姓名：黄小猫(Katherine Ackerman) 国籍：美国
留学时间：2013年9月至2016年7月 留学院校：沈阳师范大学
留学专业：语言学与应用语言学 留学身份：中国政府奖学金硕士学生
成就：2014CCTV"汉语桥"全球外国人汉语大会季军
Name: Katherine Ackerman Nationality: US
Overseas Studying Period: September 2013-July 2016 Alma Mater: Shenyang Normal University
Graduated Major: Linguistics and Applied Linguistics Graduated As:Master Student with Chinese Government Scholarship
Achieved Position: Third Place of “Chinese Bridge”-Global Foreigners Chinese Competition
来到中国后我学到了一个叫做“缘分”的词，开始老师怎么解释我也理解不了。因为当时我的汉语不是很好，还有英语中没有与之相对应的一个词。后来经过在沈阳师范大学几年学习和生活使我逐渐地懂得了什么叫做“缘分”。
After I came to China, I learnt a Chinese word “Yuanfen (predestined relationship)”. At first, no matter how hard the teacher explained to me, I didn’t understand it, because I was not fluent in Chinese at that time and there is no English equivalence to the word. I have been learning and living in Shenyang Normal University for a few years and now I have come to understand the meaning of Yuanfen.
1999年的一月份的一天，父亲把我们四个孩子叫到了客厅告诉我们全家要去中国的这件事。当时或许是因为还小的缘故，我并不知道我们要去中国做什么，要在中国呆多久。上世纪末网络还没有如今这样的发达和普及，我们对中国的了解并不多，举家搬到中国居然成了我们当地电视台的一个新闻。如今想起来实在是妙不可言，当看到采访在电视上播出的时候我们还全家都因为第一次上电视而欢呼雀跃。
One day in January 1999, my father asked us to come to the living room and told us that our whole family were going to China. Maybe I was too young at that time, so I had no idea what to do and how long to stay in China. The Internet at the end of last century was not so popular as present, so we knew little about China. Moving to China became a piece of news and was broadcast by our local television station. Now it is still fabulous to think about it. It was so great to see that. Our whole family jumped with joy when we saw our interview was shown on TV for the first time.
通过旅行社我们一家订到了来中国的飞机票，那个时候的中国对外开放程度已经很高了。我们的航班经过一次转机最终平稳地降落在北京首都国际机场。之后我们又转乘卧铺到了沈阳，那是我第一次见到卧铺，美国没有这东西！那个时侯我就想中国人真聪明，可以一边旅行一边睡觉，这样既可以节省时间又可以节省住旅店的钱。这其中还有一个小小的插曲，父母买票的时候被告知儿童可以免票，我们一家六口人，最终父母和姐姐哥哥买了成人票，而我则与弟弟享受到了免票的“优惠”。结果，当我们找寻属于我们的“优惠”时才知道免票的意思是与大人分享座位。火车上的列车员阿姨特别喜欢我，还和我照了一张相，当时抱我在她的腿上，很遗憾我和她没有联系了。日后那张照片还上了《沈阳日报》。
With the help of a travel agency, we booked the air tickets to China. At the moment China had reached a high level of opening up. After a transfer, our flight landed smoothly at Beijing Capital International Airport. Then we arrived in Shenyang by the sleeping berth. It was my first time to see the sleeping berth, because we didn’t have that in America. I thought Chinese were so clever that they could sleep while traveling, which was time-saving and saved the expenses of accommodation. Something interesting happened during the journey. The staff in railway station told my parents that children could take the train for free. There were six family members and eventually my parents, sister and brother bought the adult tickets, while my younger brother and I were free of charge. After we had found our seats, we realized that the privilege meant kids had to share the seats with adults. The train attendant was fond of me. I remembered that she held me on her laps and took a photo with me. It was a pity that we had no contact with each other after the journey. The photo was even published in Shenyang Daily.
话说我们到了沈阳后，沈阳师范大学的领导专程去车站把我们一家接到了当时外事处。至今都记得那座楼，是一座五层高的建筑。一层是一个小型的餐厅，二层是办公室，三层和四层是留学生的宿舍，而我们一家住被安排到五层的外教住的区域。那是一个很小的公寓，走廊里面有一个公共厨房，每到饭时，妈妈做的美味都能引得全楼的人留下口水。当时的院长张德祥教授还宴请了我们一家，我们第一次吃到了锅包肉。我们现在的国际教育学院院长张伟老师当时也在陪同，后来他告诉我这就是缘分。
The moment we arrived in Shenyang, the leaders of Shenyang Normal University came all the way to the railway station and greeted us in the Foreign Affairs Office at the time. I still remember the building, which was a five-stoery building. There was a small restaurant on the first floor, offices on the second floor. Accommodations for overseas students were on the third and fourth floor. We lived on the fifth floor, which was a designated area for foreign teachers. It was a small apartment. There was a public kitchen in the corridor. At meal time, the smell of my mom’s dishes made the people in the whole building run at the mouth. Professor Zhang Dexiang, who used to be the president of Shenyang Normal University, invited us for a dinner. That was the first time for me to eat Guo Bao Rou (the sauce and sweet pork). Zhang Wei, who is the Dean of the School of International Education, was also there. Afterwards, he told me that was called Yuanfen.
