I know my mother is lonely.
我知道母亲很寂寞。
She was very sociable – all the women of the neighbourhood used to gather in the afternoons on our back porch and women who worked in other houses came to rest.
她很热衷社交活动——过去，邻里的女性常在午后聚集在我家后面的走廊，而在其他地方工作的女人也会在休息时来此歇息。
Now she is always on the phone to everyone back home.
现在，她总是在打电话给老家的人。
It's hard for her here as she does not speak any English.
这里的生活对她来说很艰难，因为她不会说半句英语。
Our house has all these facilities, but when she arrived they were all mysteries to her and someone had to show us how to use the oven, washing machine and the TV.
我们家的设备一应俱全，但当她初抵此处时，它们对她来说却等同于一道又一道的谜题，还得找人来教我们怎么使用煤气炉、洗衣机和电视。
As usual my father doesn't help in the kitchen.
像以前一样，父亲不愿意在厨房帮忙。
I tease him, 'Aba, you talk of women's rights, but my mother manages everything! You don't even clear the tea things.'
我借此取笑他：“爸爸，你最喜欢谈女权，却让我母亲干所有家务！就连茶具你都不肯刷洗。”
There are buses and trains but we are unsure about using them.
这里有巴士和火车，但我们不知道如何搭乘。
My mother misses going shopping in Cheena Bazaar.
母亲怀念在耆那市场逛街购物的日子。
She is happier since my cousin Shah came to stay.
直到我的表哥搬来与我们同住之后，她的心情才有所好转。
He has a car and takes her shopping, but it's not the same as she can't talk to her friends and neighbours about what she bought.
表哥有一辆车，可以载她出门购物，但这和家乡的生活还是不同，因为她不能和朋友或邻居分享她购物的喜悦。
A door bangs in the house and my mother jumps – she jumps these days at the slightest noise. She often cries then hugs me'.
只要有人敲门，母亲就会一跃而起——最近，即便是最细微的声响都能让她雀跃。她时常抱着我落泪。
'Malala is alive,' she says. Now she treats me as if I was her youngest rather than eldest child.
“马拉拉还活着。”她说。她现在把我当成她最年幼，而非最年长的孩子。