June - October 2015
1. The One Post This Semester That I'm Not Going to Translate into Chinese (June 2015)
Why am I not translating this into Chinese? Because a) It's too long and b) because I would like to write something in English without worrying about how to write it in Chinese later.
My apologies to those who are reading this blog in Chinese. I will translate the next (and last) entry this semester into Mandarin. 我想跟這裡只讀中文的讀者說一聲道歉. 我會把這學期最後一次的文章翻譯中文.
(Careful! There's a test at the end!)
So let me start by addressing the elephant in the room: I turned 40 this year. Turning 40 is a big deal for anyone, and anyone who tells you otherwise is lying. How big an impact 40 has on someone's psyche will of course vary, but 40 gives one pause just the same.
Even so, I think I handled 40 pretty well. I didn't go on a bender (as I did when I turned 30), I didn't take up a new sport/girlfriend/hobby/car in an attempt to feel "young," and I didn't grow unusually depressed. Sure, I've done some thinking about my age and where I am in my life, but I think I'm doing alright. Of course subsequent events could always prove me wrong, but I'm relatively at peace with my age, my circumstances, and whatever else I have going on.
With 40 out of the way, I thought it might be fun to go back and review some of the things that happened to me this year. This isn't just the year I turned 40, after all, but also my 15th year in Taiwan, and my fifth (or sixth) year writing this blog. Time flies, doesn't it?
In September I returned to work after a long and largely uneventful vacation. I sat through a really long meeting on my first day back. I cannot say how long this meeting actually was, but it felt like it occurred in geologic time.
During that same month I visited north Taiwan. I went to Taipei's City Art Museum, and rode the Maokong Gondola for the first time. I do NOT recommend the City Art Museum, but the Maokong Gondola is kind of fun in a windstorm.
I could see myself living in Taipei. Of course Taipei has its drawbacks, but life there is never boring. I'm sure I'd get tired of the crowds, the weather, and the expense, but there is a lot to do in north Taiwan. Then again, if I lived there I'd be broke most of the time.
Nothing interesting happened during this month, or at least nothing I'm prepared to discuss here. I took pictures of the "Beauty of Taitung" triathlon, and as I look at these pictures I'm wondering if I joined this event, or if I was just there taking pictures. It's strange that I can't remember.
We drove around Hualien for a couple days, and tried camping at Shr Ti Ping. It was too hot to sleep, and we were very tired on the second day of our trip. This attempt at camping is the only reason we haven't been camping since.
I was very happy during this month. We went to many hot springs, there were many new restaurants to visit, and a good time was had by all.
This was when the city and county elections took place. There were billboards everywhere, fireworks, and many men riding in trucks with loudspeakers. I made a concerted effort to understand the issues involved, and in the end decided that even the candidates weren't sure what these issues really were.
I joined a half-marathon in Tainan and had a miserable time. We hadn't really counted on how far Tainan is, how far from Tainan City the race was, and how disorganized some race events can be. The race itself also wasn't interesting. It was a long, hot run through several KM of nothing much at all, and by the end of it I was sorry I'd gone to all that trouble.
Our school went on a field trip to the East Coast National Scenic Area Visitor's Center, and I had a good time that day. The weather was very good, and the kids had a great time.
Even with all the driving I did that month, I was still struck by how bad the traffic in downtown Tainan is. It must be the old roads. They're narrow, they're rarely straight, and people there drive aggressively. Just about any place outside the city is fine, but the area around the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department stores is frightening on a Saturday night.
The big news that month was how many seats the KMT lost in city and county elections. Ma Ying-jeou's popularity is still at a low point, and I can't even remember the last time I saw him on television. The Hong Kong protests ended about the same time, with a whimper rather than a bang.
Went on another field trip with the sixth graders to Far Glory Amusement Park in Hualien. That field trip was not very fun. I've had a hard time liking most (not all) of the sixth graders this year. Can't say why this is.
During that month I often mused upon my ability to repeat the same mistake over and over. We all have blind spots in our personalities, and I am no different.
Went to Beigang in Yunlin County (finally). I've been reading about that place for years, and it was good to finally see it with my own eyes. Taiwan doesn't have a long history, but in this short history Beigang is an important place. Like much of Yunlin, it's nothing to write home about, but there is some good food to be found there.
In Taiwan, you could be standing in front of a temple hundreds of years old and not notice it. You could be eating foods that families have made for generations, and not think about the traditions behind them. Beigang is like that, too. You could drive right through it, and not know that it had a history stretching back to the Ching Dynasty.
Pause for Chinese New Year. [Insert sound of fireworks]
That "Sad About the Lake" entry was/is the most read thing I've ever written. Over 6000 hits in 3 days, and a newspaper even did a story on it. Even now I can't say why that entry resonated with people the way it did, but I found the attention gratifying.
I was brooding on ecological topics that month, partly because of all the hotels that are going up around town. It's easy to see a pattern in these kinds of developments, and I was asking myself if I really understand how this place is changing, and why. A few of my foreign friends were also leaving town at the time, and this didn't help my mood any.
Spent a few days in the Pingtung/Kaohsiung area. This trip was unusual in that we didn't visit a single department store. No one was more surprised about this than we were.
April is a good month in Taiwan. It's not hot enough to make you sweat, but it's warm enough to make swimming pleasant.
I grew obsessed with birds for a few weeks, and saw two movies in the theater. I thought "Avengers: Age of Ultron" was exceedingly average, and "Mad Max: Fury Road" was quite good. I'd really like to see Fury Road again.
There were a couple times in May when I found myself standing or sitting around with a group of other white guys in their 30s and 40s. At some point during both convocations I realized that there were many of us (myself included), trying very hard to look cool.
And what is sillier than guys my age, living where we do, trying to look cool? Who were we trying to impress? Each other? The two or three girls in the bar? I don't know, but when I think about how I was acting at the time I still feel silly. Life is too short to be 40 years old and trying to look cool.
Eventually I came to the realization that I shouldn't be offering people a diluted version of myself. I shouldn't be trying so hard to fit in and/or impress people. "Vanity of vanities" sayeth the Preacher, and I have been more vain than many.
During this month I'm sitting here typing this. It's a Saturday, the weather is hot, and I'm trying to not to sweat into my keyboard.
Took my younger daughter swimming today. I also managed a terrific sunburn. I'm thinking about riding my bike up the coast tomorrow, but it depends on the weather.
In 10 days I leave for Seattle, where I will probably not do much at all for two months. It will be good to go back to the Emerald City, even if I'm parting with a lot of money to do so. We all pay for our nostalgia, and often, not always, the fee is monetary.
If you're staying in Taiwan this summer, I hope you have plenty of chances to escape the heat. No one knows better than I do that sweating all day at work is NOT cool, and that having time to unwind is perhaps the most important thing there is. Whatever you are doing, and wherever you are doing it, I wish you a pleasant July and August.
As for me, I'll be sitting in a backyard reading old science fiction novels, revisiting favorite beers, rediscovering nature, or attending the odd concert. Perhaps when I come back I'll have some pictures to share, and some stories to tell. Perhaps you will too?
Why am I not translating this into Chinese? Because a) It's too long and b) because I would like to write something in English without worrying about how to write it in Chinese later.
My apologies to those who are reading this blog in Chinese. I will translate the next (and last) entry this semester into Mandarin. 我想跟這裡只讀中文的讀者說一聲道歉. 我會把這學期最後一次的文章翻譯中文.
(Careful! There's a test at the end!)
My Year in Review
(Alternate Titles: 15 Years a Slave, Being and Nothingness, 15 Going On 40, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the Pacific)
So let me start by addressing the elephant in the room: I turned 40 this year. Turning 40 is a big deal for anyone, and anyone who tells you otherwise is lying. How big an impact 40 has on someone's psyche will of course vary, but 40 gives one pause just the same.
Even so, I think I handled 40 pretty well. I didn't go on a bender (as I did when I turned 30), I didn't take up a new sport/girlfriend/hobby/car in an attempt to feel "young," and I didn't grow unusually depressed. Sure, I've done some thinking about my age and where I am in my life, but I think I'm doing alright. Of course subsequent events could always prove me wrong, but I'm relatively at peace with my age, my circumstances, and whatever else I have going on.
