教外国人学汉语

君翠

2017年，摄于上海老知青聚会的时候。我们这二百多名上海青年乘坐同一列火车于1966年6月29日离沪赴疆。如今我们已经年老。然而，我们赶上了国家已经强盛的好日子。大家可以安度晚年了。

This photo was taken at a party of old-aged friends in Shanghai in 2017.

   Fifty years ago, all of us left Shanghai for Xinjiang together by a same train and worked there

 Our country is richer and stronger now. We, old people can live a better life.

The two photos was taken in the Summer Palace in 1915 maybe. All the teachers of the middle school

visited the park. My friend kept these photos andsent me after many years. I felt happy to see what I looked like.

我做了将近五年的教授外国人汉语的工作。学生们给我的印象是举止优雅，学习刻苦，真诚热情。我喜欢这样的人。

I had taught foreigners Chinese for five years. I

like those people who had elegant manners,

studied hard, and who appeared with sincerity

and enthusiasm.

在这前后五年里，我在一个名叫《桥学校》的单位工作，教外国人学习汉语。这一份工作给我留下了美好的回忆。当然我也给外国学生留下了好印象。

有一天一位女士问我“顾老师，你要调动工作了吗？你不教我们汉语了吗？” "没有这样的事啊。"我惊讶地问道，“你们听到什么话了吗？”

“今天，你的长发剪了，变成短发了，所以我们想，你要离开我们了。” 她说，“我们喜欢你教汉语。”

然后，她用双手放在她的下巴下面”，说“你很漂亮。”

“奥，谢谢。”我不好意思了。我明白，她们喜欢我，是因为我能用英语解答她们的问题。在这个学校里的大部分教师，虽然都是中文系人士，不懂英语，又是退休人员。相比之下，学生当然欢迎能进行交流的老师了。

  For five years I had worked at a school named “Bridge School”. I taught foreigners Chinese. This job has left me a good memory.

  One day, a lady, who was one of my students,

asked me “Teacher Gu, are you leaving us? You will not teach us, will you?”

  “Yes, I will . Why do you think that?” I asked her

in surprise.

  “Because we see that you have cut your long

hair into short, we thought you would leave us.”

she said, “We all like you to teach us Chinese.” She held her chin in her hands, saying “You are beautiful.”

  “Oh, thank you,” said I with embarrassment. I

knew well the reason they liked me was that I could answer their questions in English. Most teachers at this school did not understand English.

These old retired teachers were graduated from Chinese department.

 

 

2000年，摄于外交部旁边的人行道上。我有时候在这儿散步。我在附近居住。

在“桥学校”汉语学校里，有时候我教班级课，班里有六、七个学生。有时候教一对一的课。有时候在学校的教室里上课，有时候在外交公寓里学生的家里上课，有时候在学生的公司的办公室里上课。

在来到这个学校工作之前，我被公立学校的校长炒了鱿鱼。不得已，自己找新工作。偶然找到了这份教汉语的工作。这个私立学校的校长对我的到来大喜过望。

This photo was taken on the sidewalk next to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2000. Sometimes I took a walk here. I lived nearby.

  AT the school which was named Bridge School, sometimes I taught a small class in which there were five or six students, sometimes I had a one to one class. Sometimes I worked in a classroom at the school, sometimes I gave a lesson at a student’s home or at a student’s company office

  Before I worked at this school, I had been dismissed by the president of a public school. I had to look for a new job by myself. I found this private school by chance. The headmaster welcomed me

to work at his school.

 

在《三人行》摄影棚拍照，做了影集。

我在美国福特公司销售部经理的办公室里给这个经理教汉语。他利用上午上班之前的时间，学习一小时。

这个美国人全神贯注地学习的状态给我留下了深刻印象。

The photo was taken at a photo-studio where I had some of my photos made into a photo album.

   I went to the office of the American Ford’s Marketing Department to teach the manager Chinese. He studied Chinese one hour before he worked in the morning.

