出國留學的境界 / Studying abroad, but what for?

出國留學的境界 郭位	Studying abroad, but what for? Way Kuo
不久前在古城西安應邀餐敘，席間談起子女出國留學的事，很有感觸。有一位同桌，講到有個朋友家住鄉下，務農為業，兒子剛從大學畢業，要去美國留學。農家子弟能如此出色，前程似錦，令眾人讚嘆稱羨；然而做父親的幾句教子贈言，更令我心生敬佩。	NOT LONG ago, at a dinner gathering in Xi’an, China, I heard a chat about children studying abroad, which set me thinking. A guest at the table talked of a friend of his, a farmer in the countryside whose son, a fresh graduate, was about to leave for the US for further studies. That farm boy with his success and bright future ahead at once drew praise and admiration from all those present, yet it was the daddy’s wise advice to his son that touched me and impressed me the most.
他對兒子說，出國去留學，要緊的不在乎讀多少書、得甚麼學位，那些東西在國內也可以學到，也可以得着。到了外國，要緊的是學習人家做事的方法，看看人家有甚麼長處，要把外國人為人做事的精神學過來。	What really counts in studying abroad, the father told him, as was related at the table, is not how much you’ll learn at school out there or what degrees you’ll get – those things you could have within China as well. What’s important, while studying abroad, is for you to learn the way other people handle and manage things, to emulate their strengths, and to pick up the way foreigners behave and work in various situations.
這位老爸雖是農夫，其見識卻高於不少文化人。以我在教育界的經驗來看，那做兒子的若能謹遵庭訓，其留學境界必然會高，而他日的成就，也大有可能勝過許多但求考試及格、論文通過以便學位到手的留學生。	Though an ordinary land-tiller, the father showed deeper insights than many better-educated people can. Judging from my experience as an educator, the son is sure to benefit greatly from studying abroad by acting on his daddy’s words, and very probably will achieve more than those who aim no further than just passing exams and finishing theses to get a degree.
平心而論，讀書求學位的境界已不算低，這樣留學還是認真的。另有一些人出國，是留而不學，但求居留而不在乎學甚麼，甚至可以甚麼都不學，而有人果真留下了，在美國可見到不少這樣的人。再有一類人連留居國外也嫌辛苦乏味，原本就不樂意去，怎奈老爸要面子，硬要子女出國。子女甚麼也不學，留了一陣子學回來了，在老爸的公司或店舖裏幫手，會講一點英語應付外國客人，算是學有所成。此類人在香港頗有一群。老爸當初要他們出國，講明了只是要他們學說些洋話而已。	To be fair, those who study abroad for the sake of a degree have set their goals high enough, and at least they would study seriously. There are others who go abroad caring little about studying. They seek to stay abroad for good by means of attending school there and studying anything as they must – or nothing, if they can. Some of them did manage to stay, as one can find in the US. Others, again, don’t even want to stay, hating the hard and boring life in a foreign land. Indeed, they even wouldn’t have gone abroad if not pushed by their face-conscious parents. Then, having done little or no studies, they return from abroad and end up in daddy’s store or company. Now they can speak some English to foreign clients, the only attainment to show for having been abroad. Such youngsters now form a small subspecies of hongkongers. After all, their parents had only expected that they would pick up a foreign tongue.
出國留學而境界最下者，學得的只是連外國正派人也不屑的某些行為作風，結果只成了一個社會渣滓，且勿論其最終是留或不留。	Of those studying abroad, the most unworthy have acquired nothing but certain ways and behaviours that even decent people in foreign countries would loathe and despise. They have degraded themselves to the dregs of society, either eventually staying abroad or not.
身為教育工作者，我總是認為，出國留學，不僅是出去讀洋書，更是身心成長、人格完善的一個過程。僅以中國內地為例，青少年多是獨生子女，自幼享受父母家人呵護，若能藉出國留學之機學會生活自理、獨力辦事，已不失為一項人生收穫。事實上，來香港求學（算不算是留學？）的內地學生談個人體會，不少人都說，吸取了香港同學比較善於獨立思考、自主辦事的長處，自己也學會了獨立生活。	As an educator, I’ve always believed that studying abroad not only involves attending school in an overseas milieu, but it is a phase in one’s maturity of body and mind, or the building of his personality. Take the youth of mainland China for example. Most of them are their family’s only child, ever sheltered with care and love from parents and relatives. If they could just learn how to take care of themselves while studying abroad, that alone would be a gain in personal development. In fact, many mainland students in Hong Kong – is that studying abroad? – would testify that they have picked up strong points from local students who are more independent in thinking and action, and have become confident of living by themselves.
秉此心態，若是遠渡重洋，前往文化背景迥異的外國留學，收穫豈不更大更多？出國留學的境界之高下，乃至他日成就之大小，大半取決於既定的目標何在。那位西安農夫的見識，很值得深思。	With such willingness to learn, should they travel farther, perhaps across oceans, and study in a culture widely different from their own, wouldn’t they benefit even more from the experience? For them, success in studies and achievements in their careers later on would largely depend on where they set their goal before they start. The fatherly advice from that wise farmer in China can make excellent food for thought. (Translated by Allen Zhuang)
[源文與英譯文刊於香港城市大學網頁之“校長網誌”(2009-10-07). / The source text along with its English version was posted on “Way to Kuo Blog” (2009-10-07), City University of Hong Kong website. ]