智利女教師泛舟塘河

周琳子

在水里看溫州，其實比在陸上看更美。

正當溫州上下全面打響劣五類水剿滅戰之時，一位智利女教師與美麗浙南水鄉溫州之間的故事引起了媒體的關注。

寶琳娜（Paulina Cuevas），是一位來自智利的注冊正面管教導師，現在暫居溫州。用她的話說，作出這樣的選擇，“是因為溫州的水美，人更美”。

她的工作大部分時間滿世界跑，將正面管教（一種既不懲罰也不嬌縱的管教孩子的方法）的方法傳授給老師們，希望以此帶給更多家庭正能量。

智利女教師寶琳娜。

奔波以外，寶琳娜將最多的時間給了她的最愛皮劃艇。現在，她常常帶著溫州女性皮劃艇愛好者在溫瑞塘河活動。在她看來，讓女性在皮劃艇運動中變得更堅強也是一種正能量的傳遞。

聊起皮劃艇，她就像個活潑的孩子

今年46歲的寶琳娜，第一次接觸皮劃艇在20年前。“那時候我還在讀大學本科，即使在智利，劃皮劃艇的人也很少，我和朋友們是最早的一批。”寶琳娜說，因為共同的愛好，她結識了一幫愛探險、愛自然、愛生活的朋友，她的人生也因此發生了大變化。

漸漸地，每個周末，約上好友一起在智利外出露營、玩皮劃艇，已經不能滿足他們。他們開始帶著皮劃艇到各個洲旅行：南美、北美、歐洲……“在水里，你能看見和在陸地上完全不同的世界，那是另一種視野。在水里看溫州，比在陸上看更美。”寶琳娜聊起皮劃艇時，眼里放出的光芒，就像個活潑的孩子，憧憬著這世上最美好的事。

在國外，女性劃皮劃艇已經很普及，但在中國很少見。歐陽艷麗是寶琳娜在溫州認識的第一位女性皮劃艇愛好者。今年婦女節，她倆在蕩起槳皮劃艇俱樂部的幫助下，帶著一批零基礎女學員，在溫瑞塘河劃行。她希望從未接觸過皮劃艇的中國女性克服恐懼，從接觸皮劃艇中找到勇敢的自己。“女性并不弱，只是勇敢堅強的一面需要被激發。我希望做這方面的努力，讓女性從妻子、媽媽的身份中走出來，做自己。”寶琳娜說。

她說：“我就想呆在溫州”

2013年，寶琳娜一只手拎著行李箱，一只手拖著皮劃艇來到中國上海工作，在“Shanghai American School”擔任心理輔導師。然而全職讓她的業余時間受限，加上上海是個超大城市，想要劃一趟皮劃艇很費時間。無奈之下，寶琳娜從學校辭職，加入中國正面管教協會開啟了全世界游走的工作模式。

“我終于有了整段空閑時間，可是一起劃皮劃艇的朋友在哪里？”皮劃艇運動是個群體運動，特別是玩刺激的白水（激流里劃皮劃艇），沒有同伴可能連發生事故都無人知曉。寶琳娜開始嘗試在微信里加一些玩皮劃艇的朋友。機緣巧合，她結識了在溫州的美國人Chuck。

“他告訴我，在溫州，家門口就有漂亮的河道，縱橫交錯包圍著整個城市;要玩刺激的白水，可以開車到楠溪江，也不過1個多小時。”寶琳娜說，后來她發現，溫州的優點遠不止Chuck說的這些。

初次來溫州，寶琳娜跟溫州當地的一個英文老師Joe和蕩起槳皮劃艇俱樂部的總干事Sam把溫州城區水系全都劃了一遍。Joe告訴寶琳娜，這幾年溫州的五水共治行動讓城區水系聯通暢流，水清岸綠，可供皮劃艇下水的地點也越來越多。

