智利女教师泛舟塘河

周琳子

在水里看温州，其实比在陆上看更美。

正当温州上下全面打响劣五类水剿灭战之时，一位智利女教师与美丽浙南水乡温州之间的故事引起了媒体的关注。

宝琳娜（Paulina Cuevas），是一位来自智利的注册正面管教导师，现在暂居温州。用她的话说，作出这样的选择，“是因为温州的水美，人更美”。

她的工作大部分时间满世界跑，将正面管教（一种既不惩罚也不娇纵的管教孩子的方法）的方法传授给老师们，希望以此带给更多家庭正能量。

智利女教师宝琳娜。

奔波以外，宝琳娜将最多的时间给了她的最爱皮划艇。现在，她常常带着温州女性皮划艇爱好者在温瑞塘河活动。在她看来，让女性在皮划艇运动中变得更坚强也是一种正能量的传递。

聊起皮划艇，她就像个活泼的孩子

今年46岁的宝琳娜，第一次接触皮划艇在20年前。“那时候我还在读大学本科，即使在智利，划皮划艇的人也很少，我和朋友们是最早的一批。”宝琳娜说，因为共同的爱好，她结识了一帮爱探险、爱自然、爱生活的朋友，她的人生也因此发生了大变化。

渐渐地，每个周末，约上好友一起在智利外出露营、玩皮划艇，已经不能满足他们。他们开始带着皮划艇到各个洲旅行：南美、北美、欧洲……“在水里，你能看见和在陆地上完全不同的世界，那是另一种视野。在水里看温州，比在陆上看更美。”宝琳娜聊起皮划艇时，眼里放出的光芒，就像个活泼的孩子，憧憬着这世上最美好的事。

在国外，女性划皮划艇已经很普及，但在中国很少见。欧阳艳丽是宝琳娜在温州认识的第一位女性皮劃艇爱好者。今年妇女节，她俩在荡起桨皮划艇俱乐部的帮助下，带着一批零基础女学员，在温瑞塘河划行。她希望从未接触过皮划艇的中国女性克服恐惧，从接触皮划艇中找到勇敢的自己。“女性并不弱，只是勇敢坚强的一面需要被激发。我希望做这方面的努力，让女性从妻子、妈妈的身份中走出来，做自己。”宝琳娜说。

她说：“我就想呆在温州”

2013年，宝琳娜一只手拎着行李箱，一只手拖着皮划艇来到中国上海工作，在“Shanghai American School”担任心理辅导师。然而全职让她的业余时间受限，加上上海是个超大城市，想要划一趟皮划艇很费时间。无奈之下，宝琳娜从学校辞职，加入中国正面管教协会开启了全世界游走的工作模式。

“我终于有了整段空闲时间，可是一起划皮划艇的朋友在哪里？”皮划艇运动是个群体运动，特别是玩刺激的白水（激流里划皮划艇），没有同伴可能连发生事故都无人知晓。宝琳娜开始尝试在微信里加一些玩皮划艇的朋友。机缘巧合，她结识了在温州的美国人Chuck。

“他告诉我，在温州，家门口就有漂亮的河道，纵横交错包围着整个城市;要玩刺激的白水，可以开车到楠溪江，也不过1个多小时。”宝琳娜说，后来她发现，温州的优点远不止Chuck说的这些。

初次来温州，宝琳娜跟温州当地的一个英文老师Joe和荡起桨皮划艇俱乐部的总干事Sam把温州城区水系全都划了一遍。Joe告诉宝琳娜，这几年温州的五水共治行动让城区水系联通畅流，水清岸绿，可供皮划艇下水的地点也越来越多。

此外，宝琳娜和温州皮划艇爱好者建立了深厚的友谊，“他们待我像家人，我从他们身上看到了和我一样对皮划艇的狂热。那时候我就决定留在温州了。”

在暂别温州的前一天，宝琳娜在Joe和Sam的帮忙下，只粗粗看了房屋介绍，就下了一整年的定金，租下了下吕浦的一间公寓。“你一定是疯了！”Joe让宝琳娜再仔细想想。虽然连宝琳娜自己都觉得这很疯狂，但她说：“我爱这群可爱的温州人，我就想呆在温州。”

整装待发。

宝琳娜说：“泛舟水上，就像打开了另一个世界的大门，让我有了与此前完全不同的人生。”

（本文摄影 蒋 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