With 40 out of the way, I thought it might be fun to go back and review some of the things that happened to me this year. This isn't just the year I turned 40, after all, but also my 15th year in Taiwan, and my fifth (or sixth) year writing this blog. Time flies, doesn't it?
September
In September I returned to work after a long and largely uneventful vacation. I sat through a really long meeting on my first day back. I cannot say how long this meeting actually was, but it felt like it occurred in geologic time.
During that same month I visited north Taiwan. I went to Taipei's City Art Museum, and rode the Maokong Gondola for the first time. I do NOT recommend the City Art Museum, but the Maokong Gondola is kind of fun in a windstorm.
I could see myself living in Taipei. Of course Taipei has its drawbacks, but life there is never boring. I'm sure I'd get tired of the crowds, the weather, and the expense, but there is a lot to do in north Taiwan. Then again, if I lived there I'd be broke most of the time.
October
Nothing interesting happened during this month, or at least nothing I'm prepared to discuss here. I took pictures of the "Beauty of Taitung" triathlon, and as I look at these pictures I'm wondering if I joined this event, or if I was just there taking pictures. It's strange that I can't remember.
We drove around Hualien for a couple days, and tried camping at Shr Ti Ping. It was too hot to sleep, and we were very tired on the second day of our trip. This attempt at camping is the only reason we haven't been camping since.
I was very happy during this month. We went to many hot springs, there were many new restaurants to visit, and a good time was had by all.
November
This was when the city and county elections took place. There were billboards everywhere, fireworks, and many men riding in trucks with loudspeakers. I made a concerted effort to understand the issues involved, and in the end decided that even the candidates weren't sure what these issues really were.
I joined a half-marathon in Tainan and had a miserable time. We hadn't really counted on how far Tainan is, how far from Tainan City the race was, and how disorganized some race events can be. The race itself also wasn't interesting. It was a long, hot run through several KM of nothing much at all, and by the end of it I was sorry I'd gone to all that trouble.
Our school went on a field trip to the East Coast National Scenic Area Visitor's Center, and I had a good time that day. The weather was very good, and the kids had a great time.
Even with all the driving I did that month, I was still struck by how bad the traffic in downtown Tainan is. It must be the old roads. They're narrow, they're rarely straight, and people there drive aggressively. Just about any place outside the city is fine, but the area around the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department stores is frightening on a Saturday night.
December
The big news that month was how many seats the KMT lost in city and county elections. Ma Ying-jeou's popularity is still at a low point, and I can't even remember the last time I saw him on television. The Hong Kong protests ended about the same time, with a whimper rather than a bang.
Went on another field trip with the sixth graders to Far Glory Amusement Park in Hualien. That field trip was not very fun. I've had a hard time liking most (not all) of the sixth graders this year. Can't say why this is.
During that month I often mused upon my ability to repeat the same mistake over and over. We all have blind spots in our personalities, and I am no different.
January
Went to Beigang in Yunlin County (finally). I've been reading about that place for years, and it was good to finally see it with my own eyes. Taiwan doesn't have a long history, but in this short history Beigang is an important place. Like much of Yunlin, it's nothing to write home about, but there is some good food to be found there.
In Taiwan, you could be standing in front of a temple hundreds of years old and not notice it. You could be eating foods that families have made for generations, and not think about the traditions behind them. Beigang is like that, too. You could drive right through it, and not know that it had a history stretching back to the Ching Dynasty.
February
Pause for Chinese New Year. [Insert sound of fireworks]
March
That "Sad About the Lake" entry was/is the most read thing I've ever written. Over 6000 hits in 3 days, and a newspaper even did a story on it. Even now I can't say why that entry resonated with people the way it did, but I found the attention gratifying.
I was brooding on ecological topics that month, partly because of all the hotels that are going up around town. It's easy to see a pattern in these kinds of developments, and I was asking myself if I really understand how this place is changing, and why. A few of my foreign friends were also leaving town at the time, and this didn't help my mood any.
April
Spent a few days in the Pingtung/Kaohsiung area. This trip was unusual in that we didn't visit a single department store. No one was more surprised about this than we were.
April is a good month in Taiwan. It's not hot enough to make you sweat, but it's warm enough to make swimming pleasant.
May
I grew obsessed with birds for a few weeks, and saw two movies in the theater. I thought "Avengers: Age of Ultron" was exceedingly average, and "Mad Max: Fury Road" was quite good. I'd really like to see Fury Road again.
There were a couple times in May when I found myself standing or sitting around with a group of other white guys in their 30s and 40s. At some point during both convocations I realized that there were many of us (myself included), trying very hard to look cool.
And what is sillier than guys my age, living where we do, trying to look cool? Who were we trying to impress? Each other? The two or three girls in the bar? I don't know, but when I think about how I was acting at the time I still feel silly. Life is too short to be 40 years old and trying to look cool.
Eventually I came to the realization that I shouldn't be offering people a diluted version of myself. I shouldn't be trying so hard to fit in and/or impress people. "Vanity of vanities" sayeth the Preacher, and I have been more vain than many.
June
During this month I'm sitting here typing this. It's a Saturday, the weather is hot, and I'm trying to not to sweat into my keyboard.
Took my younger daughter swimming today. I also managed a terrific sunburn. I'm thinking about riding my bike up the coast tomorrow, but it depends on the weather.
In 10 days I leave for Seattle, where I will probably not do much at all for two months. It will be good to go back to the Emerald City, even if I'm parting with a lot of money to do so. We all pay for our nostalgia, and often, not always, the fee is monetary.
If you're staying in Taiwan this summer, I hope you have plenty of chances to escape the heat. No one knows better than I do that sweating all day at work is NOT cool, and that having time to unwind is perhaps the most important thing there is. Whatever you are doing, and wherever you are doing it, I wish you a pleasant July and August.
As for me, I'll be sitting in a backyard reading old science fiction novels, revisiting favorite beers, rediscovering nature, or attending the odd concert. Perhaps when I come back I'll have some pictures to share, and some stories to tell. Perhaps you will too?
My Week in Review
(Alternate Titles: 15 Weeks a Slave, Nothingness and Being, Commander and Master: The Far Side of Friday)
Tuesday
Last Tuesday I attended a "culture fair" at Taitung's Athletic Center. All of the Foreign English Teachers (FETs) and the English Teaching Assistants (ETAs) working for the Fulbright program were there too. Between the 17 or so of us there were, I think, five booths where we supervised an English activity.
The culture fair ended before noon, and I was free the rest of the day. By the time it was over, I was drenched in sweat (the entire activity was outside), and I made a beeline for home and a shower. Afterward I took an epic nap, and watched movies on my computer. I was planning to go for a bike ride that day, but by the time I took the nap and watched the movies it was already much too late, and much too hot.
I can remember feeling rather alienated by the other teachers that day. They seemed very focused on other foreigners and foreigner-related things, and I was having trouble following some of their conversation. Which Mike? Mike from New Zealand, or Mike from Canada? The one who works at Hess? Or the one that works at Giraffe?
All of this energy spent on a small, impermanent group of people who probably won't even be around next year. Sometimes it's hard for me to understand.
All of this energy spent on a small, impermanent group of people who probably won't even be around next year. Sometimes it's hard for me to understand.
Wednesday
On Wednesday evening I teach a junior high school student that I've been teaching for over four years now. Getting him to talk is like pulling teeth. When I ask him a question he'll just sit there and go "Hmm," and "Huh," and I get exceedingly tired of one-word answers. His reading is excellent, and his writing is not bad either, but as far as speaking goes he's got a long road ahead of him.
There are times when I wonder why a given student is studying English. Then again, they probably don't know either. A lot of Taiwanese kids are getting pushed in one direction or another by their parents, and if asked why they do anything they'd be hard pressed to tell you - in any language. I can only imagine such children growing very frustrated with their lives later on. They spend so many years living other people's lives, and doing what makes other people happy. Once many of them reach college, they are probably at a loss with regard to living their own life, and making themselves happy.
Thursday
The computers in the classrooms at work are almost always broken, and I have had to drop many classes because of this. I get there early but it doesn't seem to help. The computer still crashes just before I'm about to start class.
Tested two of the sixth grade classes, and I'm glad to be done with them. The sixth graders and I are like animals trapped in the same cage. We know that it will be summer vacation soon, and we regard each other warily.
