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飞机即将降落，看着舷窗外这片即将生活十个月的土地，我的脸色和这片土地一样蜡黄。干旱、贫瘠、荒芜是我对津巴布韦的初印象。但真正走下飞机，踏进这片土地，才发现我在飞机上的一瞥并不是它的全部，即使在旱季的津巴依旧有一抹绿色，一树繁花，一池绿水。每一位生活在这里的人都告诉我雨季到来后的津巴是多么充满生机和活力，我忐忑的心稍加平复。

The plane is about to land, and as I gaze out from a distance, I saw a dry land and brown grass on the land where I will spend the next ten months, I was a bit uncomfortable. Drought, barrenness, and desolation was my initial impressions of Zimbabwe. However, as I step off the plane and set foot on this land, I realize that the glimpse from the plane did not capture its entirety. Even in the dry season, Zimbabwe still boasts a touch of green, with trees in bloom and pools of green water. Everyone living here tells me how vibrant and lively Zimbabwe becomes when the rainy season arrives, and my anxious heart begins to calm.

我们所在的城市哈拉雷地处高原，并没有我想象中那么酷热。在这里的每一天都阳光充沛，有些风，也有些潇洒。毕竟，阳光灿烂的日子总是让人心情舒朗。除了早晚有些凉意，需添件外套，白天轻装上阵，做好防晒即可。只是我们这些穿着防晒服、戴着遮阳帽的中国人，与周围的风景完全不协调，但这些有着黑皮肤、黑眼睛、个子高高的当地人就与周围的一切非常协调。唯一的不适应是这里的气候比较干燥，出门回来一脚黄土，一裤腿灰尘，拖鞋没穿几天就已经脏了。身体上除了时差导致的疲惫，鼻子和嘴巴也有些受不了，要及时补水保湿。
Weather
The city of Harare, where we are located, is situated on a plateau and is not as scorching hot as I imagined. Every day here is sunny, with a gentle breeze. After all, sunny days always put people in a good mood. Besides a slight chill in the early morning and evening requiring an extra layer of clothing, one can dress lightly during the day and focus on sun protection. However, we, the Chinese wearing sunscreen clothing and sun hats, seem completely out of sync with the surrounding scenery. In contrast, the locals with their complexion and stature they blend in perfectly with everything around them. The only adjustment is that the climate here is quite dry, with yellow soil on our shoes and dust on our pant legs after going out. Even our slippers become dirty within a few days. Apart from the fatigue caused by jet lag, our noses and mouths also struggle a bit, requiring timely hydration and moisturization.
在18号小院里，我们洗手做羹汤，大家轮流掌勺帮厨，小日子也过得风生水起。来到这里的第二天郭老师和刘老师就带我们去中超一番大采购，熟悉的中文让我们有一种回到中国的错觉，国内商品应有尽有，但是看到物价我们就立马被打回了津巴，物价极大地降低了我们的物欲。可是，冰箱依旧被我们塞得满满当当，打开就是迎面而来的幸福感，我开始期待在这里的生活了。来这里的第六天，我们在校内食堂尝试了当地的美食Sadza。一种由玉米粉煮成，像米糊糊一样的食物，吃起来软糯，无滋无味，但配上当地的饮料似乎别有一番风味。生活总是在不断踩雷中发现惊喜。

Food

In our house where we stay we live as one family cooking together and doing other house chores, taking turns to be the chef. On the second day here, Mr. Guo and Ms. Liu took us to a Chinese supermarket for a big shopping trip. The familiar Chinese language made us feel like we were back in China. All kinds of goods from China were readily available, but when we saw the prices, we were immediately brought back to reality. The prices here significantly reduced our material desires. However, our refrigerator was still packed full, and opening it brought a sense of happiness. I started looking forward to life here.On the sixth day of our arrival, we tried the local cuisine Sadza at the campus cafeteria. It is a food made from cornmeal, similar to rice porridge. It was soft and tasteless, but when paired with the local stews, it seemed to have a unique flavor. Life always brings surprises amidst unexpected experiences.

我们住在津大校园里，是一间独栋乡村大别墅，花园里有树，有花，也清幽，也宽舒。我的房间朝东，矮矮轩窗外是一排高耸的松树。松树虽然挡掉了正午的艳阳，却没能挡住日出的微芒。我格外珍惜这一缕阳光，每天清晨挑起窗帘，朝阳透过树干的缝隙照在柜门上，印出窗户的轮廓，驱散了整夜的寒意，充满治愈。非洲是动物的乐园。我们的院子里时不时窜出三只大肥猫，院长家里更是小型动物园，住着火鸡一家、两只鹅、数只鸡、数只鸽子，还有热情的来福（狗）。当然，不能忽略节肢动物蜘蛛。刚来的第一天，我打开柜门就被吓了一跳，角落里趴着一只大蜘蛛，不禁浑身起疙瘩，在此起彼伏的尖叫声中用拖鞋拍死了它。后来，马老师告诉我们蜘蛛人畜无害，杀还杀不完。的确如此，在拍死了n只蜘蛛后，再看到它时已经波澜不惊，娴熟地取下脚上的拖鞋……

Accommodation

We are living in a detached rural villa within the University of Zimbabwe campus. The garden is filled with trees and flowers, creating a tranquil and spacious environment. My room faces east, with short windows overlooking a row of tall pine trees. Although the pines block the intense midday sun, they cannot prevent the gentle rays of sunrise. I cherish this ray of sunlight, as each morning I open the curtains to allow the morning sun to shine through the gaps in the tree trunks, casting the outline of the window on the cabinet door. It dispels the coldness of the night and brings a sense of healing. Apart from the plants also domestic animals are found within the campus area. I have seen in our yard, three fat cats that occasionally dart around, while the director’s house is like a small zoo, housing a turkey family, two geese, several chickens, several pigeons, and the friendly Lai Fu (dog). Of course, we cannot ignore the arachnids. On the first day, I was startled when I opened the cabinet door and found a large spider crouching in the corner. I couldn’t help but shudder and, amidst the screams of my companions, I used a slipper to kill it. Later, Ms. Ma told us that spiders are harmless and killing them won’t make a difference. Indeed, after killing countless spiders, when I encountered it again, I just remain calm, skillfully removing the slipper …

这里的交通并不方便，学校里有通往市区的大巴，但我们还没有坐过。出门都是老师们开车载我们，因此，我们很期待每一次的外出，惊奇地看着这片广袤而神奇的土地和居住在这片土地上的人。这里的天看不到一丝白云飘絮，是一望无际的淡蓝色或淡紫色。饭后，我们漫步在校园里被踩得硬硬的小路上，魁梧多姿的树在晚霞织造的幕布上留下黑色剪影，显现出单纯的线条结构之美。我们在津巴布韦的生活刚刚开始，未来……愿且悠游be content且随分be merry且开怀be happy！

Transportation

The transportation system here is very different from what we are used to back in China. There are buses from the campus to the town, but we have never taken them. We always go out with drivers, so we look forward to every outing and marvel at this vast and magical land and the people who live on it. Here the sky is an endless pale blue or purple, without a single white cloud floating. After dinner, we walk on the hard-trodden paths in the campus, the tall and graceful trees leaving black silhouettes on the curtain of twilight, showing the beauty of simple line structures. We have just started our life in Zimbabwe, and the future…Let us be content, be merry and be happy !