旅程开始的地方

记得那是一个两年前的夏天，和以往一样躁热，认识Sarah很久了，很少听说关于她生活中的点点滴滴，偶尔闲聊，打趣说道，"嘿，Sarah我想拓展下我的交际圈，或许你有认识的一些外国友人，生活既然已经如此单调了，为什么不找点乐趣呢"

It was a summer two years ago. Hot as summer always is. I have this friend Sarah. I've know her for ages but I've seldom heard her say anything about her life. Sometimes, when I was chatting with her, I would joke that I want to expand my social circle and maybe she could introduce me to some of her other foreign friends. Life is dull. Boring. Monotonous. We should do something. Have some fun.

一个周末的夜晚，Sarah小姐带着我去了苏州河畔，夜里苏州河格外的优美，宛如一丝绸带，浮过这个都市的中心，月光荡漾在湖心，如此静谧安逸。

One night on the weekend, Sarah and I went to the Suzhou River. At night, the Suzhou River is extraordinarily beautiful. It's like a silk ribbon drifting across the city. At the center of the lake, the moonlight was reflected on the water. Quiet. Comfortable.

Beer lady, 一个叫阿姨的酒吧，聚集了几撮外国人，各自端着啤酒，四下环顾着，就在河边聚集了CACOPHONY的成员，大家这次是为了一个叫风火轮的节目而来，只见一个铁叉子，两边点着了火，给寂静深幽的苏州河，点燃了一盏明灯。

She took me to this place called "Beer Lady" opened by some auntie. There were several groups of foreigners there. Each of the foreigners had their own glass of beer. Looking around, there was this group of people from the Cacophony Society sitting by the riverside. Them (and us) had all come to see a program called Hot Wheels where someone was going to juggle fire back and forth on an iron fork. In the quiet of the Suzhou night, a bright light was lit.

第一次的苏州河边的相聚，让我仿佛打开了另外一个世界的窗户，开始了不一样的闲暇时光，于是乎参加CACOPHONY的活动，仿佛就成了家常便饭一般，我们时而会穿着芭蕾舞裙在喧哗的都市里奔跑，也会穿着奇装异服给穿梭于城市中央的人们带来欢乐，在拥挤的地铁轿厢里，给勇敢的都市赶路人颁发我们精心准备的礼品。

That first meeting by the Suzhou River seemed to have opened a window to a whole new world. My free time was spent in ways I'd never before imagined. I joined in all sorts of Cacophony activities as if they were commonplace. One time, we put on tutus like ballerinas and went running through the city. Silly things like wearing strange clothing while crossing the city not only brought us a certain kind of joy but gave a spark of light to the people who we encountered.