暖冬传爱，山海相连！｜更新一年级师生及家长，携手为贵州山区老人捐赠冬衣

As we were coming upon the holiday season, I wanted the students to learn to be grateful for what they have but also learn to give to those in need. Here in the city, we have every convenience available and have very little exposure to people and towns in rural areas. I was brainstorming possible ideas and thinking of local charities to give to with Mrs. Zhang, my co-teacher who is from Hunan province. I really wanted to give to those in need, and she said to me, if we want to reach people who really have a need, we need to consider going outside of Shanghai and outside the big cities.

随着假期的临近，我希望学生们学会感恩自己所拥有的，同时也学会帮助有需要的人。在我们所生活的城市，生活便利、设施应有尽有，很少接触到农村地区的人和城镇。我和我的同事张老师（她来自湖南省）一起头脑风暴可能的想法，并考虑捐赠给哪些本地慈善机构。我真的很想帮助有需要的人，她对我说，如果我们想帮助那些真正有需要的人，就必须考虑走出上海，走出大城市。

I agreed with her, and said she’s right, but I have no connections outside of Shanghai. As we were talking about the matter, she had just seen an old colleague Mrs. Chen Feng post in WeChat that the Miao village elders needed warm clothes and blankets for the winter. They live in old wooden homes with no insulation. The timing of our conversation and Chen Feng’s post could not be more perfect. I asked Mrs. Zhang to share my WeChat with her that very moment, and I sent her a message that we were interested in helping collect warm clothes for the village. She was very excited and thrilled to hear from an English teacher in Shanghai.

我非常认同她的想法，说她说得对，但我在上海之外没有其他熟悉的人。当我们谈论这个事情时，她刚看到老同事陈凤女士在微信上发帖，说苗族村的老人们冬天需要保暖的衣服和毯子。他们住在没有任何保暖措施的旧木屋里。我们谈话的时机和陈凤的帖子真是天衣无缝。我立刻就请张老师把我的微信分享给她，并给她发了一条消息，说我们有兴趣帮助村里老人收集保暖衣物。她听到来自上海的外教老师的消息非常激动和兴奋。

I created a flyer and the donations started to pile up in my classroom. I shared the opportunity with the teachers, and other classes also contributed to the winter drive. Soon I had a mountain of bags in my classroom. I was keeping Chen Feng updated and planned to ship the clothes the first week of December, so the grandparents of the village could keep warm before the days got colder. She shared about her village and how we can plan to have students visit one day to experience it. I told her I was interested in personally going and distributing the clothes myself and to see the village. Cheng Feng was very excited to hear I wanted to visit. I opened the invitation to the parents of my class and also asked other teachers to see if there was any interest in joining me to the village.

我制作了一张宣传单，捐赠的衣物很快就在我的教室里堆了起来。我把这个机会分享给了老师们，其他班级也参与了冬季捐赠活动。很快，我的教室里就堆满了袋子。我一直在向陈凤汇报进展，并计划在十二月的第一周寄出这些衣物，这样村里的爷爷奶奶在寒冷的天气来临前就能保暖。她分享了关于她们村庄的信息，以及我们如何计划让学生有一天去参观体验。我告诉她我有兴趣亲自前往，亲手分发衣物，同时参观村庄。程枫听到我想去参观非常兴奋。我向我班的家长发出了邀请，也请其他老师看看是否有人有兴趣与我一起前往村庄。

Hat’s when Shirley, Mia’s mom reached out to Mrs. Zhang and said she wanted her two daughters to go experience the Miao village. I was happy to have company with me and my very own student go on this adventure with me. As time for the shipping came, Mrs. Zhang helped negotiate the cost with the shipping company, and the foreign teachers helped to pay the shipping fee to Guiyang. We collected over 250kg of clothes and shipped off 16 large bags! I was very grateful for their support, and Mr. Jonathan’s enthusiasm for our winter drive. Chen Feng received the clothes and sorted them out by size and gender for distribution with help from her sister Chen Qin  (Jie Jie). This was an immense help to us.

就在这时，米娅（Mia）的妈妈雪莉（Shirley）联系了张老师，说她想让自己的两个女儿去体验一下苗寨生活。能有人结伴同行，还有我自己的学生陪我一起踏上这场公益之旅，我特别开心。到了该寄衣物的时候，张老师帮忙和货运公司协商运费，外教老师们也主动承担了运往贵阳的全部运费。我们一共收集了超过 250 公斤的衣物，整整装了 16 个大包裹寄了出去！我由衷感谢大家的支持，也感谢乔纳森（Jonathan）先生对我们这场暖冬捐赠活动的热忱助力。陈凤收到衣物后，在她姐姐陈琴的帮忙下，按尺寸和性别把衣物分门别类整理好，方便后续分发。这可给我们帮了大忙。

We booked our flights and train and left December 5th to Guizhou. We didn’t know what to expect, but Chen Feng said the old grandparents were waiting for us in anticipation. Cheng Feng’s husband picked us up from the train stop and we also bought some treats and colors for the village children who stay with their grandparents. We finally arrived in the village as we drove through the beautiful mountains with all the changing leaves. We were welcomed by Cheng Feng and her sister at her sister’s homestay that their brother built in the village. We stayed one night in the village homestay and Jie Jie cooked all the fresh delicious local meals we shared. I especially liked the sour soup.

