Remarks by the First Lady at Number Seven School
Chengdu, China
March 25, 2014
Ni hao. It is truly a pleasure to be here at the Number Seven School. Thank you so much for your warm welcome.
Now, before I get started, on behalf of myself and my husband, I want to say that our hearts go out to all those with loved ones on Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. As I said this past weekend when I spoke at Peking University, we are very much keeping all of them in our thoughts and our prayers at this tremendously difficult time.
So now, let me start by thanking your Principal, Principal Liu, and your classmate, Ju Chao, for that wonderful
introduction. Your English, Ju Chao, is excellent, and you should be very proud. Thank you so much. (Applause.) And I want to thank all of the students here today, both those of you here in person and those of you joining remotely from across the region. I’m thrilled to be visiting your wonderful school. Now, in preparation for this visit, before I left the U.S. I visited the Yu Ying School. It’s a public school near the White House in Washington, D.C., and all of the students at this school study Chinese. And I met with the sixth-grade class, kids
who are 11 and 12 years old. They had recently taken a trip here to China, and they were bursting with excitement. They were eager to tell me about everything about what they had seen. But they admitted that before their trip, they had all kinds of misconceptions about China. They thought they would see palaces and temples everywhere they went, but instead they found massive cities filled with skyscrapers. They weren’t sure that they’d like the food here in China, but they actually loved it, and they learned how to use chopsticks. And in the end, one of the students told me –- and this is his quote -- he said, “Coming home was really exciting, but was at the same time sad.”
Now, meeting these students reminded me that when we live so far away from each other, it’s easy to develop all kinds of misconceptions and stereotypes. It’s easy to focus on our differences –- how we speak different languages and eat different foods and observe different traditions. But as I travel the world, and I meet young people from so many countries, I’m always struck by how much more we have in common. And that’s been particularly true during my visit here in China.
You see, the truth is that I grew up like many of you. My mom, my dad, my brother and I, we lived in a tiny apartment in
Chicago, which is one of the largest cities in America. My father worked at the local water plant. And we didn’t have much money, but our little home was bursting with love. Every evening, my family would laugh and share stories over dinner. We’d play card games and have fun for hours. And on summer nights, I remember, when our apartment got too hot, we’d all sleep outside on our back porch.
Family meant everything to us, including our extended family. My grandparents lived nearby, and my elderly great aunt and uncle lived in the apartment downstairs from us. And when their health started to decline my parents stepped in, helping my uncle shave and dress each morning, dashing downstairs in the middle of the night to check on my aunt.
So in my family, like in so many of your families, we took care of each other. And while we certainly weren’t rich, my parents had big dreams for me and my brother. They had only a high school education themselves, but they were determined to send us both to universities.
So they poured all of their love and all of their hope into us, and they worked hard. They saved every penny. And I know that wasn’t easy for them, especially for my father. You see, my father had a serious illness called multiple sclerosis. And
as he got sicker, it got harder for him to walk, and it took him longer to get dressed in the morning.
But no matter how tired he felt, no matter how much pain he was in, my father hardly ever missed a day of work, because he was determined to give me and my brother a better life. And every day, like so many of you, I felt the weight of my parents’ sacrifices on my shoulders. Every day, I wanted to make them proud.
So while most American kids attend public schools near their homes, when it was time for me to attend high school, I took an exam and got into a special public high school where I could get a better education. But the school was very far from my home, so I had to get up early every morning and ride a bus for an hour, sometimes an hour and a half if the weather was bad. And every afternoon, I’d ride that same bus back home and then immediately start my homework, often studying late into the night -- and sometimes I would wake up at 4:30 or 5:00 in the morning to study even more.
And it wasn’t easy. But whenever I got tired or discouraged, I would just think about how hard my parents were working for me. And I would remember something my mother always told me –
- she said: “A good education is something that no one can take away from you.”
And when it was time for me to apply to university, I had many options, because in America, there are many kinds of universities. There are four-year universities. There are two-year community colleges which are less expensive. There are universities where you take classes at night while working during the day. So you don’t have to be a top student to attend a university. And even if your parents don’t have much money or you live in a tiny town in a rural area, in America, you can still attend university. And you can get scholarships and government loans to help pay your tuition.
