個(gè)人簡(jiǎn)介：
Name :?Karla M. Gurley
姓名：Karla M. Gurley
Country of Origin :?USA
國(guó)籍：美國(guó)
Occupation :?Kindergarten English Teacher
職業(yè)：幼兒園英語(yǔ)老師
Years in China :?4?years
在華居住時(shí)間：4年
Let’s be honest, every little girl wants to grow up to be a princess. We all do! I know I sure did. As a child in Texas, I often found any excuse to don a fancy gown with a matching tiara. As an adult I have made numerous treks to Disneyland with friends and family. So, imagine my excitement in the fall of 2017 when Disney English (“DE”) selected me to teach!
說(shuō)實(shí)話，每個(gè)小女孩長(zhǎng)大之后都想做公主吧！大家都這樣，我也不例外。作為一個(gè)在德克薩斯州長(zhǎng)大的小孩，我總是想方設(shè)法地穿上漂亮精致的裙子，戴上配套的王冠。長(zhǎng)大之后，我也經(jīng)常和家人朋友去迪士尼旅游。所以，當(dāng)2017年我成功選上迪士尼英語(yǔ)的老師時(shí)，我高興極了！
DE was a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company designed to use immersive educational programs to teach English to children across China. I learned about them while researching opportunities to teach abroad. When DE selected me, it began the adventure of a Texas girl packing her bags to go to the other side of the world to be a princess. Dressing as Princess Tiana, the first Disney princess who looked like me, brought me so much joy, a joy I regularly share with children in Shanghai. Daily, it all feels surreal.
迪士尼英語(yǔ)是華特·迪士尼公司的子公司，該公司旨在利用沉浸式教育項(xiàng)目在中國(guó)各地教授兒童英語(yǔ)。我是在尋找海外教學(xué)機(jī)會(huì)時(shí)了解到這家公司的。當(dāng)我入選之后，本德州女孩就開(kāi)始收拾行囊，奔赴世界另一端，去開(kāi)始一場(chǎng)公主的冒險(xiǎn)。我會(huì)扮成蒂安娜公主，這是第一個(gè)與我相似的迪士尼公主。這一切都給我?guī)?lái)了太多的快樂(lè)，我也經(jīng)常同上海的孩子們分享這種快樂(lè)。每一天都過(guò)得太不真實(shí)了！
I had a lovely time working for DE, where I spent a year using the magic of Disney’s inspiring stories to teach English to children across Shanghai. It was a childhood dream come true!
我在迪士尼英語(yǔ)工作了一年，是一段非常愉快的工作經(jīng)歷。我在那里給上海的小朋友講述迪士尼的傳奇魅力故事。這一切就像童年的美夢(mèng)成真！
After my time with DE, I transitioned to a traditional school where I could use my educational training and expertise more naturally. I have a Master’s in education and spent years teaching in various settings in the US.
在迪士尼英語(yǔ)工作了一段時(shí)間后，我轉(zhuǎn)到了一所傳統(tǒng)學(xué)校，在那里我可以更好地利用我的教育培訓(xùn)經(jīng)驗(yàn)和專業(yè)知識(shí)。我擁有教育學(xué)碩士學(xué)位，并且在美國(guó)任教多年。
In December of 2018, a little more than a year from when I first packed up and moved to China, I became a bilingual kindergarten teacher. Someone once said, “It takes a big heart to shape little minds,” and I am honored to shape little minds here in Shanghai. It has given me a plethora of beautiful experiences and opportunities!
2018 年 12 月，距離我第一次收拾行李搬到中國(guó)的一年多一點(diǎn)，我成為了一名雙語(yǔ)幼兒園老師。有人曾說(shuō):“懷一顆溫暖之心,開(kāi)啟學(xué)生智慧,引領(lǐng)學(xué)生成長(zhǎng)”，我很榮幸能在上海教書育人，它給了我太多美好的經(jīng)歷和機(jī)會(huì)！
I never thought I would enjoy teaching people under four feet so much, but I do. I planned on leaving China in 2019, but these children have captured my heart. To quote my all-time favorite Disney movie, POLLY, when I walk through the doors of my campus, “I am profoundly inundated with maximum pleasure” teaching my kindergarten students.
我從未想過(guò)我會(huì)如此喜歡教小朋友，但事實(shí)就是如此。我原本打算 2019 年離開(kāi)中國(guó)，但這些孩子俘獲了我的心。引用我一直以來(lái)最喜歡的迪士尼電影《POLLY》中的一句話，當(dāng)我走進(jìn)校園大門時(shí)，“我被至上快樂(lè)淹沒(méi)了”，那就是教我的幼兒園學(xué)生。
As you can see, I love teaching, but I also greatly enjoy living life to the fullest. There is always something to do here. From cooking classes, street fairs, cultural events, restaurants from around the world, yoga in the park, the Black EXPO, galas, book clubs, charity events, and volunteer opportunities, it’s all here, and I have had the chance to do them all. I would have never dreamt of such things while in Texas or California (the two US states where I lived the longest).
正如你所見(jiàn)，我喜歡教書。不過(guò)與此同時(shí)，我也非常熱愛(ài)生活。在中國(guó)，總是有各種機(jī)會(huì)去做不同的事情：參加烹飪課、逛街頭集市，體驗(yàn)文化盛事，品嘗來(lái)自世界各地的餐館，在公園做瑜伽，參加黑人展會(huì)和各種文化慶典，去讀書俱樂(lè)部，參加慈善活動(dòng)或者志愿活動(dòng)。還在得克薩斯州和加利福利亞洲（兩個(gè)我在美國(guó)待最長(zhǎng)時(shí)間的地方）時(shí)我都不敢想能有機(jī)會(huì)去做這些事情。
In short, living in Shanghai has been a wonderful adventure. One of the best parts of that adventure is having made lifelong friends here to join me along the ride. I’ve met dozens of tremendously kind and accepting people who I would never have met if I did not live in Shanghai. For example, when the city reopened after the pandemic, I attended a block party in Jing’an. While there, I noticed a group of people talking and, one person signing (yes, signing, not singing as I am often corrected by others). This caught my eye because in the US I was an ASL Interpreter at my church, so I introduced myself to the group.
