做教授二十多年，每年都有一个铁定的任务，给学生做各类奖学金申请签字。我呢，来者不拒，统统签字押宝。至于学生申请有没有通过，得了多少，我一概不闻不问。

   申请书基本都是八股文，教授作风也是官僚主义。 早些年我还努力给学生分出个三六九等，在我边上看我打分签字的学生一声不吭。我说，都给85了，算是良了，还不好吗？好是好，别人都给95了。打那以后，我就统统给95.最近，居然给出100了。为这事老勾拿到会上说，有些老教授，打分不严肃。我听了也就呵呵。

  昨天晚上，收到来自加拿大的一封信，那是辣椒叶的。去年我到加拿大的时候，她刚刚辞去嘉士伯国家公园的工作，读书去了。她来信说道：

四舅您好，

        现在正是盐泉岛的春天。自去年九月以来，我一直住在这个岛屿(图上以红笔划的地方)。在这里，我的生活与学习非常丰富和充实，并能集中精力去完成维多利亚大学的专业文凭，同时开扩回归大自然的学习和实践的道路。

    既然您是我的学业的赞助人，在此想向您汇报一下我大学专科的学习情况。除了最后一门选修课外，我已按文凭要求完成必修的课程，并开始做毕业实习的工程项目。

（今年三月，我和同班同学一起在一棵老橡树下留影）

       项目的主要目标就是把所学的理论投入到现实中。我已与一个叫佳利安娜的岛自然环境保护区的组织挂上了钩。它的所在地就在我的盐泉岛旁边，不远，划独木舟一个小时就到了。

      我的生态还原的项目就是将这片被伐木后荒废了十年的土地改造成本土的自然环境，种植本土的树木及植被，成为一个保护区的教育基地。

      这段时间我有空就划独木舟过海，对实地进行考察调研，进一步了解它的生态环境，做了初步的复原计划。下一步就是向保护区组织推荐其计划。一旦通过后，就可以进入实施阶段。目前看来九月秋季还原工程可能开始。作为计划者，我可以给亲自亲为地动手，同时不断地完善工程。明年这个时候我就可以完成这个项目的报告并正式毕业。

      在此向你表示我深深的谢意。你的经济赞助使我能尽快地完成专业的学习。自去年八月到现在，修了六个课程，学费共$3570加币。我深深地感受到的不仅仅是您对我的关心和支持，还感受到黄家互相关怀的真正亲情，在精神物质上和经济上的互相支持。舅父舅母的这些言传身教的中国亲情价值观对我来说是有着深远的意义和影响。

      知道您要来加拿大，遗憾的是这次我们可能见不了面。我的大自然智慧的课程要到六月中旬才结束学习。在此祝愿您身体健康，旅途愉快。

您的辣椒叶， 

阿芳

2019年5月6日

来信原文：

 Hi Si Jiu,

It's Spring time here on Salt Spring Island where I have been living since September (see the map below, the island I live on is outlined in red). My life here has been rich with my time focused on my two school studies - one is the more unconventional training and the other is through the University of Victoria. 

I wanted to give you an update about my ecological restoration diploma through the University of Victoria since you have been sponsoring these studies. I have completed almost all of the course work for the diploma (only one course remains) and have started to work on my final project. The final project is an application of my ecological restoration studies to the real world. I have partnered with a nature conservation organization called the Galiano Conservation Association which is a neighbouring island to the one I live on. It is so close that I actually paddle by kayak to the land that I am working on restoring (watch the videos from my Mom).

(This is a photo of me taking a course in March. Behind me are my classmates standing next to one of the oldest oak trees in the area)

My final project takes place on a small piece of land (~2 hectares in size) that was previously logged ten years ago and where construction is taking place for the organization's office building (see photo below). My goal is to help reforest the land in an ecologically sensible way and to create an educational native plant garden for the public. I am currently in the early stages of this project which involves visiting the land and doing ecological surveys to get a sense of the current state and condition of the ecosystem. The next step will be to create a plan for how to restore the land and propose this plan to the Galiano Conservation Association. Once the plan is approved I will be able to implement it as early as this upcoming fall. It will involve some continuous effort to get to this final stage.

I want to express deep thanks for the financial support you are giving me as it is truly helpful for the completion of my studies. Since May 2018, I have six courses I have taken or am taking that I need help covering the costs of. The total tuition costs come to CAN$3 571.25. I have attached the tuition summary receipt to this email. I am very grateful for however much you are able to help me in this way. In fact I am amazed at the Huang family's commitment to supporting each other, even extended family, emotionally, physically, and financially. This is a enormous teaching for that my mom and uncles have given me about Chinese family values.

I hope that you are healthy and well and that your teaching career is still very fulfilling. I will not be able to join you on your next Canada visit as the timing conflicts with my own graduation from my nature connection program.

Sending you lots of love,

Lai Fang

(Hot Pepper)