Friday
If I kept up my Facebook more I could probably look there and find out what I was doing last Friday. As it is I have no clue to my whereabouts during most of that particular day. I must have been at work, but I can't remember anything that happened.
I do remember that one of my friends had a birthday party at Pete's pizza. Pete's pizza is run by a guy named Pete who's lived in Taitung longer than I have. He's a nice guy, and if you know him he'll cut you a deal on whatever beer you're buying.
My friend's birthday was on the second floor, in an air-conditioned room. I believe there were five other foreigners there, one of my Taiwanese coworkers, one wife, one girlfriend, and a couple of kids.
The friend in question was turning 29. I also can't remember what I did when I turned 29.
Saturday
Ah, Saturday. A great day to wake up very late.
I didn't do a whole lot on Saturday, though I did take my younger daughter swimming at Shan Yuan beach. We were only there for an hour, and upon my return I took yet another nap.
Sunday
I rode 40 KM up the coast on Sunday morning. I did this with two of my coworkers, and I was back by 9 AM. I had originally hoped to take pictures of the coast while I was doing this, but it was very cloudy that morning. I've noticed that when the sky has that steel gray color taking pictures of anything is a waste of time.
After I returned home we went out for sushi, to that sushi train place within the Carrefour. After the bike ride I was starving and I ate very fast.
In the afternoon we drove up the coast and went swimming. The sun came out a few times as we did so, the water was very cool, and the green mountains rising up from the beach offered a pleasant view. It was all worth the sunburn, and I'll probably go back there again next weekend.
Monday
Monday was yesterday. On Monday morning I took to the podium for the last time this semester, and got some of the students to come up and answer some questions in English. It was astonishingly hot that morning, and the students' enthusiasm for English was understandably dimmed by the extreme heat.
You know it's hot when you wake up from an afternoon nap and feel drunk. This is exactly how I felt the following afternoon. Upon rousing myself from a deep slumber, I felt like I had slammed a six pack of Bud. And as any teacher knows, teaching small children when you feel drunk is never pleasant. Everything was moving at the wrong speed.
Tuesday
Tuesday is today. And what have I done with myself? How can I answer for my crimes? Through what means can I erase the infamy that disfigures my great name? Wait, let me have another coffee. There, I'm better now.
Tuesdays are usually unpleasant for me because I have the 6-2 class. Fortunately I am testing them today, so they will be less of a problem.
After work I will go running. It's still hot as f*&k, but I feel that for my personal well being a good run is in order. There are things you think about, and other things you sweat off. Today is one of those days.
My Day in Review
(Alternate Titles: 15 Days a Slave, Being Nothing, Master and Commander: The Far Side of 4 O'clock)
11:30 a.m. (yesterday) - wrote the "My Week in Review" part above.
12:30 p.m. (yesterday) - finished my lunch, messed with Facebook for a while. took a nap.
1:30 p.m. (yesterday) - woke up, felt very drowsy, taught the 6-2 class.
2:30 p.m. (yesterday) - taught the 4-3 class. Reviewed the countries, animals, and sports lessons.
3:30 p.m. (yesterday) - taught the 4-2 class. Reviewed the countries, animals, and sports lessons.
4:30 p.m. (yesterday) - returned home from work, was reading an Anthropology textbook on the living room couch.
5:30 p.m. (yesterday) - ate dinner. My wife made pork curry.
6:30 p.m. (yesterday) - was reading the Anthropology textbook again, started watching "Focus," a movie featuring Will Smith and Margot Robbie.
7:30 p.m. (yesterday) - went running. Ran along Ma Heng Heng Boulevard to the park next to the Li Ji Bridge.
8:30 p.m. (yesterday) - took a shower, finished watching "Focus."
9:30 p.m. (yesterday) - finished watching "Focus," went to bed.
10:30 p.m. (yesterday) - sleeping
11:30 p.m. (yesterday) - still sleeping
12:30 p.m. (yesterday) - still sleeping
1:30 a.m. (today) - still sleeping
2:30 a.m. (today) - still sleeping
3:30 a.m. (today) - still sleeping
4:30 a.m. (today) - still sleeping
5:30 a.m. (today) - still sleeping
6:30 a.m. (today) - woke up, brushed my teeth, drank a large glass of water, got dressed.
7:30 a.m. (today) - ate breakfast in a restaurant across from my school
8:30 a.m. (today) - corrected papers at my desk.
9:30 a.m. (today) - gave the 3-1 class an oral English test.
10:30 a.m. (today) - finished giving the 3-1 class an oral English test, watched a DVD for ten minutes at the end of that class.
11:30 a.m. (now) - typing this.
My Year, Week, and Day in Review
(Alternate Title: Mini Test [Literally!])
1. Did I go to Tainan in November?
a. Yes b. No c. I can't remember d. What's a "Tainan"?
2. What was I doing at 11:30 a.m. yesterday?
a. Teaching b. Reading c. Writing d. Pondering
3. How far did I ride my bike on Sunday morning?
a. 10K b. 100K c. 40K d. 80K
4. How many days until I leave for Seattle? (according to this article)
a. 10 b. 21 c. 3 d. 5
5. When did I join a half-marathon?
a. October b. November c. December d. January
2. See You in September! 祝你有個美好的暑假 (June 2015)
My summer vacation starts next week, and I'll be away from the blog for a while. 祝你有個美好的暑假, 開學見囉!
3. Two Lists of Five 兩個5項目的目錄 (June 2015)
I got back from Seattle last weekend. My family of four was over there for two months. Overall it was a good (if expensive) trip. 我上個周末從西雅圖回來了. 我們四個人在那裡兩個多月. 這次的旅遊經驗大部分很好, 只是有點貴.
The other day we were in a hot spring talking about things we saw and did in Seattle. We talked about restaurants. We talked about friends and family. We talked about the highlights and low points of our summer vacation. 某天我們泡溫泉時說起在西雅圖時的事, 討論了那邊的餐廳, 那邊的親友, 和這一次暑假旅遊精彩的地方及不好玩的事.
The five highlights of our trip were... 我們這一次回美國精彩的點是...
1. Watching the Mariners play the Blue Jays. It was a perfect summer evening, and we could see both the game and the sun setting on downtown Seattle. To make it even better, the stadium was half full of half drunk Canadians. There was a lot of (friendly) taunting on both sides. 看西雅圖水手隊對抗多倫多藍鳥隊的比賽. 那是個完美的夏夜. 我們在棒球場一邊看棒球賽, 一邊看西雅圖市區的夕陽. 更好玩的是有很多加拿大人在觀眾席上喝醉了. 聽他們跟西雅圖人各自為了球隊爭來爭去滿好玩的.
2. Camping in Vernonia, Oregon. We had a miserable drive down there, but the campground we found near Portland turned out to be great. We walked all of the trails in that area, enjoyed the Portland Zoo, and took and interesting detour on the trip back. 在俄勒岡州的Vernonia小鎮露營. 去到那裡之前的經驗很糟糕, 但是我們後來發現波特蘭市附近的露營區是一個非常好的地點. 我們把那裡的多條步道走了一遍, 也參觀了波特蘭的動物園, 開車回家的時候更發現了很多有趣的地點.
3. Having lunch at Emmet Watson's Oyster Bar and walking around downtown. It was another nice summer day, the food was good, and we had a good time (re)exploring the Pike Place Market. 在埃米特·沃森的生蠔吧吃午餐和逛西雅圖市區. 那一天的天氣也很棒, 食物很好吃. 我們也在派克市場找紀念品.
4. Revisiting bars and brewpubs. Seattle is big on microbrews, so it has a wide selection of bars, breweries, and brewpubs. There are 40 breweries inside the Seattle city limits, and over 100 in the State of Washington. 再次重溫西雅圖的酒廠跟酒吧. 西雅圖人很喜歡啤酒, 所以有很多的酒廠跟酒吧可以去. 在西雅圖市內就有40個酒廠. 華盛頓州內則有一百多個.
5. Going to my friend Mike's graduation party. Mike has been working towards his B.A. for a long time, and I was glad hear that he'd finally graduated. It was also a good party, and it was nice to meet his brother and sister. 參加我朋友Mike的畢業晚會. 他已經讀書很久了, 我很高興他終於從大學畢業. 那次是個很好的聚會. 我在那裏認識了他的哥哥和姊姊.
