“中美中学生交流项目”是北京市在中美青少年交流领域的品牌项目，今年受疫情影响，原计划年初开展的第十四轮赴美回访不得不推迟。
但是，显然远在大洋彼岸的老朋友们并没有忘记我们。美中友协犹他分会主任徐奕怡特意为北京的朋友们撰文，详细介绍疫情之下犹他州帕克市的生活点滴，还分享了她和家人、朋友们去山上露营的照片。让我们来一起瞧一瞧吧！
Dear Beijing friends,
We hope this message finds all of you in Beijing and China healthy and well during these very uncertain and disruptive times. Here in Utah, we went into our semi- quarantine "stay home, stay safe" period in mid-March, which closed schools, businesses and created a run on toilet paper and hand sanitizer! Our school year ended in early June with remote learning, so unfortunately students did not have the opportunity to get back on campus. To honor the 2020 graduating class, there will be a special ski-lift graduation ceremony on July 31, where all seniors will ride Deer Valley's ski lifts to celebrate their commencement in true Park City style.
We began to reopen our state and economy on May 1st, and as a result, Utah is experiencing a surge of COVID-19 cases. New cases have doubled, and although the state government is encouraging social distancing and facial coverings, it has stopped short of mandating these measures. Luckily, here in Summit County and Park City, we live in a natural environment that makes it easy to socially distance and still enjoy everything nature offers. This means we are hiking, mountain biking, camping, gardening, boating and gathering in small groups. And of course, for many students, there is summer school.
Last week, I was able to escape into our neighboring mountains, the Uintas, to camp and hike to some beautiful alpine lakes. Nature is restorative, and being immersed in it, untethered from the internet and our mobile phones, we were able to reflect and gain some clarity on what's truly important. We are grateful for the additional time to spend with our families and close friends.
With this year's events, it's so clear that the development of friendship between our two countries is of paramount importance - we need to collaborate and together, lead the world through these global crises. We look forward to connecting with our Beijing friends virtually this year, and hopeful that we will continue our in-person exchange when things stabilize. Until then, please be safe and stay healthy.
Eyee Hsu
北京的朋友们：
在充满不确定性的疫情期间，希望北京乃至中国的朋友们身体安康。三月中旬以来，美国犹他州进入了半隔离状态，人们居家保证安全，学校停学、企业停工，甚至连卫生纸和洗手液也被抢购一空。学校一直在开展线上课程，到六月初本学年结束，学生们始终没有机会重返校园。为了让2020届毕业生光荣离校，学校将于7月31日举行一场特别的滑雪缆车毕业典礼，届时所有毕业生都将乘坐鹿谷的滑雪缆车，以帕克城独有的方式，纵览风景，庆祝毕业。
犹他州从5月1日开始重新开放经济，因此出现了疫情反复，新增病例翻倍。尽管州政府鼓励保持社交距离和佩戴口罩，但并未强制执行这些措施。幸运的是，身处萨米特县和帕克市的自然风光，我们更容易保持社交距离，尽情享受大自然赐予的一切。这意味着我们可以远足、骑山地车、露营、做园艺、划船和举行小规模聚会。当然对许多学生来说，还有暑期课程需要参与。
上周，我得以前往邻近的尤因塔斯山，在那儿露营放松，徒步观赏美丽的高山湖。大自然能帮助我们重塑心灵。沉浸在大自然中，不受互联网和手机的束缚，我们能够审视自身，厘清思路，去感悟那些真正重要的事。能有更多的时间陪伴家人和亲友，实在令人舒心。
通过此次疫情，中美两国友谊的重要性更加凸显。我们需要携手合作，引领世界度过危机。期待今年能与北京的朋友们开展线上交流，并希望在局势稳定后，我们能继续“中美中学生交流项目”。在此期间，请务必注意安全，保持健康。
美中友协犹他分会主任 徐奕怡
始于1993年，由市对外友协与美中友协犹他分会共同发起、北京四中与犹他州帕克市高中共同参与的中美中学生交流项目到今天已经走过了28年的历程，成为北京市中美青少年交流代表性传统项目。28年来，该项目以润物细无声的方式推动了两国青少年彼此间的了解和友谊，消除了美国孩子们因受西方媒体影响产生的对中国的成见。经过双方共同努力，参加交流的中美中学生已近300人。
（中国日报社北京记者站 杜娟）
