The visit was nearly seven years ago, but it is etched so clearly on Nathan Bowling's mind that it is as though it happened yesterday.
七年前，中國國家主席習(xí)近平訪問了美國塔科馬市林肯中學(xué)，當(dāng)時在林肯中學(xué)授課的老師內(nèi)森·鮑林回憶起習(xí)主席的到訪，至今仍然記憶猶新。

On Sept 23, 2015, Bowling was teaching a sociology class at Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Washington state, but this was to be no routine lesson. Standing in the classroom before him and his students was a very special guest: Chinese President Xi Jinping.
2015年9月23日，華盛頓州塔科馬市的林肯中學(xué)，鮑林正在給學(xué)生講授社會科學(xué)的課程。今天看來，這堂課注定不同尋常：一位特別的客人前來旁聽——中國國家主席習(xí)近平。

Xi's school visit was his last public stop during a visit to Washington state. He would meet members of the Lincoln High School football team and receive a custom No 1 Lincoln Abes' game jersey with his name on it.
訪問林肯中學(xué)是習(xí)近平主席在華盛頓州訪問期間的最后一站公開活動。他還會見了林肯中學(xué)橄欖球隊隊員，并獲贈一件定制的印有他名字的1號球衣。

"At one point, we had a conversation about whether they could shake his hand or not," Bowling said of his students. "And I was like, 'Of course not. No way.' And then, when he stuck his hand out to shake hands with the kids in the row, the first kid squealed, like it was the Beatles. That was really cool to me. That means they understood the gravity of the moment."
鮑林回憶說：“我們曾討論學(xué)生們是否可以和習(xí)主席握手。我當(dāng)時覺得，‘這不可能。’后來，當(dāng)習(xí)主席伸出手來與孩子們握手時，第一個孩子尖叫起來，他們就像見到了搖滾巨星一樣激動。他們理解這一刻的重要意義?！?/p>

Among the many things Bowling clearly recalls about the visit is what Xi said about China.
鮑林至今清楚記得習(xí)近平主席介紹中國時說的話。

Bowling recalled Xi as saying something to the effect of when you go to Xi'an, you can see China more than 1,000 years in the past; when you go to Beijing you can see 500 years in the past; and when you go to Shanghai you can see 100 years in the past.
他說，要看千年的中國去西安，看五百年的中國去北京，看一百年的中國去上海。

"And that passage really stuck with me. That's kind of a demonstration of the depth of Chinese history."
鮑林說：“那段話讓我難以忘懷，展示了中國深厚的歷史底蘊?！?/p>

Bowling and his wife have visited China many times since 2014. They have worked with high school students and middle school students in Chengdu, Sichuan province. The other cities they have toured include Beijing, Macao, Hong Kong and Shanghai.
2014年以來鮑林和他的妻子曾多次來到中國。他們曾與四川省成都市的初中生和高中生交流，還參觀過北京、澳門、香港和上海等地。

Bowling said his trips to China have enabled him to deepen his knowledge far beyond what people can get from a book. On each trip, he said, he has been "blown away" by the country, its people and their generosity.
鮑林說，幾次中國之行加深了他對中國的了解，收獲遠遠超出了從書本上所能看到的。他說，每次旅行，他都被這個國家、這里的人民和他們的慷慨熱情所“折服”。

In 2019, Bowling and his family moved to the United Arab Emirates, and his most recent trip to China was in 2020, when he accompanied his students to a conference at Concordia International School in Shanghai.
2019年，鮑林和家人移居阿聯(lián)酋，他最近的一次中國之行是在2020年，當(dāng)時他陪同學(xué)生參加在上海一所國際學(xué)校舉行的會議。

"I have fond memories also of the first host family we stayed with. They were just like everyday Chinese ... middle-class people, who were living very, very happy lives."
“我們住的第一個寄宿家庭給我留下了美好的記憶。他們就是普通的中國人……過著非常非常幸福的生活。”

"I learned how to play mahjong and how to make dumplings. I think what really made that visit meaningful is that I was able to bring some of that culture and some of the history to my students. And that's what the president offered with his visits."
“我學(xué)會了打麻將和包餃子。我認為這次訪問的意義在于，我能帶學(xué)生了解中國的文化和歷史。這也是習(xí)主席訪問林肯中學(xué)時所做的事?！?/p>

After exchanging gifts and speaking with students that day in Tacoma, Xi made a speech in the school auditorium.
習(xí)近平主席到訪林肯中學(xué)那天，他與學(xué)生們交換禮物，親切交談，并在學(xué)校禮堂發(fā)表了演說。

Because of her involvement with the Lincoln Lady Abes basketball team, Shauntel Berry was able to witness the speech. What she remembered most clearly was the delay between Xi saying in Chinese that 100 students were to be invited to travel to China, and then the translation from the interpreter. Everyone was cheering, probably hoping to be one of those selected, she said.
作為林肯女子籃球隊的一員，肖特爾·貝瑞現(xiàn)場見證了這場演說。她記得最清晰的是，習(xí)主席還為師生們帶來了一個大大的驚喜，他用中文說，將邀請100名林肯中學(xué)的學(xué)生去中國做客，這令人激動的消息經(jīng)口譯員現(xiàn)場翻譯后，所有人都歡呼起來，希望成為被選中的幸運兒。

