华裔小留之父: 我不该让他西漂

上世纪80年代，随着台湾、香港和韩国等东亚国家的许多富裕家庭将孩子独自送往西方国家接受更好的教育，“降落伞儿童”一词应运而生。

In the 1980s, as many rich parents in East Asian countries -- Taiwan Hong Kong and South Korea sent their children to Western countries to pursue academic careers without their parents’ accompany, a term “parachute kids” was created. 

三十年后，同样的风潮席卷中国，大量中国学生涌入西方国家留学镀金，西漂现象日益盛行。据媒体报导，去年有7.3万国际学生就读美国的中学，在他们当中有很大一部分人居住在南加州，在南加州的国际学生中，中国学生就占到32.3%。

The same tidal wave has swept through China three decades later, as scores of Chinese students are pouring into Western countries to study – the phenomenon that is now dubbed Westward drift. Last year, according to media report, 73,000 international students enrolled in U.S. high schools. A large percentage of those students reside in Southern California, with Chinese nationals accounting for 32.3 percent of the population.

但是，由于这些空降生小小年纪就被送往异国他乡，他们在独自适应异域生活的过程中往往会面临诸多挑战。因为缺乏父母的陪伴和教导，许多学生因难以适应新环境而出现越轨行为。在某些极端案例中有些学生甚至会涉入犯罪行为，令他们的父母心碎神伤。

But children who are parachuted to a foreign country face a slew of challenges as they make transitions in the lives of an adopted country.  Lacking close parental guidance, many suffer a rough landing, and displaying unchecked behaviors. In some extreme cases, they get involved in crimes that leave their parents devastated and heart broken.

2月17日，三名在南加州就读高中的19岁中国留学生因绑架并攻击一名16岁同胞女同学，而分别被判16年、10年和6年监禁。

In Feb. 17, three 19 year-old Chinese students who attended high school in Southern California, were sentenced for 16, 10,and 6 years to prison respectively in connection with assault and kidnapping on a fellow student, a 16-year old girl.

据媒体报道，案发时三名被告将受害女生带到Rowland Heights Country公园，然后脱光她的衣服，对她进行各种凌辱并施以拳打脚踢，更令人发指的是，她们还逼迫受害人吃掉自己的头发。受害人在上庭作证时称，被告用高跟鞋踢她，扇她耳光，并用烟头烫她。依照美国联邦法律，三名被告刑满后将被驱逐回中国，并终身禁入美国。

According to media reports, the three accused took the girl to Rowland Heights Country Park, where she was stripped naked, spat upon, kicked, punched and beaten. She was also forced to eat her hair. The victim testified in court that she was kicked with high-heeled shoes, slapped and burned with cigarettes. Under federal law, they will be extradited to China after serving their sentences and be banned from returning into the US.

这起引人注目的案件在中国社交媒体上引发热议，并促使人们对“降落伞儿童”或“西漂”文化进行审视。许多人对美国法院的裁决拍手称快，认为这些身为富二代的孩子理应受到严惩。

The high profile case has sparked heated reactions from Chinese social media and put the “parachute kids” or “westward drifters” culture under scrutiny. Many people say that the verdicts were good decisions and the kids, who are second generation rich kids, deserve the harsh punishments.  

该案的某一留学生被告之父章帆对儿子获刑深感震惊不已，他在接受《纽约时报》采访时称，他对儿子在美国的学习生活情况知之甚少。

In an interview with the Times, one of the student’ father, Mr. Zhang Fan said that he knew little about his son’s wellbeing after sending his son to the US. Apparently, his son’s verdict has left him in shock.

据章帆称，他的儿子英语并不好，在中国上学时成绩平平。他是在一个拿到美国签证的同班同学的鼓动下才动了出国留学的念头。由于对美国教育系统根本不了解，他便听从了中介的建议，决定让儿子就读天主教学校。中介告诉他，美国的教育体系不同于严厉高压的中式教育，美国学校更加宽松，会给学生提供更多机会，并能帮助他们迅速提高英语水平。

According to Mr. Zhang Fan, his son lacked English proficiency and hadn’t been doing well at schools in China.  One of his classmates got a US visa and invited him to come along. With very limited information about the education system in the US, he was advised by an agent to get his son enrolled in a catholic school. Unlike the rigorous, high pressured education system in China, US schools are more relaxed and provide more opportunities to help him learn English quickly, said the agent.

但是章帆的儿子在抵达美国后却发现一切并不像中介所说的那样一帆风顺。由于他的英语不够好，他根本就跟不上正常班课程。因为整天只和中国朋友厮混在一起，他的英语水平丝毫未见提高。经济压力、语言障碍，更重要的是因为缺乏父母的陪伴和指导，导致他最终步入歧途。

But things were nowhere near as good as described after his son arrived in US. His English wasn’t good enough to catch up with the regular class. He hung out with Chinese friends exclusively and his English saw little improvement. The financial responsibilities, language barriers, and more importantly the absent of close parents’ guidance have left him veering off on a dangerous life trajectory. 



章帆称自己让儿子西漂是犯了大错。他后悔不迭地说，中国人往往热衷于随大流，并且喜欢通过大跃进实现一切目标。

Zhang says it was a big mistake for him to send his son abroad. Chinese people tend to fall into line with majority. They tend to achieve every goal in their lives in a great leap forward pace, says Zhang as he was torn by regrets.

章帆称：“中国有工业大跃进，文化大跃进，工资大跃进，住房大跃进……现在还有送子留学大跃进，但现在是该停步反省的时候了！”

“There was the industrial leap forward, cultural leap forward, salary raise leap forward, housing leap forward… Now there is a great leap forward in sending kids overseas, but it is time we took a step back.”