导读:旅居中国的外国人回国时，往往会面对亲朋好友的诸多盘问，其中问得最多的就是有关中国的话题。而和中国人所想象的不同，国人之间关于中国的问答让人非常惊讶。
I marked the calendar at work and realized that I only had one day until I set off on my 10-day adventure back home. My bags were partially packed, and I only needed to hit the tourist market in Wangfujing to grab some last-minute souvenirs. My friends and family were eagerly texting me, saying they cannot wait to see me and telling me how excited they are. Amid all the excitement of going home and catching up with everyone, some things make the situation a little stressful and annoying.
我在日历上标注好工作日的记号，意识到在我踏上为期10天的归家之旅前只有1天了。我的行李已经打包了一些，我只要再去王府井的旅游市场买点纪念品就行了。我的朋友和家人们都很急切地发信息给我，说他们迫不及待想要看到我、并告诉我他们有多么地兴奋。沉浸在回家的兴奋和与众人的攀谈之中，有些事情让情况变得有点压力和恼火。
For any expat who has gone home or back to visit friends, there are classic questions you face from almost everyone.
对于所有已经回过家或拜访过朋友的外籍人士来说，有一些几乎所有人都会问你的经典问题。
"So, what is China like?" as if I can somehow sum up the whole of my experience and opinion of China over a quick chat.
“那么，中国怎么样？”——好像我能在一场短暂的交谈中总结概括出我的整个中国之行和对中国的看法一样。
The real China is so far from the perception those have at home that it would take at least two full days of lectures, pie charts and power points to just scratch the surface. So, I usually just say, "It’s awesome. There are so many different things like amazing food and beautiful scenery, and you can do it all for next to nothing."
真正的中国和那些从未去过中国的人脑中的认知相去甚远，即使讲上两天，用上饼状图和PPT，也只能讲一个皮毛。因此，我一般会说：“挺好的！中国有许多不同的东西，有令人惊叹的食物和美丽的景色，你想干什么都行，几乎不用花什么钱。”
This usually leaves the listener satisfied enough. Any more information would be shared on an ask-and-tell basis.
通常这就足够让听众满意了。只有在对方继续追问的时候，我才会说更多关于中国的事情。
It is best not to overwhelm people with everywhere you have been and everything you have done all at once. Whether it is jealousy or an inability to relate, it tends to alienate people and make them shut down.
最好不要一次就把你去过的所有地方、做过的所有事情和盘托出，那样只会让别人不知所措。无论是因为嫉妒还是因为无法和你讲的话题扯上关系，这都会使得人们变得疏远、不再讲话。
"When are you coming back home for good?" Hmmm, let me check my calendar. When you move to another country, you have a timeline in your head, but this definitely changes once you arrive and start to become accustomed to your new life.
“你什么时候回国？”嗯，让我看看我的日程表。当你搬到另一个国家时，你脑中会有一个时间轴，但是一旦当你开始习惯新生活，这就肯定会改变。
In this situation I say, "Well, I think I am going to stay a little longer than expected because there are so many opportunities in China."
在这种情况下我会说：“嗯，我想我会在中国再待一段时间，因为中国有很多机会。”
Quick, short and to the point. The truth is I have no idea when I am coming back, or if I am coming back. However, that type of response is sure to give you the wide-eyed stare you are desperately trying to avoid.
快速、简短、直击要点。真相是我不知道什么时候回国，或者我是否要回国。但是如果你照实说的话，别人就会睁大眼睛惊奇地盯着你——而你绝对不想要这样。
"So do you speak fluent Chinese now?" While cultural immersion is the best way to learn a language, I think it is safe to say that you could easily live in China without knowing Chinese. In the eight months I have lived here, I have learned to count, say thank you and you’re welcome, and most importantly, ask for a beer.
“那你现在能说一口流利的中文了吗？”尽管沉浸在文化中是学习一门语言的最佳途径，但是我认为最好还是回答说“即使不会中文也能很容易地生活在中国”。在中国的那8个月里，我学会了数数，学会了说“谢谢你”和“不用谢”，而且最重要的是我还学会了怎么点一杯啤酒。
This is a good time to bust out the pictures you took around town of "Chinglish" translations. My favorite being a "beware of your belongings" sign I saw in the bathroom, which immediately made me start to get uneasy around my backpack.
这时把你拍摄到的“中式英语”照片拿出来给大家看再好不过了。我最喜欢的是在浴室里看到的一个“小心保管财物（beware of your belongings）”的标志，马上就使我担心起自己的背包来。
When going home, there is also reverse culture shock. Many people are doing the same thing they were doing when you left. While this makes it easy to fall back into the routine, you see everything through a different lens because change happens quickly in China. Realize that you need to adapt to the situation and that people are seeing you differently just the same way you are seeing them differently.
回国之后，也会遇到反向的文化冲突。当你不在时，许多人仍然做着以往同样的事情。虽然这使得你回归自己国家文化时非常容易，但你却已经透过一个不同的角度来看待这一切，因为中国改变得非常迅速。你意识到自己需要适应这种情况，因为其他人和你一样——你们互相看待的方式已经不同了。
