ALetter

　　这是一封信，这封信是一个作业。写这封信的根本原因是我们的冬令营。哎呀，反正一时半会解释不清楚。背景是大概1850年的时候，澳大利亚GoldRush的时候。很多国家的人为了找金子，来到澳大利亚。很多中国人。这封信是我，当时求Ballarat的某个学校收留我（不是我愿意，是作业要求，当时是这样，因为那个学校给你住宿、食物，长大了还给你一个工作）。慢慢看，英文的。可能不是很好的，因为时间有限，但是希望你们喜欢。DearHeadmaster，Pleasedoletmeintheschool。MynameisLiqiZhang，Iam11yearsold；IhaveasisternamedYun，she’s16。Mymother’snameisQiong，mydad’sisZili。OurfamilycametoAustraliain1853。ButmyhomecountryisChina。LifeisdifficultinChina，wealwaysstarve，wedidn’thavemuchtoeat。DadwentouteverydaytolookforfoodwhileMum，YunandIstayedhome。Wedon’thaveanythingpropertoweareither，materialsforclothingareveryrareoverwhereIlive。Andeveniftherearesomemerchantswalkingpastwithroughmaterials，noonecouldaffordit。Wedidn’thavemoney。Wewereprettywealthyatfirstwhendadownedacompany。Butthecompanybrokedown。Wedohavesomemoneysaved，butwedonotdarespendit。It’stooprecious。Welivedin2tents，they’reverysmall，whenallthelittlefurniturecamein，wedidn’thaveanyroomtosleepatall。Duringthereallyhardtimes，myMumandYundecidedtobegformoneyandfood，butitwasnouse。Theterritorythatmyfamilylivedinwasfilledwithpoorpeople，howcouldtheysparesomemoneyorfoodwhentheydon’tevenhaveenough？SoDadhadtogotolookforfood，sometimeshehadtofightwithothermen。Afterawhile，theotherpeoplebegintodisappear。Dadfoundoutthatthey’eregoingtothegoldfieldsinAustralia。Itwassaidthat，manypeoplewhowenttheretodigforgoldbecamerich。Dadthoughtaboutit，anddecidedwithhisfriends。ThenextdayhetoldusthatwehavetopacktoleaveforAustralia，hisothertwofriendscomingwithus。Wepackedlotsandlotsofsoapandabucket，ourragsforclothesandapot。That’sallwebroughtwithus。Wespentalmostallourmoneytobuy4ticketstoAustralia，andtheotherssaiditwouldtakemonthstogetthere，andtheconditionsarehorrible。ButDadcouldn’tcareless。Money，housesandcomfortablelifewasmorethatanythingtohim，andtous。Althoughlifeontheshipwasterrible，butwemanagedtogetthrough。Itwasn’tasluckyforWeng，myDad’sfriend，hiswifewaspregnantthen，andshediedontheshipwithherbaby。Dad’sotherfriend。Chan，wasmoreunlucky，hefellintheseabyaccident。Wedidn’thaveenoughwaterontheship，wehadtocookourfoodwithseawater。Ittastedawful，butthethoughtofthegoldthatwe’llfoundatAustraliarosemyfamily’sandmyhope。Itwas，Ithinkwhenwe’reabouttoarriveinAustralia，thatthecaptainofthisshiptoldusthatbecauseofsomeproblems，everypersonontheshiphastopay10poundstolandinVictoria，theonlywaytogettoVictoriawastolandinSouthAustraliaandwalkthere。Peoplemutteredandsoundedunpleased，butallagreedingoingtoSouthAustralia。NooneontheshiphadthoughtthatthewalktoVictoriacouldbesohardandunpleasantandmiserable。Thelandwasdryandnoneofushadmuchwater。Mostofthepeoplethatdiedwasbecauseofwater，someothersarebecauseofwildanimals。Alotofotherpeoplethatsurvivedsaidthatmyfamilywasreallylucky，noneofourmembershavedied，althoughwethoughtwewould。Whenwe’reatthediggingswehadtobuyallthesuppliesweneedtodigforgoldwiththerestofourmoney。Thethingsaresoexpensive，butwemanaged。DadmadefriendsquicklywiththeotherChinesediggers。Thenoneday，trooperscameandcheckfor‘MinersLicense’。Daddidn’thaveone，buttheotherdiggersplayedatrickandfooledthetroopers。OneoftheChinesediggersLinWusaidthatyoumusthaveoneofthoseifyouwanttodigforgold，orelseyou’llbeinjail。Daduseallthemoneywe’velefttobuythe‘MinersLicense’。First，I’dhelpoutondigginggoldwithmum，butthenwerealizedthatwedidn’thavemuchtoeat。Sothat’swhenweheardoftheBallaratBenevolentAsylumRaggedSchool。Daddecidedtosendhere。NowYunishelpingmumwithpanningforgold，dadisaminer。Iwouldreallyliketobeabonnetmakerwhenit’stherighttime。Ialwaysfanciedtheribbonsandlaces。Please，pleasedoletmeintheschool。I’llbereallyreallygood。YoursSincerelyLiqiZhang