我三十岁以前，一直在一家公司上班。
Wǒ sān shí suì yǐqián, yìzhí zài yī jiā gōngsī shàngbān.
Before I turned thirty, I had worked at one company all along.
工作很稳定，工资也不低。
Gōngzuò hěn wěndìng, gōngzī yě bù dī.
The job was stable and the pay was not low.
可是我心里不快乐。
Kěshì wǒ xīnlǐ bù kuàilè.
But my heart was not happy.
每天做着同样的事，我觉得没有意思。
Měi tiān zuò zhe tóngyàng de shì, wǒ juéde méiyǒu yìsi.
Doing the same thing every day, I felt it was meaningless.
我晚上常常睡不着。
Wǒ wǎnshang chángcháng shuì bù zhe.
I often couldn't sleep at night.
我开始想，我要什么。
Wǒ kāishǐ xiǎng, wǒ yào shénme.
I began to think about what I really want.
我真正喜欢的，是做菜。
Wǒ zhēnzhèng xǐhuan de, shì zuò cài.
What I truly loved was cooking.
小时候，我就喜欢跟妈妈学做菜。
Xiǎoshíhou, wǒ jiù xǐhuan gēn māma xué zuò cài.
As a child, I liked learning to cook from my mom.
我想当一个真正的厨师。
Wǒ xiǎng dāng yī gè zhēnzhèng de chúshī.
I wanted to become a real cook.
可是我一直没有勇气说。
Kěshì wǒ yìzhí méiyǒu yǒngqì shuō.
But I never had the courage to say it.
今年，我把这个想法告诉了父母。
Jīnnián, wǒ bǎ zhège xiǎngfǎ gàosu le fùmǔ.
This year, I told my parents about this idea.
他们听了，很担心。
Tāmen tīng le, hěn dānxīn.
Hearing this, they were very worried.
爸爸说，你都三十岁了。
Bàba shuō, nǐ dōu sān shí suì le.
Dad said, you're already thirty.
妈妈说，现在的工作多好。
Māma shuō, xiànzài de gōngzuò duō hǎo.
Mom said, your current job is so good.
朋友们也说，现在换太晚了。
Péngyou men yě shuō, xiànzài huàn tài wǎn le.
My friends also said, changing now is too late.
我也常常问自己，是不是太晚了？
Wǒ yě chángcháng wèn zìjǐ, shì bù shì tài wǎn le?
I also often asked myself, is it too late?
可是我想，不做才会后悔。
Kěshì wǒ xiǎng, bù zuò cái huì hòuhuǐ.
But I thought, not doing it would bring regret.
最后，我决定换工作。
Zuìhòu, wǒ juédìng huàn gōngzuò.
In the end, I decided to change jobs.
我没有告诉很多人。
Wǒ méiyǒu gàosu hěn duō rén.
I didn't tell many people.
白天，我还在公司上班。
Báitiān, wǒ hái zài gōngsī shàngbān.
In the day, I still worked at the company.
晚上，我去上课学做菜。
Wǎnshang, wǒ qù shàngkè xué zuò cài.
At night, I took classes to learn cooking.
我学切菜，学做汤，学做面。
Wǒ xué qiē cài, xué zuò tāng, xué zuò miàn.
I learned to cut vegetables, make soup, and make noodles.
我累得回家就想睡觉。
Wǒ lèi de huí jiā jiù xiǎng shuìjiào.
I was so tired I wanted to sleep as soon as I got home.
可是我没有想过放弃。
Kěshì wǒ méiyǒu xiǎng guò fàngqì.
But I never thought of giving up.
半年以后，我拿到了证书。
Bàn nián yǐhòu, wǒ ná dào le zhèngshū.
Half a year later, I got my certificate.
我笑着把它给父母看。
Wǒ xiào zhe bǎ tā gěi fùmǔ kàn.
I showed it to my parents with a smile.
那天，我请父母吃了一顿饭。
Nà tiān, wǒ qǐng fùmǔ chī le yī dùn fàn.
That day, I treated my parents to a meal.
后来，我去了一家饭馆面试。
Hòulái, wǒ qù le yī jiā fànguǎn miànshì.
Later, I went to a restaurant for an interview.
面试的人问，你为什么换工作？
Miànshì de rén wèn, nǐ wèi shénme huàn gōngzuò?
The interviewer asked, why are you changing jobs?
我说，因为我想做我喜欢的事。
Wǒ shuō, yīnwèi wǒ xiǎng zuò wǒ xǐhuan de shì.
I said, because I want to do what I love.
他又问，你不怕重新开始吗？
Tā yòu wèn, nǐ bù pà chóngxīn kāishǐ ma?
He asked again, aren't you afraid to start over?
我说，怕，可是我更怕后悔。
Wǒ shuō, pà, kěshì wǒ gèng pà hòuhuǐ.
I said, I am, but I'm more afraid of regret.
他听完笑了。
Tā tīng wán xiào le.
He smiled after hearing me.
一个星期以后，我收到了消息。
Yī gè xīngqī yǐhòu, wǒ shōudào le xiāoxi.
A week later, I got the news.
他们录取了我，我高兴极了。
Tāmen lùqǔ le wǒ, wǒ gāoxìng jí le.
They hired me, and I was extremely happy.
我头一个告诉了妈妈。
Wǒ tóu yī gè gàosu le māma.
I told my mom first.
妈妈在电话里笑了。
Māma zài diànhuà lǐ xiào le.
Mom laughed on the phone.
她说，去做吧。
Tā shuō, qù zuò ba.
She said, go for it.
我听了，心里暖暖的。
Wǒ tīng le, xīnlǐ nuǎn nuǎn de.
Hearing this, my heart felt warm.
现在，我在一家饭馆做菜。
Xiànzài, wǒ zài yī jiā fànguǎn zuò cài.
Now, I cook at a restaurant.
工作比以前忙，工资比以前低。
Gōngzuò bǐ yǐqián máng, gōngzī bǐ yǐqián dī.
The work is busier and the pay is lower than before.
可是我每天都很快乐。
Kěshì wǒ měi tiān dōu hěn kuàilè.
But I am happy every day.
客人说好吃的时候，是我最开心的时候。
Kèrén shuō hǎochī de shíhou, shì wǒ zuì kāixīn de shíhou.
When customers say it is delicious, I am happiest.
我想，年龄从来不是问题。
Wǒ xiǎng, niánlíng cónglái bù shì wèntí.
I think age is never the problem.
我想，只要开始，就不晚。
Wǒ xiǎng, zhǐyào kāishǐ, jiù bù wǎn.
I think, as long as you start, it is not too late.