中国日报网2月23日电 现如今，随着中国的发展，越来越的外国朋友选择来中国生活和工作。美国学者亚历山大·巴伦就是这些来华生活的外国人中的一个，他认为“向东转移”给了他提升自己的机会。
美国《赫芬顿邮报》2月21日刊发了巴伦的文章，他在其中列出了自己选在移居中国的五大理由。
首先吸引巴伦来华的是中国的语言。他说，汉语是门伟大的语言，自己非常希望掌握普通话，而且在中国读硕士的学费也不高。全世界有超过10亿人说中文，虽然对大多数讲中文的人生活在中国，但只要有中国侨民，在任何地方都可以用汉语交流和学习。对于想要把握未来的人来说，了解中国至关重要，而研究中国文化就是深入了解中国的途径。
巴伦还认为，中国不是简单地为了赚钱而赚钱，而是运用自身“软实力”来改善世界各国的经济状况。不管是到东南亚、中亚，还是到非洲、南美，人们都能在当地找到愿意提供帮助的中国朋友。人际交往在国际贸易中起到重要作用，在黑龙江哈尔滨的生活，使巴伦能够建立和培养自己的人脉。
选择移居中国的另一个原因是生活开支。巴伦选择来到哈尔滨的黑龙江大学攻读硕士研究生。他说，哈尔滨的生活成本不算高，当地政府提供的奖学金足够日常生活开支，偶尔的感冒发烧也不用为看病买药发愁。
巴伦说，拥有五千年悠久历史的中国有太多东西可以看、可以体验。中国是个多样化的大国。旅行途中能够遇到中国56个民族的人，还有其他在路上的外国人。在中国，旅行不仅是看风景，只要愿意去发现，多元文化碰撞的魅力会让人总有想要旅行的冲动。
移居中国，开启了巴伦作为中美友好使者的生活，他觉得自己是两国相互了解的桥梁。巴伦表示，中美文化始终是相互影响的，中美关系完全可以建立在赞美和尊重基础上。他希望尽可能地通过自己的经历，讲述充满活力而真实的故事。
（编辑：高琳琳）
Goin’ Eastward: 5 Reasons I am Moving to China Alexander Barron
Moving Out East
My move eastward, like the homesteaders of the 18th and 19th centuries, provides me an opportunity to advance myself. Here are my five reasons for making the shift to China.
Education
I love learning. Mandarin Chinese is a great language to learn, and I want to master it. With the right connections, you can study abroad in China, and master’s degrees may cost little to nothing. Though fair warning, visa and work laws are a little crazy, so having a little nest egg is recommended. Chinese is spoken by a over a billion people; granted, most are located in China. However, you will be able to communicate and study anywhere there is a sizeable Chinese diaspora. Education about China is important for anyone wanting to get a grasp on the upcoming century, which will be dictated by the extraordinarily complex Sino-American relationship. To this end, studying Chinese culture provides an avenue to speak to the heart of China, instead of constantly engaging its mind.
Networking
If you want to go to Africa, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, or even South America, there is a Chinese friend who can help you or is looking for your help. International business, especially in a place like China, is regional and based on individual partnerships that grow. My time in Harbin, China will allow me to begin to foster this kind of friendship.
Cost of Living
I am moving to Harbin, unaffectionately called “The Capital of the Peasants” by one of my Hungarian friends. If you get a scholarship from the local or provincial government or your school, then $100/week is enough. This includes food, partying, and the occasional cold, though you should bring your own meds.
Traveling
With 5,000 years of history, there are a LOT of things to see, and myriad things to experience. Just going to the graves of every important person would probably take a lifetime. China is a very diverse land with a narrative that is anything but monolithic. Traveling allows one to encounter China’s 56 ethnicities, as well as meet other foreigners along the way Traveling is not only about going places and seeing things; traveling is the movement of people through space and time in a memorable way. If you live life right, you are always traveling.
Being a Goodwill Agent
Having lived in Harbin previously, you do not need millions of dollars or governmental approval to be a goodwill ambassador. For me, this move to China is the beginning of a life of work to bridge the gap between what America is perceived to be and what America really is at her heart. With officials at the top of my government making public claims about adding bloodshed to the modern Sino-American, I strive to be a smiling face to a people who may never interact deeply with another American. I choose to be an ambassador for all those Americans, who celebrate our diversity as a part of who we are. From sayings like “Long Time No See” to Asian icons, such as Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee, the Sino-American relationship can be one based on admiration and respect. While certain political storms may be rising, I wish to tell my side of the story with as much vigor and truth as I can.
推荐
