作者：Casey Ellzey
翻譯：潘澤彬
校對：Luz、Zuzana、Joanne
Hello, I am Casey Ellzey. I’m an American teacher, and I specialize in Asian history and early childhood education. I have been in China nearly three years now.
大家好，我叫夏安，來自美國，是一名老師。我的專業(yè)是亞洲史和幼兒教育，在中國已經(jīng)待了將近三年。
My story isn’t an unlikely one, but it is one I never thought I would find myself in. My goal when I came to China was to serve one year teaching here before I left for my master’s degree. I arrived in Shanghai in August of 2019. I was only 23 at the time and very nervous to be in a country boasting thousands of years of history. I ended up missing my connecting flight to Shenzhen the day I landed due to security issues, so I booked a free flight the next day thanks to a lovely woman at the airport in Shanghai. She also got me situated in a nice hotel where I could stay the night. I landed in my new home city for the next year at 10:00 A.M. on August 28th. Tired, emotionally confused, and quickly running out of cash a taxi man took pity on me and accepted less money than what it cost to drive me from the airport.
我要講的故事并不是不可能發(fā)生，只是從未想過故事的主人公竟是我。2019 年 8 月，我抵達(dá)上海，當(dāng)時(shí)來中國的目的是任教一年，然后去讀碩士。來到一個(gè)擁有數(shù)千年歷史的國家，當(dāng)時(shí)只有 23 歲的我顯得非常緊張。由于安全問題，我錯(cuò)過了落地當(dāng)天飛往深圳的轉(zhuǎn)機(jī)航班，所以我預(yù)訂了第二天的免費(fèi)航班，這得感謝上海機(jī)場一位可愛的女士。她還為我安排了一家不錯(cuò)的酒店，當(dāng)晚我在那里過夜。8 月 28 日上午 10 點(diǎn)，飛機(jī)著陸在一座城市，那里將是我未來一年的新家。我身心俱疲，錢也快花光了，出租車司機(jī)同情我，以更優(yōu)惠的價(jià)格送我離開機(jī)場。
I spent the next few months figuring out China when I met this person online and we had a small connection. His name is Anji. A simple hair stylist from Heyuan, Guangdong. We met in November and had been talking for about two months when we decided that I should come in for a hair appointment to meet each other. That was in December of 2019. We scheduled the time for January 15th, but an outbreak would see that we wouldn’t meet. We texted back and forth for the two months we were on lock down. We got to know each other more and seemed to like each other. Though neither one of us would admit it to the other.
接下來的幾個(gè)月里，我一直在了解中國。我在網(wǎng)上遇到了他，我們開始聯(lián)系彼此。他叫安集，是一位理發(fā)師，來自廣東河源。我們是在 11 月認(rèn)識的，大約聊了兩個(gè)月，然后我們決定在理發(fā)店見面。當(dāng)時(shí)是 2019 年 12 月，我們把見面時(shí)間安排在 1 月 15 日，但新冠疫情突然爆發(fā)，這也代表著我們無法見面了。我們隔離的兩個(gè)月里，互發(fā)信息聊天，對彼此有了更多了解。我們貌似喜歡上了對方，但誰也不愿意表白。
In late February I got really sick and ended up in the hospital with an autoimmune disorder. He would send me words of encouragement. Cheering me on from the outside while I was being nursed back to health. I was released from hospital on March 11, 2020. That day we made an appointment to have me come in to do my hair that was now in horrible shape. We met on March 31, 2020 at 4:30 P.M. I can still remember everything we wore that day. It wasn’t hot or cold but comfortable. He asked me to eat dinner with him that night and I said yes on a gut feeling.
二月下旬，我患上了自身免疫性疾病，病得很重，住進(jìn)了醫(yī)院。他不斷給我發(fā)信息，鼓勵(lì)我克服病魔。我接受康復(fù)治療的時(shí)候，他在病房外給我加油鼓勁。2020 年 3 月 11 日，我出院了。那天，我們約好，他幫我理發(fā)，當(dāng)時(shí)我的頭發(fā)已經(jīng)相當(dāng)雜亂了。2020 年 3 月 31 日下午 4 點(diǎn)半，我們終于見面了。我仍然記得我們當(dāng)天的衣著打扮。那天天氣非常舒適，不冷不熱。晚上他邀請我一起吃飯，我想也沒想就答應(yīng)了。
For the next few days we would see each other daily. On April 3rd we agreed that we liked each other and wanted a relationship. This man who doesn’t speak English wanted to commit to me. We were together about 4 months when we found out that we would be expecting a child. By then we had discussed a possible marriage in the future. We were scared and nervous, but willing to welcome this new life into ours. On our seven-month anniversary he proposed.
