'My family had never seen a Kenyan': TheChinese living afresh in Africa
May. 10, 2018, 9:00 am By BBC @bbcafrica
在非洲找到新生活的中國人“我家裡人從未見過肯尼亞”
Xu Jing and Henry Rotich, who fell in love a decade ago, during their interview at thecourtyard of the Fairmont Hotel in Nairobi. /BBC
十年前許婧和亨利·羅迪克相愛，在內羅畢費爾蒙特酒店的院子裡他們一起接受採訪。
"We fell in love but it was verydifficult at first," Xu Jing explains from the courtyard of the FairmontHotel in Nairobi.
"My family didn't know much aboutAfrica at all. They hadn't even seen a Kenyan before so they were veryworried."
Henry Rotich - the Kenyan in question - wasjust as concerned.
The pair had fallen for each other afterRotich was sent to China to learn Mandarin as part of his government job.
It took him many weeks to get his languageskills good enough to meet Jing's father over a nerve-filled lunch, at which heasked for his blessing.
"Her father didn't say much so I wasreally worried about what he was thinking, whether or not he even liked thefood we were serving him," Rotich recalls.
Apparently his mastery of Mandarin wasenough: a decade later, the couple are living in the Kenyan capital, proudparents to two children.
Jing now teaches Mandarin at the ConfuciusInstitute based at the University of Nairobi, one of an estimated 10,000Chinese nationals who have moved to the East African state.
Their family provides one snapshot of thegrowing links between Chinese and Kenyans - propelled somewhat by China'smassive investment in the country.
It is a pattern seen across the continent.Back in 2000, China-Africa trade amounted to $10 billion (￡7 billion). Thatfigure is now believed to have crossed the $300 billion mark.
“我們戀愛了，但一開始很難，” 許婧在內羅畢費爾蒙特酒店的院子裡說道。
“我家人對非洲一點都不瞭解。他們以前甚至從沒見過一個肯尼亞人，因此他們非常擔心。”
對此肯尼亞人亨利·羅迪克(HenryRotich)也同樣關注。
作為政府僱員，羅迪克被指派到中國去學習普通話。兩人因此結緣。
羅迪克花了幾周的時間，才學會了講話技巧，一次午餐中，在尷尬的籠罩下他見到了許婧的父親，請求她父親同意他們在一起。
羅迪克回憶道：“許婧的父親沒怎麼說話，我真很在意他的想法，甚至想知道他是否喜歡我們為他準備的飯菜。”
顯然他的普通話已相當過關：十年後，這對夫婦已在肯尼亞首都定居，育有兩子晉升父母。
目前，許婧在內羅畢大學孔子學院教普通話。估計已有1萬名中國公民來到這個東非國家定居。
他們的家庭展現出中國和肯尼亞人之間日益緊密聯繫的一個映象。在某種程度上促使中國大規模在這個國家進行投資
早在2000年，中非貿易額就達到100億美元(70億英鎊)，現在這個數字已認為突破3000億美元大關。
RUMOURS
Jing and Rotich's story is a success, butthe relationship between the two peoples doesn't always go so smoothly.
Along Thika Road, a major new Chinese-builtsuperhighway linking Nairobi to the industrial town of Thika, rumours ofso-called "Thika babies" abound.
According to the whispers, Chineseconstruction workers have fathered hundreds of babies with local women, beforedisappearing into the ether.
Media outlets even reported the story of aschoolgirl, pregnant with a worker's baby, who was unable to identify him amongthe hundreds of other construction workers.
But for all the hysteria - there is even asong dedicated to the phenomenon - most Kenyans say they have never seenevidence of such children.
But that doesn't stop some believing therumours.
"I would say I've seen around 20… It'svery hush-hush as many of the Chinese fathers didn't stick around," Thatcher,a Kenyan-Chinese translator who lives close to the Thika Road, tells us.
"I think in 15 or 20 years' time, whenthese children are all grown up and going to colleges, then we will know thetrue scale of it."