"Initially, I didn't understand why President Xi was visiting my high school out of all the other schools," Berry said. "Before, I was not aware of the connection between Lincoln and China.
貝瑞說：“我一開始并不明白為什么習(xí)主席要在一眾學(xué)校中選擇訪問我的高中。我當(dāng)時不了解林肯中學(xué)和中國的聯(lián)系?！?/p>

"Having never traveled, I had no prior opinions about China. … I had no idea what life was like outside of my own (country). In being gifted with an opportunity to observe and experience a different way of living, I will forever be thankful to President Xi."
“由于從未去過中國，我對中國沒有任何印象......我不知道自己國家以外的生活是什么樣的。我將永遠感謝習(xí)主席讓我能有機會觀察和體驗一種不同的生活方式?！?/p>

In 2016, Berry visited China as one of those 100 students invited.
2016年，貝瑞作為受邀的100名學(xué)生之一訪問了中國。

"Traveling to China made me realize we're all living different lives, and there's more than one way to live. I took notice of the values and the normality of respect of the Chinese people, a shock compared to here in the states.
“到中國訪學(xué)讓我意識到，人的生活各有不同，生活方式不止一種。我注意到了中國人的為人處世之道，與美國人相比有很大不同?！?/p>

"There is a level of tradition that seemed to be maintained no matter where you were. My great-grandfather Lee, who was Chinese, but born in India, would always introduce me to different Asian foods and snacks while growing up. Having those experiences only made me want to know more.
“中國人似乎無論走到哪里，都會保留自己的傳統(tǒng)。我的曾祖父是出生在印度的華裔，在我成長的過程中，他總是向我介紹不同的亞洲美食，這些也讓我想更多了解中國。”

"Traveling to China was not only a way to learn about the culture, but also respect the land that my ancestors had once walked. The week spent there was not nearly enough time. There was so much I wanted to explore and see."
“到中國旅行不僅是了解中國文化的一種方式，也是向我祖先曾經(jīng)走過的土地致敬。一周的訪學(xué)時間遠遠不夠。我還有太多東西想探索，太多地方想?yún)⒂^?！?/p>

Berry said she plans to study in China and would like to learn about the origins of traditional Chinese medicine.
貝瑞表示，她打算去中國留學(xué)，了解中醫(yī)藥的起源。

Lincoln High School Principal Patrick Erwin, said: "The president's visit (in 2015) opened my students' eyes to the rest of the world, specifically China. They have never met or been in the presence of a leader of his magnitude, so that made it special, but the gift of travel that he gave to our students will never be forgotten.
林肯中學(xué)校長帕特里克·埃爾文說：“習(xí)主席（2015年）的訪問讓學(xué)生們看到了世界上的其他地方，特別是中國。他們從未見過像習(xí)近平主席這樣的大國領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人，所以這很特別，習(xí)主席送給學(xué)生們的禮物他們永生難忘?！?/p>

"The visit dazzled them, and the ensuing trip changed their lives forever. I have students that planned on studying in China before the pandemic and still hope to do so once things return to normal."
“這次訪問讓學(xué)生們大開眼界，隨后的中國之旅則徹底改變了他們的生活。新冠疫情暴發(fā)前有些人正計劃去中國學(xué)習(xí)，現(xiàn)在他們?nèi)韵Ｍ磺谢謴?fù)正常后能如愿赴華留學(xué)?！?/p>

It was Xi's second visit to Tacoma, his first being 22 years earlier when he was Party secretary of Fuzhou, capital of Fujian province. A year later, Tacoma and Fuzhou would become sister cities.
這是習(xí)近平第二次訪問塔科馬市。1993年，時任福建省福州市委書記的習(xí)近平曾訪問過塔科馬市。一年后，塔科馬市和福州市建立了友好城市關(guān)系。

In 2008, to facilitate ties between teachers, students, sports and culture, Lincoln High School signed a memorandum with the Affiliated High School of Fuzhou Institute of Education.
2008年，林肯中學(xué)和福州教育學(xué)院附屬中學(xué)簽訂了一項《友好交流諒解備忘錄》，致力于加強兩地師資、學(xué)生、文化和體育方面的交流。

More frequent cultural and educational exchanges after that spawned a fruitful relationship that helped set the stage for Xi's visit.
此后，兩地展開了頻繁的文化和教育交流，構(gòu)建了富有成效的合作關(guān)系，為習(xí)近平的再次訪問創(chuàng)造了條件。

Last year, Erwin wrote to Xi and briefed him about student exchanges in recent years. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the school received about 10 student-group visits from China and welcomed 25 to 50 Chinese exchange students to Tacoma each year.
2021年，埃爾文向習(xí)近平主席致信，匯報該校近年來對華交流情況。該校接待了大約10個中國訪學(xué)團，2016至2019年間每年有25至50名中國交流生前往該校學(xué)習(xí)交流。

Students and teachers were forever changed by what they saw in the schools they visited in China, Erwin said.
埃爾文說，師生們在中國的訪學(xué)之旅成為改變他們?nèi)松囊淮温眯小?/p>

"Dedicated students, excellent teaching and a focus on education as the gateway to a better life. I know the students who visited returned home committed to doing more to try and keep up with their Chinese friends."
“在那里，有專心致志的學(xué)生，出色的教學(xué)，人們重視教育，將其視作通向更美好生活的大門。中國之旅讓孩子們決心要更加努力，追趕他們的中國朋友?！?/p>

英文來源：中國日報
記者：LINDA DENG
編譯：董靜