见多识广：扩展视野的十种方法
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老桑说
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「 朋友，你好，我是老桑。」
老桑在威尼斯码头
最近我来到佛罗里达州看望我的父母。有一天，我们来到了古色古香的海滨小镇威尼斯，那里有一个历史悠久的码头，突出延伸到大海之中。我在那儿站了一会儿，望着远方的地平线。在那里看到了广阔的水域，远处的大海，以及那未知的蓝色蕴藏着的无限可能。
我最喜欢的中文表达之一叫做“开阔眼界“（broaden your horizons）。我们在英语中也常使用这个表达式，以及它的另一个说法：“全面发展（be well-rounded).”每一天，你都有机会开阔视野，这样做，你也会成为一个更好的人。
这里有10种方法可以帮助你走出舒适区，并在这个过程中获得乐趣:
Search for hashtags
社交媒体是一个拓展思维的好方法。搜索任何感兴趣的内容，你可以很快地接触到成百上千种tutorial（教程）、想法和操作视频。例如,在我的新浪微博（微博帐户：桑国亚）上，我对每个帖子都设置了标签，以便于大家找到我的相关内容。与大家进一步讨论问题时，我们就可以互相学习，这总是一个快乐的过程。
查看一下你感兴趣的微博或领英话题标签，比如如何学习一门外语、手工制作或尝试一个DIY项目。在我自己的例子中，我搜索过与茶有关的标签词，从其他茶叶爱好者那里学到了很多关于茶和茶文化的知识。
Travel and interact with the locals
君山岛
当我们旅行时，我们经常与朋友和家人在一起，甚至可能和旅行团在一起。这可能会让你对你的目的地有一个狭隘的看法，局限于导游或旅游attraction（景点）的展板提到的内容。但当你到了那些人迹罕至的地方，拜访当地人时，通过和他们交谈，你会对另一个地方有更多的了解。
在我最后一次去湖南的旅途中，我很想去探索君山岛，那里是黄茶的原产地。我联系了长沙附近的一名学生，他把我介绍给了在君山的同事，并安排好了行程。同样，在我最后一次去意大利时，天普大学的一位同事把我介绍给了那不勒斯的一位律师，而他把我带到了祖父出生地的一位官员那里，从而能使我更多地了解自己的文化遗产。
Get involved with your friends' interests
卧龙自然保护区
你不必独自一人走出自己的舒适区。让朋友们来帮助你，因为那样看起来似乎就不会那么可怕。你可以花时间与你的朋友在一起，同时体验一些新的东西。
我的一位同事是一位avid（狂热的）观鸟爱好者，在他最后几次访问中国时，我和他一起去了北京的野鸭湖湿地公园和四川的卧龙自然保护区观鸟。我不能说已经达到了他的专业水平，但当我后来访问君山岛时，那里栖息着丰富的鸟类品种，这时我已经能够问当地人一些问题了，而过去我是肯定不会想到的。
Join groups that share your interests
蟒山
你也可以通过加入探索自己兴趣的小组来走出你的舒适区。在中国和美国，无论何种兴趣都有相应的俱乐部：比如跑步、游泳、宠物和书画。以我自己举例来说，我曾在东方国艺茶艺花艺培训学校学习茶艺，然后与其他茶爱好者创建了自己的俱乐部。
我曾经在北京的蟒山徒步旅行，当我到达山顶时，遇到了被一群滑翔伞爱好者。他们一个接一个地跳下悬崖附近享受壮观的风景——包括附近的明十三陵。他们说，他们之前在一起上课，并会尽可能多地参加集体活动。
Go to festivals
北京中山公园
总会有一些你可以参与的节日或展览正在进行。比如食物、音乐、鲜花和艺术等。你可以经常遇到有趣的人，让自己接触一些新鲜事物。如果可以的话，还可以看看茶展，在那里你可以了解茶、茶具、茶文化和茶的教育。
在北京，我很喜欢中山公园的郁金香花展、法源寺的丁香茶会以及北京植物园的菊花文化节。回到家之后，我逛了费城车展以及位于Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm（这是一个位于宾州Quiet Valley的农场，人们可以在其中感受十九世纪的真实农场生活）举办的丰收节 。