此外，寶琳娜和溫州皮劃艇愛好者建立了深厚的友誼，“他們待我像家人，我從他們身上看到了和我一樣對皮劃艇的狂熱。那時候我就決定留在溫州了。”

在暫別溫州的前一天，寶琳娜在Joe和Sam的幫忙下，只粗粗看了房屋介紹，就下了一整年的定金，租下了下呂浦的一間公寓。“你一定是瘋了！”Joe讓寶琳娜再仔細想想。雖然連寶琳娜自己都覺得這很瘋狂，但她說：“我愛這群可愛的溫州人，我就想呆在溫州。”

整裝待發。

寶琳娜說：“泛舟水上，就像打開了另一個世界的大門，讓我有了與此前完全不同的人生。”

（本文攝影 蔣 超）

A Chilean Kayaker

in Wenzhou

By Zhou Linzi

Wenzhou is a more beautiful place seen from the angle of view of a kayaker than viewed from the shore. The chemistry between Wenzhou and a Chilean teacher named Paulina Cuevas is also a compelling testimony of the citys success in the implementation of the ‘water governance act. “I chose Wenzhou as my second leg in China because of its beautiful scenery and friendly people，” enthuses Cuevas.

Paulina Cuevas， a registered trainer with Positive Discipline Association - an international organization that promotes and encourages the development of life skills and respectful relationships in families， schools， businesses and community， is sharing with the citys female kayaking community how kayaking can foster a better character and spread positive energy.endprint

Paulina， now 46， is one of the first kayaking enthusiasts in Chile. “I fell in love with kayaking when I was at college，” Paulina recalled， “I made a lot of like-minded friends through kayaking， and it changed my life considerably.”

“We started from get-togethers at weekends， camping and kayaking across Chile. Later we ventured out to have fun outside Chile， in North America and Europe. You see a whole different world when you are paddling across water. Believe me， it is a brand new vision，” Paulina said with excitement and the innocence of a child， as if immersed in fond memories of the worlds most beautiful thing.

Ouyang Yanli is the first kayaking enthusiast Paulina got to know in Wenzhou. The two organized a kayaking program for beginners to try the thrill during this years Womens Day. “I hope all participants can find a new self through such a program. Women cease to be the weaker sex after confidence and courage is restored. Women have much more potentials than being a wife and a mother. Be brave， and be yourself.”

Paulina landed in Shanghai with a luggage case and her kayak in 2013， and started her full-time job at the Shanghai American School. Soon she realized it was almost impossible for her to enjoy kayaking the way she used to be while working full time in such a fast-paced city. She resigned from the school and joined China Positive Discipline Association for more flexibility of working hours.

“Finally I had the time to resume kayaking， but where to find the other kayakers？ Kayaking is intended to be a ‘group sport， and in the case of what we call ‘whitewater rapids， it is dangerous not to have someone around.”

Chuck is the first American friend Paulina made in Wenzhou. “The citys Nanxi River， only about one hours drive from downtown Wenzhou， is an ideal place to enjoy the thrill of whitewater kayaking，” Chuck recommended.

When Paulina first came to Wenzhou， the city had finished the first stage of a comprehensive waterway cleanup. She couldnt wait to set off exploring the citys waterway network with two kayaking friends， and very soon she found a local community of kayakers and found she could go kayaking not only on Nanxi River but also in many rivers around Wenzhou.

The hospitality of the locals and the enthusiasm of her new kayaking friends also impressed Paulina. “They treated me like I am a member of their family. I feel the craze about kayaking in every one of them， and I decided to stay.”

She needed to leave Wenzhou for a short while. Before leaving， Paulina paid a whole years rent of an apartment in Lyupu where she decided to stay when she came back. “You must be crazy，” her friend Joe advised her to think twice. “Maybe I am， but I know this is the place I want to stay and thats all I need to know.”

“Moving across water， I feel I am drifting into a whole new world where a new life is unfolding.”endprint