ME: (立场坚定,不中美人计。没有笑,平缓地说) I will go back to China. It’s my DREAM (再次emphasize这个dream) to be a leading expert of network communications in China. As I said, few people have done my research in China. During my Master’s research, I compared America, UK and China. American institutions had created the most famous technical papers and real products. China had done very little in my area – MPLS-based Quality of Service for the Internet. MPLS, Multiprotocol Label Switching. They had some papers about that but just the translation of what I read. I will be a leading person in this field in China…(对于本专业的朋友们来说,我实在瞎扯了。)
ME: I’ve got two visas. The first one was a student visa. This year I got a residence permit.
VO (翻看我的护照,点点头): So you can work here?
ME: Yes.
VO: What did you do here?
ME: I came here to do a Master’s research course at the University of Reading. I focused on network Quality of Service. Later I got the Master’s Degree. After the course, I continued my research in my department and acted as a part-time teaching assistant. I demonstrated for lab courses…
VO: Why not do a full-time job?
ME: I focus on my research. A part-time job is ok.
VO (笑着退回SL给我): Could you please describe your research for me?
ME: Yeah! (好!) I’ve done research on the MPLS-based Quality of Service for the Internet. (指着她的电脑屏幕) For instance, this is the Internet. For instance, millions of people can be together using the Internet. It’s just like a road. (开始手舞足蹈) The width of the road is limited. How can let so many users get through? It’s a mathematical plan. MPLS is amazing! The header (包头) of the conventional IP data package is very large, or very long. The message included in the header won’t be shown on your screen. You just need the payload of the package. MPLS can use a very short label for routing so it will much shorten the header in the future. That means the payload can be enlarged. More user message can be carried. I will work on this.
(VO一边听一边使劲点头。)
VO: ^*%*%()*) (好像说中国需要这个吗,抑或这个在中国有前途吗?)
ME (又来了!): Yeah! As I said, very few people in China work on this. I will be leading. (灵机一动) Do you know that more than 90% Americans are using the Internet? In China, only less than 10% of the population. This 10% is more than the American population. (惭愧,我的数学有问题。^_^) The future is very promising!
VO (插话): Yeah, the American &*(*)(* massed. (应该是说美国都爆满了。)
(她又埋头写着什么。我翻翻材料,找出网上找到的Internet User and Population Stat,show给她。)
ME (得意地): Do you want to see the numbers?
VO (笑): I don’t need it. (我相信你了。)
VO (指着我的Admission Letter第一句): Is it provisional?
ME: The admission should be final. This letter was given in March.
VO: I see. (信上写着我必须注册前提供学士学位证书中英文版和本科中文成绩单)
ME: Do you need my bachelor’s degree certificate?
VO: Sure!
(递上。外套里还插进我的IEEE和IEE的membership cards。)
ME: The Chinese version is behind the English one.
VO: OK.
ME: do you need my transcript as well?
VO: No, thanks. (看完后证书,退回。)
VO (看着DS156第二页,突然): What do your parents do? (大概以为钱是父母给的。)
ME: My mother retired. My father works in Hong Kong.
VO: what does he do?
ME (顽皮地笑): He’s working for a car park company. It’s normal. (其实我爸年事已高,当个看更而已。我却不紧张)
VO: I see. (没有瞧不起的表情。)
VO (看到我写有兄弟姐妹在美国): Are you brother and sister studying and a permanent resident in the United States?
ME: Yeah!
VO: Why did they go to America?
ME: It’s quite complex. Can I explain to you? (利用废话时间调整)
VO: Sure! (很高兴的样子)
ME: My brother went to the United States to study a Master’s course in 2003. He is still doing the master. (忘了跟她说他是我的双胞胎弟弟。^_^) my sister immigrated to America in 1999 because her husband immigrated to America in 1994. (一点都不害怕) So I was refused so many times. (帅呆了!)
VO (满意。拨开DS156,看DS158): Have your parents divorced?
ME (开玩笑!我知道她看到父母地址不同): My Dad and my second sister (二姐) live in Hong Kong. My Mom lives in Mainland China. My Dad immigrated to Hong Kong to work in 1980’s but the family didn’t. (为显示家庭完整温馨) My father came back to see us every year to enjoy long holidays. We travelled around. Sometimes my mom and I went to Hong Kong to see him. (VO不断点头) People can’t imagine that the husband and wife can maintain the relation even though they’ve separated for so long time. (开始煽情,但还没说,我的眼眶就湿了,嘴唇抽动,但坚持说出一句,声音不小) I’m proud of them! (我的眼泪已经哗哗地流,幸好她低头写东西,大家没尴尬。我不敢说下去,怕真的哭出声来,并轻轻地用指头擦眼角。20多年来父母过的很不容易。爸爸为了养家走到香港打工,妈妈一个人在家照顾四个孩子。子女都有自己的方向,后来各奔东西,我们家已经6年没团聚,老爸连自己的外孙都没见过。他为了家里有个保障,今年70岁了,还要上班,而且是夜里看更,白天睡觉。好姐姐也真有趣,就是埋头写字,大概她注意到了。)
VO (终于抬头): (&)_+_%&^%&^$ (忘了她说过什么). (看着弟弟在美的住址) Is your brother a student?