TED | 改变命运的那个机会
演讲简介
才华可以人人都有,但机会不是。从无家可归的孤儿到世界顶尖名校双学位,是什么改变了他的命运?他为什么会有这样的机会?怎样让更多的人也拥有这样的机会?本期的讲者Christopher Ategeka用他自己被跨国收养的经历来向我们证明真爱可以超越血缘,超越地域,超越文化,也即“老吾老以及人之老,幼吾幼以及人之幼”的国际版。每个人都重要,每个人的梦想也重要。
演讲精彩片段(节选)欣赏
Going to the US was, just like another speaker said, was my first time to see a plane, be on one, let alone sit on it to fly to another country. December 15, 2006. 7:08pm. I sat in seat 7A. Fly Emirates. One of the most gorgeous, beautiful women I’ve ever seen walked up, red little hat with a white veil. I’m looking terrified, I have no idea what I’m doing. She hands me this warm towel - warm, steamy, snow white. I’m looking at this warm towel; I don't know what to do with my life, let alone with this damn towel -
来到美国的感受,和其他初来乍到的人一样 那是我第一次坐飞机,坐在座位上,飞向另一个国家。2006年12月15日 晚上7点08分 我坐在7A座位上。乘坐阿联酋航班。一个我有生以来见过的最美的女人朝我走来,她戴着红色的帽子和白色的口罩。我真的吓坏了,我简直手足无措。她递给我一张温热的纸巾 温暖,湿润,白净如雪。我盯着这张温暖的纸巾; 我都不知道我该拿我的生活怎么办,更别说这张纸巾了
I did one of the - you know, anything anyone could do in that situation: look around, see what everyone else is doing. I did the same. Mind you, I drove about seven hours from my village to the airport that day. So I grab this warm towel, wipe my face just like everyone else is doing, I look at it - damn.
我做了一件——你懂的,任何人都会做的事:我环顾四周,看其他人的举动。然后我也跟着他们做。顺便一提,从村子到机场,那一天我开了7个小时的车。所以我拿起那张温暖的纸,效仿着别人擦拭了自己的脸,我看了看纸巾——该死。
It was all dirt brown.I remember being so embarrassed that when she came by to pick it up, I didn’t give mine.I still have it.
已经变成屎黄色了。我记得我是那么的尴尬,以至于当她来回收纸巾的时候,我没好意思给她。我现在都还带着它。
Going to America opened doors for me to live up to my full God-given potential. I remember when I arrived, the sponsor family embraced me, and they literally had to teach me everything from scratch:this is a microwave, that’s a refrigerator - things I’d never seen before. And it was also the first time I got immersed into a new and different culture. These strangers showed me true love. These strangers showed me that I mattered, that my dreams mattered.
美国向我敞开了大门让我能够发挥自己最大的潜力。我记得我刚到的时候,我的资助家庭迎接了我,然后他们就把一切从头开始教给我:这是一个微波炉,那是一个冰箱——那些都是我以前闻所未闻的东西。那也是我第一次 被放置在全新的文化环境当中。这些陌生人向我展示了真正的关爱。这些陌生人让我明白,我很重要 我的梦想很重要。
Thank you.
谢谢。
These individuals had two of their own biological children. And when I came in, I had needs. They had to teach me English, teach me literally everything, which resulted in them spending a lot of time with me. And that created a little bit of jealousy with their children.So, if you’re a parent in this room, and you have those teenager children who don’t want anything to do with your love and affection - in fact, they find it repulsive - I got a solution: adopt a child.
他们有两个亲生孩子。当我走进他们家庭的时候,我急需帮助。他们要教我英文,教我几乎所有的事情,这导致他们要在我的身上 花费很多的精力。而这致使他们的亲生孩子对我产生了一丝妒忌。所以,如果你们有人是家长,而你又有这样一群青少年小孩 他们对你们的爱和关心置若罔闻 事实上,还对你们很冷淡 我有一个办法: 领养一个孩子。
It will solve the problem.
问题就会迎刃而解。
I went on to acquire two engineering degrees from one of the best institutions in the world. I’ve got to tell you:talent is universal, but opportunities are not. And I credit this to then individuals who embrace multiculturalism, love, empathy and compassion for others. We live in a world filled with hate: building walls, Brexit, xenophobia here on the African continent. Multiculturalism can be an answer to many of these worst human qualities.
在一所世界一流学府中 我习得了两个工程师学位。我必须要说: 天赋人人都有,但机会一缘难求。我想要赞美 那些拥抱多元文化的人,那些关爱,理解并且同情他人的人。我们生活在一个充满憎恨的世界上:高筑围墙,英国脱欧,非洲大陆的仇外心理。而这些人类最负面的东西 都可以被多元文化海涵。
Today, I challenge you to help a young child experience multiculturalism. I guarantee you that will enrich their life,and in turn, it will enrich yours. And as a bonus, one of them may even give a TED Talk.
今天,我挑战你们在座的观众们 去帮助一个年轻的孩子 感受多元文化的魅力。我保证那会充实他的生活,作为回报,你们的生活也会得到升华。而作为奖励,他们其中之一也许还会在TED演讲。
We may not be able to solve the bigotry and the racism of this world today, but certainly we can raise children to create a positive, inclusive, connected world full of empathy, love and compassion.
我们也许无力解决 当今社会的种族歧视与偏见,但我们完全可以引导我们的孩子 去创建一个积极的,包容的,紧密相连的世界。那里将充满理解,关爱,同情。