Hi there! My name is Alexia Arielle Vargas, but everyone calls me Lexi. I am Puerto Rican raised in the United States of America and I have lived in China for 3 years.
大家好！我叫 Alexia Arielle Vargas，大家都叫我 Lexi。我是在美國長大的波多黎各人，在中國生活了 3 年。
When I was in high school and college, people would ask me, “Where would you like to travel if you could go anywhere?” I’d say, “Asia, China would be an amazing place to see and learn more about.” Throughout my life living in New York City, it was always a dream to travel and being able to come to China would be such a wonderful opportunity.?
上高中和大學的時候，人們會問我：“你最想去哪里旅行？”我會回答：“亞洲，中國是一個了不起的國家，去那里可以開拓眼界，增長見識?！痹诩~約生活的時候，旅行一直是我的夢想，如果有機會去中國，那真是太棒了。
I come from a family of 5 siblings, three brothers and a little sister. I was a middle child, and we didn’t have much, but we made the best out of every situation we were in. I was kind of an odd ball growing up, but a pretty good scholar. I had opportunities to go Europe because of my performance in school to accept an award, but it did not include the travel cost and neither my school, nor my family could afford it, so I was unable to go. When I was in college the opportunity to study abroad began to feel more real. I really began to feel like this would be my opportunity to travel abroad and begin my journey to see the world.
我有三個兄弟和一個妹妹，我排行中間。我們兄妹幾個沒有什么本領，除了善于處理遇到的各種問題，做到盡善盡美。我小時候有點怪，但學習成績卻相當優(yōu)異。因為我成績優(yōu)秀，表現(xiàn)良好，獲得了去歐洲留學的機會，但是家庭和學校都負擔不起出國費用，所以我放棄了這次機會。上大學時，出國留學的機會離我越來越近，我感覺自己馬上要走出國門，開啟世界之旅。
During this time, I began having some family and relationship issues and felt like I had to be the glue to keep everything together, so I decided that it wasn’t my time yet and I had to push my dream aside a little while longer.?
但那時候，我和家人的關系緊張，我必須粘合與家人的關系，所以出國時機還未成熟，我必須再次把夢想擱到一邊。
Throughout my years in college and university getting my bachelor’s and master’s degree in education I knew one thing for sure, I wanted to teach and work with children. While I was in school, I would work four different jobs (including teaching), volunteer at community centers to help underprivileged students with their homework, host mingle nights at the elderly hospital to play games, do hair, paint little old ladies nails and sometimes even boogie (don’t let the elderly fool you, they know how to party) all while going to school and taking night classes. There were no days off. I was busy every day, 7 days a week, but I loved it. Being involved in my community and meeting new people was always such an adventure for me. During my last year of University, I knew that a new chapter in my life would soon begin, but where??
攻讀教育學學士和碩士學位期間，我明白了自己的理想：我想當老師，和孩子們一起學習。上學時，我打了四份工（包括家教），在社區(qū)中心做志愿者，幫助貧困學生補習，晚上去養(yǎng)老院舉辦活動：玩游戲，理發(fā)，給老太太涂指甲油，甚至跳舞（別被老人家騙了，他們懂得在派對上怎么玩），同時我得學習，上晚課，沒有休息日。一周 7 天，我每天都很忙，但我喜歡這樣的狀態(tài)。參加社區(qū)活動，認識新朋友，對我來說是一項挑戰(zhàn)。大學最后一年，生命中的新篇章即將開始，我該何去何從呢？
I started applying to schools abroad, but was very skeptical, I didn’t know anyone who worked or lived abroad. I would hear stories of other people’s adventures of traveling or studying, but no one in my life lived abroad. At this point in my life, I’m thinking going abroad is just a fairytale fantasy, a dream and just a dream. What are the one in a million chances I’d get a job abroad doing what I love- teaching? Could this be possible?