流言蜚語
許婧和亨利·羅迪克的故事是個美好的結局。但兩國人民之間的關係可並不總是那麼順利。
一條由中國建設，連接內羅畢和工業城市蒂卡得的蒂卡高速公路，公路周邊到處流傳著所謂“蒂卡孩”的傳聞。
傳言，中國建築工人酒後亂性與當地婦女結合留下了數百個孩子。
媒體甚至還報道了一名女學生的故事，故事說她懷上了一名工人的孩子，但在這些工人中她找不出孩子的父親是誰。
對這種混亂的情況，這裡的肯尼亞人還因此寫了一首歌，但大多數肯尼亞人表示從未沒見過有蒂卡孩這種情況發生。
可是這並不能阻止一些相信這種謠言的人。
“要我說，大約我看能有20…由於中國父親都離開了，真的不好說什麼“。Thatcher，一位住在蒂卡路附近的肯尼亞人翻譯對我們說道。
“我想，15到20年後，當這些孩子長大可以上學了的時候，大家就知道究竟能有多少了。”
'AFRICAN TIME IS CHANGING'
Disappearing fathers are not a problem inmost Chinese-Kenyan homes, of course.
For Jing - who grew up during China'sone-child policy - it is sometimes the sheer abundance of family members thatcan be somewhat overwhelming.
"We are used to having big extendedfamily and lots of big families coming to spend time with one another alot," Rotich says. "We're used to having say our nieces or nephewscoming to stay with us for long periods of time.
"In China they don't have that asmuch. Family may visit but for a shorter time and I don't think that closenesswith the extended family is the same."
And there are other cultural difference,such as over attitudes to time.
Jinhua Lu, a consultant advising Chinese companies how to best operate inKenya, says there are still barriers.
"I hate to generalise but there is anotion that Kenyans take things more slowly," he says. "They like toenjoy life and have a sense of community that the Chinese don't have.
"The Chinese come here and just havethe end goal in mind. They work long hours - they take very few breaks and willeven work over weekends just to get the project done as quickly aspossible."
It is something Jing and Rotich recognise.
改變中的非洲時代
當然大多數中肯家庭中，無父家庭不算問題。
但對於在中國獨生子女政策中成長中的許婧來說，有時難以適應一個親戚眾多的大家庭。
羅迪克說道 “我們家以前就是個大家庭，常與家族裡的人聚在一起，我們習慣讓侄女侄子來我們這裡住很長一段時間”。
“在中國他們可不這樣做，家族裡的人可能會來串門，但聚在一起的時間不長，對家裡人我認為親密的觀念和我們是不一樣的”
還有一些文化差異，比如時間觀念。
中國顧問陸金華（Jinhua Lu）表示，在肯尼亞如何進行管理仍有困難。
“我不想具體解釋，一種觀念就是肯尼亞人非常懶散。他們貪圖享受，沒有中國人的那種集體意識”他說道。
“來這裡的中國人，腦子裡只想著最終目標。他們工作時間長-休息少，週末甚至也要加班，目的是讓項目儘快完成。”
這也是許婧和羅迪克的共識。
"Yes it's true Kenyans can be morerelaxed about these things but Kenyans are changing… this concept of Africantime is changing. The pace of development is progressing well and people havemany things to do - so we have many things to do in our time."
And anyway, the civil servant adds, he haslearnt to be on time: "Xu makes sure of it."
And with more Chinese than ever beforearriving in Kenya, larger efforts are being made to overcome the cultural gap.
The Confucius Institute - where Jing works- is one of the Chinese government-funded programmes which they hope will helpsmooth relations between Chinese and Kenyans.
For the Kenyans who study here, the hope isthat they will go on to get well-paid jobs in Chinese companies. For theChinese, this is a strong statement that the country plans to have strong tieswith Kenya for the long run.
But the sight of a Chinese mother at theschoolgates still creates a bit of a stir.
"All the other mothers want to speakwith Xu and all the children jump up and down and say: 'It's the Chinesemummy!'" Rotich says with a broad grin.
"Our children look like ordinaryKenyans so when I go out with them, people ask what language is that they'respeaking?
"When I say: 'Chinese', they say… 'What?!They can speak Chinese!' They get so excited and everyone wants to ask usquestions and become our friends."
As for Jing, she sees Kenya as her future.
"I do miss China but Kenya is my homenow," she says. "Many of the Chinese who come here love this countryand I think many of them will be here for a long time to come," sheconcludes.
