我想從說這是你們的日子來開始。

到現在為止，我已經教書十年了。期間大部分的時光我都在舊金山初中教書。每年的這個時候，我們都將會為所有結束初中的學生舉行有一個隆重的畢業(yè)典禮。并且每一年，人們總是說你們應該意識到你們的家長在一直在你們的身邊，幫助你們邁出的每一步。的確如此。并且人們總是強調你們應該去感謝在學業(yè)上幫助你們成長的老師們， 也的確如此。但是此刻，我將把我每一年說過的同樣的話告訴你們，2015年畢業(yè)的你們，今天是你們的光榮日，你們贏得了這一天。

一路上確實很多人都在幫助你們，但最終，若不是你們自己不忘初心的努力，沒有任何的幫助可以推動你們走向如今的成功。今天不是為了你們的父母，即使他們再愛你們在支持你們，今天不是為了你們的老師，即使他們再幫助你們關心你們。今天只是為了你們。是你們經過自己的努力讓自己今天可以站在這里。并且實際上，從時間，嚴格度和工作量上來說，比較起其他任何國家的青少年們，你們可能剛剛完成了這個世界上最艱辛的高中生涯。我真誠的祝賀你們精彩的完成了你們的工作。

用這種陌生神秘美麗的方式，這個世界有時讓我覺得這些都是命中注定，看著你們，我看到了我自己。

每一天我走進教室，這里都充滿著將要遠離家鄉(xiāng)親人以及一切熟知的事物，去飛向某一所城市（西雅圖）的人，（西雅圖是學生們將要去學習的地方）那所城市多雨但壯美，咖啡濃郁，音樂出眾，你們的夢想就在你們手中。

十四年之前，我曾經登上離開家鄉(xiāng)的航班去開始我人生新的篇章－大學。那架航班也降落在西雅圖之上。

（下面是外教在中國的感受分享）

這個世界不管公平與否，這會是你們將要面對的現實：從飛機降落在西雅圖塔科馬國際機場的那一刻開始,你將成為你們國家的大使。當我站在教室里的時候，站在地鐵上的時候，坐在飯店里面的時候，在電影院排隊的時候，在小區(qū)里的街道上遛狗的時候，甚至現在我站在這里講話，我不僅僅是Michael，我是一個美國人。不管公平與否，我不得不清楚當陌生人看到我的時候，聽到我的時候，會根據我的行為或者我的頭型來評價我，他們把我當作美國的一個符號。不是故意或者真的想要，但我的每一個字，動作，微笑甚至皺眉，都向這個城市里的并不深入完全了解我國家的兩億人展示著我的整個的國家和文化。

我以一個美國符號的方式去行走，去談話，去生活，去呼吸。我希望可以成為一個即使非常不同，也可以贏得尊重的符號。當你到達西雅圖的時候，不管公平與否，你所做所說的每一件事都將為人所觀察，結果會將是人們快速的得出結論：“哦，她是中國人。”

什么樣的“哦”你想成為呢？什么樣的印象你想帶給陌生人，朋友，教授和你的鄰居呢？尊重他人、誠實、努力工作、慷慨大度、公平公正、富有同情心、友好 、風趣幽默、善良、 友愛。 這些是我想讓你們，你們每一個，所能成為的人，你們每一個都是，這些是你們現在應該展示給這個世界的品質。不管公平與否，你們將要遇到的人將會看到你們，從而看到整個中國。給他們一些美好去欣賞。你們不將只是Albus 或者max,fiona 或者john,linda 或者candy,你們將會成為中國。去向他們展示你們的國家，你們的文化和你們自己的厚度。

美國不是一個沒有缺陷的國家。那里有很大的貧富差距，生活成本的增長，并且令人傷心的，在許多地區(qū)，歷史遺留的種族種族緊張和不公正顯然沒有被完全的解決。但是相對于它的弊端，美國有一個偉大而閃亮的品質使之成為至今在世界上獨一無二國家。它是被移民者們所創(chuàng)建的國家。當你踏入那里的時候，你將會成為這個多樣化的，充滿勇氣和希望的歷史中的一部分。去國外旅行，去居住在一個遠離家鄉(xiāng)的陌生國度，去尋找更好的風景，這是一個奇跡。你們擁有這樣的品質－勇敢，樂觀，自信和激情。我在和你們在一起的年月中一次又一次的看到你們身上的這些品格。這樣的探險精神不僅僅會在美國的大學課堂上幫助你們，它將會帶你們翻越過所有生活中將要面對的障礙。 它會將你帶到你心帶領你去的任何地方。 它將會點亮你的路途，通向不確定的今天，明天，在美國，在中國的路途，作為一個年輕的成年人走過大學的路途，五十年之后你與你的家人一起蒼老，灰白并充滿皺紋時的路途。

