2016-04-17

【Aiden in English】

        The temperature has been quite variable this year. In February, we experienced near-ten-degree weather, then a sudden rise to the mid-sixties. However, it all came crashing back down in March and April, along with a flutter of snow. The window is small, but Field Day for Guanghua Chinese School this year must be done sometime, right?

        The day was perfect. Not only did it not snow, but there was sunshine. This was surprising since just a week ago, parkas and jackets were still being zipped up to the nose. At one point, the temperature broke 75^oF/24^oC, which was excellent and "uncool." Mostly, it was the sun beating down with its powerful UV rays. In addition, allergies made the day miserable.

        Luckily, I was smart enough to bring a tennis ball; otherwise, we would've killed ourselves by waiting from one sport to another. Field Day is a "totally" original game program, such as Tug of War, Steeplechase Relay, Three-Legged Race, and Gunny Sacks Race. It is a competition between grades. We win every time, so it doesn't matter all that much. The day's main highlight, and only highlight, came at the Tug of War station. Most American kids have enough food, but I highly doubt that the other team's parents didn't give them any food or protein for the past year. I guess I was a part of the world's quickest Tug of War, winning each round within four seconds. Needless to say, my help wasn't needed. There was no good reason to get rope-burn over something already in hand.

        Other than that, the kids in our class frolicked around, chucking my tennis ball and throwing another kid's Frisbee. The games earned us some tickets that could be exchanged for food and drinks, and it was fun. I mean lobbing a ball back and forth between friends, sipping Gatorade, and eating cookies and chips. It can't be beaten. A day later, I finally realized I had received a severe sunburn.

        Every other year, Field Day might be the day that most kids in Guanghua Chinese School don't look forward to. I didn't look forward to this day either, but when it passed, I tinged with longing for the fun that remained, wishing for another—just without the sunburn. Yet instead of hoping to repeat the day, I want to come back next time…since I'll be a volunteer.

【紅霞譯】

        本年度以來氣候忽冷忽熱。追溯到二月份，我們先是飽嘗幾近10^oF／-12^oC嚴寒的考驗，後又沐浴着65^oF／18^oC和煦的陽光；時值三、四月間初春季節，蓄勢待發的柔枝嫩葉重又披上銀裝素裹，大自然變幻無常，令人無所適從，賓州光華中文學校想在這個節骨眼上舉行運動會，對不？

        今日天公作美，非但沒有下雪，相反卻烈日當頭，可遇不可求喲。久遠的事情不扯，且拿上個禮拜為例，咱棉猴裹皮襖里三層外三層，恨不能武裝到牙齒。時下大地回暖，氣溫冷不丁狂飆至75^oF／24^oC，真可謂捉弄人沒商量，酷斃了。多數情況下，“陽春白日風花香”之際，紫外線威力無窮，花粉過敏更是甚囂塵上。

        幸運的是我有先見之明，來時隨身帶上了一個網球，否則交換賽場所耗費的漫長等待肯定會把我們活活急死。運動會項目“全部”由民間遊戲組成，諸如拔河、障礙接力、綁腿跑以及袋鼠跳。比賽在各個年級之間進行，我們班每次都贏，因此大家發揮好壞並不影響最終結果。今天主要焦點也是唯一焦點集中在拔河場地，多數美國孩子飲食過度，但眼前與我們交鋒的對手卻個個枯瘦如柴，過去一年中沒準忍飢挨餓蛋白質攝取匱乏，所以特別引起我高度質疑，我敢說彼此之間的較量堪稱天底下最為快捷的拔河，每輪比賽充其量不超過四秒鐘。毋庸置疑，我的存在實屬多餘，因為攥在手中的繩子未經捂熱就得放下。

        除此之外，我們班同學一起嬉戲打鬧，扔我的網球玩別人的飛盤，忙得不亦樂乎。我們因為比賽獲勝而贏得少許獎票，用這些獎票可以兌換好吃好喝的東西，真叫人開心至極。一邊跟朋友來回投擲網球，一邊豪飲“佳得樂”狂吃點心狠嚼薯片，日子過得像神仙一般，直到運動會過後一天，我才幡然醒悟今天竟是紫外灼傷最嚴重的一天。

        每隔一年，運動會日或許成為光華中文學校學生缺勤最多的一天，我本來也不想參加，但回過頭來重新品味，自己反倒更加嚮往它所帶來的快樂時光，不由得期待下一屆到來，只是千萬別再被曬剝皮。談及下一屆運動會，想必自己會來參加……何況以志願者身份出現。

Sleet ahead of GHCS Field Day @ Backyard

(校運會前後院冰雪 04-09-2016)

Rostrum (主席台)

Organizing Team (主辦團隊 04-17-2016)

Fundraising (籌款義工)

Referees (裁判員)

Team G8B (八年級B班隊 04-17-2016)

Tug of War (拔河)

Rope Pulling (繩戰 04-17-2016)

Gunny Sacks Race (袋鼠跳 04-17-2016)

Pitch-Catch (投接球 04-17-2016)

Steeplechase Relay (障礙接力 04-17-2016)

Steeplechase Relay (障礙接力 04-17-2016)

Three-Leg Race (綁腿跳 04-17-2016)

Teamwork (團隊精神 04-17-2016)

Trophies (獎盃)

Crosslinks(相關博文):

2015 GHCS Field Trip @ Green Lane Park(2015年光華綠蔭公園春遊日)

第三屆賓州光華校運會隨想(2013 GHCS Field Day)

首屆賓州光華中文學校校運會(2010 First Field Sports of GHCS)

7th Grade(初中二年級)