中國留守兒童來到紐約移民學校(下)

But Mary Chu, the school’s parent coordinator, seems to know them all.

但該校家長協調人瑪麗•朱(Mary Chu)似乎認識每一個學生。

She spends her days darting in and out of a windowless office just off the main lobby, sometimes with a phone on each ear, holding one conversation in English and another in Mandarin.

她每天都會衝進或衝出學校大廳一個沒有窗戶的辦公室，有時會在兩隻耳朵旁各放一部電話，跟一方講英語，跟另一方講普通話。

She also speaks Cantonese and a little Toisanese.

她還會說廣東話和一點點台山話。

She said her Fujianese needs work.

她說她的福建話還有待提高。

As with many schools in New York City, an overwhelming majority of the Students at P.S. 160 are poor; the entire school qualifies for free lunch.

像紐約市的很多學校一樣，第160公立學校的絕大多數學生都不富裕：全校的學生都有資格得到免費午餐。

So the administration tries to pile on cultural activities, like violin lessons or dance classes, that students would otherwise miss.

因此校方會盡力組織許多學生們本來沒機會參與的文化活動，比如開設小提琴課或者舞蹈班。

Other challenges are more singular: Each year, hundreds of students enroll who not only are new to the school and the country, but also are unfamiliar with their parents.

該校面臨的其他一些挑戰則較爲特別：每年都有數百名不僅剛剛來到這所學校和這個國家，而且連跟自己的父母都不熟的學生入學。

Ms Chu said that most of their students who were born to recent Chinese immigrants were sent back to China as babies, spending a few years living with family so their parents could work.

朱說，出身於中國新移民家庭的學生，大多在嬰兒時期曾被送回中國，跟親屬同住若干年，這樣他們的父母就能出門賺錢了。

While their children are gone, the parents, many of whom were in debt from their journey to the United States, work grueling hours, often traveling around the country from one job to the next.

趁着孩子不在身邊，父母們——其中很多人是借債來美國的——會拼命打工，常常因爲工作變動奔走於美國各地。

When the children are old enough to start school, their parents bring them back.

孩子到了上學的年齡，會被父母接回美國。

It’s not uncommon for our population here, said Patrick So, the school’s social worker.

這種情況在我們這裏並不鮮見，該校社工帕特里克•蘇(Patrick So)表示。

He said that he asked a mother at the school recently, In six years, how many times did you see your kids?

他說他最近在學校裏問過一位母親：六年裏你見過孩子幾次？

She said, ‘Maybe a few months,’ Dr So said.

她回答，‘可能一起待過幾個月吧，’蘇說。

The school offers workshops in subjects like music and art, so parents can spend time with their children and bond without being distracted by work or things that might be going on at home.

學校開辦了音樂、藝術等科目的培訓班，使得家長既可以陪伴孩子，又不會因爲工作或者待在家裏時可能發生的一些事情而分心。

Dr So also hosts workshops for parents on how to discipline children, how to talk to them.

蘇還爲家長辦過培訓班，教他們如何管束孩子，如何跟孩子交談。

This is a risk-free place, and they can spend time here together, Ms Russo said.

這是一個無憂無慮的地方，他們可以在這裏共度時光，魯索說。

They don’t know each other, and we want to foster that relationship.

他們不瞭解彼此，我們想讓他們之間的關係變得更加親密。

Wenming Chen, a president of the parents’ association at P.S. 160, said that when her son was less than a year old, she and her husband sent him to China to live with her in-laws.

第160公立學校家長協會會長陳雯明（音）說，她和丈夫在兒子還不到一歲的時候將他送回了中國，跟她的公婆一起生活。

She worked in Ohio; Michigan; Richmond, Va.; and Chicago before settling in New York City, as she chipped away at her debt from her trip to America.

定居紐約市前，她在俄亥俄州、密歇根、弗吉尼亞州里士滿以及芝加哥工作過，還清了爲來美國而欠下的債務。

When her son returned from China, Ms Chen said, he was not O.K.

陳雯明說，兒子從中國回來的時候，情況很不好。

He had been exposed to dangerous levels of lead while in China, she said, and he still struggles with learning disabilities as a result.

她說，在中國生活期間，他接觸了達到危險水平的鉛，結果至今飽受學習障礙的困擾。

The first time I saw him, there was nothing in his eyes, Ms Chen said.

我第一次看見他時，他的雙眼是空洞的，陳雯明說。

She and her husband also have a daughter, who is now in prekindergarten nearby.

她和丈夫還有一個女兒，目前在附近上幼兒園。

After the experience with her son, she refused to send her daughter to China.

有了兒子的前車之鑑，她拒絕把女兒送回中國。

Ms Russo and her staff try hard to build bridges to the families.

魯索及其員工正竭力搭建與學生的家庭之間的橋樑。

In August, Ms Russo, Ms Chu and several other teachers and administrators took a trip to China, organized by Ms Chu, hoping to gain a better understanding of their school’s community.

今年8月，朱組織了一項活動：她和魯索以及另外幾名老師去了一趟中國，希望藉此機會更好地理解學校的社區。

Students and their parents seemed to find it validating, Ms Russo said, that school staff members took time to learn about their country and their culture.

魯索說，學校教職員工花時間去了解他們的祖國和文化的舉動，似乎得到了家長和學生的認同。

It also gave those who went on the trip more perspective on the experience of their charges.

中國行也讓參與其中的幾個人得以用不同的視角來看待孩子們的經歷。

You don’t speak the language, and you have to rely on people and you have to figure things out, said Debra Fox, a fifth-grade teacher.

你不會說當地的語言，你必須依靠他人，得去想辦法，教五年級的黛布拉•福克斯(Debra Fox)說。

You realize how difficult it must be.

你意識到他們一定很不容易。

I always knew that, we always knew, but to experience it for yourself.

我一直知道這一點，我們一直都知道的，但你還是得親身體驗一下。

To go into a store and just kind of smile.

走進一家商店，只需要露出微笑。

It makes you realize, she added, how hard these little guys have it.

這會讓你意識到，她繼續說道，這些小傢伙有多麼不容易。