我開始申請出國留學，但我有些許顧慮，因為國外沒有親人朋友。我有聽過在國外旅行或學習的故事，但我身邊人都沒有在國外生活過。那一刻，我想出國只是一個童話般的幻想，是一個夢，而且只能是一個夢。在國外找一份我喜歡的工作——教書，百萬分之一的幾率，可能發(fā)生嗎？
?I had also applied to many other schools around the States. Going through countless interviews from different schools in the States as well as abroad like Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, and Xiamen. I began hearing back from more schools overseas than from schools I had applied to in the States. I received offers from schools in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Xiamen. After doing some research and browsing through social media I knew Xiamen was for me. There wasn’t much out there about Xiamen, but when I learned that I’d be living on an island surrounded by palm trees and mountains (the exact opposite of NYC) I knew this is where I wanted to be. I saved up as much money as I could for years and thought this is my opportunity to go out there and really live my dreams.?
我曾申請美國的許多學校，接受了美國和國外學校的無數(shù)次面試，包括香港、上海、北京和廈門的學校。我開始收到國外許多學校的回復，比國內學校還要多，我還收到了香港、上海和廈門學校的錄取通知。我做了一些研究，上網(wǎng)查了一些資料，覺得廈門這座城市更適合我。關于廈門的信息不多，只知道那是一座棕櫚樹和山脈環(huán)繞的島嶼（與紐約完全不同），這就是我想去的地方。幾年來，為了這次難能可貴的機會，我拼命攢錢，去廈門實現(xiàn)我真正的夢想。
When I first moved to Xiamen, I began questioning everything, worrying if I made the right decision. I just left everything and everyone I know behind. Even though I was so excited to be immersed in a new environment and culture, I was worried I couldn’t do it. Getting to know the city, I realized I live in such a beautiful city and within no time I knew I wanted to be as involved as possible. I began getting involved in community events and meetings. I even had the opportunity to host events like a Christmas painting event for families and friends and even a beach clean-up. When COVID-19 began I wanted to try and help lift the spirits in our communities, not just in Xiamen, but all-around China and drew a picture and took a selfie to help send positive messages around and asked the community center if we could gather pictures of our community members and put together something to help give back and to stay positive and strong when lockdowns began. So many people got involved and it started to spread throughout China. Till this day I like to be as involved as possible meeting so many different people from all around the world. This has truly been an amazing opportunity. I have made such great friends that I consider family. Xiamen has become a place for me that feels like home.
第一次來到廈門時，我開始懷疑自己，懷疑自己的決定是否正確。我離開了家鄉(xiāng)，離開了親人朋友。我非常興奮，因為我來到了一個新的文化環(huán)境，同時又擔心自己無法融入。我開始深入了解廈門，生活在如此美麗的城市里，我想盡快融入這里的生活。我開始參與社區(qū)活動和會議，為許多家庭和朋友舉辦圣誕繪畫活動，甚至是海灘清潔活動。疫情爆發(fā)時，我想凝聚每個廈門人，甚至每個中國人的士氣，所以我畫了一幅畫，拍了一張自拍，傳遞正能量。我還去社區(qū)中心收集我們社區(qū)成員的照片，整合在一起，體現(xiàn)隔離期間我們積極堅強的心態(tài)。許多人加入了我們，這一活動開始在中國各地傳播。直到今天，我還喜歡參加各種活動，認識來自世界各地的人們，這確實是一個很棒的機會。我結識了許多好朋友，我像家人一般對待他們。廈門給了我家的溫暖。
I was born and raised in the big apple of New York City, also known as “the city that never sleeps”. A place where everyone gravitates towards the food, Broadway shows, and the beginning of eras like hip hop music and graffiti art.
我在紐約市出生長大，這座城市被稱為“大蘋果城”、不夜城。這里的每個人都喜歡美食、百老匯，還有開創(chuàng)整個時代的嘻哈音樂和涂鴉藝術。
轉載請注明來源出處