Try a new hobby
甘肃天水
我确信有一件事是你一直想做的，但又害怕看起来很傻。但也许现在是时候试一试了。例如，如果你一直想跳舞，你会发现中国到处都有广场舞。当我访问甘肃天水的时候，一位当地老师正在给任何有兴趣参加的人教授传统的本地扇子舞。
收藏是一种既有趣又有教育意义的爱好。事实上，人们收集的东西很能说明他们是什么样的人。我遇到过许多人，他们收集古董家具、书籍、钱币、邮票和茶具等。通过收藏，他们通过拥有和研究不同历史时期的物品学到了很多历史知识。
Read, read, read
阅读也许是扩展视野最简单的方法。拿起一本你感兴趣或觉得好奇的书。在我公众号菜单下面的读书会专栏里，我写过一些关于书籍的推荐。虽然很多都是英文书，但我几乎总是评论那些有中文翻译的书。
想要环游世界?可以看看《八十天环游世界》。喜欢狗狗?那可以读一读《一条狗的使命》。对科幻世界着迷?试着解决一下《三体》问题。如果正与强迫症作斗争?要获得一些好的建议，请参考《强迫症的正念治疗手册》。读书唯一能做的就是让你更聪明。
Use apps wisely
手机可以帮助你开阔视野，点击一个按钮，你就可以探索世界。如今我们经常使用手机。每当我坐地铁时，我注意到使用手机的人比不使用手机的人多。事实上，人们每天使用手机至少2-3小时并不罕见。
有一些应用程序可以帮助你学习一门外语(我用的是Duolingo)，紧跟TED演讲或在线课程的最新续集，或是记录你的饮食和健康状况，关注国际新闻。一些更esoteric（专业的）应用程序可以帮助你辨识星座、树木和花朵以及艺术品。
Check out your hometown museums
故宫博物馆
你参观过你家乡的博物馆吗?我们认为那些地方就在身边，认为我们可以“随时”去拜访他们，但往往那个时刻永远不会到来。在即将到来的周末，为什么不去外地游客来参观的博物馆和历史地标逛逛呢?它将把历史书带到生活中来，也会让你更加欣赏周围的环境。
Do a restaurant tour
宜昌长阳石磙埫村农家年夜饭
吃是我在中国最喜欢的做一件事，8到10个的好朋友经常聚在一起，坐在餐馆圆桌旋转盘前，点上琳琅满目的菜肴。然而，随着时间的推移，你可能会不断地去同样的地方。跳过你常去的地方，尝试一些新的东西。新口味将帮助你欣赏更多种类的菜品。
凯文·马韦
由你自己来拓宽视野，超越人类的局限。“如果你不愿意做任何事情，那就不要抱怨。”——凯文·马韦，前纽约喷气机队职业足球运动员
”我的朋友，眺望大海的地平线是一个鼓舞人心的号召，让我们超越当前的环境。无尽的地平线意味着无尽的可能性。你可以有效地使用社交媒体，重组你的社交关系，结识新朋友，indulge（释放）你的激情，甚至只是拿起一本书。尝试上面的这些想法，你就会发现自己的视野变开阔了。
往期文章
谢谢收看《老桑说》。
给你启发，激励你上进，陪伴你坚持。
敬请期待下一集。
英文版
English
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Becoming well-rounded:
10 ways to broaden your horizons
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「 Hello, my friend！
I'm John Smagula. 」
I was just visiting with my parents in Florida. One day, we visited the quaint oceanside town of Venice, which has a historic jetty that juts out into the sea. I stood there for some time, just looking out at the horizon. I considered the vast stretches of water, the high sea beyond, and the unknown blue expanse of infinite possibility.