每周五晚上，我们父母都会在家里举办英语角，那个时候我们家里真是“人满为患”，父母让我们四个孩子各带一组学生就一个话题讨论。他们学生的英语真是好极了！父母每天除了上课还带着我们去沈阳其它的中小学参观学习，周末也会带我们去北陵公园。夏天的时候妈妈喜欢在北陵湖边的凉亭静静地欣赏园中美景。我们一家人也都成为了沈阳人。
Every Friday evening, my parents would hold a party of “the English Corner” at home, which then was really joyfully "overcrowded". They let us four children each organize a discussion about one given topic with a group of students. Their students could speak English really well! On weekdays my parents took us to their classes and also took us to visit and study in other high schools and primary schools in Shenyang. On weekends, we usually went to Beiling Park. In summer, my mother loved staying in the pavilion by the lake and quietly enjoying the beautiful scenery there. My whole family gradually became members of the people of Shenyang.
时间过的很快，转眼间一个学期就过去了。这期间我们交了很多朋友，当我们离开的时候，我们全家都留下了不舍的泪水，但是我父母告诉我们就是我们全家一定还会回到中国，还会回到沈阳，也一定会回到沈阳师范大学。时间又过了一年，父母再次得到了沈阳师范大学的邀请，原来我们的学校要搬迁到一个新的地方，那里有更大的校园，父母告诉我们搬到新的校区后，沈阳师范大学一定会有更高的跨越。可惜这次父母没有带我们四个孩子，他们大约在沈阳待了一个月。爸爸告诉我们，他也是代表美国东斯特劳斯堡大学与沈阳师范大学签署合作意向书的。至今我都记得签约地点是在沈阳北站附近一个叫做格林大饭店的宾馆，每当我坐公交车从火车站回学校时，我都会多看那个宾馆几眼。
Time flew quickly and one semester was over. During this period of time we had made a lot of friends and on the day of leaving all my family shed unwilling tears. My parents told us we would definitely come back to China, return to Shenyang and visit Shenyang Normal University again. One year later, my parents received a second invitation to Shenyang Normal University and were informed that it had been relocated in a larger campus. They said they believed Shenyang Normal University would have further development after moving to new campus. I was a little disappointed that they didn’t take any of us this time. They stayed in Shenyang for a month. My father told us that he was on business to sign a letter of intent on behalf of East Stroudsburg University with Shenyang Normal University. I still remember the signing ceremony was held near the Shenyang North Railway Station at a hotel named Green Hotel. Every time I go back to school by bus from the train station, I will take a look at the hotel a little bit more.
2007年，我爸爸再次获得了来沈阳师范大学工作的机会，不过这次我们是一家四口来的。我姐姐在中国南方学习，哥哥在美国学习。当时沈阳师范大学有一个福利，就是外教的一个子女可以免费学习汉语。父母知道后认为学校的制度非常人性化。或许是因为父母认为我更适合在教室里学习，所以他们决定把这个机会给我。但是，他们也给我弟弟聘请了专门的汉语老师辅导他。这是我第一次系统地学习汉语，在那个学期里，每天我都是第一个到班级的，每门考试我的成绩都是班级第一。经过一个学期的系统学习，我掌握了汉语的基本知识，也掌握了自学汉语的能力。
In 2007, my father had another working opportunity in Shenyang Normal University, and this time other three family members went with him. My elder sister studied in South China and my elder brother studied in the United States. At that time, Shenyang Normal University had a welfare policy for foreign employees that one child of each employee could take Chinese lessons for free. My parents thought it quite considerate. It is probably because I was considered more suitable for classroom learning that they decided to give me this chance. But they also hired a Chinese tutor for my little brother. That was the first time I studied Chinese. In that semester, I always was the first one to attend the class every day and had the highest score of each course. After a semester of systematic study, I had learned the basic linguistic knowledge of Chinese, and gained the ability of self-teaching as well.
时隔八年之后，我感觉沈阳师范大学无论是在硬件设施的配备上，还是在软件服务的升级上，以及在师资力量的提升上都取得了质的飞跃。
After a period of eight years, I feel that Shenyang Normal University, has made a qualitative leap in both its hardware facilities and the upgrading of software services, as well as in the teaching and education.