接下來的幾天里，我們每天都會見到彼此。4 月 3 日，我們承認(rèn)喜歡上了對方，而且希望建立關(guān)系。他不會說英語，但卻想跟我表白。我們在一起大概 4 個(gè)月的時(shí)候，我發(fā)現(xiàn)自己有孩子了。那時(shí)我們已經(jīng)開始考慮未來的婚姻大事了。雖然我們會感到緊張和恐懼，但我們愿意迎接這個(gè)新生命的到來。我們戀愛七個(gè)月紀(jì)念日的時(shí)候，他終于向我求婚了。
It was November 13th. I had been at work all day and I was really tired, but he said he wanted me to meet him at one of our favorite spots. He wanted to go out for dinner. This isn’t unusual of him, so instead of going home I went to the mall to meet him. He told me his work friends wanted to celebrate, so I said okay. Everything was normal, I had started to get really tired.
那天是 11 月 13 日。我工作了一整天，真的很累，但他想約我在我們最愛的地方見面。他那天很反常，因?yàn)樗氤鋈コ燥?，所以我沒有回家，而是去商場見他。他說想和同事慶祝一下，我同意了。一切都很正常，但我實(shí)在累壞了。
I was seven months pregnant at this point and I had worked all day. He then gave me a random letter. I noticed it was in English so I started reading. He had spent all day translating what he wanted to say. “…I feel like our spirits have known each other for many lifetimes, and they have found each other again. Will you make my spirit happy and marry me?” This line I will forever remember. I didn’t process at first, but after a while I turn and he is there on one knee. This man that didn’t speak English, pouring out his heart on paper to me and asking me to be his beloved for life. I said yes through tears, all the while a friend caught it on camera. This one video would start our story online. Many would watch our love story unfold, our daughter being born, and our rise to a little popularity on the famous app Douyin.
那時(shí)我已經(jīng)有七個(gè)月的身孕，而且工作了一整天。他若無其事地給了我一封信，我注意是用英文寫的，所以我開始閱讀。他花了一整天時(shí)間來翻譯他想說的話：“……我感覺我們的靈魂早已認(rèn)識，歷經(jīng)百世，他們又尋到了彼此。你愿意賜予我的靈魂以幸福，嫁給我嗎？”這句話我將銘記終生。我起初沒有細(xì)讀，過了一會兒，我轉(zhuǎn)過身，發(fā)現(xiàn)他單膝跪地。這個(gè)不會說英語的人，在紙上傾訴心聲，向我表白，求我成為他的一生摯愛。我抹著眼淚答應(yīng)了，這一切都被一個(gè)朋友拍了下來，這是網(wǎng)上分享我們故事的開始。許多人將在抖音上見證我們的愛情發(fā)展、女兒出生，我們已經(jīng)小有名氣。
This man has helped me out of a dark area in my life, and is my rock. If it hadn’t been for Shenzhen I wouldn’t have met him. My daughter was born in Shenzhen, my family was started here. This city has so many deep memories for me, and I am so thankful for all that it has given me. It gave me a husband, a child, and a family. But more importantly it gave me hope. From walking on the paths near Shenzhen Bay to an amazing medical team helping me with the birth of my first born, this city has blessed me in so many different ways.
他帶我走出了生命中的黑暗，是我的磐石。如果沒有深圳，我就不會遇到他。我的女兒在深圳出生，我的家庭在這里組建。這座城市帶給我許多深刻的記憶，非常感謝深圳所給予我的一切。它賜予我丈夫和孩子，一個(gè)美滿的家庭，更重要的是它給了我希望。這座城市以不同的方式讓我感受到幸福：在深圳灣附近的小路上閑適地散步，了不起的醫(yī)療團(tuán)隊(duì)為我接生。
I am originally from Ellisville, Mississippi. I grew up in a single parent household. We were quiet people and never really went out much. I am from a smaller town so the shock of a big city like Shenzhen was a bit overwhelming. I spent 22 years in Mississippi and China was my first time leaving home. I am thankful for the lessons I learned in Mississippi that made me tough enough to take on a big city like Shenzhen. My story is unique and I hope it makes someone smile.
我來自密西西比州的埃利斯維爾，在一個(gè)單親家庭長大。我們都非常文靜，從來沒有真正走出家鄉(xiāng)。我居住的城鎮(zhèn)比較小，所以像深圳這樣的大城市給我?guī)砭薮蟮臎_擊，有點(diǎn)難以承受。我在密西西比州生活了 22 年，第一次離家就來到了中國。我非常感激密西西比州教會我的一切，這令我有足夠的韌性面對像深圳這樣的大城市。我獨(dú)特的故事希望能讓你會心一笑。
You can follow them on Douyin (Chinese Tik-Tok). Account name: 安集哥哥呀！
大家可以關(guān)注他們的抖音：安集哥哥呀！