Venice Jetty
One of my favorite expressions in Chinese is to “broaden your horizons.” We use this expression in English as well, along with its cousin, “be well-rounded.” Every day, you have the chance to broaden your horizons, and by doing so you become a better person as well. Here are 10 ways to step out of your comfort zone—and have fun in the process:
Search for hashtags
Social media is a great way to broaden your mind. Search for any interest, and you’ll soon be able to interact with hundreds or even thousands of tutorials, ideas, and how-to videos. For example, in my Sina Weibo, I place hashtags on each of my posts, and it’s always a pleasure when people find me and want to further talk about the subject. We learn from each other.
Travel and interact with the locals
Junshan Island Tea Field
When we travel, we’re often with friends and family…and maybe even with a tour group. This may give you a narrow perspective of your destination, limited to what the guide or information boards at tourist attractions tell you. When you get off the beaten path and visit with locals, you’ll learn more about another place by speaking with those who are from there.
On my last trip to Hunan, I wanted to explore Junshan Island, yellow tea’s place of origin. I contacted a student in nearby Changsha, who introduced me to a colleague in Junshan, and the trip was arranged. Likewise, on my last trip to Italy, a colleague at Temple introduced me to a lawyer in Naples, who introduced me to an official in my grandfather’s birth town so I could learn more about my own heritage.
Get involved with your friends' interests
Wolong Nature Reserve
You don’t have to be alone when you step out of your comfort zone. Let your friends help you, as it may seem less scary that way. You can spend time with your friends while experiencing something new.
Join groups that share your interests
Mangshan Mountain
You can also step out of your comfort zone by joining groups that explore your interests. In China and the United States, there are clubs for almost every interest, such as running, swimming, pets, and painting and calligraphy. In my case, I took tea classes at Eastern National Arts school, and then with some other tea enthusiasts created our own tea club.
I was once hiking Beijing’s Mangshan Mountain, and when I reached the top, I was greeted by a group of paragliders. One by one, they jumped off the cliff to enjoy the spectacular scenery—which includes the nearby Ming Tombs. They said they had taken lessons together and attended as many of their group events as they could.
Go to festivals
Zhongshan Park, Beijing
There is always some sort of festival or exhibition going on that you can attend. Food, music, flowers, and art are just some examples. You’ll often meet interesting people and expose yourself to something new. If anything, check out a tea exposition, where you can learn about tea, tea ware, tea culture, and tea education.
Try a new hobby
Tianshui, Gansu
I am sure that there is something that you have always wanted to do, but were afraid of looking foolish. Maybe now is the time to give it a try. For example, if you have always wanted to dance, you can find public square dancing everywhere in China. When I visited Tianshui in Gansu, a local teacher was teaching a local fan dance to anyone interested in joining in.
Collecting is a hobby that can be both interesting and educational. In fact, the things people collect says a lot about what type of person they are. I have met many people who collect things like antique furniture, books, coins and currency, stamps, and tea ware. Through collecting, they learn a lot about history by owning and studying period items.
Read, read, read
Reading is perhaps the easiest way to expand your horizons. Pick up a book on anything that interests you or that you are curious about. In my Book Club menu below, I have given you some recommendations of books to read. Many are English-language books, but I almost always review books that have Chinese translations that are readily available.
Use apps wisely
Your mobile phone can help you broaden your horizons, as with the tap of a button, you can explore the world. And we use our cell phones a lot. Whenever I take the subway, I notice that more people are using their phones than those who are not. In fact, it's not uncommon for people to be on their cell phones from at least 2-3 hours per day.
Check out your hometown museums
Shanghai Museum
Have you visited the museums in your hometown? We take them for granted, thinking we can visit them “any time,” but often that time never comes. During an upcoming weekend, why not visit the museums and historic landmarks that out-of-town tourists come to visit? It will bring history books to life and also give you a greater appreciation of your surroundings.
