学生都来了，明德语言学校开幕典礼都过去了，语言誓约都签好了，课程都开始了。和平楼，森林楼弥漫着一种新鲜而浓郁的味道，这就是中文的味儿。对许多没上过明德语言学校的学生而言，这种崭新的经历既颇为新奇，也可能有点令人不安；第一个星期，第二个星期也许只好逆来顺受，但是到第三四个星期，你们中文的方方面面、甚至思维方式都会发生翻天覆地的变化。这种变化又叫“融入” — 祝你们早点融入中文学校沉浸式的环境！

Classes have started, the convocation has ended, and the language pledge is in effect; I can now formally say welcome to the 2016 Middlebury Chinese Language Immersion Program!  There is an energy that fills Forest and Hepburn, burning the nostrils and making the heart race — that energy is called “Chinese.”  For those who have never been to Middlebury Language Schools before, this new experience is very invigorating, but might also be unsettling.  But those who are unsettled will find their foundation soon, moving Chinese to their RAM as my metaphor goes or learning how to swim as we heard in Mead hall.  This shift from “enduring” to “embracing” will be as sudden as it is powerful, and I hope that everyone will experience this shift quickly and seamlessly!

安毅