导语：Storytelling is a good way to enhance Sino-American friendship. The following story tells an unforgettable experience the author had in Changsha with his two American sisters 30 years ago.
“David, Is this the way for you to say goodbye to me？
”I was first stunned at Sheryl's question, and then immediately got the answer. Mr.Gibson explained that Sheryl wanted to say goodbye to me by "hugging", so I embraced her with courtesy. This occurred 30 years ago in Changsha Huanghua Airport.
In the summer of 1994, eighteen North American teachers and three hundred English teachers from middle schools gathered together in Hunan College of Education , where a 40-day-English-Training was held. Luckily and honorably, I worked as the interpreter and the liaison officer. The American teachers were from the following states: the group leader Earl from Illinois, deputy leader Gibson and Tony from Minnesota; Patricia from Florida, Best from Oregon, Ida from New York; Chinese-American teacher Pang was from Hawaii. Ben,with the British temperament, from South Carolina, the others from Texas, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and so on. Sheryl and Sue were from Michigan. Several days later, we got so familiar that they affectionately called me elder brother.
Summer in Changsha is always hot, 1994 was no exception. For the first few days, because of the new environment and hot weather, several foreign teachers got sick. But for the young teachers like Sheryl and Sue, they could do what they liked. Dusk often saw them and me playing badminton, eating ice-sticks or taking some cold drinkings
On weekends, we usually had some activities for relaxation: dinning at HuoGong Dian (the Palace of Fire) for local snacks; touring to Shaoshan, the birthplace of Chairman Mao Tse-Tung (the first president of PRC), visiting Yueyang Tower for sight-seeing. Before Yueyang Tower, my sisters and I had wonderful pictures.
On Junshan Island, they were deeply moved by the love story of Liu Yi with his girlfriend, the legendary daughter of the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea .
On the way back, we sang American classical, popular or folk songs such as Carpenter's "Yesterday Once More," Bob Dylan's "Blowing in the Wind," and "Country Road."Sometimes, the bus echoed with the singing of the crowds for a certain song
Back home, the American sisters borrowed Stories From Chinese Mythology (English version) and English Golden Songs from me. Occasionally, my two sisters would invite me to their rooms to talk about the cultural differences between China and the States, such as youth views on marriage, employment and personal values. Sheryl and Sue had different personalities: Sheryl tended to be extroverted while Sue more introverted, The book of Hey! Listen to This: Stories to Read Aloud (edited by Jim Trelease) was a gift from Sheryl . Inside the book were recorded the scenes of our singing, dancing and chatting, and an invitation to me for a visit to the United States
Thirty years have passed by, but my friendship with my American sisters is continuing. A close reading of Sheryl's gift book shows that Cinderella, the most popular story in the world, has produced more than 700 versions, among which the earliest version was from China more than 900 years ago. The history of human civilization itself is a history of "interdependence, coexistence, common prosperity and common progress". The yearning for beautiful things is the common hope of mankind. Isn’t it a good hope to promote cultural exchanges between China and the United States as the eighteen North American teachers came to Changsha across the Pacific Ocean 30 years ago?
Dear sisters and friends, welcome to hospitable Changsha! Today, Changsha has developed into the "100 global destinations" in 2024 ". Changsha is also known as "the Capital of International Construction Equipment ", "the City of Media Arts", "the Culture City of East Asia". Ancient yet youthful, the dynamic Changsha with its deep culture legacy, its inclusiveness and pioneering spirit is greeting friends from afar!
Dear sisters and friends, how can old friends forget the good days? Let's sing “Auld Lang Syne" again! Perform a new scene of "American sisters in Changsha”!
(The author is a professor at Changsha University and an English tour guide)