你是jefferson,書寫你自己的未來。 你是哥倫布，航向一個未知的地平線。你所擁有的敢于去未知旅行，追尋你的夢想的力量是獨特的，這個力量只有極少的人擁有。待在你所在的地方總是更簡單的辦法。但你是宇航員，傲游去了月球。如果某天你決定了回到地球（或者北京），那個力量仍會伴你左右。當你在地球的另一邊感到孤獨的時候，夢想者的精神，勇氣，將會幫助你成功。而且它將會幫助你回到此地，回到家鄉(xiāng)。我極度的欽佩你們。

最后，視你們?yōu)槲业膶W生，我欽佩你們，但視你們?yōu)橐粋�個人，我更欽佩你們。我很感激學校給我這個機會與你們一起工作了一年半的時間。

我很感謝你們的家長將你們付與這個世界。你們可能尚未意識到，對我們來說，你們比一般學生要意味著多一點點，我謹代表代表外教 Nick, Carlos和我自己。每一天我們都行走在國外，看著外國人的臉，聽著外國的語言。當然這是我們自己的選擇，并且我們享受它。經歷一些全新而不同的事物是我們來這里的初衷。 但是我們在北京的生活與曾經的生活大大的斷開了鏈接，地域，人民，文化，語言－英語，我們自小學習的母語。你們是我們的橋梁。我不能每天都和我的媽媽聊天。我不能和我最好的朋友通話因為他在地球的另一邊酣眠。除了與你們和我的妻子，我不能和其他任何人有真正的，有深度的談話。每一天－甚至沒有意識到的，你們給我們機會去和我們的生活，文化和語言去接觸。 我不能與我的好朋友通話，但我可以和你們去唱一首我們曾經一起唱過的歌。我不能與我的媽媽通話，但是我可以給你們講一個關于她的故事。發(fā)自我深深內心的，我想說謝謝你們每一個人，我足夠幸運而得以擁有的與你們的每一個對話點亮了我的每一天。 你們和我的妻子，因為遇到了你們，使我在離家如此遙遠的地方依然感覺家里一般。我個人珍重且珍惜我們在一起的時光。你們曾經是我的學生，你們將永遠是我的朋友。

在一起，依靠彼此，如我課堂所見那樣一次再一次的去支持彼此。你們是一個部落，在一起旅行，在一起探索，永遠和彼此聯系在一起，因為你們曾經分享過的和即將要分享的經歷。無懼，唯一，批評性的看你周圍的世界，用你的知識，你的智慧，你的熱情去將它變成一個更好的世界。微笑，大笑，熱愛，做你自己，我已經熟知你們中的每一個人，現在去展示給世界上所有其他的人吧。

I want to begin by saying this is your day. I have been teaching for ten years now. Most of those years were spent teaching 8th Grade at Francisco Middle School, where every year, around this same time, we have a massive graduation ceremony for all of the students who are finishing middle school. And every year, there is always an emphasis on recognizing the parents who have helped you along the way every step of your life. And that’s true. And there is always an emphasis on thanking the teachers who have helped you along the way every step of your education. And that’s also true. But every year, I say the same thing I’m going to say to you, the graduating Class of 2015, right now: this is your day. You earned this. There was help along the way, but ultimately, no amount of help will push you to this kind of success unless you’re willing to put in the hours and years of hard work yourself. This is not a day for your parents, loving and supportive as they are. This is not a day for your teachers, helpful and caring as they are. This is a day for you. You are the ones who have put in the work to stand here today. And in fact, you probably just completed the most difficult high school experience in terms of time, rigor, and workload of any teenagers in any country in the world. I offer you my sincere congratulations on a job well done.

In a strange, mystical, beautiful way that makes me think the world does sometimes work the way it’s all supposed to, I look at you and I see myself. Every day I walk into a room full of people who are about to leave home and family and everything they know to go flying off to college in some city where it rains too much but the environment is spectacular, the coffee is strong, the music is great, and your dreams are within your grasp. Fourteen years ago I was getting on a plane to leave home and begin the next chapter of my life - college. That plane landed in Seattle, too.

