Some years ago I was offered a writingassignment that would require three months of travel through Europe.I had been aboard a couple of times, but I could hardly claim to know my way around the continent. Moreover,my knowledge of foreign languages was limited to a little college French.

多年之前，因一项写作任务我需要到欧洲旅行三个月。之前我也曾经多次出国，但是我却无法说自己在这块大陆上能认清道路。而且，我的外语水平仅限于在大学里学的那点语法。

I hesitate. How would I, unable to speak the language, totally unfamiliar with local geography ortransportation systems, set up interview and do research? It seemed impossible, and withconsiderable regret. I sat down to write a letter begging off. Halfway through, a thought ran through my mind: you can't learn if you don't try. So I accepted the assignment.

我有些犹豫了。在不会讲外语，完全不熟悉当地的地理和交通系统的情况下，怎么进行访问调查呢?这似乎不可能实现。怀着万分抱歉的心情，我坐下来写信拒绝这项任务。信写了一半的时候，一个念头在我脑海中划过:如果不试一下，你将一无所获。于是我接下了这个任务。

There were some bad moments. But by the time I had finished the trip I was an experienced traveler. And ever since, I have never hesitated to head for even the most remote of places, without guides or even advanced bookings, confident that somehow I will manage.

期间也有沮丧的时候。但是在我结束旅行之后，我成了一名有经验的旅行者。而且从那以后，即便是去最偏远的地区，我也是毫不犹豫地前往，即便没有导游或者没有提前预约，我也相信自己可以成功应对。

The point is that the new, the different, is almost by definition.But each time you try something, you learn and as the learning piles up, the world opens to you.

问题在于，新鲜的事物总被认为是可怕的。但是每次你尝试一件事情的时候，你会学到些东西，学到的东西积累得多了，世界之门就向你打开了。

I've learned to ski at 40, and flown up the Rhine River in a balloon. And I know I'll go on doing such things. It's not because I'm braver or more daring than others. I'm not. But I'll accept anxiety as another name for challenge and I believe I can acomplish wonders.

40岁的时候，我学会了滑雪，并且乘坐热气球在莱茵河上空飞行。我知道我会一直这样做下去。这并不是因为我比别人更大胆。我并不大胆。但是，我愿意把忧虑当做另外一种形式的挑战来接受，我相信我可以实现奇迹。