何翼格
“大家在家憋了好幾天了,我知道那很無聊,但是專家提醒,近期仍不可出門。只要家里有面包,堅決不出門!”
2020年的春節(jié),在義烏稠州醫(yī)院工作的外籍醫(yī)生阿馬爾,穿著白大褂、戴著藍色醫(yī)用口罩,出現(xiàn)在抖音短視頻上。他揮著手,一遍又一遍告訴所有在中國的外國人,面對疫情,最好的個人防護方式就是“宅在家里,不要出門”。15秒,不能再多,也不能過少,阿馬爾精確計算過,這樣效果最好,為此,他還用上了學相聲時練灌口的技巧。
15秒的短視頻,阿馬爾分別用中文、阿拉伯語、英文錄制了3個版本,發(fā)到了微信朋友圈,很多外國人迅速轉(zhuǎn)發(fā),因為他們覺得非常重要。一夜之間,阿馬爾成了明星,他像手握哈利波特的魔法棒,身居浙江義烏這座小城,卻幾乎聯(lián)通了所有在中國的外國人。
“阿馬爾想幫助別人,他每天幾乎都24小時在線。我們一家都支持他。”阿馬爾的太太妮絲琳原本也是一名醫(yī)生,因為孩子現(xiàn)在做“全職煮婦”。阿馬爾的努力,妮絲琳看在眼里疼在心里,也會想方設法盡力幫助丈夫。平日孩子不鬧的時候,她會把丈夫微信朋友圈里的信息轉(zhuǎn)發(fā)到她自己的微信朋友圈?!昂芏嘣谥袊陌⒗詴吹降?。”妮絲琳說,她動動手就行了,但可能自己每轉(zhuǎn)發(fā)一條,丈夫就會少接一個深夜里的電話。
來自也門的阿馬爾從小就對中國醫(yī)生有著深厚的感情。在他的家鄉(xiāng),一直有來自中國的援助醫(yī)療隊。他13歲那年,得了面癱的父親一定要找中國醫(yī)生看病,覺得中國人醫(yī)術(shù)更好,后來中國醫(yī)生用針灸治好了父親。從那時起,阿馬爾就夢想到中國學習。
1997年,18歲的阿馬爾作為公派留學生進入山東大學中文系學習。后來,他在天津醫(yī)科大學順利地讀完了碩士學位,又到浙江大學攻讀博士。讀書期間,阿馬爾多次參加中央電視臺舉辦的“漢語橋”在華留學生漢語大賽,獲得了第二屆的“漢語之星”,并在第五屆“漢語橋”擔任評委。2017年,阿馬爾從浙江大學醫(yī)學院畢業(yè)并獲得博士學位后,被義烏稠州醫(yī)院聘請成為腦科醫(yī)生。
阿馬爾說,他在浙大讀書期間就常常到義烏,因為義烏有來自世界各地的美食包括自己國家的美食。漸漸地,阿馬爾在義烏找到了歸屬感。所以一畢業(yè),他就舉家到義烏定居。
2021年5月,阿馬爾被公立三甲醫(yī)院浙大四院聘為全科醫(yī)學科國際門診醫(yī)生,在新的平臺為更多在義外國人提供周到細致的醫(yī)療服務。
工作之余,阿馬爾還是義烏市曲藝家協(xié)會唯一的外籍會員。阿馬爾告訴記者,他是在天津?qū)W醫(yī)時接觸到相聲這一中國傳統(tǒng)藝術(shù)的,十分喜歡?!拔疫€是郭德綱的粉絲,他的相聲是語言的藝術(shù),給很多人帶去歡樂和精神上的力量?!?操著一口流利的漢語,熟練地在演出中編排插科打諢的經(jīng)典段子,阿馬爾常常和自己的相聲搭檔一起下鄉(xiāng)演出,將歡聲笑語帶到義烏各地……
與此同時,阿馬爾還是義烏世界商人之家“絲路文化俱樂部”的CEO,他常常會組織會員品茶、過中國節(jié)、參加志愿活動,幫助來自全球各地的外國人融入義烏,感受中國文化的博大精深。
隨著阿馬爾的影響力越來越大,阿拉比亞衛(wèi)視臺、半島電視臺、英國BBC阿拉伯語頻道等境外電視臺紛紛找到他,視頻連線讓他介紹中國的疫情。由于時差,連線采訪的時間大多是國內(nèi)的凌晨兩三點,阿馬爾幾乎沒有推辭過,每次都是精神抖擻地出現(xiàn)在視頻上?!拔冶仨毜萌プ?。”阿馬爾對朋友說,“很多在中國習以為常的問題,外國人不理解,有歧義。我宣傳中國的抗疫情況,實際上也是給世界各國吃定心丸?!?/p>
2022年的春節(jié),阿馬爾一家將在義烏度過了又一個中國年。在做好門診服務的同時,他將繼續(xù)做好新冠肺炎疫情防控宣傳工作。
阿馬爾說,他現(xiàn)在在中國度過的時間比在也門的時間還要長,所以其實他的一半是中國制造的,在義烏這個第二故鄉(xiāng),能夠幫助更多的人,是他義不容辭的責任。
Ammar’s “China Story” in Yiwu
By ?He Yige
“I understand that you have been kept indoors for days and you are quite bored. But we have been warned by experts, we shall not go out, as long as we have enough bread at home!”