  I was deeply impressed by his attitude towards learning Chinese. He read after me, took notes in his notebook, asked me questions when he did not understand.

  When talking about buying a notebook computer, I said I would buy one when I had enough money. This American man said that he would buy one first, then solve the money problem. I was inspired by his words, so I used Credit Cards and did the hire purchase for about thirty times. Was I mad? Now I thought it was better to measure in and out.

 

 

每一个班级在结业的时候，学生们都对我有所表示。有一位看似六十来岁的美国先生送给我一串翡翠色的项链。有一位年轻的美国小姐送给我一本指导写作的书，因为她听说我想写书。有一位加拿大夫人送给我一本英语小说，说该书的作者是中国人。该书在国外畅销。我粗略看了它。该作者写了她的母亲在解放前作为一个小妾的生活。接着讲了她自己的生活，涉及了社会经历的大事件，结尾部分就是关于文革的事。难怪该书吸引外国人。有一位英国先生送给我他特意为我买的英语故事书。

有一次我去一位英国人的家授课。在他家，夫妇俩同时跟我学汉语。在课后的聊天中，我得知这位太太本人是大夫，其丈夫是一个石油天然气专家。这位专家告诉我说中国从国外进口的天然气要用技术变成液体，运到中国以后再还原成气体。他的太太让我看了他们孩子的照片。他们共有两个女儿，一个当了医生，一个当了教师。相册很精美。这位太太还特意让我看了怎么做蛋糕。台子上有烹饪书，小台秤，台下有烤箱。最后送给我六个小蛋糕带回家。当我让我孩子吃蛋糕时，发现蛋糕内部还没有烤熟，我就把蛋糕再加工了一下。这一对夫妇回英国探亲了一次，特意买了一套做蛋糕用的模具送给我。

有一位来自印尼的年轻女士问我想不想去国外教书，她说她可以帮我办理好一切事务。我谢绝了。

还有一次在一位德国太太的家里授课。她是一个漂亮的女人，简直就像以前我在外国时装杂志封面上看到过的美人一样。她年轻，热情。她细心地为我的双手抹上了指甲油。这是我有生以来第一次经历抹指甲油。肯定是因为我在那年月里素颜到了家，让这位美人受不了我了，她要美化我一下，她才能舒服。我像一个孩子一样乖乖地让她工作。我没想到在用温水把手泡软以后，她不仅修剪了我的指甲，还用小剪子剪了指甲两侧皮肤上的一点点老皮。在那次抹了紫红色的指甲油之后的头几天里，我居然发现我的双手变漂亮了，高贵了。遗憾的是，我不可能给自己的双手这样的待遇。我的双手必须干各种各样的工作，哪怕是重的，苦的。

有一位泰国太太，在她的家上完了课，她还给我抹了唇膏，她说“你嘴唇的形状漂亮，你可以......”

总之那时候的自己完全忽略美化生活之类的事。

When students finished the study, they did something to me to express their thanks. An American man, who seemed sixty years old, sent me a necklace with jade color. A young American miss sent me an English book about writing, because she knew that I wanted to learn writing. A Canadian lady sent me a novel book in English. She told me that the writer of this book was a Chinese and this book was sold well in foreign countries. After I read the book, I understood why this book was welcomed by foreigners. In this book people could see how a concubine lived in old China, how her daughter lived in new China, at last something about the ten-year Cultural Revolution. One English young man sent me two English books which were bought for me specially. The books were Green’s Fairy

 I once gave lessons to a young German lady. She was so beautiful that she might be a model and her photo might be on the cover of those beauty magazines.

  Perhaps my appearance was too simple that she could not help beautifying me a little.

 She wanted to color my nails. It was the first time in my life to experience this. I was like an obedient child, and saw her working. To my surprise, after my nails were soft in the warm water, she not only cut my nails short but also cut off old skins which were at both edges of each nail. Next, she colored all of my nails red. For the first time, I found my hands beautiful and noble. But it was impossible to keep my nails in such good condition. MY hands had to do all kinds of work, heavy or hard.