“確實，肯尼亞人不太注重這種事，但肯尼亞人正在改變…非洲人的時間觀念正在改變。發展的步伐正在加速，有很多事情人們可以去做，所以在這個時代我們要做的事情很多。”
無論怎樣，這位（肯尼亞）公務員說，他已學會遵守時間“許婧要求保證做到這一點”
隨著越來越多的中國人來到肯尼亞，他們正努力克服文化上的不同。
許婧所在的孔子學院是中國政府資助的項目之一，中國希望這會幫助鞏固與肯尼亞人之間的關係。
對於在這裡學習的肯尼亞人來說，他們希望能在中國公司找到高薪的工作。對中國人來說，這是一個強而有力的徵兆，預示著這類中國方案可與肯尼亞建立長久牢固的關係。
但在學校門口，出現一位中國母親，仍會引起了一陣騷動。
“我們的孩子長的像普通的肯尼亞人，所以當我和他們出去時，人們都會問他們說話說哪國話？”
“當我說是中文時，他們就表示“什麼？,他們說中文？”，然後他們變得非常興奮，每個人都想問我們問題，和我們交朋友。
對於許婧來說，他認為肯尼亞就是他的未來。
“我非常想念中國，但現在肯尼亞就是我的家”她說，“有很多來到肯尼亞的中國人都很喜愛這個國家，我認為他們中會有很多的人會在這裡待很長一段時間，”她總結道。
——外國網友評論翻譯——
Kamlesh Juma • 3 hours ago
Is "Thatcher"the translator a real person or a creation of the writer of the article?
有“Thatcher”翻譯這個人嗎，不會是這篇文章作者吧？
chuma baridi • 3 hours ago
Kenyan men should marry more Chinese women!
Similarly, Kenyan women of Indian origin,Pakistan, Somali, etc..., respectively, to intermarry with other Kenyan menfrom different tribes, Luo, Kalengin, Kamba, Kikuyu, Miji-Kenda, etc....
This is where the fight to end tribalismand seclusion should start!
肯尼亞男人應該多娶些中國女人！
同樣，還該多娶些印度、巴基斯坦、索馬里等地的女人，讓他們卻和不同部落的肯尼亞男子結婚，如羅、卡倫金、坎巴、基庫尤、米吉-肯達地方的人。
這是結束部落紛爭、走出閉塞的開始
Swift Laggard II @chuma baridi • an hour ago
Then chuma itapata moto
然後滿地是摩托車的突突聲（注：這句瞎猜的）
Pik_Pik • 4 hours ago
Why are they holding hands like that?
他們怎麼是這個樣子牽手啊？
Kunta-Kinte • 4 hours ago
It's all good in Africa, Ms Rotich.
羅迪克夫人，願在非洲一切安好。
wuod_aketch • 5 hours ago
Chinese propaganda.
中國式宣傳
nguka2007 • 6 hours ago
well done Dr. Rotich. my quality assuranceteacher.
厲害，羅迪克，有了個素質高可靠的老師
Whiteguy • 6 hours ago
She married down.
他結過婚的
KiparaMoto @Whiteguy • 2 hours ago
At least she did not marry a pig
至少他沒嫁給一隻豬。
Abdullah Omar • 7 hours ago
And anyway, the civil servant adds, he haslearnt to be on time: "Xu makes sure of it."the trains too!
無論怎樣，這位（肯尼亞）公務員補充道，他已學會遵守時間“許婧要求保證做到這一點”火車也該一樣！
Bob • 9 hours ago +1
Talking about Chinese constructions inAfrica, they think it's all given for free, that's what their government tellsthem. They can't imagine that they are loans that we will eventually payback...... Besides all these, you can meet 1, 2 nice Chinese people, it's acountry of a billion plus. For marriage, 99% of Chinese families advises theirchildren to marry a Chinese or a white person but NEVER a black person. They'llreject very strongly.
說到中國在非洲的建設，大家都認為這些都是免費的，這是政府說給他們聽的。他們想不到的是，這都是貸款來的，最終還是要還的…除此之外，你是可以遇到1，2個好的中國人，但中國可是個有十幾億人口的國家。對於婚姻來說，99%的中國家庭建議他們子女嫁中國人或去嫁白人的。黑人！他們會強烈拒絕的。
isaac @bob • 4 hours ago
....but it's better than....the INDIANS whohave lived with you for more than 100 years with no intermarriage withAfricans.