簡(jiǎn)單來(lái)說(shuō)，在上海的生活是一段美妙的體驗(yàn)。其中最棒的環(huán)節(jié)就是交到了許多相伴一生的好朋友。如果不是住在上海，我不會(huì)遇見(jiàn)這么多善良友愛(ài)的人。比方說(shuō)解封之后，我在靜安區(qū)參加了一場(chǎng)街區(qū)聚會(huì)。在那里，我注意到了一群人正在交談，其中一位在比劃手勢(shì)（你沒(méi)有看錯(cuò)，是比劃，而不是像我經(jīng)常被人糾正的唱歌）。這極大地吸引了我的興趣，因?yàn)檫^(guò)去在美國(guó)，我也是我們教堂的一名美國(guó)手語(yǔ)譯員，所以我上前向他們做了自我介紹。
Since this wonderful chance meeting I have attended a Chinese Sign Language (CSL) workshop and I recently started CSL lessons. For those who are wondering sign language is different in different countries though some words can be very similar. I am so excited to learn CSL! This was such a great experience because sign language was such a big part of my life at home, and now it’s also a part of my life in China.
自那之后，我報(bào)名了一家中文手語(yǔ)工作室，并且開(kāi)始學(xué)習(xí)中文手語(yǔ)。你們可能會(huì)好奇，不同國(guó)家的手語(yǔ)也不同嗎？事實(shí)上有些單詞還是相似的。我很高興能夠?qū)W習(xí)中文手語(yǔ)。因?yàn)樵诿绹?guó)的時(shí)候，手語(yǔ)對(duì)我來(lái)說(shuō)就十分重要，而現(xiàn)在在中國(guó)也是如此。
Finally, hiking to the summit of Yellow Mountain in Anhui was another unforgettable experience I have had living here. I hiked Yellow Mountain with several friends last summer. I anticipated the hike would take about four hours. It took six! It was a beautiful, yet challenging hike, and I’m grateful to have done it with great friends. The view from the mountaintop made each grueling step worth it.
最后，登上安徽黃山也是我非常難忘的經(jīng)歷之一。去年夏天我和幾個(gè)朋友一起游黃山。我預(yù)估可能要花四個(gè)小時(shí)，不過(guò)最后花了整整六小時(shí)。黃山景色非常優(yōu)美，不過(guò)爬山的環(huán)節(jié)充滿挑戰(zhàn)。我必須要感謝我的同伴們，也很慶幸自己最后做到了。登上山頂所看到的一切，讓所有的疲憊都煙消云散了。
My life in China is reminiscent of the famous phrase from Forrest Gump, “Life is like a box of chocolates—you never know what you’re going to get.” Everyday has been an adventure, one befitting a princess.
我在中國(guó)的生活就像《阿甘正傳》中那句名言一樣：“人生就像一盒巧克力，你永遠(yuǎn)不知道你將會(huì)遇到什么?！泵恳惶於际切碌拿半U(xiǎn)，一場(chǎng)于公主而言的冒險(xiǎn)。
Now, here’s a fun and random fact about my hometown, Dallas, Texas. You love Happy Hour and adult beverages-right? The frozen margarita machine was invented in Dallas, Texas in 1971. YOU. ARE. WELCOME.
接下來(lái)聊聊我的家鄉(xiāng)——德州達(dá)拉斯。你一定喜歡歡樂(lè)時(shí)光(酒吧的減價(jià)時(shí)段)和成人飲品（含酒精飲料），對(duì)吧？事實(shí)上冰瑪格麗特飲酒機(jī)就是于 1971 年在德州達(dá)拉斯問(wèn)世的。歡迎來(lái)我的家鄉(xiāng)。
作者：Karla M. Gurley 翻譯：余欣陽(yáng)
If you would like to contribute your story, feel free to contact us.
Email: luz@mts-tech.com
Home away from home?is a collection of the unique stories written by foreigners in China and compiled by MTS. Join us on this journey of exploring 100 different stories showcasing what it truly means to live in China!《家外之家》是一本外國(guó)人在中國(guó)的獨(dú)特故事集，由外國(guó)人撰寫，精藝達(dá)公司征集匯編。歡迎外國(guó)朋友積極參與，和我們一起探尋100個(gè)不同的故事，展示生活在中國(guó)的真正意義！
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It has been?5 months?already since the “Home Away from Home” essay contest began! We appreciate all the foreign friends who have participated writing?55 unique stories?about their experience as expats in China.?On October 31st, the voting system closed, and after thorough counting of likes, reads and votes, today is the time to announce the?5 winners! Drumroll please...感謝大家?5 個(gè)月以來(lái)對(duì)《家外之家》征文比賽的關(guān)注！開(kāi)賽至今，我們一共征集到了?55 篇外國(guó)人在華故事，我們非常感謝此次積極參與征文活動(dòng)的外國(guó)朋友。2021 年 10 月 31 日，網(wǎng)站投票通道也已關(guān)閉。通過(guò)計(jì)算社交媒體點(diǎn)贊數(shù)、閱讀數(shù)、以及網(wǎng)站投票數(shù)，經(jīng)過(guò)激烈角逐,?5 名參賽者最終脫穎而出
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