So I attended Princeton University for my undergraduate degree, and I went on to Harvard University for my graduate degree in law. And with those degrees I was able to become a lawyer at a large law firm, and then I worked as an executive at a city hospital, and then I was the director of an organization that helped disadvantaged young people.
And my story isn’t unusual in America. Some of our most famous athletes, like LeBron James, and artists, like the singer Janelle Monae, came from struggling families like mine, as do many business leaders – like Howard Schultz. He’s the
head of a company called Starbucks, which many of you may have heard of. When Mr. Schultz was a boy his father lost his job, leaving their family destitute. But Mr. Schultz worked hard. He got a scholarship to a university, and eventually built the largest coffeehouse company in the world.
And then there’s this other guy I know who was raised by a single mother who sometimes struggled to afford food for their family. But like me, this guy got scholarships and loans to attend universities. He became a lawyer and a professor, and then he was a state senator and then a national senator. And then, he became President of the United States. This guy I’m talking about is my husband, Barack Obama. (Applause.) These stories are the stories of so many Americans, and of America itself. Because in America, we believe that no matter where you live or how much money your parents have, or what race or religion or ethnicity you are, if you work hard and believe in yourself, then you should have a chance to succeed. We also believe that everyone is equal, and that we all have the right to say what we think and worship as we choose, even when others don’t like what we say or don’t always agree with what we believe.
Now of course, living up to these ideals isn’t always easy. And there have been times in our history where we have fallen short. Many decades ago, there were actually laws in America that allowed discrimination against black people like me, who are a minority in the United States. But over time, ordinary citizens decided that those laws were unfair. So they held peaceful protests and marches. They called on government officials to change those laws, and they voted to elect new officials who shared their views.
And slowly but surely, America changed. We got rid of those unjust laws. And today, just 50 years later, my husband and I are President and First Lady of the United States. And that is really the story of America –- how over the course of our short history, through so many trials and struggles, we have become more equal, more inclusive, and more free.
And today in America, people of every race, religion and ethnicity live together and work together to build a better life for their children and grandchildren. And in the end, that deep yearning to leave something better for those who come after us, that is something we all truly share. In fact, there’s a Chinese saying that I love that says, “To achieve true happiness, help the next generation.”
And like so many of your parents, my parents sacrificed so much so that I could have opportunities they never dreamed of. And today, as a mother myself, I want even more opportunities for my own daughters. But of course, as I always tell my daughters, with opportunities come obligations.
And that is true for all of you as well. You all have the opportunity to receive an education from this wonderful school, and you all have an obligation to take the fullest advantage of this opportunity. And I know that’s exactly what you all are doing.
You’re winning prizes in math and science. Here, you are staging musical performances around the world. You’re
volunteering in your communities. And many of you are working hard to get an education your parents never dreamed of.
So you all have so much to offer –- and that’s a good thing, because the world needs your talent. The world needs your creativity and energy more than ever before. Because we face big challenges that know no borders –- like improving the quality of our air and water, ensuring that people have good jobs, stopping the spread of disease. And soon, it will all fall to all of you to come together with people on every continent and solve these problems together.
Now, fortunately, here at this wonderful school, you’re already well on your way. For more than a decade, you’ve been building special relationships with a American school in -- an American high school, and many of you will attend universities in America or find other ways to reach out beyond your borders. So in the years ahead, much like you and I are doing here today, you will be creating bonds of friendship across the globe that will last for decades to come. And over the past week, as I have seen both the ancient wonders and the modern achievements of your fascinating country, and as I’ve met with extraordinary young people like all of you, I am more confident than ever before in our shared future. And I cannot wait to see everything that you will achieve here in China and around the world. Thank you again for hosting me and my family at this extraordinary school, and I wish you all the best of luck in your journey ahead. Xie-Xie. (Applause.)