...but it wasn't all peaches and cream. Our vacation had its low points. These were... 當然我們在美國的旅遊不是十全十美. 它也有缺點. 這些是...
1. Watching the Mariners play the Diamondbacks. It was a horribly boring game, and most of the crowd left early. To make matters worse, the traffic along our route home was intense. Not a good day for baseball. 看西雅圖水手隊和亞利桑那響尾蛇隊的比賽. 那個棒球賽超無聊的, 還有很多人提早離開. 最麻煩的是回家的路上都塞車. 那一天不是個看棒球賽的好日子.
2. Having our camping trip cut short by a forest fire. As you've probably heard (it's been in the news a lot), Washington State suffered from many forest fires this summer. One such fire sent gusts of smoke into the campground where we were staying, forcing us to return home a day early. 露營的時候碰到森林火災. 大家應該聽說這個消息吧! 華盛頓州發生了很多森林火災. 我們露營的營區因為其中一場火而煙霧迷漫, 所以我們只好提早一天回家.
3. Driving on the I-5 Freeway. The traffic on the Seattle freeway isn't just bad on game days - it's bad every day. After a while I just avoided I-5 entirely. 在高速公路開車. 西雅圖的高速公路好塞 - 不只是有棒球賽的時候. 到那裏沒多久後, 我都盡量避免開 I-5高速公路.
4. Getting sick from eating too much. I made the mistake of eating seafood at Chinook's and eating pizza at The Ridge in the same day. I felt very sick the following day, and it took me a long time to recover. 吃到肚子痛. 我在同一天去海鮮餐廳和比薩店吃大餐. 第二天我的肚子很不舒服, 過了很久才恢復正常.
5. Family weirdness. What can I say? I only see my Seattle family every two years, and sometimes the time we spend apart can be an obstacle. It's not always the fact that we're getting older, it's also the difference between Taiwan and America. 跟家人吵架. 怎麼說呢? 我每兩年跟西雅圖的家人見一次面, 有時分開太久會變成一種相處的困難. 不只是因為我們的年紀越來越大, 也是因為台灣的生活方式跟美國的生活方式的差別.
And of course there was some other stuff that happened, but I wouldn't want to bore you with it here. After all, isn't this blog about Taiwan? 當然我們在美國的時候還有其他的事情發生, 可是我不要講太多, 你們讀者會覺得無聊. 反正這個部落格該討論跟台灣有關的事不是嗎?
4. The Rumor Mill 謠言 (September 2015)
Sometimes I forget how small Taitung is. With all the new hotels, with all the weekend traffic, it's easy to forget that Taitung County is still composed of small towns, and that Taitung City - despite being designated "city" - is still just the largest of these small towns. 我有時候會忘記台東有多小. 看到那些新的飯店和周末的車潮, 真的很容易忘記台東縣有很多人住在小農村裡. 台東市一方面來說只是台東縣最大的農村.
In other words, not a lot of people live and work in Taitung. I'm sure the population is growing, but we're still a long way away from places like Kaohsiung, Taichung, and Taipei. It's still possible to know most of your neighbors here, and most of the county seems within easy reach, even if it's an hour's drive away. 換句話說, 住在台東的人不多. 我確信台東的人口還在成長, 但人口數和台中, 台北或其他的大都市的差異還是很大. 在台東認識大部分的鄰居的可能性比較高, 大部分的地方就算要開車一小時, 仍舊像住家附近一樣容易到達.
Hence one of the big problems with living in Taitung: the rumor mill. Rumors spread fast over here, and they tend to stick around for a long time. Whether or not these rumors have any basis in truth is irrelevant. What matters is that they are a story to tell, and moreover a story told to entertain. People like spreading rumors. I suppose it's just human nature. 因此住在台東的其中一個問題是謠言. 在這裡謠言傳播得很快, 人們也不容易忘記它. 不管這些謠言是不是有事實根據, 重點是它是不是一個具娛樂性的故事可說. 所有的人喜歡傳遞謠言. 這應該是人類的共同點.
You can probably imagine how it goes. Some guy in some part of Taitung got bit by a dog. One day his wife tells her sister about it. The next day her sister tells my daughter's friend's mother. The day after that her daughter's friend's mother is telling me, or you, about this other guy - that neither of us have ever met - who got bit by a dog (or maybe it was a snake). Around and around it goes. 你應該知道這種事情怎麼發生的. 在台東的某個角落有一隻狗咬了某個人. 他的太太跟她妹妹分享這件消息. 隔天那位妹妹告訴我女兒的朋友的媽媽. 最後那位媽媽告訴我(或是你)這件事: 那個我們兩個都不認識的人被狗 (還是蛇) 咬了. 謠言就這樣傳到很遠的地方.
It's a lot like that "telephone" game where students whisper a message to one another down a line, or around a circle. By the time the message gets to the end of the line, it may be something completely different from what the original message was. The only difference is that "telephone" is a game, and we always know when the kid at the end of the line is giving us the wrong information. With rumors, it's not always so easy. 這很像小朋友玩的 "電話" 那個遊戲. 小朋友排隊或是圍圓圈, 由第一個人把一句話傳給他旁邊的人. 一個傳一個地把那句話傳到最後一個人. 很有可能最後一位說出來的那句話跟最前面的人說的話完全不一樣. 最大的差異就是大家都知道這是一個遊戲, 也知道最後面的人說的話會有誤差. 但是謠言就不會這樣簡單了.
For foreigners in Taitung, this problem of rumors can be even more exaggerated. They are, after all, a small community within a small community. For example, I had a friend who was using an alcohol-based cleaner to clean his and his students' hands before class. Lo and behold, one day one of his parents decided that he "smelled like alcohol." Shortly thereafter, "smelled like alcohol" became "has a drinking problem," and this story took flight all over Taitung City. All because he valued cleanliness. Really. That was it. 對於住在台東的外國住民, 謠言的問題特別嚴重. 原因當然是因為他們是小社群裡的小社群. 比方說, 我有一個朋友用酒精類的洗手液給學生洗手. 之後有個家長認為我朋友有"酒的味道." 最後"酒的味道"變成"他是酒鬼." 這個謠言在台東很多地方都聽得到. 這都只是因為他認為小朋友洗手很重要. 真的! 就只是因為這樣.
Now I know that some rumors are true, and that some people really do have deep, dark secrets. But I hope that those hearing (and sharing) rumors will give people the benefit of the doubt, and remember that there are always two sides to every story. Anyone's reputation is fragile, and destroying someone's reputation by spreading rumors is not something to be done lightly. 我知道有的謠言不是謠言. 有的人真的有些不好的秘密 , 我只是希望聽到和說謠言的人能對你聽到的故事存疑, 並記住每個故事都有正反兩面 , 每個人的形象名聲都是很脆弱的. 所有的人都有可能受到謠言的攻擊, 所以要說之前要先考慮一下.
After all, we all have to live together in this small county. Living together is much easier to do when people keep gossip, and rumors, to a minimum. When we take care of one another in this way, everyone benefits. 畢竟我們都一起住在這個小農村. 如果大家能對謠言有所判斷. 我們也都能夠對彼此多點關懷和照顧, 對大家都好.
5. 極端狀況 "Extreme Situations" (September 2015)
As with all Taiwanese elections, Mainland China will engage in some saber-rattling before Taiwan's next President is voted into office. The Mainland still claims sovereignty over Taiwan, and for this reason Beijing is always eager to voice its concerns over any moves toward independence, or any alterations of cross-strait relations. Tsai Ing-wen, the candidate most likely to win, hasn't made any controversial statements so far, but I'm sure the Mainland is paying careful attention to her campaign. 每當台灣大型選舉到來, 中國大陸很喜歡對可能的結果表達對台灣的威脅. 中國政府仍然宣稱台灣是他們的土地, 所以北京對任何台灣獨立的行動或兩岸可能發生的改變都採取高度關心, 這次的總統參選人蔡英文可能贏得大選, 雖然她沒說出有爭議的聲明, 但我相信中國大陸還是很關心她的選舉活動.
