once in a lifetime adventure!