美国总统夫人告诉你为什么要留学

2014年美国第一夫人米歇尔在成都七中（臻顺赴美）为中学生做了一场题为：读万卷书，不如行万里路 的主旨演讲

（省略开场感谢辞，正文从音频2分钟后开始）

And I'm here today because I know that our future depends on connections like these among your people like you across the globe. 我今天来到这里，是因为我知道，我们的未来，取决于全世界像你们这样的年轻人之间的联系。

That's why when my husband and I travel abroad, we don't just visit palaces and parliament and meet with heads of state. We also come to schools like this one to meet with students like you. 这也是为什么我们夫妇在国外访问时，不只参观宫殿和会晤国家元首。我们也来到学校，与像你们一样的学生见面。

Because we believe that relationships between nations are not just about relationship between governments or leaders…they're about relationships between people, particularly our young people. 因为我们相信，国与国之间的关系不只是政府或领导人之间的关系，它们是人民间—特别是年轻人之间的关系。

So we view study abroad programs not just as an educational opportunity f or students…but also as a vital part of America's foreign policy. 因此，我们认为海外留学项目不只是为学生提供的教育机会，还是美国外交政策至关重要的组成部分。

You see, through the wonders of modern technology, our world is more connected than ever before. 你们看，通过现代技术奇迹，我们的世界比以往任何时候都更多地联系在一起。

Ideas can cross ocean with the click of a button. Companies can do business and complete with companies across the globe. And we can text, email and skype with people on every continent. 思想可以通过点击按钮跨越海洋。全球各地的公司可以进行业务往来和相互竞争。我们可以与各大洲的人们通过短信、电子邮件和Skype进行沟通。

So studying abroad isn't just a fun way to spend a semester-it's quickly becoming the key to success in our global economy. 因此，出国留学不只是以开心的方式度过一个学期—它正迅速成为全球化经济中取得成功的关键。

Because getting ahead in today's workplaces isn't just about getting good grades or test scores in school…it's also about having real experience with the world beyond your borders - experience with languages, cultures and societies very different from your own. 因为要走在当今职场的前沿，只在学校里取得好成绩是不够的，还应拥有国境外的真实体验：对完全不同的语言、文化和社会的体验。

Or, as the Chinese saying goes: “It is better to travel ten thousand miles than to read ten thousand books.” 正如中国的一句古话所说：读万卷书，不如行万里路。

But let's be clear, studying abroad is about so much more than improving your own future - it's also about shaping the future of your countries and of the world we all share. 我想要说的是，出国留学绝不仅是改善你们自己的未来，它也关乎塑造你们的国家、关乎我们***有的世界的未来。

Because when it comes to the defining challenges of our time - whether it's climate change, or economic opportunity, or the spread of nuclear weapons...these are shared challenges. 因为我们这个时代的决定性挑战一一无论是气候变化、经济机遇，还是核武器扩散一一这些都是我们***同的挑战。

No one country can confront them alone...the only way forward is together. 没有任何一个国家能够单独应对它们……唯一的出路就是***同携手。

That's why it's so important for young people like you to live and study in each other's countries. Because that's how you develop that habit of cooperation - you do it by improving yourself in someone's culture…by learning each other's stories…and by getting past the stereotypes and misconceptions that too often divide us. 这就是为什么年轻人到彼此国家学习和生活是如此重要。因为这是你们培养合作习惯的途径一一你们通过融入不同的文化，通过了解彼此的故事，通过跨越常常隔膜我们的成见和误解，来做到这一点。

That's how you come to understand how much we all share. And that's how you realize that we all have a stake in each other's success - that cures discovered here in Beijing could save lives in America…the clean energy technologies from Silicon Valley in California could improve the environment here in China…that the architecture of an ancient temple in Xi'an could inspire the design of new buildings in Dallas or Detroit. 这是你们了解到我们***享多少东西的途径。这是你们认识到我们的成功惠及彼此的途径。在北京发现的治序方法可以挽救在美国的生命，来自加州硅谷的清洁能源技术可以改善中国的环境，西安一座古老寺庙的架构可激发达拉斯或者底特律新建筑设计的灵感。

And that's when the connections you make as classmates or labmates can blossom into something more. That's what happened when Abigail Coplin became an American Fulbright Scholar here at Peking University. She and her colleagues published papers together in top science journals…and they both research partnerships that lasted long after they returned to their home countries. 这是你们与同学、实验伙伴建立起的联系能带来更多收获的时候。阿比盖尔?柯普林成为北京大学美国富布赖特学者的时候，她与同事们在首屈一指的科学杂志上***同发表论文，建立研究伙伴关系，这段关系在他们各自回国后还长久持续着。

