三个国家，七所学校，在奔波中长大的第三文化孩子谈“韧性”
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Jadelle的父亲是加拿大人，母亲是中国人，都在能源部门工作，因为要跟进不同的国际项目，她和妹妹从小就经常随着父母的工作四处搬迁。Jadelle曾辗转于加拿大、中国和澳大利亚三个国家，就读过七所不同的学校，她深切地感受到了一个第三文化孩子所需要面对的处境和考验。
以下是她在6月20日举行的“2021菁kids毕业生峰会”上所做的题为《韧性，积极改变的催化剂》的演讲视频及讲稿全文。
在生活中，我们免不了要去面对改变和失去。我们每个人都经历过不同程度的挫折，有些可能很小，例如错过早上的校车（反正我干过这事）；有些可能是灾难性的、大范围的，比如全球疫情。
尽管克服这些困难并不容易，但直面这些困难，而非一味地回避，会让我们变成一个更好的人。要做到这一点，我们需要的是韧性。
坚韧包括很多技能、应对机制以及从挫折和失败中重新站起来的能力。我坚信，坚韧可以帮助我们度过难关。作为新时代的主人翁，我们作为学生也可以从中受益，不论是在生理上、心理上，还是学术和精神方面。
我的父母常年在海外工作，因此我在三个不同国家生活过，念过七所不同的学校。这让我很难和别人建立长久的友情，也很难保证学校课程进度的持续性。在很长的一段时间里，这种动荡的生活方式给我带来了很多不便，削弱了我的信心，也压抑了我的潜能。但渐渐的，我有了一种应对改变的韧性，并且开始把这些困难看做是我需要面对的挑战。
2017年，我来到了北京德威英国国际学校，我又要重新开始没有朋友的生活，重新适应全新的课程体系。
数学老师告诉我，我的知识差距太大了，以这种低于50%的成绩可能会挂掉这门课。她建议我转到数学核心课程班，在那里专注于通过考试而不是完成全部课程内容。老师的这番话让我很绝望，我开始觉得自己接受的教育是不是有问题，是不是已经来不及改正了。
在我刚到学校，还在努力适应新环境的时候，我的戏剧课老师说我太腼腆，不适合表演，并且建议我改选其他课程。这让我很不安，因为在之前的学校里，戏剧一直是我表现创造力的地方和热情所在。现在被告知我应该因为自己不够好而重新考虑是否继续学习戏剧，这深深地伤害了我。
我曾经决定参加学生领袖的竞选，希望让自己借此更好地了解新环境，作为一个新生，我也能给学校带来一些新的想法和贡献。尽管我还不认识我的同学，我还是去竞选了学生会的班级代表一职。最后，我只得到了两票。
然后我决定去篮球队试试身手，我甚至成为过一次校队成员！终于有了一个好消息！只不过一个赛季之后，由于髋关节受伤，我不得不退出篮球队，还拄了几个月的拐杖。那一年我都没有再碰过篮球。
可以说我在德威的开篇简直是个灾难。但是，所有这些困难都不能阻挡我。我并没有被动地变成这些改变的受害者，我拒绝接受这些已经发好的牌，决定自己主宰命运，让它们成为我积极改变的催化剂。
经过两年的刻苦努力和老师的悉心教导，我的数学成绩连跨4个分数等级，最后获得了A等。这就是韧性的力量。
在老师建议我放弃戏剧之后，我决定不仅要继续留在班里，还要参加高中音乐剧的试镜。我在音乐剧《万事成空Anything Goes》中担任了主角，并获得了进步最快的女演员奖。这就是韧性的力量。
在来到德威一年后，凭借我对这里更加深入的了解，我再次竞选了学生会。这次，我不仅成为了班级代表，也在入学第三年被评选为学生代表（身心健康）。这就是韧性的力量。
在我康复之后，因为能力无法达到之前的水平，所以我被安排进了低年级组的篮球队。尽管一开始还有些失落，但我还是给自己定了个目标：我一定要成为低年级组最棒的球员。我认真参加每一次训练，认真对待每一次运球，每一次上篮。而我这些坚持不懈的努力都被老师看在眼里。最终我被选为校队的伤病替补队员。
在ISAC国际学校运动会联赛上，我们的队伍最终获得了第一名以及最具体育精神奖。我也获得了“进步最快运动员”称号。在我的不断努力下，我还获得了第二年的MVP最具价值球员。在今年，我被选为高年级校篮球队队长。这就是韧性的力量。
几周前，我的高中生涯刚刚画上句号。我希望未来自己能在法律这条路上继续释放能量。先前基于兴趣的学习经历，让我意识到法律是推动社会、经济、道德和政治不断修正的内驱力。作为一个英联邦国家的公民，我希望能够在英国学习普通法。除此之外，我还希望能够利用我作为律师的所学，来帮助有需要的人发声。
所以在现阶段，韧性于我就变得异常重要。作为一名学生，我们现在其实是在为尚不存在的职业做准备，为尚未研究出来的科技做准备，希望我们能借此解决未来的问题。但我们其实也不知道问题是什么。
世界经济论坛发布的数据显示，2010 年需求量排名前 10 的工作在 2004 年根本不存在。现在的小学生里，最终有65%的人将从事一份现在并不存在的、全新的工作。我们只能通过想象自己在这个全新的后疫情时代所要面临的那些不确定，来试着体会这样的未来。
我希望在这次演讲之后你们都能有所感悟，不要害怕失败，而是把它作为一个学习的机会。不要畏惧挑战，而是因此而成为更好的人。
最后我想和大家分享一段话，它来自一位启迪了无数人的女性作家、政治家、演讲家，同时也是残疾人权益的倡导者，她自己就因为坚毅的品质而广受赞誉。
“虽然世界充满了苦难，但也充满了战胜苦难的力量。”——海伦•凯勒。
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Resilience: a Catalyst for Positive Change
Dealing with change or loss is an inevitable part of life. At some point, everyone experiences varying degrees of setbacks. Some of these challenges might be relatively minor, like missing the morning school bus, I know I’ve had. While others are disastrous on a much larger scale such as a global pandemic.