  Another time a Thai lady applied lipstick for me. “Your lips look nice, You should `……”

  In short, I neglected all beautifying things on myself.

 

 

 

五年中，无论是天寒地冻，还是烈日当空，我都快速骑行，像是三十来岁的人，实际上已经五十来岁了。客观上，骑车有利于健康，使自己在学生的眼中显得神采奕奕。我能从她们的眼中看到羡慕我的目光。

在冬季寒冷的早晨，大街上似乎没有行人，只有我一个人在骑快车。在夏天烈日当空的中午，好像也见不到几个行人，只有我，一个女人在 快速骑车，还觉得自己了不起。

在那几年里，自己头脑简单，没多少杂念。这样骑车上班没觉得苦。

最后我买了一顶黑色皮帽子来对付寒风，买了一片人造棉披肩来对付烈日。

During those five years no matter hot or cold, I went to work by bike. Riding was a good exercise, it made me healthy. I could find through their eyes that my students admired me.

  In winter morning there were almost no people in the streets but I who rode a bike to work quickly. In summer hot noon, there were also few people moving in the streets but I, who finished work and rode home for lunch.

  I, with a simple brain, did not feel the life was hard, though I was at my fifties.

  I bought a black leather hat to block the cold air, and a thin shawl to block the sun.

快到上课的时间了，学生们在问那个上次没来上课的年轻太太为何没来。“病了，胃疼，去了医院，医生查不出毛病。” “你吃了什么早餐？” 我问。“香蕉，橘子。” 她说。“我知道是什么原因了。” 我讲了报纸上的文章，即早餐空腹时，胃酸浓，遇到香蕉的鞣酸转变成难以消化的鞣酸钙，引起胃疼。应先吃面包之类的谷物才好。大家都认可这个分析。

It was the time for class. Students were asking the young lady who was absent for last class, what happened with her. “I had a stomachache, and went to the hospital, The doctor did not find any problem.” She answered.

   “What did you have for breakfast?” I asked her.

“I ate nothing except a banana and a mandarin orange.” She answered.

“According to an article,” I said, “Because in the morning, stomach acid is thick, that the thick acid meets the tannic acid in a banana will produce something that is hard for the body to be absorbed. Better have some grain first.” I said.

   My students nodded and agreed with the article.

感谢这个摄影棚留住了自己五十多岁时候的容颜，现在让摄影师留住了自己七十岁的模样，此事值得做。

愿自己平安度晚年，将来有可能做自己的八十岁、九十岁的影集。

Thanks to the photo studio for recording my appearance at my age of fifties.

Now with the help of the photo studio, I have kept my appearance at the age of seventy. It is worthy to do such things, beautiful things. I wish to live happily and to make my photo album at the age of eighty and ninety.

2000年，与外甥女摄于上海博物馆门前。

In 2000, I visited my hometown Shanghai, took the photo with my youngest sister’s daughter in front of Shanghai Museum.

2000年，在上海人民广场，与外甥女共舞拉丁舞

In 2000, I visited my hometown Shanghai, danced Latin dance with my youngest sister’s daughter at People’s Square.

2000年，在《三人行》摄影棚拍了照，做了影集。

有一天，一位加拿大籍的先生来访。那时，我一家四口住在20平米的房间，靠着房间搭有一小屋。这个房间是我公婆腾出来给我们住的。我夫妇俩从新疆回来能有一间屋子住是难得的事。我曾多次向教育局要求住房，结果是徒劳的。

“很好的，生活就是这样的。”这加拿大籍学生说。他倒是善解人意。

还有一位年龄大于我的荷兰太太携丈夫来访我家。他们要回荷兰去了。荷兰太太送给我一大包她自己的衣服。她的个头和我一样高。因此她的衣服，我都能穿。应当说，她的衣裙都素雅大方，可是我始终没有勇气穿其中几条裙子，我怕自己太漂亮了。我要朴素再朴素，心里才踏实。