Recently a member of the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots voiced his thoughts on the matter, and this is what he had to say. The article below is taken from the Associated News Network. The English translation was written by me. 最近中華全國台灣同胞聯誼會提出他們的意見. 以下的報告是從聯合新聞網來的. 英文翻譯是我自己從中文翻譯的.
"針對明年總統大選後的兩岸局勢發展，大陸中華全國台灣同胞聯誼會長汪毅夫今天說，希望兩岸「千萬不要有極端的狀況出現」；但「極端狀況」並不是指誰當選，而是指中斷往來。 On how the next general presidential election might affect the cross-strait situation, Jen reported that Jang Wang-yi, chairman of Mainland China's All-China Taiwan Compatriots Association, today expressed his hope that "no extreme situations would develop" between the two nations. Yet by "extreme situations" he did not refer to who will win the presidency, but rather an interruption in exchanges [between China and Taiwan].
汪毅夫說，希望不管是誰，都必須「（對兩岸關係）要有一個更好的態度，包括蔡英文小姐」。 Mr. Wang-yi said that whichever candidate wins must "have a good attitude (toward the cross-strait situation), and that this includes Miss Tsai Ing-wen."
大陸全國台聯中午邀請駐北京台灣媒體餐敘，汪毅夫在接受訪問時，作上述表示。 At noon the Mainland Chinese All-China Taiwanese Compatriots Association invited members of the Chinese and Taiwanese media to lunch, and Mr. Wang-yi made the above remarks during a scheduled discussion session.
汪毅夫表示，早在美麗島事件發生時，全國台聯即與當時許多黨外人士有往來。演變到今天，綠營「可能有很多派」，但他相信至少有一派叫「務實理性派」，希望「務實的聲音能大一點」，對兩岸關係的穩定發展「更好一點」。 Mr. Wang-yi said that early on, during the Kaohsiung incident, many people both within and without the All-China Taiwanese Compatriots Association carried out [cross-strait] exchanges. These exchanges have continued to the present day, wherein the Green Party "probably contains many factions." But he still believes there is a "pragmantic party" to be found within these factions, and he hopes this "pragmatic party can make its voice heard." This will make the development of cross-strait relations "even better."
汪毅夫指出，明年他「不在意誰上來（當選總統）」，只要看到兩岸關係「不會出現極端狀況，可以穩定發展」，能保持現在的狀況及比較好的交往，關係能不斷進展就好。 Mr. Wang-yi said that next year he "is not concerned who becomes President (in the general election), and that he just doesn't want to see any "extreme situations develop" in the cross-strait relationship, and that "stability should develop" in order to preserve the present situation and improve exchanges. If the relationship [between Taiwan and China] improves without interruption this is enough.
他提到，一旦兩岸「不溝通、不來往，這是不好的事情」，而兩岸人民都有責任「阻止、防止這狀況發生」。 He also suggested that if the two sides of the Taiwan Strait "don't communicate, and don't have exchanges, this will be a bad thing." Moreover that people on both sides of the Strait have a responsibility to "prevent this kind of situation from occurring."
汪毅夫說，他擔任福建省副省長期間，民主進步黨主席蔡英文正擔任行政院大陸委員會主任委員。當時，蔡英文推動的「小三通」政策「做對了」，至少「這點做得好」。 Mr. Wang-yi said that when he acted as governor of Fujian Province, the DPP Chairman Tsai Ing-wen also served as chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council. During that time, Tsai Ing-wen promoted the "mini three links" policy, and in this she "did well." At least [he said], "she did this much right."
他還說，凡是為兩岸關係做過有益工作的人，「歷史和人民都會記得你」；要是破壞兩岸關係，那就是「千古罪人」。" He also said, anyone who has contributed toward the improvement of cross-strait relations will be "remembered in history and by the people," and [the person who] damages the cross-strait relationship will be "a great sinner."
2. See You in September! 祝你有個美好的暑假 (June 2015)
My summer vacation starts next week, and I'll be away from the blog for a while. 祝你有個美好的暑假, 開學見囉!
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| Happy Dragon Boat Festival! 端午節快樂! |
3. Two Lists of Five 兩個5項目的目錄 (June 2015)
I got back from Seattle last weekend. My family of four was over there for two months. Overall it was a good (if expensive) trip. 我上個周末從西雅圖回來了. 我們四個人在那裡兩個多月. 這次的旅遊經驗大部分很好, 只是有點貴.
The other day we were in a hot spring talking about things we saw and did in Seattle. We talked about restaurants. We talked about friends and family. We talked about the highlights and low points of our summer vacation. 某天我們泡溫泉時說起在西雅圖時的事, 討論了那邊的餐廳, 那邊的親友, 和這一次暑假旅遊精彩的地方及不好玩的事.
The five highlights of our trip were... 我們這一次回美國精彩的點是...
1. Watching the Mariners play the Blue Jays. It was a perfect summer evening, and we could see both the game and the sun setting on downtown Seattle. To make it even better, the stadium was half full of half drunk Canadians. There was a lot of (friendly) taunting on both sides. 看西雅圖水手隊對抗多倫多藍鳥隊的比賽. 那是個完美的夏夜. 我們在棒球場一邊看棒球賽, 一邊看西雅圖市區的夕陽. 更好玩的是有很多加拿大人在觀眾席上喝醉了. 聽他們跟西雅圖人各自為了球隊爭來爭去滿好玩的.
2. Camping in Vernonia, Oregon. We had a miserable drive down there, but the campground we found near Portland turned out to be great. We walked all of the trails in that area, enjoyed the Portland Zoo, and took and interesting detour on the trip back. 在俄勒岡州的Vernonia小鎮露營. 去到那裡之前的經驗很糟糕, 但是我們後來發現波特蘭市附近的露營區是一個非常好的地點. 我們把那裡的多條步道走了一遍, 也參觀了波特蘭的動物園, 開車回家的時候更發現了很多有趣的地點.
3. Having lunch at Emmet Watson's Oyster Bar and walking around downtown. It was another nice summer day, the food was good, and we had a good time (re)exploring the Pike Place Market. 在埃米特·沃森的生蠔吧吃午餐和逛西雅圖市區. 那一天的天氣也很棒, 食物很好吃. 我們也在派克市場找紀念品.
4. Revisiting bars and brewpubs. Seattle is big on microbrews, so it has a wide selection of bars, breweries, and brewpubs. There are 40 breweries inside the Seattle city limits, and over 100 in the State of Washington. 再次重溫西雅圖的酒廠跟酒吧. 西雅圖人很喜歡啤酒, 所以有很多的酒廠跟酒吧可以去. 在西雅圖市內就有40個酒廠. 華盛頓州內則有一百多個.
5. Going to my friend Mike's graduation party. Mike has been working towards his B.A. for a long time, and I was glad hear that he'd finally graduated. It was also a good party, and it was nice to meet his brother and sister. 參加我朋友Mike的畢業晚會. 他已經讀書很久了, 我很高興他終於從大學畢業. 那次是個很好的聚會. 我在那裏認識了他的哥哥和姊姊.
...but it wasn't all peaches and cream. Our vacation had its low points. These were... 當然我們在美國的旅遊不是十全十美. 它也有缺點. 這些是...
1. Watching the Mariners play the Diamondbacks. It was a horribly boring game, and most of the crowd left early. To make matters worse, the traffic along our route home was intense. Not a good day for baseball. 看西雅圖水手隊和亞利桑那響尾蛇隊的比賽. 那個棒球賽超無聊的, 還有很多人提早離開. 最麻煩的是回家的路上都塞車. 那一天不是個看棒球賽的好日子.
2. Having our camping trip cut short by a forest fire. As you've probably heard (it's been in the news a lot), Washington State suffered from many forest fires this summer. One such fire sent gusts of smoke into the campground where we were staying, forcing us to return home a day early. 露營的時候碰到森林火災. 大家應該聽說這個消息吧! 華盛頓州發生了很多森林火災. 我們露營的營區因為其中一場火而煙霧迷漫, 所以我們只好提早一天回家.
3. Driving on the I-5 Freeway. The traffic on the Seattle freeway isn't just bad on game days - it's bad every day. After a while I just avoided I-5 entirely. 在高速公路開車. 西雅圖的高速公路好塞 - 不只是有棒球賽的時候. 到那裏沒多久後, 我都盡量避免開 I-5高速公路.