Although challenges can be difficult to overcome, it is crucial that we embrace difficulties to emerge as a better person because of it, instead of avoiding them.
To do this we need resilience.
Resilience is a variety of skills, coping mechanisms, and strengths to bounce back from setbacks or failures. I strongly believe resilience will push us through these times of uncertainty. And resilience will impact the key stakeholders of this new period, students: mentally, physically, academically, and spiritually.
As a child of expatriate working parents, I lived in three different continents, preventing me from cementing deep lasting friendships or establishing continuity with a set school curriculum. For many years I believed that this dynamic lifestyle has been an impediment in my life, stifling my confidence and potential. But gradually, I developed resilience to change thus began to look at obstacles as challenges to be embraced. When I joined Dulwich College in Beijing in 2017, I found myself starting over – again – with no friends and another new academic system.
I was told by my math teacher that my gap in knowledge was too large, with grades under 50% I was unlikely to pass. She suggested that I move down to the core math class, where I would focus on getting a passing grade rather than learning the full curriculum. This made me feel hopeless as I began to feel that there was a problem with my education that was too late to fix.
As I was still navigating the school and getting used to my new environment I was told by my drama teacher that I was too shy for acting, and should consider selecting another elective. This made me feel insecure as Drama used to be a passion of mine in previous schools, a creative outlet I thought I was good at. To be told to reconsider, hurt me.
I decided to apply to leadership positions to bring new ideas to the school and to understand my new environment better. Despite not knowing my new classmates, I ran for Class Representative on the Student Council. I received two votes.
I tried out for the Senior School Girls’ Varsity Basketball team. I made the cut! Some good news for once! Only to sustain a season ending hip injury that left me on crutches for months.
I think we can all agree that I had a disaster of a beginning at Dulwich. But! None of this deterred me. Instead of being a passive victim of change, I decided to take the reins and be a catalyst for positive change for myself, refusing to accept the cards that had been dealt.
After 2 years of rigorous practice and tutoring, I passed my math with an A grade, climbing 4 grade boundaries. Resilience.
After being advised to drop drama, I decided not only was I going to stay in that class I was going to audition for the Senior School Musical. I got a lead role in the musical ‘Anything Goes’ and was presented the most improved actress award. Resilience.
After spending my first year getting to understand Dulwich better I ran for student council again. Not only did I become a student representative, I eventually was bestowed the position of Health & Wellbeing Prefect during my third year. Resilience.
After recovering from my hip injury, I was placed on the Junior Varsity Team as my skills were no longer as polished as they could’ve been. Although initially I was disappointed, I set a personal goal: If I was going to be on the JV Team I was going to be the best JV Player there. I applied myself to every practice, every dribble, and every lay-up. My raw effort and relentless energy never went unnoticed, and I was chosen to fill an injury vacancy in Varsity. Amazing how that worked out! As a part of the Varsity basketball team we won first place and a sportsmanship award in the ISAC tournament. I was awarded most improved player that year. I continued to apply myself. The next year I was awarded Most Valuable Player. And this year I was chosen to be the Senior School Varsity Girls Basketball Team Captain! Resilience.
A powerful, effective catalyst for positive change, for self-improvement.
My high school career just ended a couple weeks ago, I am hoping that I can actively trigger renovation for the better through law. As my interest-based studies has helped me realize that law is the driving force for social, economic, moral and political amendments. Being a commonwealth citizen I intend to study English common law at its origin. Furthermore, I aspire to utilize what I learn to give a voice to those who don’t as a lawyer.
Now resilience is more important than ever. Currently as students, we are preparing for jobs that don’t exist yet, to use technology that hasn’t been invented yet, in order to solve problems, we don’t even know are problems yet.
According to the World Economic Forum the top 10 in demand jobs in 2010 did not exist in 2004. 65% of children entering primary school today will ultimately end up working a completely new job that doesn’t yet exist. One can only imagine the unknowns we are facing at the dawn of a new era, post-pandemic.
I hope that after this talk you will all be inspired to not fear failure, but to use it as an opportunity to learn. To not cower away from challenges but to emerge as better people because of it.
I’ll leave you all with a quote from an inspirational woman, author, political lecturer and disability rights advocate. Who is commended for her own resilience. “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it”. Helen Keller.
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