Do a restaurant tour
Chinese New Year Dinner,
Shiguntang, Hubei
One of my favorite things about eating out in China is that 8-10 friends often get together, head to a restaurant with a round table and a lazy Susan, and order all sorts of dishes. Yet over time, you may continually go to the same places. Skip your usual haunts and try something new. The new flavors will help you appreciate a larger variety of cuisines.
Kevin Mawae
It's up to you to broaden your horizons and exceed your human limitations. “If you’re not willing to do anything about it, then don’t complain about it.” –Kevin Mawae, former professional football player, New York Jets
”My friend, looking out at the ocean's horizon is an inspiring call to look beyond our current circumstances. The endless horizon means endless possibilities. You can use social media productively, retool your social relationships, meet new people, indulge your passions, and simply pick up a book. Try out some of the ideas above, and see your horizons broaden.
{ 今日英文速记卡 }
1.Tutorial \ tü-ˈtȯr-ē-əl \
a)含义：n. 软件教程；辅导书
b)例句：
i.Search for any interest, and you’ll soon be able to interact with hundreds or even thousands of tutorials, ideas, and how-to videos.
搜索任何感兴趣的内容，你可以很快地接触到成百上千种教程、想法和操作视频。
ii.On the second part of this two-part tutorial, we focus on popular music.
在此两部分教程的第二部分，我们把重点放在了流行音乐本身。
c)近义词：class, lesson, seminar
2.Attraction \ ə-ˈtrak-shən \
a)含义：n. 向往的地方；有吸引力的事
b)例句：
i.This may give you a narrow perspective of your destination, limited to what the guide or information boards at tourist attractions tell you.
这可能会让你对你的目的地有一个狭隘的看法，仅仅局限于导游或旅游景点的展板提到的内容。
ii.Buckingham Palace is a major tourist attraction.
白金汉宫是重要的旅游胜地。
c)近义词：draw, lodestone, magnet
3.Avid \ ˈa-vəd \
a)含义：adj. 热衷的；酷爱的
b)例句：
i.One of my colleagues is an avid birder, and on his last few visits to China, I joined him on birding tours to Beijing’s Yeyahu Wetland Park and Sichuan’s Wolong Nature Reserve.
我的一位同事是一位狂热的观鸟爱好者，在他最后几次访问中国时，我和他一起去了北京的野鸭湖湿地公园和四川的卧龙自然保护区观鸟。
ii.I’m an avid gym goer. I go to the gym almost every day for at least an hour.
我是一个活跃的健身积极分子，我每天在健身房呆至少一个小时，不过以前我可不是这样。
c)近义词：ardent, eager, keen
4.Esoteric \ ˌe-sə-ˈter-ik \
a)含义：adj. 只有内行才懂的；深奥的
b)例句：
i.Some more esoteric apps can help you identify constellations, trees and flowers, and works of art.
一些更专业的应用程序可以帮助你辨识星座、树木和花朵以及艺术品。
ii.At this stage, I recommend you see some ideological content not too esoteric movies.
这个阶段，我推荐大家看一些思想内容不太深奥的电影。
c)近义词：abstruse, arcane, profound
5.Indulge \ in-ˈdəlj \
a)含义：v. 满足；纵容
b)例句：
i.You can use social media productively, retool your social relationships, meet new people, indulge your passions, and simply pick up a book.
无尽的地平线意味着无尽的可能性。你可以有效地使用社交媒体，重组你的社交关系，结识新朋友，释放你的激情，甚至只是拿起一本书。
ii.Best of all, you can indulge in it for sheer enjoyment.
最妙的是，你能完全沉迷进去并享受纯粹的乐趣。
c)近义词：bask, luxuriate, revel
Thank you for watching me to inspire, encourage, and accompany you.
See you next time.
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