2009年，我们一家与沈阳师范大学故事还没有结束。由于美国东斯特劳斯堡大学与沈阳师范大学是合作学校，双方都有互派交换生的项目，我和姐姐弟弟都作为交换生再次来到了沈阳师范大学，而这一次是妈妈过来陪我们，爸爸则和哥哥在美国工作和学习。妈妈在旅游管理学院工作，我在那里也交了很多朋友。不过这次来沈师的目的绝不仅仅是交朋友，我还有一个更大的计划，那就是要争取使我的汉语提高一大截！为了完成这个目标，我也付出了很多。但是与日后的回报相比，都是值得了，那么什么是日后的回报呢？
In 2009, the story between our family and the Shenyang Normal University still went on. Because of the student exchange program between East Stroudsburg University and Shenyang Normal University, my younger brother, my elder sister and I all came to study at Shenyang Normal University. This time is was my mother who came and took care of us while my father and elder brother remained in the United States working and studying. Since later my mother worked in the School of Hotel and Tourism Management, I made several more friends during my stay. But in addition to making more Chinese friends, before coming to China, I had made a bigger plan. I was determined to make a significant improvement in my Chinese. In order to accomplish this goal, I put a lot of effort into it. But compared with the future return, it was worth all the hard work. Then what was the future return?
随着中国国力的不断提升，“汉语热”的潮流也在世界各地兴起，包括美国在内。2010年，我参加了“泛美汉语桥”，由于表现出色，我获得了“孔子奖学金”。所以，我可以去中国境内任何一所设有孔子学院的大学。沈阳师范大学对外汉语教育一直走在东北各高校的前列，自然也有孔子学院，所以我毫不犹豫的选择了与沈师再续前缘。2011年8月，我再一次踏上了这片热土。
With the improvement of China’s national strength, the tide of “Craze in Chinese Study” also rise around the world, including the United States. In 2010, I participated in the competition of “Chinese Bridge in America” and I got a “Confucius Scholarship” because of my good performance, therefore, I could go to any Confucius Institute in Chinese universities. The Major of Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language in Shenyang Normal University has always been prestigious in the Northeast of China, and naturally it has the university which has Confucius Institute, so I chose to continue my study here with no hesitation. In August 2011, I once again came here with great love.
来到这里后，这里的每一位老师与朋友依旧对我十分照顾。为了能来这里继续学习汉语，我选择了在我美国的大学办理了休学手续。这一年里，我再次夯实了我的汉语的基础。一年转瞬即逝，可是我还是没有学够！我恋恋不舍地离开了中国，回到美国后，我一边学习自己的专业，一边把所有业余时间都放在汉语的学习上。因为离开了沈师良好的学习环境，离开了我的老师们我真担心汉语退步。中国有句古话叫做“学习如逆水行舟，不进则退”。我如果不能进步，后果不是原地踏步，而是退步！所以我时刻鞭策自己要努力学习。2013年，我顺利毕业，但是我也申请了中国国家政府奖学金。这一次我又回来了！
2014年我有幸参加“汉语桥”全球外国人汉语大赛并获得了第三名的成绩，在这个过程中我特别感谢学校及学院领导的帮助与支持。是他们在我想要放弃的时候给我了无穷的动力，是他们在我要撑不住的时候给了我无尽的力量，能与沈阳师范大学结缘是我一生最大的幸福。
In 2014 I had the opportunity to participate in “Chinese bridge”-Global Foreigners Chinese Competition, and won the third place. In the process of this competition, I owe special thanks to my school and college leaders for their encouragement and support. They encouraged me all the time even when I wanted to give up. They supported me all the time even when I wanted to quit. Forming ties with SNU is my biggest happiness for a lifetime.
原文出处：国家留学基金委-CSC校友录，原文网址：http://www.csc.edu.cn/alumni/alumnistardetail.aspx?id=33
Each teacher and friend still took good care of me after my coming back. In order to continue to learn Chinese here, I applied for temporary absence from my university in America. In that year, I once again consolidated the foundation of my Chinese. One year flied away very quickly, but I still didn’t learn enough. I was reluctant to leave China. After returning to the United States, I learned my own major along with putting all my spare time on the study of Chinese. However, because having no teachers and the good learning environment as those in SNU, I felt worried that I might step backwards. As the Chinese saying goes, “Learning is like riding a boat in a river, not to advance is to go back”. If I can not make progress, the consequence is not standing still, but to go backwards! So, I always push myself to study hard. In 2013, I graduated, and I’ve also applied for the Chinese Government Scholarship. This time I come back again!
这次回来我已经是一名研究生了，真不敢相信，从第一次到沈阳师范大学，如今一转眼成为了这里的一名研究生。中国有句成语我非常喜欢，叫做“知恩图报”，我还知道它的近义词叫做“饮水思源”。中国人非常懂得感恩，并愿意在日后报答曾经帮助过他们的人。在我学习汉语的过程中，遇到过许多良师益友。我虽然不敢自称千里马，但是他们绝对是我的伯乐。
I was a graduate student after coming back this time. It is just a miracle-from my first time coming to SNU to my becoming a graduate student here. I know I should not take anything for granted and I should express my gratitude for the source of benefit like the Chinese idiom goes. Chinese people are very grateful, and are willing to reciprocate those who have helped them. In the process of my learning Chinese, I met many good teachers and wise friends. Although I can’t claim to be swift horse, but they’re definitely my Bo Le.