第一夫人讲话的七号上学
成都,中国
20xx年3月25日
你好。很高兴能在这里七个学校数量。非常感谢你你的热烈欢迎。
现在,在我开始之前,代表我和我的丈夫,我想说,我们的心去那些与所爱的人在马来西亚航空公司370号航班。正如我说上周末当我说北京大学,我们非常让他们在我们的思想和我们的祷告在这个非常困难的时期。
现在,让我先感谢你的校长,校长刘,和你的同学越来越多,精彩的介绍。越来越多,你的英语很棒,你应该感到骄傲。谢谢你这么多。(掌声)我要感谢今天所有的学生在这里,这两个在这里的人,那些你从整个地区远程加入。我很高兴访问你美好的学校。
现在,在准备这次访问,在我离开美国之前我去育英学校。这是一个在华盛顿白宫附近的公立学校,华盛顿特区,所有的学生在这所学校学习中文。和我会见了六年级的课,孩子11岁和12岁。他们最近一次来中国,他们充满激情。他们渴望告诉我关于他们的一切。
但他们承认,在旅行之前,他们有各种各样的对中国的误解。他们认为他们会看到宫殿和寺庙随处可见他们,而是他们发现大规模的城市充满了摩天大楼。他们不知道,他们想在中国这里的食物,但他们真的很喜欢,他们学会了如何使用筷子。最后,一个学生告诉我,这是他的报价,他说,“回家真的很令人兴奋,但同时伤心。”
现在,这些学生会议提醒我,当我们生活远离彼此,很容易开发各种各样的误解和成见。很容易专注于我们的分歧,我们说着不同的语言,吃不同的食物,观察不同的传统。但是当我环游世界,我来自很多国家的
年轻人见面,我总是被多少我们有共同之处。这是我在中国访问期间尤其如此。
你看,事实是,我像你们中的很多人一样长大。我妈妈,我爸爸,我弟弟和我,我们住在一个小公寓在芝加哥,是美国最大的城市之一。我父亲曾在当地水生植物。我们没有很多钱,但我们的小家里充满爱。每天晚上,我的家人会笑,在餐桌上分享故事。我们玩纸牌游戏,玩上几个小时。和夏天的晚上,我记得,当我们的公寓太热了,我们都睡在我们的后阳台上外。
家庭对我们意味着一切,包括我们的大家庭。我的祖父母住在附近,我的年迈的伟大的叔叔和婶婶住在公寓楼下。当我的父母介入他们的健康开始下降,帮助我的叔叔每天早上刮胡子和服饰,潇洒在楼下半夜检查我的阿姨。
所以在我家,就像在很多你的家庭,我们彼此照顾。虽然我们当然并不富裕,我的父母为我伟大的梦想,我的兄弟。他们只有高中学历,但是他们决心大学寄给我们。
所以他们把所有的爱和他们所有的希望我们和他们努力工作。他们节省每一分钱。我知道不容易,特别是我的父亲。你看,我的父亲称为多发性硬化的严重疾病。他病得更重了,遇到困难的时候让他走,他花了更长的时间在早上穿好衣服。
但是不管有多累,他觉得不管多少他很疼痛,我的父亲很少错过一天的工作,因为他决心给我和哥哥更好的生活。每天,你们中的很多人一样,我觉得我父母的牺牲在我肩上的重量。每一天,我想让他们感到骄傲。 因此,尽管大多数美国孩子参加公立学校附近的家园,时候我参加高中,于是我参加了考试,然后进入一个特殊的公立高中,我可以得到更好的教育。但是学校离我的家很远,所以我不得不每天早上早起骑一辆公共汽车,一个小时,有时一个半小时如果天气不好。每天下午,我骑着同样的公共汽车回家,然后立即开始做作业,经常学习到深夜,有时我会醒来四点半或早上五点学习更多。
而且它并不容易。但每当我累了或气馁,我会想想我父母为我工作多么困难。,我会想起我的妈妈总是告诉我,她说:“一个好的教育,没有人可以带走你。”
当我申请大学的时候,我有很多选择,因为在美国,有许多类型的大学。有四年大学。便宜的有两年制的社区大学。在大学,你晚上上课,白天工作。所以你不必成为一个优等生参加大学。即使你的父母没有多少钱或者你住在农村的一个小镇上,在美国,你还可以上大学。,你可以获得奖学金和政府贷款来帮助支付你的学费。