相比之下，和我們生活在一起100多年的印度人可從沒和非洲人通過婚啊。
danson ungaro @Bob • 8 hours ago
nice to pour cold water on what one wantsus to believe is normal thing .Not just chinese but all those conservativemiddle and far eastern people ; including local asians who would rather diesingle than marry any of thousands of africans falling over themselves foranything "whitey "
真是讓我們想知道真相的人清醒了一下。不僅中國人，還有那些有保守的中東和東方人；包括當地亞洲人他們比起那些成千上萬千方百計想嫁給白人的非洲人，寧可單身老死。
Jalaal Kafkaesque @Danson ungaro • 8 hours ago +2
It is very normal 85% of all people in theworld are married in their immediate community, even British rarely marry welshor Scots. The problem is that among non-white (Ethnic African, Asians, Arabs,Somalis) they have a 100% approval rate to marry white and almost negligiblerating to marry blacks....It is a fact of life.
這不是很正常嘛，世界上85%的人都是和他們社交圈子裡的人結婚的，即便是英國人也很少嫁給威爾士人或蘇格蘭人。問題是，非白人(非洲人、亞洲人、阿拉伯人、索馬里人)，他們100%都想和白人結婚，而同意和黑人結婚的幾乎沒有.這是生活中的一個事實。
Pik_Pik @Jalaal Kafkaesque • 4 hours ago
Most people don't like themselves but thosewho do don't really care.
除了那些啥也不在乎的人，大多數人都看不起自己。
Whiteguy @Jalaal Kafkaesque • 6 hours ago
I wonder why...
為啥啊？
isaac @Whiteguy • 4 hours ago
.....caste discriminationsystem.....practiced by conservatists INDIANS.
印度奉行種姓制度都多少年了
Musengi O'le Munene @Jalaal Kafkaesque • 7 hours ago +1
You seem to have been locally mis-schooledas usual dude. The British/Briton are: English, Scots, Welsh and N-Irelandcitizens for your info. Now go ahead and spread your warped sensationalism andhalf-lies camouflaged in crude stats.
看來你的學都白上了，英國或大不列顛包括，英格蘭，蘇格蘭，威爾士和愛爾蘭，請了解一下。現在，請您繼續散佈聳人聽聞、令人迷惑的誤導信息吧。
Pishpek1 @Jalaal Kafkaesque • 8 hours ago
Yes, climbing the ladder.... and then goneall white!. A pity.
真是的，爬到梯子頂上，一切都看明白了!可惜
Bob • 9 hours ago +2
Very interesting piece, I'm currently astudent in China. Have been here around 4 years now. I can tell you for free,that Chinese despise Africans. They call us all sort of names, they compare usto animals, actually most of them think we live with animals in the wilderness.They don't even recognize that we speak English. They think we are dirtybackward creatures who knows nothing human. Many times, while walking on thestreets, these people take us pictures as if we're in a zoo, they sometimeseven try to scrub off our dark skin colour thinking it's dirt.
非常有意思的一篇文章，我現在在中國上學，我在這裡已呆了4年。我可以免費告訴你，中國人看不起非洲人。他們用外號叫我們，他們把我們比作動物，實際上，他們大多數人都認為我們還在和野生動物生活在一起。他們甚至不知道我們說的是英語。他們認為我們骯髒落後，都很無知。有時候，他們在大街上看到我們，就像在動物園裡一樣給我們照相，甚至有時候他們想把我們皮膚上的黑色擦掉，認為我們皮膚上的黑是汙垢。
Githeriman (EGH.OGW.HSC) @Bob • 6 hours ago
correct. and here we are worshippingchinese.
確實，我們都認為中國人至上
isaac @Githeriman (EGH.OGW.HSC) • 4 hours ago
....and INDIANS.
還有印度人
Gold Ruyondo @Bob • 6 hours ago
Even Mao Zedond who championed himself as afriend of Africans despised them..
毛還自詡是非洲人的朋友呢，鄙視他們。
isaac @Gold Ruyondo • 4 hours ago
.....Mahtima Gandhi too.
別忘了還有甘地
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