What I've Learned from Living in Beijing 我在北京的生活经验

Curious about life in Beijing from a student’s perspective? YCIS Beijing Year 11 student Chloe Sandifer-Stech is here to give you the low-down on what it’s like living in the capital of the Middle Kingdom. New arrivals will certainly find her insights useful, while grizzled Beijing veterans will no doubt find echoes of their own personal experiences within.

从学生的角度看北京生活，感兴趣吗？北京耀中国际学校十一年级学生Chloe Sandifer-Stech 将为你讲述在中国首都生活的体验。新来报到的朋友会发现她的洞察很有用处，而在北京呆了很久的朋友们则会从她个人的经历中找到共鸣。

*This article was originally published on the Beijing Kids website through their Student Correspondents Program. Check out their website to learn more!

此文原本发表于Beijing Kids网站的学生通讯员栏目，可通过该网站阅读原文。

“Where are you from?” The dreaded question. I stutter, and blurt out “America,” hoping it’s not too vague of an answer to satisfy this newfound person standing in front of me.

“你来自哪里？”这是一个可怕的问题。我结结巴巴地回答道：“美国。”希望我的回答不会太含糊，以至于站在我面前的人不满意。

Two continents, two vastly different countries, four different places, five different moves. I’ve actually never lived in a place longer than five years. Despite these numbers, I’ve never been able to label myself as an international kid. I know kids who have lived all over the world, so a mere two countries don’t sound impressive to me.

两个大陆，两个幅员辽阔的不同的国家，四个不同的地方，五次不同的搬家。长这么大，我从来没有在一个地方呆着超过五年。除了上述数字，我从来都不会说自己是一个国际孩子。我知道有些孩子世界上哪里都住过，而我仅仅去过两个国家，不足为谈。

I remember precisely what it was like to move to Beijing for the second time. I had to pack up a life of familiarity: leaving friends, a school, and a home behind. It wasn’t easy for me. Anyone who isn’t used to the atmosphere of Beijing can find it quite jolting. The massive amounts of people, the traffic, even the toilets require some getting used to.

我清楚地记得我第二次搬到北京的情景。我需要把我一辈子熟悉的东西都装上行囊——因为我又要离开朋友、学校和我的家。对我来说，不容易。对于不熟悉北京氛围的人来说，会觉得在北京生活很慌乱。那里人山人海，拥堵的交通，而且你还要适应那里的洗手间。

Read the rest of Chloe’s piece on the Beijing Kids website by tapping “Read more” below! 

请点击“阅读原文”，访问Beijing Kids的网站阅读Chloe的分享。