2016-12-10

【Aiden in English】

        Guanghua Chinese Association is a registered non-profit organization in PA. Not long ago, it began to establish the Greater Philadelphia Chinese Cultural Center (GPCCC) in promoting rural community across cultural dynamics. It became a large project that involved house hunting, renting, and refurbishing a building, and it just recently has opened to the public. In addition to Guanghua Chinese School (GHCS), the association allows GPCCC to express the wonders of the Chinese culture, involving year-long programs and activities like table tennis, Chinese folk dancing, traditional musicals, adult entertainment, etc.

        But not only limited to these activities, but it also means that GPCCC is settled down in its own home. Therefore, the team of GHCS that got so much involved with the project hosted a holiday party over at the facility, which was so awesome. The center was initially built for an individual or family, which indicates it was simply a giant mansion. Granted, most rooms seemed like spacious offices and were set up for learning environments, but the atmosphere was really relaxing and laid back in comparison to the classrooms. As I took my first impressions, it felt as if I was at my own home. Sitting down on the sofa, the room looked like my TV room, just except without a TV. Hearing my mom’s friends begin to chat occasionally, I immediately understood how this was going to be one of those, “kids go away” parties, where the parents just randomly match up groups of children like herds of sheep, desperately wanting us gone.

        Unfortunately for me, most of the children and teens suddenly decided not to accompany their parents, and disappointingly little entertainment was available. Later on, a single high school comrade approached after being dragged along by his mother as well, but we had fun and somewhat passed time.

        As I said before, there were many activities being held. Dancing, singing, and other cultural aspects were all taking place at this center, and the objective is the spread to Chinese culture to those who may not have started or experienced in-depth with the way of life. Walking around, nearly every decoration, every sign, every room of the house, had something linked to the Chinese culture. Whether if it was the iconic colors of the walls, the beautiful picture on the table, or the artistic decoration in the display, everything smelled of Chinese, which obviously included food, since what was a party without food. Oddly enough, to every kid at the party (3 in total), the most interesting was food. Without going into much detail, I will say that the exotic food cooked in fancy styles absolutely met and surpassed expectations.

        Before coming to see the center, I have to admit that my thoughts had not even begun to imagine how expensive the cultural center became. It nearly mirrored the second school of sorts. Of course here, there is no limiting of cultures, just a pure taste of China.

【红霞译文】

        光华华人协会是宾州政府批准的一家非赢利性机构，不久前又宣告成立大费城华人文化中心，为的是能够在费城邻近地区推广文化交流，选址租赁修缮等一系列问题随之亟待解决，好在一切进展顺利，该中心已于近期正式对外开放。与光华中文学校相同，大费城华人文化中心隶属光华华人协会，旨在寓文化传播于各项娱乐之中，弘扬优秀民族传统，并长期举办包括乒乓球、民族歌舞、传统乐器、老年交谊等文娱项目在内的多种活动。

        多亏大费城华人文化中心有了一个属于自己的“家”，不仅上述活动可以如愿进行，而且为之付出不懈努力的光华中文学校团队也能合“家”欢聚共度节日，甭提有多开心。该中心所在地原本是一栋个人或私家豪宅，规模相当可观，尽管大多数房间宛若宽敞明亮的办公室，学习环境甚佳，但其氛围却比教室显得轻松悠闲，乍看上去跟我的电视屋相差无几，只不过坐在沙发上眼前并无电视可看。间或听到妈妈朋友之间聊天后我恍然大悟，今晚团聚八成属于那种“少儿免进”之类的派对，父母完全让孩子放羊，恨不能叫我们闪人。

        不无遗憾的是多数同龄大的伙伴直到最后时刻突然决定不陪父母到席，再加上晚会又没有什么好玩的东西，难免令我顿感失落，后来幸亏有位高中生被其妈妈哄来团聚，我俩总算可以一起消遣快乐时光。

        如前所说，这里组织的活动形式多样，跳舞唱歌文艺体育不一而足，其目的无外乎向那些平常对中国文化并无多少接触或者说缺乏了解的人传播中国文化。如若进入中心随处转转便不难发现，几乎每件装饰、每枚标志、每个房间或多或少都充斥着中国元素，无论墙壁涂抹的油漆色调，还是桌面摆设的漂亮相片，哪怕橱柜陈列的艺术展品，到处散发中国气息，其中当然少不了美味佳肴，万事吃为先嘛。不独有偶，聚会上每个小不点（总共有仨）对吃的东西最感兴趣，独到的烹饪技巧做出绝妙的饭菜味道，完全达到我预期指数，其它详情在这里毋庸赘述。

        没来该中心之前，我承认自己无论如何也没法想象成立这样一个文化中心要投入多少人力财力，可以说不亚于成立另一所学校，当然话说回来，为传播中华国粹而倾注全部心血都将在所不惜。

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