有一位学生是加拿大大使馆的一秘。在他家，他们夫妇同时跟我学汉语。有一次我说，冬暖夏凉，所以门和窗向南开。他不同意，说在澳大利亚就不是这样的。“奥！”我赶紧笑着说，“你说得对，中国在北半球，澳洲在南半球。”他也点点头笑了。我心想，这外交官果然聪明，我自己也不傻。”在他家，我称赞了他的书架。他向我介绍说，这书架从加拿大带来，易于拆成一片片木板，易于运输和安装。后来，我也请人为我做了这种书架。

说到西红柿，我说西红柿是蔬菜，那一秘说是菜也是水果，他母亲自己种西红柿，每个西红柿个头都很大。他用两个手掌比划了一下。

自己从小在上海生长，以后去了新疆工作，从未接触过农作物的事，最多不过是跟老师们一起下菜地摘茄子。西红柿是大厨房用来做菜的，自己从未把它当作水果生吃。

有一次这一秘夫妇正在跟我学汉语，他们的一个五、六岁大的男孩走过来，搂着他母亲的身体，羞答答地说着什么。他母亲让这孩子重复说“苹果” 这个英语单词，直到孩子说对了，才同意了孩子的要求，那孩子立刻开心地离开了。

我猜想，可能这孩子跟他姥姥或者奶奶一起生活过，说着加拿大的地方英语了。_

我给巴西大使馆的二秘书教课。在他家中，有好几间房间，他亲自给房间墙壁刷颜色，说要让一个房间一种颜色。在门厅的大房间里，搞了个吊床。天花板上只有一个大钩子，靠它吊一个网状的床，安全吗？“没问题”，他的年轻漂亮的法国太太笑着就坐到上面，荡秋千了，“我们俩都坐上去，都可以的。”她说。

这个二秘的汉语已经学了很多了，他不是看着汉字上方的汉语拼音朗读，而是能够直接看着汉字就朗读。他还会写很多汉字。

二秘的妻子请我跟她的朋友去一个饭店俱乐部跳肚皮舞。我去玩了一次。我喜欢肚皮舞，但是不会跳。现在的我已经会跳肚皮舞了。跳这种舞对活动筋骨很有作用。我发现他家有两套缝纫机的架子。架子上铺了一块厚玻璃，上面放了一盆花。看起来像艺术品，还便于移动。二秘说，他买了这两副架子要带回巴西，他喜欢。

那二秘问“你英语不错，在哪儿学的？出过国吗？”

“我从初一开始学英语，在中学总共学了四年，后来在大学里英语系学了四年，我没有去过国外。”

我幸运地在中学时代遇到了很好的英语老师，这些老师在解放前是在外国银行里或者外国公司里工作，他们的英语当然地道。我的大学老师都是年轻人，但是他们把英语语音和语法讲得很好，给我奠定了良好的英语基础，我喜欢学习外国语，学校里的各个科目我都喜欢，而且都学得很好。如果中国没有发生过十年文革，说不定我是从事物理研究的人，或者是做别的领域的研究工作。

我说等我有了钱再买笔记本电脑，这个美国人说，应该先买电脑，再设法还钱。他的观点给了我启发。以至于自己后来使用了信用卡，并且在两年内向信用卡做过三十多次的分期付款。现在已经还清了所有债务。回想起来，自己的行为够疯狂的。应当量入而出为好。

我去给一个中年德国太太授课，见她的左脚戴上了石膏。怎么了？她说，与她丈夫去健身，打网球，崴了脚。真遗憾。还好，她还能继续学习汉语。

When I went to give a lesson to a German lady, I saw her left foot was wounded with plaster on it. What had happened? “I, with my husband, went to play tennis, unfortunately got my foot hurt.” She said.

  Luckily, she could continue her Chinese lesson.