Fair or unfair, there is a reality that you’re going to have to come to grips with: the minute your plane lands at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, you will become an ambassador for your country. When I step into my classroom, stand on the subway, take a seat in a restaurant, wait in line at the movie theater, walk my dog around my own neighborhood streets, or even stand here and speak to you now, there is a reality I need to face: I am no longer “Michael;” I am an American. Fair or unfair, I have to acknowledge the fact that when strangers look at me, listen to me, judge me by my actions, or judge me by my haircut, they are taking me as a symbol of America. Without ever meaning to or wanting to, every word, action, smile, and frown I make represents my entire country and culture to 24 million people in this city who don’t know the whole deep truth of where I come from. I am a walking, talking, living, breathing symbol of America. I want that symbol to be something people can look up to, even if it’s very different. When you head off to Seattle, fair or unfair, everything you do and say and be will be examined by people, and the conclusion, the shortcut, they’re going to come up with is, “oh…she’s Chinese.” What kind of “oh” do you want that to be? What kind of image do you want to give your new strangers, and friends, and professors, and neighbors? Respectful. Honest. Hardworking. Generous. Fair. Compassionate. Friendly. Humorous. Kind. Loving. These are the things I know you to be, every one of you. These are the things that you should now show the world. Fair or unfair, the people you are about to meet will look at you and they will see all of China. Give them something beautiful to look at. You will not just be Albus or Max, Fiona or John, Linda or Candy; you will be China. Show them the richness of your country, your culture, and yourself.

The United States is a country that is not without flaws. There is a widening wealth gap, growing costs of living, and, sadly, in many parts, a long history of racial tension and injustice that has obviously not been completely solved. But for all of its problems, America has one great shining quality that makes it unique in the world even today; it is a country that was built by immigrants. That history of diversity, courage, and hope is one that you will now become a part of the moment you set foot there. To travel abroad, to live in a strange land far from home and family in search of something better - this is a magical thing. The traits necessary to do this - courage, optimism, confidence, and passion - these are traits that you possess. I have seen them in each one of you time and time again in our months and years together. This spirit of adventure that you have will not only help you in a college classroom in the United States; it will carry you over any obstacle you face in life. It will take you anywhere your heart leads you. It will light your way through the darkness of uncertainty today, tomorrow, in America and in China, as a young adult working your way through university, and fifty years from now when you’re old and gray and full of wrinkles, with families of your own. You are Jefferson, writing your own future. You are Columbus, sailing toward an unknown horizon. The strength you have to journey into the unknown in search of your dreams is a special thing, something very few people in this entire world ever have. It’s always easier to stay where you are. You are Neil Armstrong, shooting to the moon. And if you decide someday to come back to Earth (or Beijing), then you have that strength, too. That spirit of the dreamer, the brave, the immigrant will help you succeed when you’re alone someplace on the other side of the world…and it will help you right back here at home. I admire you greatly.

Lastly, I admire you greatly as students. But I admire you ever so much more as human beings. I am grateful to your school for giving me the opportunity to work with you for the past year and a half. I am grateful to your parents for giving you to the world. But most of all, I am grateful to each one of you for being you. You may not be aware of this, but you are something else a little bit more than just a student to us. I’m speaking on behalf now of the foreign teachers, Nick, Carlos, and myself. Every day we walk around in a foreign city, with foreign faces, a foreign culture, and a foreign language. This was our own choice of course, and we enjoy it. Experiencing something new and different is part of why we came. But we spend our lives here in Beijing largely disconnected from the lives of our pasts; the places, the people, the cultures, and the language - English - that we’ve known from our earliest days of childhood. You are our bridge. I don’t get to talk to my mother every day. I can’t call my best friend when I get home from work because he’s asleep halfway around the world. I really can’t communicate - truly, deeply communicate - with anyone here except for my wonderful wife. And you all. Every day - without even knowing it - you give us the chance to stay in touch with our lives, our cultures, and our language. I can’t call my best friend, but I can show you a song we worked on together. I can’t talk to my mother, but I can tell you a story about my mom. On a deeply personal note, I want to say thank you to each of you. Every conversation I’m fortunate enough to have had with you has been a highlight of my day. You, along with my wife, are the people who have made me feel so at home in such a faraway place since I met you. And I have personally cherished and treasured our time together since I’ve had the privilege of working with you and getting to know you. You were my students. You will always be my friends.

Stick together. Lean on each other. Support one another the way I’ve seen you do over and over in class. You are a tribe, traveling together, journeying together, connected together forever by the experiences you’ve shared and the experiences you are about to share. Be fearless. Be unique. Be critical of the world around you, and use your knowledge, your wisdom, and your compassion to make it a better place. Smile. Laugh. Love. Be yourself. I already know who each one of you is. Now go show the rest of the world.