Professor Niu Ke from Peking University was Fulbright Scholar in the U.S. last year…and he reported, and I quote, “the most memorable experience was with my American friends.” 来自北京大学的牛可教授是去年的美国富布赖特学者。我引述下他的话，“最难忘的经历是和我的美国朋友们在一起。”

These lasting bonds represent the true value of studying abroad…and I am thrilled that more and more students are getting this opportunity. 这些长久的纽带代表留学的真正价值，我很兴奋，越来越多的学生正得到这样的机会。

Chinais currently the fifth most popular destination for Americans studying abroad. And today, the highest number of exchange students in the U.S. is from China. But still, too many students never have this chance…and some that do are hesitant to take it. 中国目前是美国人留学的第五大热门目的地。今天的美国，来自中国的交换生数量最多。尽管如此，太多的学生从来没有这样的机会，而一些有机会的学生则犹豫是否要抓住它。

They may feel like study abroad is only for wealthy students, or students from certain kinds of universities. Or they may think to themselves: “Well, that sounds fun, but how will it really be useful in my life?” 他们可能觉得留学只是有钱的学生或来自某类大学的学生的事。或者，他们可能心里想，“嗯，这听起来很有趣，但它在我的生活中真正有多大用处？”

I understand where these young people are coming from, because I felt the same way when I was in college. You see, I came from a working class family…and it never even occurred to me to study abroad. My parent didn't get to attend college, and I was focused on getting into a university and earning my degree so I could get a job and support myself. 我理解这些年轻人，因为我在上大学时也有同样的感受。你们知道，我来自一个工薪阶层家庭，我甚至从来没想过留学。我的父母没有上过大学，我将精力集中在进入大学并获得学位，这样我就可以得到一份工作并养活自己。

And for a lot of young people like me who are struggling to afford a regular semester of school paying for plane tickets or living expense halfway around the world just isn't possible. And that's not acceptable, because study abroad shouldn't just for student from certain backgrounds. 对于很多像我一样靠奋斗才能读得起一个常规学期的年轻人来说，支付世界另一边的机票或生活费实在是不可能的。这是不可接受的，因为留学不应仅属于有一些背景的学生。

That's really the power of technology - how it can open up the entire world and expose us to ideas and innovations we never could have imagined. And that's why it is so important for information and ideas to flow freely over the internet and through the media. 这确实是技术的力量—它打开整个世界，让我们接触到以前根本难以想象的思想和创新。这也是为什么信息和思想在互联网上、并通过媒体自由流动是如此重要。

Because that's how we discover the truth...that's how we learn what's really happening in our communities, our country and our world. 因为那是我们发现真理的途径，那使我们得以了解我们的社群、我们的国家和我们的世界到底在发生着什么。

And that's how we decide which values and ideas we think are best - by questioning and debating them vigorously…by listening to all sides of every argument...and by judging for ourselves. 那也是我们何以决定哪些价值观和思想是最好的——通过有力地对它们提出疑问，进行辩论，倾听各方观点，并做出自己的判断。

And believe me, I know this can be a messy and frustrating process. My husband and I are on the receiving and of plenty of questioning and criticizing from our media and our fellow citizens...and it's not always easy...but we wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. 相信我，我知道这是一个令人困惑而沮丧的过程。有大量来自我们媒体和公民的质疑和批评，而我丈夫和我位于接收端。这并非易事，但我们认为它的重要无可取代。

Because time and again, we have seen that countries are stronger and more prosperous when the voices and opinions of all their citizens can be heard. 因为我们一次又一次地看到，当所有公民的声音和观点都能得到倾听之时，国家会变得更加强大和繁荣。

And as my husband said, we respect the uniqueness of other cultures and societies. But when it comes to expressing yourself freely, and worshipping as you choose, and having open access to information –we believe those are universal rights that are the birthright of every person on this planet. 正像我的丈夫曾说过的，我们尊重其他文化和社会的独特性。然而，就自由的表达自我、选择自己所崇拜的东西，以及享有信息公开而言—我们相信那是地球上每个人与生俱来的权利。

We believe that all people deserve the opportunity to fulfill their highest potential as I was able to do in the United States. And as you learn about new cultures and form new friendships during your time here in China and in the United States, all of you are the living, breathing embodiment of those values. 我们相信，所有人都应享有实现自己最大潜能的机会，正如我在美国所能做到的那样。同时，当你在中国这里以及在美国了解新的文化、结交新的朋友之时，你整个人就是那些价值观的鲜活代表。

You all have so much to offer, and I cannot wait to see all that you achieve together in the years ahead. 你们大家都有这么多可以给予世界，我热切期待着你们未来的成就。

Thank you so much. Xie Xie. 非常感谢，谢谢。