美语情景对话 第1036期:Homegrown Foreigner 土生土长的外国人

Abidemi: So Jeremy, we both work in Japan, and I was just talking about how it feels like to go home. How does it feel like for you, Jeremy?

阿比德米：杰里米，我们现在都在日本工作，我之前谈了我回家时的感受。杰里米，你的感受呢？

Jeremy: Well, when I go back to Canada, really the first thing that I notice is the air. And it's a funny thing to think but I know when I arrive in Vancouver and I walk out of the airport, I can smell West Coast Canada air. And it really gives a kind of positive feeling to me. You know, it's a small thing but you notice how clean. I know it's a stereotype with Canada but it really is such a clean place. And also, Vancouver, you have the smell of the ocean and you have the mountains right there. So that's the first that I always notice. But when I go back and I visit my parents, it takes me about 10 minutes to get used to where I am being back home. You know, it doesn't take long at all. And I think it's because that's the house that I grew up in and just the feeling that I grew up with, it returns immediately. You know, it goes away when I'm away, when I'm living in Japan but as soon as I get back home, that feeling of comfort comes back within minutes. And I look forward to the same thing that everybody looks forward to when they go back home, and food is right at the top of that list. You know, I honestly look forward to turkey dinner, maybe more than anything in the world, or prime rib or those types of things. But it's just the small things; having mom make a snack or something like that. And just the feeling of being completely at ease and without a worry in the world is kind of what I most look forward to going back home. There's other things when you go out and you go to the stores and you circulate around town. It does feel a little bit like you're an alien in your own town. And I mean—but that's a feeling that I never mind. I have no problem being a foreigner in my own home now. I kind of enjoy the feeling. And sometimes, I even wish that I didn't speak the language everybody else was speaking because I don't want to hear everybody's conversations to be honest. But you know the feeling of being in my house or my parent's house is really a feeling that is just complete comfort.

杰里米：我回加拿大时，我首先注意到的是空气。想想其实很有趣，我抵达温哥华以后，走出机场时我可以闻到西海岸的空气。这给我一种积极向上的感觉。这虽然是件小事，但是你能注意到空气有多清洁。我知道这是大家对加拿大的固有印象，而加拿大确实是一个非常干净的地方。另外，除了海洋的味道以外，温哥华还有高山。这是我首先注意到的。我回家看望父母时，大概要花10分钟的时间适应家里的情况。不用花太长时间。我想这是因为那是我成长的家，所以我马上就会找回那种伴随我成长的感觉。在我离开家在日本生活时，这种感觉也消失了，但是我一回到家中，这种舒适的感觉在几分钟内就回来了。我所期盼的事情，和其他人在回家时所期盼的一样，其中食物占首要位置。说实话，我对火鸡晚餐和肋排的期待可能胜过世界上的一切。其实让妈妈做点心只是小事。回家让我最期待的就是那种完全放松、什么都不用担心的感觉。还有，就是去外面散步，去家乡的商店，在镇上闲逛。不过虽然那是我的家乡，但感觉自己像个外人。不过我并不在意这种感觉。现在，在自己的家乡却感觉自己像外国人，这并不会让我苦恼。我其实有些享受这种感觉。有时，我甚至希望我不会说其他人说的语言，说实话这是因为我不想听到其他人的对话。不过，在我家里或是在我父母家里的感觉真的非常舒服。

Abidemi: How often do you get to back home now?

阿比德米：你现在多久回家一次？

Jeremy: Well, just because of the cost, I can probably only go back once a year. And also, we have an infant boy and traveling with a one-year old on a 10-hour flight is—until you do it, you really never realize how terrible it is. But it is uncomfortable. It is really uncomfortable. So yeah, we're only able to make it back to Canada probably once a year now but his grandparents love seeing him so much that we want to do it as much as we possibly can.

杰里米：因为费用问题，我一年只能回家一次。而且我的孩子只有10个月大，让不到1岁的孩子坐10个小时的飞机，你尝试过才知道那有多可怕。而且非常不舒服，很不舒服。所以，目前我们一年只能回一次加拿大，不过我父母非常想孙子，所以我们会尽可能多回家。

Abidemi: I guess the fact that you can't go as often as you would like makes it even much more worthwhile when you do get to go.

阿比德米：我想你不能经常回家是因为你希望使这件事更值得。

Jeremy: It's true. It's true, yeah. Just the expense and the time that we have to put in, while you're there you basically savor every second. You don't want to sleep. You just want to enjoy it. So yeah, it's a pretty special experience going back home now.

杰里米：没错，你说得对。考虑到我们投入的费用和时间，我们要享受每一秒。根本不想睡觉，只想享受这一切。所以，现在回家是种极其特别的经历。

Abidemi: That's awesome.

阿比德米：那真是太棒了。

译文属仅供学习交流使用，未经许可请勿转载

重点讲解：
1. get used to sth. 开始习惯于；
例句：I've got used to this kind of life.
这种生活我已经习惯了。
2. as soon as 一…就…；
例句：They set to work as soon as they arrived.
他们一抵达就开始工作。
3. at ease （使）自在；（使）安逸；（使）不拘束；
例句：It is essential to feel at ease with your therapist.
在治疗师面前放松下来是很重要的。
4. to be honest 老实说；说实在的；
例句：To be honest, I think they're kind of weird.
老实说，我认为他们有点怪异。