TED | 改变命运的那个机会
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。
演讲者：Christopher Ategeka
片长：08：02
https://v.qq.com/txp/iframe/player.html?width=500&height=375&auto=0&vid=o0566zy0e0a
中英对照翻译
How many of you are tired of seeingcelebrities adopting kids from the African continent?
你们之中有多少人已经对那些从非洲领养小孩的明星而感到厌倦了？
Well, it's not all that bad. I was adopted.I grew up in rural Uganda, lost both my parents when I was very, very young.And when my parents passed, I experienced all the negative effects of poverty,from homelessness, eating out of trash piles, you name it.
嗯，那也不全是坏事。我就是被其中领养的一员。我在乌干达的郊区长大，在我很小的时候，我的父母就去世了。在我父母离世之后，我经历了所有贫困带来的困难，从无家可归，到捡食路边的垃圾，所有你能想得到的。
But my life changed when I got acceptedinto an orphanage. Through one of those sponsor-an-orphan programs, I wassponsored and given an opportunity to acquire an education. I started off inUganda. I went through school, and the way this particular program worked, youfinished high school and after high school, you go learn a trade -- to become acarpenter, a mechanic or something along those lines.
但自从我被一家孤儿院收养 我的生活就发生了巨变。通过孤儿院的一个补助项目，我获得了接受教育的机会，以及相应的资助。一开始是在乌干达。我去了学校念书，而根据这个项目的运作流程，他们会在你读完高中以后，送你去学一门手艺，比如木匠，或者机修工或者其他的一些专业技术。
My case was a little different. The sponsorfamily that was sending these 25 dollars a month to this orphanage to sponsorme, which -- I had never met them -- said, "Well ... we would like to sendyou to college instead." Oh -- it gets better.
而我的情况却有所不同。每个月我会在孤儿院收到25美元补助。这钱来自资助我的家庭，我从未见过他们他们说，“我们希望资助你去上大学” 哦，那再好不过了。
And they said, "If you get thepaperwork, we'll send you to school in America instead." So with theirhelp, I went to the embassy and applied for the visa. I got the visa.
他们还说：“如果你能通过申请 我们会把你送到美国的大学读书。“ 所以，在他们的帮助下，我去大使馆申请了签证。并且通过了签证。
I remember this day like it was yesterday.I walked out of the embassy with this piece of paper in my hand, a hop in mystep, smile on my face, knowing that my life is about to change. I went homethat night, and I slept with my passport, because I was afraid that someonemight steal it.
那一天对我来说就像昨天一样。我拿着手里的文件走出大使馆，一路蹦跳，难掩笑意，我明白我的生活将不复从前。那天晚上我回到家里，抱着我的护照睡着了，因为我担心有人会把它偷走。
I couldn't fall asleep. I kept feeling it.I had a good idea for security. I was like, "OK, I'm going to put it in aplastic bag, and take it outside and dig a hole, and put it in there." Idid that, went back in the house. I could not fall asleep. I was like,"Maybe someone saw me." I went back --
而我辗转反侧。那念头依然挥之不去。我突然想到了一个万全的主意。我说：”好吧，我可以把它放进一个塑料袋里然后在外面地上挖一个洞，把袋子放进去。” 我真的做了，然后又回到屋子里。但我依然无眠，我想，“也许有人看到我了。” 我又回去了
I pulled it out, and I put it with me theentire night -- all to say that it was an anxiety-filled night.
我把袋子拿出来，然后抓着它度过了一宿 我只想说那真是焦虑的一晚。
Going to the US was, just like anotherspeaker said, was my first time to see a plane, be on one, let alone sit on itto fly to another country. December 15, 2006. 7:08pm. I sat in seat 7A. FlyEmirates. 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 whatI'm doing. She hands me this warm towel -- warm, steamy, snow white. I'mlooking at this warm towel; I don't know what to do with my life, let alonewith 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, anythinganyone could do in that situation: look around, see what everyone else isdoing. I did the same. Mind you, I drove about seven hours from my village tothe airport that day. So I grab this warm towel, wipe my face just likeeveryone 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 whenshe 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 tolive up to my full God-given potential. I remember when I arrived, the sponsorfamily 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. Andit 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 ownbiological children. And when I came in, I had needs. They had to teach meEnglish, teach me literally everything, which resulted in them spending a lotof 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 whodon't want anything to do with your love and affection -- in fact, they find itrepulsive -- 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 engineeringdegrees 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 theindividuals who embrace multiculturalism, love, empathy and compassion forothers. We live in a world filled with hate: building walls, Brexit, xenophobiahere on the African continent. Multiculturalism can be an answer to many ofthese 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 youngchild 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 aTED 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 andthe racism of this world today, but certainly we can raise children to create apositive, 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。
Love wins.
真爱无敌。
Thank you.(Applause)
谢谢。（掌声）
来源：网络 仅供学习，侵权即删