4. Getting sick from eating too much. I made the mistake of eating seafood at Chinook's and eating pizza at The Ridge in the same day. I felt very sick the following day, and it took me a long time to recover. 吃到肚子痛. 我在同一天去海鮮餐廳和比薩店吃大餐. 第二天我的肚子很不舒服, 過了很久才恢復正常.
5. Family weirdness. What can I say? I only see my Seattle family every two years, and sometimes the time we spend apart can be an obstacle. It's not always the fact that we're getting older, it's also the difference between Taiwan and America. 跟家人吵架. 怎麼說呢? 我每兩年跟西雅圖的家人見一次面, 有時分開太久會變成一種相處的困難. 不只是因為我們的年紀越來越大, 也是因為台灣的生活方式跟美國的生活方式的差別.
And of course there was some other stuff that happened, but I wouldn't want to bore you with it here. After all, isn't this blog about Taiwan? 當然我們在美國的時候還有其他的事情發生, 可是我不要講太多, 你們讀者會覺得無聊. 反正這個部落格該討論跟台灣有關的事不是嗎?
4. The Rumor Mill 謠言 (September 2015)
Sometimes I forget how small Taitung is. With all the new hotels, with all the weekend traffic, it's easy to forget that Taitung County is still composed of small towns, and that Taitung City - despite being designated "city" - is still just the largest of these small towns. 我有時候會忘記台東有多小. 看到那些新的飯店和周末的車潮, 真的很容易忘記台東縣有很多人住在小農村裡. 台東市一方面來說只是台東縣最大的農村.
In other words, not a lot of people live and work in Taitung. I'm sure the population is growing, but we're still a long way away from places like Kaohsiung, Taichung, and Taipei. It's still possible to know most of your neighbors here, and most of the county seems within easy reach, even if it's an hour's drive away. 換句話說, 住在台東的人不多. 我確信台東的人口還在成長, 但人口數和台中, 台北或其他的大都市的差異還是很大. 在台東認識大部分的鄰居的可能性比較高, 大部分的地方就算要開車一小時, 仍舊像住家附近一樣容易到達.
Hence one of the big problems with living in Taitung: the rumor mill. Rumors spread fast over here, and they tend to stick around for a long time. Whether or not these rumors have any basis in truth is irrelevant. What matters is that they are a story to tell, and moreover a story told to entertain. People like spreading rumors. I suppose it's just human nature. 因此住在台東的其中一個問題是謠言. 在這裡謠言傳播得很快, 人們也不容易忘記它. 不管這些謠言是不是有事實根據, 重點是它是不是一個具娛樂性的故事可說. 所有的人喜歡傳遞謠言. 這應該是人類的共同點.
You can probably imagine how it goes. Some guy in some part of Taitung got bit by a dog. One day his wife tells her sister about it. The next day her sister tells my daughter's friend's mother. The day after that her daughter's friend's mother is telling me, or you, about this other guy - that neither of us have ever met - who got bit by a dog (or maybe it was a snake). Around and around it goes. 你應該知道這種事情怎麼發生的. 在台東的某個角落有一隻狗咬了某個人. 他的太太跟她妹妹分享這件消息. 隔天那位妹妹告訴我女兒的朋友的媽媽. 最後那位媽媽告訴我(或是你)這件事: 那個我們兩個都不認識的人被狗 (還是蛇) 咬了. 謠言就這樣傳到很遠的地方.
It's a lot like that "telephone" game where students whisper a message to one another down a line, or around a circle. By the time the message gets to the end of the line, it may be something completely different from what the original message was. The only difference is that "telephone" is a game, and we always know when the kid at the end of the line is giving us the wrong information. With rumors, it's not always so easy. 這很像小朋友玩的 "電話" 那個遊戲. 小朋友排隊或是圍圓圈, 由第一個人把一句話傳給他旁邊的人. 一個傳一個地把那句話傳到最後一個人. 很有可能最後一位說出來的那句話跟最前面的人說的話完全不一樣. 最大的差異就是大家都知道這是一個遊戲, 也知道最後面的人說的話會有誤差. 但是謠言就不會這樣簡單了.
For foreigners in Taitung, this problem of rumors can be even more exaggerated. They are, after all, a small community within a small community. For example, I had a friend who was using an alcohol-based cleaner to clean his and his students' hands before class. Lo and behold, one day one of his parents decided that he "smelled like alcohol." Shortly thereafter, "smelled like alcohol" became "has a drinking problem," and this story took flight all over Taitung City. All because he valued cleanliness. Really. That was it. 對於住在台東的外國住民, 謠言的問題特別嚴重. 原因當然是因為他們是小社群裡的小社群. 比方說, 我有一個朋友用酒精類的洗手液給學生洗手. 之後有個家長認為我朋友有"酒的味道." 最後"酒的味道"變成"他是酒鬼." 這個謠言在台東很多地方都聽得到. 這都只是因為他認為小朋友洗手很重要. 真的! 就只是因為這樣.
Now I know that some rumors are true, and that some people really do have deep, dark secrets. But I hope that those hearing (and sharing) rumors will give people the benefit of the doubt, and remember that there are always two sides to every story. Anyone's reputation is fragile, and destroying someone's reputation by spreading rumors is not something to be done lightly. 我知道有的謠言不是謠言. 有的人真的有些不好的秘密 , 我只是希望聽到和說謠言的人能對你聽到的故事存疑, 並記住每個故事都有正反兩面 , 每個人的形象名聲都是很脆弱的. 所有的人都有可能受到謠言的攻擊, 所以要說之前要先考慮一下.
After all, we all have to live together in this small county. Living together is much easier to do when people keep gossip, and rumors, to a minimum. When we take care of one another in this way, everyone benefits. 畢竟我們都一起住在這個小農村. 如果大家能對謠言有所判斷. 我們也都能夠對彼此多點關懷和照顧, 對大家都好.
5. 極端狀況 "Extreme Situations" (September 2015)
As with all Taiwanese elections, Mainland China will engage in some saber-rattling before Taiwan's next President is voted into office. The Mainland still claims sovereignty over Taiwan, and for this reason Beijing is always eager to voice its concerns over any moves toward independence, or any alterations of cross-strait relations. Tsai Ing-wen, the candidate most likely to win, hasn't made any controversial statements so far, but I'm sure the Mainland is paying careful attention to her campaign. 每當台灣大型選舉到來, 中國大陸很喜歡對可能的結果表達對台灣的威脅. 中國政府仍然宣稱台灣是他們的土地, 所以北京對任何台灣獨立的行動或兩岸可能發生的改變都採取高度關心, 這次的總統參選人蔡英文可能贏得大選, 雖然她沒說出有爭議的聲明, 但我相信中國大陸還是很關心她的選舉活動.
Recently a member of the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots voiced his thoughts on the matter, and this is what he had to say. The article below is taken from the Associated News Network. The English translation was written by me. 最近中華全國台灣同胞聯誼會提出他們的意見. 以下的報告是從聯合新聞網來的. 英文翻譯是我自己從中文翻譯的.
陸全國台聯：兩岸千萬不要有極端狀況 All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots: There Should Be No "Extreme Cross-Strait Situations"*
"針對明年總統大選後的兩岸局勢發展，大陸中華全國台灣同胞聯誼會長汪毅夫今天說，希望兩岸「千萬不要有極端的狀況出現」；但「極端狀況」並不是指誰當選，而是指中斷往來。 On how the next general presidential election might affect the cross-strait situation, Jen reported that Jang Wang-yi, chairman of Mainland China's All-China Taiwan Compatriots Association, today expressed his hope that "no extreme situations would develop" between the two nations. Yet by "extreme situations" he did not refer to who will win the presidency, but rather an interruption in exchanges [between China and Taiwan].
汪毅夫說，希望不管是誰，都必須「（對兩岸關係）要有一個更好的態度，包括蔡英文小姐」。 Mr. Wang-yi said that whichever candidate wins must "have a good attitude (toward the cross-strait situation), and that this includes Miss Tsai Ing-wen."
大陸全國台聯中午邀請駐北京台灣媒體餐敘，汪毅夫在接受訪問時，作上述表示。 At noon the Mainland Chinese All-China Taiwanese Compatriots Association invited members of the Chinese and Taiwanese media to lunch, and Mr. Wang-yi made the above remarks during a scheduled discussion session.