During the Chinese Spring Festival of 2020, Ammar, a foreign doctor working in Yiwu Chouzhou Hospital, appeared in a Tiktok short video wearing a white coat and a blue medical mask. In that video, he kept explaining with firm hand gestures for all foreigners in China that the best way to protect themselves from the epidemic is to “stay at home, don’t go out” . The video lasted for precisely 15 seconds, which as calculated by Ammar was the most effective. He also used the skills he learned from doing crosstalk to make the video better.
Ammar recorded this video in Chinese, Arabic and English respectively, and shared them in his WeChat moments, which were quickly forwarded by many foreigners who were aware of their significance. That made him a star overnight. Living in the small city of Yiwu, Zhejiang, he connected with almost all foreigners in China, like holding Harry Potter’s magic wand in his hand.
“Ammar wants to help people, and he’s online almost 24 hours a day. We want to be supportive.” ?said Ammar’s wife, Nisreen, who was also a doctor but now a housewife because of her children. She tried to help her husband, for instance, by forwarding the information from her husband’s WeChat moments. ?“A lot of Arab women in China will see that.” ?For her, it was just some finger clicking, but for her husband, it might mean one less late-night phone call.
Ammar comes from Yemen and has developed a deep affection for Chinese doctors since he was a child. In his hometown, there has always been an aid medical team from China. When he was 13 years old, his father had determined to see a Chinese doctor for his facial paralysis and later was cured by one with acupuncture. Since then, Ammar has dreamed of studying in China.
In 1997, the 18-year-old Ammar entered the Chinese Department of Shandong University as an international student. Later, he successfully completed his master’s degree at Tianjin Medical University and went on to study for his doctorate degree at Zhejiang University. During his study, Ammar participated in the ?“Chinese Bridge” ?Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students held by CCTV several times, and won the “Chinese Star” ?at the second competition. After graduating from Zhejiang University in 2017, Ammar was appointed as a brain specialist in Yiwu Chouzhou Hospital.
When studying at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, Ammar often went to Yiwu, for this city has delicious food from all over the world, including the cuisine of his own country. Gradually, Ammar grew a sense of belonging towards Yiwu, where he settled with his family as soon as he completed his doctorate program.
In May 2021, Ammar was appointed as an international outpatient doctor in the Department of General Medicine at the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, where he has provided considerate and meticulous medical services for more foreigners in Yiwu.
In his spare time, Ammar also participated in the Yiwu Musicians Association and became its only foreign member. Ammar told the reporter that he came across crosstalk, a traditional Chinese art, when he was studying medicine in Tianjin and fell in love with it. ?“I am also a fan of Guo Degang, whose performance is the art of language and has brought joy and spiritual strength to many people.” ?As a foreigner who speaks fluent Chinese and is able to do Chines jokes skillfully, Ammar often performs in some rural areas with his comic partner, bringing laughter to every corner of Yiwu.
At the same time, Ammar also serves as the CEO of Yiwu World Business House ?“Silk Road Culture Club” . He often organizes local club members for tea tasting, Chinese festival activities and volunteer works to help them fit in and feel the profundity of Chinese culture.
As Ammar’s influence grew, he was approached by foreign TV stations such as Al Arabiya TV, Al Jazeera, BBC Arabic for real-time online interviews to introduce how the epidemic is affecting China. Due to the time difference, most of the interviews took place at 2:00 or 3:00 a.m. in China, but Ammar hardly ever turned them down and appeared on TV in high spirits every time. ?“It is something I need to do.” ?Ammar told a friend. ?“For there are so many common practices here in China simply not understood by foreigners. By publicizing China’s fight against the epidemic, I’m actually giving the world a piece of mind.”
In 2022, after spending another Chinese New Year in Yiwu, Ammar will continue to promote the prevention and control of COVID-19, while devoting himself to the outpatient services. Having lived in China longer than in Yemen, Ammar said that he was in fact half ?“made in China”. Therefore, he felt obliged to help more people here in Yiwu, his second hometown.