in|家外之家故事5| ACE: CHOOSING CHINA( 二 ) the|in|was|中国|故事|Hefei|it|to|

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Talking with my Chinese students about my family
Teaching English in China was challenging for me at first. The students had almost no understanding of English and it was hard to maintain order when they could barely understand one word I was saying. However, I pushed through and learned some basic Chinese phrases to make my classes run smoothly. After about four months of teaching, with many tears and laughter and frustration and success, I was awarded a certificate for quality teaching. Life was turning out to be a richer and richer experience.
在中国教英语，起初对我来说是个挑战。学生们基本听不懂英语，一个字都听不懂，所以我很难维持课堂秩序。然而，我坚持了下来，学会了一些基本用语，上课也更加顺利。四个月的教学时光，伴随着许多眼泪和欢笑、挫折和成功，最终我获得了优质教学证书。生活体验变得越来越充盈丰富。
After about a year in Hefei and exploring the cities in Anhui province, I decided to venture to other cities in China. I took the train from Hefei to Beijing and from Beijing all the way to Sanya, the southernmost city in China. The train trip lasted more than 40 hours in total! The long trip was a great chance to meet some interesting passengers and see many rivers and houses and lakes and mountains from the comfort of my bunk bed in the train.
在合肥生活一年来，探访了安徽省其他城市，我决定走出安徽，前往中国的其他城市探险。我坐动车从合肥到北京，再一路向南，直到最南端的城市三亚。旅途长达 40 多小时！这趟旅程让我认识了一些有趣的乘客，动车的双层卧铺十分舒适，一路上河流、房屋、湖泊和山脉尽收眼底。
I arrived in Sanya and was amazed to see crystal clear water and white beaches. People were sunbathing and swimming and drinking from coconuts with happy smiles (mostly) on their suntanned faces. I thought I had taken the wrong train and gone to some remote island country, but no, I was still in China.
到达三亚，我看到清澈的海水和白色的海滩，感到些许惊讶。人们在做日光浴、游泳、喝椰汁，他们大多都晒得黝黑，脸上洋溢着欢乐的笑容。我以为我坐错了车，来到了某个偏远的岛国，但事实是这里仍是中国。

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I returned home after a year in China, and my family and friends were surprised to hear how enjoyable my time in China was. They were inspired to visit too in the near future and see for themselves what today’s China is all about. I greeted most of my friends and family in South Africa, and after a month I was yet again on my way to China, my new home away from home.
在中国待了一年后，我回到祖国家乡，向家人和朋友讲述我在中国的生活是多么愉快，他们都感到很惊讶。他们希望在不久的将来也能来到中国，亲眼看看当今的中国是何种面貌。我问候了南非的家人和朋友。一个月后，我再次踏上了前往中国——家外之家的旅途。
Life in China continued to be a fruitful and blessed experience. I made more friends, improved my ping-pong and Mandarin skills daily, and felt more at ease with my unfamiliar surroundings.
生活在中国，我收获颇丰，幸福安宁。我结识了很多朋友，乒乓球和普通话水平每天都在提高，在陌生的环境中也不再那么忐忑了。

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Climbing Dalin mountain in Dongguan and finding this dog
I have now been in China for almost five years, and I am still happy and content to be here. I have visited more than 15 different cities in different provinces, eaten a wide variety of strange and delicious foods, made countless friends from all over the world and climbed remarkable mountains. I have swum in beautiful lakes and mountain ponds, run on beautiful tracks, and even entered a Chinese outdoor game show where I won a fridge! Looking back on it all, I have to say that often, facing your fears and exploring the unknown can turn out to be a rewarding experience indeed.