汪毅夫表示，早在美麗島事件發生時，全國台聯即與當時許多黨外人士有往來。演變到今天，綠營「可能有很多派」，但他相信至少有一派叫「務實理性派」，希望「務實的聲音能大一點」，對兩岸關係的穩定發展「更好一點」。 Mr. Wang-yi said that early on, during the Kaohsiung incident, many people both within and without the All-China Taiwanese Compatriots Association carried out [cross-strait] exchanges. These exchanges have continued to the present day, wherein the Green Party "probably contains many factions." But he still believes there is a "pragmantic party" to be found within these factions, and he hopes this "pragmatic party can make its voice heard." This will make the development of cross-strait relations "even better."
汪毅夫指出，明年他「不在意誰上來（當選總統）」，只要看到兩岸關係「不會出現極端狀況，可以穩定發展」，能保持現在的狀況及比較好的交往，關係能不斷進展就好。 Mr. Wang-yi said that next year he "is not concerned who becomes President (in the general election), and that he just doesn't want to see any "extreme situations develop" in the cross-strait relationship, and that "stability should develop" in order to preserve the present situation and improve exchanges. If the relationship [between Taiwan and China] improves without interruption this is enough.
他提到，一旦兩岸「不溝通、不來往，這是不好的事情」，而兩岸人民都有責任「阻止、防止這狀況發生」。 He also suggested that if the two sides of the Taiwan Strait "don't communicate, and don't have exchanges, this will be a bad thing." Moreover that people on both sides of the Strait have a responsibility to "prevent this kind of situation from occurring."
汪毅夫說，他擔任福建省副省長期間，民主進步黨主席蔡英文正擔任行政院大陸委員會主任委員。當時，蔡英文推動的「小三通」政策「做對了」，至少「這點做得好」。 Mr. Wang-yi said that when he acted as governor of Fujian Province, the DPP Chairman Tsai Ing-wen also served as chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council. During that time, Tsai Ing-wen promoted the "mini three links" policy, and in this she "did well." At least [he said], "she did this much right."
他還說，凡是為兩岸關係做過有益工作的人，「歷史和人民都會記得你」；要是破壞兩岸關係，那就是「千古罪人」。" He also said, anyone who has contributed toward the improvement of cross-strait relations will be "remembered in history and by the people," and [the person who] damages the cross-strait relationship will be "a great sinner."
6. Nine Years (September 2015)
Please forgive me if I don't translate this into Chinese. I have a lot on my mind right now, and translating this into another language just seems like saying the same thing twice. If you're having trouble with any of this, feel free to ask me about it in the comment section below.
So I won an award today. This award was for serving the Taitung County Government for nine years as an English teacher. Starting in 2006, I worked at Tung Hai Junior High School for two years, and then transferred to Tung Hai Elementary School - where I still work - for an additional seven years. I've worked in some other places besides, but Tung Hai JHS and ES were my main jobs.
To be honest, I was kind of depressed when I found out that I'd be receiving this award. It is, after all, an award for nine years. Nine years is a long time, and it made me a little sad to think about how much older I am now, how much time has passed, and how fast my kids are growing up. Of course I understood nine years as an achievement, but when I was informed about the award my first thought was that time is always marching on relentlessly. I realize that this is a pessimistic kind of argument, but I'm just trying to explain the feeling.
Added to this feeling was the idea that I didn't really deserve the award at all. If you are familiar with public school teaching in Taiwan, you will know that most Taiwanese teachers only receive this award when they are ten years in, not nine like me. The awards are thus ordered by decade, with citations offered for ten, twenty, thirty, and forty years. There is also another award for teachers who are retiring, which I suppose is the greatest award of all.
Yet for me and one other teacher, the two longest-serving foreign teachers in Taitung County, there was a special award created. In Chinese, this award is referred to as the 外籍教師特別貢獻獎, or "special achievement award for foreign teachers." Both myself and the other teacher have been here nine years, and this, along with our status as foreign teachers, prompted the special designation.
Now I could be cynical about the whole thing and say: "Hey, they only gave me this award because I'm a foreigner, and I've been here the longest!" I could bemoan the fact that true merit is rarely rewarded, and that an award for being a foreigner and having been around the longest fails to recognize how well (or how badly) I do my job. I could also argue that the Taitung County Government is now promoting "International Education" in Taitung, and the award I received was part of this promotional effort.
But then again, the Taiwanese people receiving awards could have done exactly the same thing. This is the problem with large organizations (like county governments) giving people awards - the awards are of necessity generalized, and often miss the individual contributions of those awarded. What, for instance, if I had done my job for ten years, but everyone knew I was a terrible teacher? Or what if I had revolutionized the teaching of English in Taitung County, yet I was only rewarded with the same piece of paper as someone who'd been wasting space for the same length of time? Awards are always going to disappoint some people, and the larger the group of people, the larger the possibility of that award losing its intended value.
So yes, I won an award, and I'm happy to take it at face value. In other words, I'm happy to accept it. Maybe they did just give it to me because I was a foreigner. Maybe they did give it to me for self-serving reasons. But awards are often like that, and the reasons and motivations behind any award won't bear close inspection.
So even though I haven't been here ten years yet, and even though my years of service make me feel old, I have been around, and being recognized for it is enough. I don't need to look into the reasons behind my award, because in the end they don't matter. And besides, maybe my winning the award actually does have something to do with my doing a good job.
Nine years is a long time. Yes it makes me feel old, but I'm satisfied with the encouragement and appreciation I've received during all this time. It tells me I'm wanted here. It tells me that I'm part of something. It also reminds me of the more personal congratulations I received after the awards ceremony, and these, in themselves, were enough. I know that there are people still happy to have me around, and for their sakes I will try to do the best I can.
And besides doing your best for those you care for, what else is there?
7. Restaurants I Like in Taitung County 我在台東縣喜歡的餐廳 (September 2015)
The restaurants listed below are not necessarily my favorite. They are, rather, the restaurants I visit often, and the reasons I visit them often vary. Some of them are just open all the time. Others are conveniently located. Still others really are my favorites. 以下介紹的餐廳不一定都是我最喜歡的. 它們只是我常常去的餐廳, 我常去的理由有很多, 有時是因為他們天天開門做生意, 有些則是地點很方便, 有些就真是我最喜歡的.
Oh and sorry, foreign people. These restaurants don't have English names - or even names written alphabetically! 我要跟外國朋友道歉. 這些餐廳都沒有英文名字, 也沒有英文拼音的名字喔!
1. He Nan Wei Beef Noodles 河南味牛肉麵
There are two of these in Taitung City. The one I go to is on Shin Sheng Road, right across from Shin Sheng Junior High School, and the other is on Jung Hua Road, near the Tai Ping Bridge. They sell beef noodles, lu wei (not sure how to say that in English), and a few other things. 台東市有兩家. 我去的是新生路上, 位於新生國中對面的, 可是還有一家在中華路上, 靠近太平橋. 他們賣牛肉麵跟滷味. 也賣些其他的餐點.
2. Wan Jia Shiang 萬家鄉
This is a stir-fry restaurant on Jung Shan Road, not far from the big police station and the Taitung County Government. Their dumplings are very good, and everything there is served fast. Their hue guo rho is probably my favorite. 這是中山路上的快炒餐廳. 靠近大警察局跟台東縣政府. 他們的餃子很好吃, 上菜的速度也很快. 他們的回鍋肉是我吃過最好吃的.
3. Dong Jer Yuan 東之園
This is a lunchbox restaurant down the street from my apartment building. It's on Chuan Guang Road, not far from Bao Sang Junior High School, and I eat there very often. They sell out very quickly, and if you plan on eating dinner there it's best to walk in before six. I think their fried chicken is the best. 這家便當店靠近我家. 他們在傳廣路上, 離寶桑國中很近. 我常常吃他們的便當. 他們的生意很好, 常常很早就賣完, 如果要在那裡買晚餐的話, 六點前去比較好. 我覺得他們的炸雞是最好吃的.