所以我为我的本科学位曾就读于普林斯顿大学,哈佛大学,我继续为我的研究生学位。和与学位我能够成为一名律师在一家大型律师事务所,然后我做一个城市的一位高管医院,然后我是一个组织的负责人,帮助弱势群体的年轻人。
和我的故事在美国并不罕见。我们的一些最著名的运动员,像勒布朗詹姆斯,和艺术家、歌手詹妮尔Monae一样,像我这样的来自贫困家庭,许多商业领袖——像霍华德?舒尔茨。他是公司的负责人星巴克,很多你可能听说过的。当舒尔茨先生是个男孩他父亲失去了工作,离开他们的家庭贫困。但舒尔茨先生努力工作。他被一所大学的奖学金,并最终建立了世界上最大的咖啡馆公司。
还有其他家伙我认识谁是由单身母亲抚养长大,他有时难以承受家人的食物。但是像我这样的,这家伙有参加大学奖学金和贷款。他成了一名律师和一位教授,他是一名州议员,然后国家参议员。然后,他成为美国总统。这家伙我谈论的是我的丈夫,巴拉克?奥巴马(Barack Obama)。(掌声)
这些故事是很多美国人的故事,和美国本身。因为在美国,我们相信,无论你住在哪里你的父母有多少钱,或者你是什么种族、宗教或民族,如果你努力工作,相信自己,那么你应该有机会成功。我们也相信每个人都是平等的,我们都有权利说什么我们认为和敬拜,我们选择,即使别人不喜欢我们说或并不总是同意我们相信什么。
当然,现在达到这些理想并不总是一件容易的事情。我国历史上,有次我们有不足的地方。许多年前,实际上是美国的法律,允许歧视黑人喜欢我,少数在美国。但随着时间的推移,普通民众认为这些法律是不公平的。所以他们举行和平抗议和游行。他们呼吁政府官员改变这些法律,他们投票选举新的官员分享他们的观点。
慢慢地,美国改变了。我们摆脱这些不公正的法律。今天,仅仅50年以后,我和我的丈夫都是美国总统和第一夫人。,真的是美国的故事,在我们的短暂历史,通过试验和挣扎,我们变得更加平等,更包容、更自由。
今天,在美国,人们的种族、宗教和民族生活在一起,共同构建一个更好的生活为自己的孩子和孙子。最后,深深的渴望离开更好的对那些来美国后,这是我们所有真正共享。事实上,有一个中国人说我爱说,“为了实现真正的幸福,帮助下一代。”
和许多父母一样,我的父母牺牲了以至于我可以有机会他们做梦也没想到的。今天,作为一个母亲,我希望更多的机会为我的女儿。当然,我总是告诉我的女儿,机会来的义务。
这适用于所有的你。你们都有机会从这美好的学校接受教育,和你都有义务要充分利用这一机遇。我知道正是你正在做的事情。
你赢得奖项在数学和科学。在这里,你是举办世界各地的音乐表演。你在你的社区志愿服务。和你正在努力接受教育父母做梦也没想到的。
所以你都有这么多提供,这是一件好事,因为这个世界需要你的才华。这个世界需要你的创造力和精力比以前更多。因为我们面临巨大的挑战,不分国界,比如改善我们的空气和水的质量,确保人们有好的工作,阻止疾病的传播。很快,它将下降到所有你来一起每一块大陆上的人们,一起解决这些问题。
现在,幸运的是,在这美好的学校,你已经走的路。十多年了,你一直在与美国学校建立特殊的关系——一个美国高中,在美国和你们中的许多人将参加大学或找到其他方法来达到超出你的边界。
所以在未来几年,就像今天你和我都在这里做,你将创造全球债券的友谊将持续几十年。过去一周,我看到古代奇观和现代成就你的迷人的国家,和我会见了非凡的年轻人喜欢所有的你,我比以往任何时候都更有信心在我们共同的未来。我迫不及待地想看到的一切你会实现在中国和世界各地。
再次感谢托管在这个非凡的学校,我和我的家人,我希望你最好的运气在你的旅程。Xie-Xie。(掌声)