NATASHA: I don’t know what I’m going to do.
I need to find a job. If I don’t, I won’t be able to stay here next semester.
ERIC: Have you tried university part-time jobs?
NATASHA: What do you mean?
ERIC: I mean in the library, or in some information center.
Often the university hires foreign students for part-time positions.
NATASHA: Yes, I know. I tried that.
They don’t have anything now. So what can I do?
ERIC: Well, since you’re a foreign student, it’s hard.
That’s because it’s actually illegal for you to work in America.
NATASHA: I know that. You don’t have to tell me that. That’s my problem.
I know I have the right to work for the university. That’s legal.
But they don’t have a job for me. And it’s illegal for me to get a job elsewhere.
ERIC: Anyway, there must be some solution.
You know there are many people working illegally in New York.
NATASHA: But I need a pretty decent job.
I need to make enough to pay my rent at least.
ERIC: I have an idea.
NATASHA: What?
ERIC: Since you’re Chinese, maybe you can find part-time work in Chinatown.
NATASHA: I already had that idea.
ERIC: Well, why don’t you go and look down there?
NATASHA: But I don’t know what I would do.
ERIC: It may be part-time work as a waitress or something.
It would be illegal, but sometimes waitresses make a good salary.
NATASHA: Maybe. I don’t know.
ERIC: I will ask my friends for you.
Maybe someone knows a company that needs part-time people.
That’s another thing you should do. Ask all your friends to ask around for you.
You might find something.
NATASHA: I have to find something.
Otherwise I have to go back to Taiwan. I’ll be broke in two months.
娜塔莎：我不知道如何是好。
我需要找一個工作。如果我找不到，下個學期就沒有辦法留在這里。
艾瑞克：你試過大學的兼職工作嗎?
娜塔莎：你的意思是?
艾瑞克：我的意思是圖書館或者一些資訊中心。
通常大學都會雇用外國的學生來做兼職的工作。
娜塔莎：是，我知道。我試過。
他們現在沒有任何工作。所以，我該怎么辦呢?
艾瑞克：嗯，你身為一個外國學生，是蠻難的。
那是因為你在美國工作是非法的。
娜塔莎：我知道。你不必告訴我那些，那是我的問題。
我知道我有權利在大學里工作，那是合法的。
但是他們沒有工作給我。對我來說在別的地方工作又是非法的。
艾瑞克：無論如何，那一定有一個解決之道。
你知道有很多人非法在紐約工作。
娜塔莎：但我需要一個比較正式的工作。
我需要賺足夠的錢，至少能付我的房租。
艾瑞克：我有一個主意。
娜塔莎：是什么?
艾瑞克：你身為一個中國人，或許你可以在中國城找到一個兼職工作。
娜塔莎：我已經想過了。
艾瑞克：嗯，你為什么不去看看呢?
娜塔莎：但我不知道我能做些什么。
艾瑞克：或許有兼職的工作像是服務生或其他的機會。
雖然是非法，但有些時候服務生可以拿到不錯的薪水。
娜塔莎：或許吧。我不知道。
艾瑞克：我會替你問我的朋友。
或許會有人知道哪一家公司需要兼職的人員。
你還需要做一件事。請你的朋友幫你打聽。
你或許會找到事情做。
娜塔莎：我一定要找工作做。
不然我就必須要回臺灣。我會在兩個月內破產。
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(兼職編輯：段保凈）
