英語文化隨身帶

by Cathy Manson

“英語文化隨身帶”是一個英國電臺節目，文章短小精悍，內容包羅萬象。將英語文化裝進口袋里，利用閑散的時間隨身翻閱，英語學習者可以在潛移默化中了解當代英語世界的生活和文化。

遠離家鄉工作和生活已經是當今的一個普遍現象，那么隨之而來的鄉愁該如何應對？也許有人可以和本文作者產生共鳴，并得到一些有用的建議呢。

I feel a bit sad today because Im homesick. I miss the delicious plates of pasta[意式面食] with a special sauce my mother used to make. She was a great cook！ But I work abroad and I have to cope with the occasional[偶然的] feeling of nostalgia.

The footballer Jesus Navas suffers badly. He is moving from Seville to Manchester City， but for years he could hardly leave his hometown. Anxiety attacks forced the player out of training camps. They say he has overcome his homesickness through counselling[輔導].

These days people often relocate[遷移] to another country to study or to work. Many find it difficult to adapt， though. According to research by the University of Warwick注1 Counselling Service， up to 70% of adults experience homesickness at some point in their lives. It can have similar symptoms to depression， says psychologist Dr. Caroline Schuster.

Almost anything can trigger homesickness—a smell， a taste， even a colour reminds them of home. Mohammed Barakat sent us a message on Facebook about his longing[渴望] for “the smell of rain and green” during the Sudanese rainy season. Mari Damian misses “the smell of Christmas cakes”.

Homesickness is not something new. The ancient Greek poem Homers Odyssey注2 talked about it. But the modern term was created in the 17th century to describe the feelings of Swiss mercenaries，who longed for their homeland while fighting elsewhere in Europe.

According to Dr. Susan Matt， who wrote a book about the subject， people used to see it as a dangerous disease.

Modern technology can limit the feeling of isolation， allowing people to keep in touch with loved ones. Social psychologist Dr. Gary Wood says Skype is a lifeline because it can allow grandparents a world away to watch their grandchildren grow up.

But people should not allow homesickness to stop them living in the present. I follow advice given by Dr. Wood： I write down three new things that Ive been grateful for every night， as well as three things Im looking forward to every morning.

What about you： what do you miss when you are away from home and family？

我今天感到有點兒悲傷，因為我想家了。我想念媽媽以前做的那種放有特殊調料的美味意大利面。她是一個很棒的廚師！但我在國外工作，不得不應對這偶發的思鄉病。

足球運動員赫蘇斯·納瓦斯得了很嚴重的思鄉病。他從（西班牙的）塞維利亞來到（英國的）曼徹斯特城，而此前數年他都沒怎么離開過家鄉。焦慮發作迫使這名運動員離開訓練營。他們說他要通過心理輔導克服思鄉病。

現在，人們經常移居到另一個國家去學習或者工作?？墒?，許多人發現很難適應。根據華威大學校園咨詢服務處的研究表明，多達70%的成年人在他們一生中的某個時期會經歷思鄉病。心理學家卡羅琳·蘇斯特醫生說，思鄉病可能有類似于抑郁癥的癥狀。

幾乎任何事都可能引發鄉愁——某種氣味、某種味道，甚至某個顏色都讓他們想起家。穆罕默德·巴拉卡特在臉譜網上給我們發送了一條消息，訴說他在蘇丹雨季期間對“雨和綠色之氣味”的渴望。馬里·達米安則想念“圣誕蛋糕的香味”。

思鄉病并非什么新鮮事。古希臘詩人荷馬的《奧德賽》就講述過此病。但是這個現代用語是在17世紀創造出來的，描述瑞士雇傭兵在歐洲其他地方打仗時極其盼望回家的情緒。

馬特·蘇珊醫生寫了一本關于此課題的書。依照她所說，人們過去將此視作一種危險疾病。

現代科技可以減少孤獨感，讓人們與所愛之人保持聯系。社會心理學家加里·伍德博士說訊佳普是救生索，因為它能讓祖父母在世界另一端看著孫兒成長。

但是人們不該讓思鄉情緒阻撓當前的生活。我遵照伍德醫生提供的建議：每天晚上寫下三件最近發生的令我感激的事情，每天早上也寫下三件我期望發生的事情。

你呢？當你離開祖國和家的時候，你想念什么呢？

Quiz小測驗

1. Mary was not happy living in the city. She longed __________a peaceful life in the countryside.

A. forward B. for C. after D. about

2. I miss my brother. Hes on a long tour around Europe but he promised to__________ wherever he goes. A. adapt B. be grateful for C. keep in touch D. overcome

3. After a lifetime of adventure all over the world all I want is to go back to my __________.

A. homesickness B. world away C. nostalgia D. homeland

4. You might not like our new office but youve got to ________ if you want to continue working in this company.

A. allow B. keep in touch C. adapt D. remind

5. Johnny is very keen on understanding peoples feelings. This is a good thing to keep in mind if you want to be _____________.

A. a mercenary B. a cook C. footballer D. a psychologist