“海龜”的煩惱

Susanna： Good morning， Harvey.

Harvey： Hey， Susanna. Im surprised to see you up this early.

Susanna： Really？ Im a bit of an early bird. I often come to this coffee shop before class. What brings you out at this hour？

Harvey： I just wanted to use the wifi to Skype with my parents.

Susanna： At six oclock in the morning？ Your parents must be serious early risers.

Harvey： Have you forgotten？They live in China. They didnt come to America with me when I got accepted to university.

Susanna： Oh， right. Thats a big time difference. It must be difficult living between continents like that.

Harvey： Living between continents is one thing. Living between cultures is another. Thats what I wanted to talk to my parents about， actually.

Susanna： What do you mean？

Harvey： I still cant decide what to do when I graduate. Should I stay here， or should I go back？

Susanna： I always assumed you would go back. I mean， wouldnt it be easy for you to get a good job after studying abroad？

Harvey： Not necessarily. ①There was a time when sea turtles were guaranteed a life on easy street， but that time is past.

Susanna： Im sorry， sea turtles？

Harvey： Oh， right. Thats what we call people who study abroad and then go back to China. In years past， they were honoured for the skills they brought back to China. They helped revolutionize and modernize the country.

Susanna： Sounds like a pretty noble tradition.

Harvey： That was then， and this is now. ②These days， they can hit a wall when they go back.

Susanna： Dont your language skills and international experience count for something？

Harvey： ③Good English doesnt put you in front of the pack like it used to.

Susanna： But not everyone has the experience of working in foreign countries.

Harvey： That can be a double-edged sword. ④Chinese companies and American companies are a world apart.

Susanna： How so？

Harvey： Oh， the internal culture is different. Americans stick to ideas like transparency and fair hours. ⑤Lots of Chinese bosses expect their employees to burn the midnight oil. It can be hard for a sea turtle to adapt.

Susanna： Well， then， you could start your own company. You are studying media， right？ It seems like that field is ripe for entrepreneurs.

Harvey： It is， but only for the right entrepreneurs. ⑥To connect with Chinese consumers， you need to be in tune with the Chinese way of thinking and using media. Ive been in the States for four years now， so Im a bit out of the loop.

Susanna： Well， then， why not just stay here？

Harvey： I could， but Im not guaranteed a free lunch here， either. And besides， Id miss my parents.

Susanna： Well， I guess thats the important thing.

Harvey： What is？

Susanna： No matter where you go， you can always go home to your family sometime！

Harvey： I suppose youre right. Ill try to keep focusing on the bright side！

蘇珊娜：早上好，哈維。

哈維：嘿，蘇珊娜。我很驚訝能這么早看見你。

蘇珊娜：真的嗎？我向來很早起床。我經常在上課前來這家咖啡廳。你怎么也在這個時間出門？

哈維：我只是想用這里的wifi和我的父母在網上通話。

蘇珊娜：在早上6點？你的父母肯定是很早起的人。

哈維：你忘記了嗎？他們住在中國。當我收到美國大學的錄取通知時，他們沒有和我一起來這里。

蘇珊娜：噢，對啊。兩國的時差是很大的。跨洲的生活肯定很艱難。

哈維：跨洲生活是一回事，跨文化生活又是另外一回事了。事實上，這就是我想和父母說的事。

蘇珊娜：你的意思是？

哈維：我還沒有決定畢業后干什么。我應該留在這里，還是應該回國？

蘇珊娜：我一直以為你會回去。我的意思是，你在國外學習后不是應該很容易就找到一份好工作嗎？

哈維：不一定。以前的海歸確實能夠生活富足，但是那個時代已經過去了。

蘇珊娜：不好意思，“海龜”？

哈維：噢，對啊。我們把在國外學習然后回國的人叫作海歸。在過去那些年，他們把（國外）的技術帶回中國而受到尊重，他們改革了我們的國家，使國家更加現代化。

蘇珊娜：聽起來這是一個非常高尚的傳統。

哈維：以前是以前，現在是現在。現如今，他們要是回國也會碰壁。

蘇珊娜：你們的語言技能和在國外的經歷難道不重要嗎？

哈維：好的英語技能不像從前那樣使你在競爭中處于優勢。

蘇珊娜：但不是每個人都有在國外工作的經歷。

哈維：這是把雙刃劍。中國的公司和美國的公司是截然不同的。

蘇珊娜：為什么？

哈維：噢。他們的內部文化是不同的。美國人堅持透明度和公正的工作時間。然而許多中國的老板卻希望他們的員工能夠加班加點。所以這對于一個海歸來說是很難適應的。

蘇珊娜：好吧，那么，你可以自己開公司。你學的是媒體學，對嗎？這個領域對于創業者來說已經成熟了。

哈維：是的，但這僅對于合適的創業者。想與中國的客戶打交道，你必須與中式思維和運用媒體的模式相一致。現在我來美國已經4年了，已經與那邊的情況脫節了。

蘇珊娜：好吧，那么，為什么不留在美國呢？

哈維：我可以這樣做，但是我在這里也不能有免費的午餐。此外，我很想念我的父母。

蘇珊娜：嗯，我認為這是很重要的事。

哈維：什么重要的事？

蘇珊娜：不管你到哪兒，你都可以抽時間回家看看家人！

哈維：我想你是對的。我會試著往好的方面想！

Smart Sentences

① There was a time when sea turtles were guaranteed a life on easy street， but that time is past. 以前的海歸確實能夠生活富足，但是那個時代已經過去了。

on easy street： in a state of financial independence and comfort（順境，安定富足）。例如：

When I get this contract signed， Ill be on easy street.

等我簽了這份合約，我可就衣食不愁了。

② These days， they can hit a wall when they go back. 現如今，他們要是回國也會碰壁。

hit a wall： reach a situation where you cannot make any more progress（受阻，碰壁）。例如：

The negotiation hit the wall last week when the labour union refused to yield on the medical benefits.

上周，工會拒絕在醫療福利上讓步，談判受阻。

③ Good English doesnt put you in front of the pack like it used to. 好的英語技能不像從前那樣使你在競爭中處于優勢。

in front of the pack： ahead of everyone else in a competition（在競爭中優于其他人）。例如：

With your past performance and skills， you two are in front of the pack for the promotion this time.

以你倆過去的表現和技能，這次晉升比別人都有優勢。

④ Chinese companies and American companies are a world apart. 中國的公司和美國的公司是截然不同的。

a world apart： completely different（大相徑庭）。例如：

Johns and Jesses designing philosophies are a world apart. Its

interesting to see how the two work together on this project.

約翰和杰西兩人的設計理念相距甚遠，看看他們兩人在這個項目上如何合作會很有意思。

⑤ Lots of Chinese bosses expect their employees to burn the midnight oil. 然而許多中國的老板卻希望他們的員工能夠加班加點。

burn the midnight oil： work very late into the night（連夜苦干，開夜車）。例如：

Ive got to get this report finished by tomorrow so I guess Ill be burning the midnight oil tonight.

我明天得完成這份報告，我想我今晚要開夜車了。

⑥ To connect with Chinese consumers， you need to be in tune with the Chinese way of thinking and using media. 想與中國的客戶打交道，你必須與中式思維和運用媒體的模式相一致。

in tune with sth.： in agreement with sth.（與……協調，與……一致）。例如：

What Bill said at the meeting was just not in tune with the companys policies.

比爾在會上說的話與公司的政策并不相一致。