第15章 宿舍里的冲突和课堂上的尴尬(1)
Conflict in the Dormitory and Embarrassment at the Class
Scene 1
It was about 9p.m.More and more people came to the Starbuck.
"How about jobs in the USA?"asked Ding Rui.
"It is illegal for a student to work but there are still a lot ofpeople working as waiters and waitress,"said Li Jun.
"You are right.The wages are very small.They chiefly earn tips-which are mostly more than wages.Many students only sleep for 4or 5hours a day.They work and study for more than 17hours,"said Guo Tifei.
"How can they follow the classes?They are really tough guys,"said Ding Rui.
"Credit system is popular in American Universities including Columbia University.Four years to have your bachelor degree or master degree or six or eight year to get them,that is your choice.The Old Bird has studied here for 10years,"said Guo Tifei.
"As I know many,many people want to be American citizens,but it is hard to make it."
"It was a dilemma.It is hard to have citizenship here and it is more difficult for expatriation,"said Guo Tifei,"One day before last Independent Day of the USA,a friend of mine -John swore to be American citizen.He was so excited.He had parties and visited friends.He was a businessman and the representative of his incorporation in China.Then he went to the Chinese Embassy for a long term visa.You know what happened to him?"
"What problems?"asked Ding Rui.
"The officer in charge told him he could only have a short term visa.He must leave China every 90days,apply for visa again and go back,"said Guo Tifei.
"It must be very boring."said Li Jun.
"Smart girl!He is boring to death,"said Guo Tifei,"Peter,my cousin runs a joint venture business in China.He is an American citizen.He must pay tax for his overseas income.The tax costs him more than one hundred thousand US dollars each year.He usually wonders if it is worth it to pay so much for the citizenship."
"They can expatriate.Why is it more difficult?"said Ding Rui."If you want to do it,it means you must pay for all your own-stocks,real estates,art collection and other assets.That is really much.Few can afford it.Even you pay it,you only have a chance.In sec 1481of U.S.Immigration and Nationality Act,it said 'You could only making a formal renunciation of nationality before a diplomatic or consular officer of the United States in a foreign state'if you do not want to be citizen of other countries or betray the USA as an officer in a hostile army,etc.It is not so easy for many people,"said Guo Tifei,"Do you both live in the Dormitory of Our School?It is really a little more expensive.How about living in my friends'house?You can help to do housework and teach their children Chinese,so you need not pay the rent and you can have a dinner served by them."
"That is an excellent idea.We are very lucky.You are so kind to us,"said Ding Rui and Li Jun.
晚上九点左右,越来越多的人来到星巴克。丁瑞问:“在美国工作怎样?”
李君说:“虽然学生工作是非法的,可仍然有很多人在饭馆做招待。”
郭惕非说:“是啊!薪水非常微薄。他们主要赚些小费,小费通常比薪水还多。许多学生一天只睡4,5个小时,学习、工作超过17个小时。”
丁瑞说:“那他们怎么能跟上课呢?真是些有毅力的家伙。”
郭惕非说:“哥伦比亚大学在内,美国大学都采用学分制。你可以四年取得学士学位或硕士学位,六年或八年也可以,完全取决于你自己。老鸟已经在这里学了10年了。”
丁瑞说:“都说,很多人都想成为美国公民,但是很难实现。”
郭惕非说:“这是个两难决定,取得美国国籍难,放弃更难。去年美国独立日前一天,我的一个朋友——约翰宣誓成为美国公民。他特别兴奋,开派对,访朋友。他是个生意人,是公司驻中国的代表。他后来到中国大使馆申请长期签证,你知道发生了什么事?”
丁瑞问:“怎么了?”郭惕非说:“有关官员告诉他,他只能申领短期签证。他必须每隔90天,离开中国一次,申请获得签证,然后再回来。”李君说:“肯定特烦。”
郭惕非说:“真聪明,他烦死了。我表兄彼得在中国开了家合资企业,他是美国公民,他的海外收入必须交税,每年十几万美元,他经常问自己,为一个国籍,交那么多钱值吗?”
丁瑞说:“国籍,可以放弃吗!为什么说更难呢?”
“放弃国籍意味着你必须花钱买下你自己的所有股票、不动产、艺术收藏品及其他资产,价值不菲。没有多少人承受的了。即使买下了,你只是有一次机会。美国移民和国籍法1481款规定:如果不想成为其他国家公民或者成为敌对国家军队军官,背叛美国,要放弃美国国籍,你就必须在某个外国,在一个美国外交官员或者领事官员的面前,正式宣布你的决定。对许多人来说,这都不那么容易。”郭惕非说,“你们俩都住我们学校宿舍,是吗?真有点贵,住我朋友家,怎么样?帮助做做家务,教教他们孩子汉语,这样你们就不需要付房租了,他们还能招待你吃一餐饭。”
丁瑞和李君说:“好主意!我们真幸运,你对我们真好。”
New Words and Expressions
1.chiefly adv.主要地
2.tip n.小费
3.dilemma n.二难抉择
4.citizenship n.公民权
5.expatriate vt.脱离国籍
6.stock n.股票
7.real estate n.不动产
8.asset n.资产
9.sec-section n.节、项
10.Immigration and Nationality Act 移民和国籍法案
11.renunciation n.放弃、脱离关系
12.diplomatic adj.外交的
13.consular adj.领事的
14.betray vt.背叛
15.hostile adj.敌对的
Scene 2
Everything was very interesting.Ding Rui was excited.Last weekend,Ding Rui had been to church1with Guo Tifei.What she had seen had struck her.Everybody had stood up and sung and danced.It was similar to a big party.The pastor was very humorous.She still remembered one sentence in his preaching:"Quick to listen and slow to speak".It was John had talked about.It had her remembered what Confucius said in Chapter IV,the Sayings of Confucius:"The Master said,'A gentleman should be slow to speak and quick to do'.""There were real a lot of similarities between Chinese culture and Christian culture.The similarities should be the basis for cross-cultural communication between the Chinese and Americans,"she had thought.
With the assistance of Guo Tifei,she had made a deal with an American Family -the Fords.Next month,she would move to their house to teach the baby girl of the family Chinese and do some housework and it was not necessary for her to pay the rent.It was really wonderful.Ding Rui's Daddy and Mummy nearly used all the savings they had for their lovely daughter's study in the USA.She really wanted to do something to reduce their burden.
In a good mood,she cleaned everything in the dormitory in the morning.When she came back to the dormitory in the afternoon,she found the bedroom was very dirty with rubbish everywhere.
"Jane,it is time to clean our bedroom,"shouted Edith Haes,her roommate.
Ding Rui was a little angry about it.