我们订好了机票和火车票，于 12 月 5 日出发前往贵州。出发前，我们满心期待又有些忐忑，不知道会遇到什么情况，但陈凤说，村里的爷爷奶奶们都在翘首盼着我们到来。陈凤的丈夫到火车站接了我们，我们还特意给那些和祖父母一起生活的村里孩子们买了些零食和颜料。当我们驱车穿过漫山遍野、枝叶渐染的美丽群山时，终于抵达了村寨。陈凤和她的姐姐在姐姐的民宿里迎接了我们 —— 这家民宿是她们的哥哥在村里修建的。我们在村里的民宿住了一晚，姐姐为我们做了各种新鲜美味的当地菜肴，大家一起分享美食，其乐融融。我尤其喜欢那道酸汤。

Once we settled in, the village elders started to arrive in their full traditional dress. The old women and men prepared a welcome ceremony for us with song. It was a great cultural experience for all of us, even though we could not understand any of the words. They sang in their local Miao tongue which many Chinese people cannot understand. Out of joy and gratitude they began singing again as we distributed out the clothes. Then we saw them off. We had a delicious lunch and later went to the basketball court to meet and play with the village children.

我们刚安顿好，村里的老人们就身着全套传统服饰陆续赶来。这些老爷爷老奶奶们特意为我们准备了一场伴着歌声的欢迎仪式。尽管我们一句歌词也听不懂，但这对我们每个人来说都是一次无比珍贵的文化体验 —— 他们唱的是当地的苗语，很多中国人都听不懂。当我们开始分发衣物时，老人们怀着喜悦与感激之情，又再次唱起了歌。之后我们送别了他们，享用了一顿美味的午餐，随后便前往篮球场，去见村里的孩子们，和他们一起玩耍。

I planned to get to know them through a game of soccer. It was a lot of fun! They don’t speak any English but wanted to learn and engage with me. I would love to go back someday to teach some English lessons. Chen Feng said the children need to walk 1.5 hours a day to get to school. I was very surprised, but admired their dedication. Later I found the children building a fire by the riverbed all on their own. They planned to cook the sausages we handed out and the local sticky rice rounds. It was an experience to remember as they welcomed me to join them.

我原本打算通过一场足球赛来和孩子们熟悉起来。这场球赛真是太有意思了！他们虽然一句英语都不会说，但却特别想学，还主动跟我互动。我真希望有一天能再去到那里，给他们上几堂英语课。陈凤告诉我，这些孩子每天要步行 1.5 小时才能到学校。我既惊讶又佩服，深深赞叹他们的坚韧与执着。后来，我看到孩子们独自在河床边生火，他们打算烤我们之前分发的香肠，还有当地特色的糯米圆子。他们热情地邀请我加入，这段经历让我终生难忘。

After that we went to a radish and lettuce garden that belongs to Jie Jie’s family and we helped pick some radish and lettuce for dinner and breakfast. It was a beautiful sight to see as it was on the edge of the hill. We had dinner later that evening and great conversations. Jie Jie also shared about the village culture and handiwork. I bought some local Miao weaved magnets. The next morning after breakfast we headed to the airport, our short adventure was coming to an end.

之后，我们去了姐姐家的一片萝卜生菜园，帮忙采摘了一些萝卜和生菜，准备当作晚餐和第二天早餐的食材。菜园坐落在山边，眼前的景色美不胜收。当天晚上，我们一边吃晚餐，一边畅快交谈。姐姐还跟我们分享了村里的文化习俗和传统手工艺。我买了一些当地苗族特色的编织冰箱贴作为纪念。第二天早上吃过早餐后，我们就前往机场，这段短暂的公益冒险之旅也即将画上句号。

Chen Feng said I was her first foreign friend, and welcomed me to the village anytime. She said they consider me like family, which was an honor. It was truly a wonderful experience, and I know both Shirley, Mia, and Meredith will never forget this unforgettable time. We all experienced their local life and generous hospitality from our hosts Chen Feng and Chen Qin . I am so thankful we had a successful trip and built new friendships and memories with the Miao people. I look forward to going back.

陈凤说，我是她的第一个外国朋友，还随时欢迎我再回村寨做客。她说他们已经把我当成了家人，这让我倍感荣幸。这段经历实在太美好了，我知道雪莉（Shirley）、米娅（Mia）和梅雷迪思（Meredith）也永远不会忘记这段难忘的时光。我们都亲身体验了当地的生活，也深深感受到了东道主陈凤和陈琴（姐姐）的热情好客与慷慨大方。我由衷感激这次旅行圆满成功，更庆幸能与苗族同胞们结下深厚的友谊，留下珍贵的回忆。我热切期盼着再次回到那个温暖的村寨。