4. Tong Fa Shuen Seafood Restaurant 同發順鮮海產
This restaurant is WAY south of Taitung City, in Da Wu Township, on Highway 9. Their seafood is very fresh, and the people that work there are very nice. Definitely my favorite seafood place in Taitung County. 這家餐廳離台東市很遠. 在台九線上, 位於南邊的大武鄉. 他們的海產很新鮮, 那邊的工作人員也很熱心. 這是我在台東最喜歡的海鮮餐廳.
5. Yuan Shr Village 原始部落
This restaurant is in Li Jia, a small village northeast of Taitung City. This place is kind of touristy, but their food is good and the view at night is amazing. They sell a mixture of aboriginal and Chinese food. Not easy to find, but its worth the effort. 這家餐廳在台東市東北邊的利嘉小村. 有時候這裡的觀光客很多, 那邊的食物跟夜景都很好. 他們的餐點有中式的也有原民式的. 只是這家餐廳比較不好找, 但是來過後會覺得很值得.
6. Chen Hong Shin Pork Noodles 陳紅心豬肉麵
This place is on Chuan Guang Road, not far from the Triangle Park. I think they are kind of famous now, but when I started going there they weren't nearly so popular. Their minced pork with rice is my favorite. They also sell noodles and lu wei. 這家在傳廣路上, 靠近三角公園. 他們最近比較有名, 我剛開始去的時候他們的名氣沒那麼高. 我最喜歡他們的滷肉飯. 他們也賣麵跟滷味.
7. Yi Pin Wu Japanese Restaurant 儀品屋日式簡餐
This place is on Geng Sheng Road, not far from the Jeng Yi Hardware store on the big intersection of Chuan Guang Road and Geng Sheng. Their kimchi noodles and pork cutlet with rice are both very good. This is one of the newer restaurants in Taitung City. 這家在更生路上, 靠近傳廣路跟更生路的正一百貨. 他們的泡菜拉麵跟排骨飯都很好吃. 這家在台東是新餐廳.
8. Ba Fang Yun Ji Dumplings 八方雲集
There are two of these restaurants in Taitung, and this is also a chain restaurant that can be found all over the island. One of their restaurants is near the intersection of Shin Sheng Road and Jung Hua Road, and the other is on Chuan Guang Road. I eat here often. It's cheap, it's fast, and they have air-conditioning. I only wish they still had the "European style" dumplings. I loved those! 台東有兩家分店. 有一家靠近新生路跟中華路的路口, 還有一家在傳廣路上. 我常常在傳廣路這邊吃餃子. 這家又便宜, 又快, 又有冷氣. 我希望他們還會繼續做歐式餃子. 那種是我最愛的!
And those are some restaurants I like. What about you? What restaurants do you like? 這些餐廳我都喜歡. 你呢? 你喜歡什麼餐廳?
8. American Politics 美國政治 (October 2015)
I'm no expert on American politics. Most of what I know comes from Google News, or from conversations with friends and family. I also hear things from other Americans living in Taitung. 我不是美國政治的專家. 我知道的部分大多是從Google新聞來的, 或是從親戚朋友間的談話. 有時候也是住台東的美國朋友給我的消息.
I try to stay informed on the subject, but it's not easy. I usually know what's going on with the President of Taiwan, and I usually know what's going on with the mayor of Taipei, but about American politics I am far less certain. President Obama rarely makes the front page of the Apple Daily. 我要知道最新的美國新聞有點困難. 我常常看到台灣總統的最新消息. 也常常看到台北市長的消息, 可是關於美國的政治新聞我知道的不多. 因為蘋果日報的頭版新聞沒有歐巴馬.
Some of my American friends in Taitung are obsessed with our home country's politics. Any conversation with them veers toward that subject. I do my best to keep up with their opinions on Obama, the Republicans, or even the New World Order, but there are times when I have trouble keeping up with the conversation. 有的在台東的美國朋友很關心我們本國的政治. 每次跟他們聊天都會談到政治問題. 我盡力了解他們對歐巴馬, 共和黨, 或是"New World Order" (世界新秩序)的所有意見, 可是我有時候不太懂他們的意思.
A lot of the recent talk is about the upcoming U.S. Presidential elections. President Obama, having served two terms, is on his way out, and it seems likely that Hillary Clinton will replace him. I don't really have a problem with Hillary Clinton, aside from the fact that she represents the forces of political correctness everywhere. She also ranks low in terms of personality. Of course personality ought not be the chief qualification for U.S. President, but to be honest I wish she had more of it. 最近很多人談的是即將到來的美國總統選舉. 歐巴馬總統的第二任期快滿了, 之後希拉蕊·克林頓很可能成為下一任總統. 我對她沒什麼意見, 我只是覺得她很重視政治上的正確性, 不是很有自己的個性. 當然對總統來說個性不是最重要的, 只是我個人希望她有多點自己的風格.
Then again, she's not half as scary as Donald Trump. Donald Trump hopes to win the Republican nomination, and in case you weren't aware he's also a massive idiot. What scares me most is that a lot of Americans actually identify with this guy. 而且希拉蕊·克林頓沒有唐納德·特朗普那麼恐怖. 特朗普想被共和黨選上. 但他也是一個大笨蛋. 最恐怖的是很多美國人覺得他是個很有能力的人.
I've also heard that Joe Biden, the current Vice President, is thinking about running. I like this guy a lot more than Hillary Clinton, but I'll refrain from supporting him until I know what he's about. As it is, I'm clueless as to his position on anything. 我也聽說目前的副總統拜登要參選. 我覺得他比希拉蕊·克林頓好很多, 可是我現在沒辦法支持他, 因為我不知道他將推出什麼政策.
Aside from the above, I've heard that the U.S. Government might have to shut down again. This has happened several times already, and it's becoming depressingly familiar to those who follow American politics. You would think that the U.S. Government - one of the most powerful in the world - would have enough wherewithal to function properly, but apparently it doesn't work that way. 除了總統選舉這件事之外, 我還聽說美國政府可能會停止運作一段時間. 這種事已經發生過幾次了, 也讓很多人失望. 大家都認為美國政府(世界上最有力的政府)會有足夠的錢維持它的運作. 但明顯的是它並不是這樣.
I can only hope that the U.S. Government doesn't have to shut down. I can only hope we'll get a President less stupid that Bush Jr., and I can only hope that the next President will be (slightly) more effectual than Obama. Not that I'm blaming anybody. I voted for him the first time. 我希望美國政府不用停止運作. 我希望下一個美國總統不是像小布希那麼笨. 我也希望下一個總統比歐巴馬有能力. 我不是在怪任何人. 當時歐巴馬當選的選票中也有我的那一票!
9. If I Was a Taiwanese Celebrity... 如果我是個台灣明星... (October 2015)
If I was a Taiwanese celebrity, I'd probably spend a lot of money on skin care products. Maybe I'd even star in commercials for the skin care products I used, and they would give me extra skin care products for free! 如果我是個台灣的明星, 我應該會花很多錢買護膚產品. 可能我會為自己用的護膚產品作廣告, 然後他們會送我很多免費的護膚產品.
If I was a Taiwanese celebrity, I'd probably own another house in Canada. In my house there would be a swimming pool and an exercise room, and I'd have an expensive car parked in my garage.
如果我是個台灣明星, 我應該會在加拿大再買一棟房子. 那棟房子會有游泳池跟健身房, 還有很貴的車停在車庫裡.
If I was a Taiwanese celebrity, I'd probably worry about growing older. I'd spend a lot of time in front of the mirror, looking for wrinkles that weren't there before. When the worry over old age became too much for me, I'd think about visiting a plastic surgeon.
如果我是個台灣明星, 我應該會很擔心變老. 我每天可能花很長的時間看鏡子, 尋找還不存在的皺紋. 當我無法接受變老這件事情的時候, 我就開始找整形外科醫生.
If I was a Taiwanese celebrity, I'd probably star in my own variety show. I'd have a very fake laugh, and I'd use it all the time. Then the other Taiwanese celebrities and I would play silly games together, and it would look really fun - even though it wasn't. 如果我是個台灣明星, 我應該會有自己的電視節目. 我會在節目中發出很假的笑聲, 也要笑不停. 然後我會跟其他的明星玩很無聊的遊戲. 我們玩的時候會看起來很開心, 但我心裡卻覺得很不好玩.
If I was a Taiwanese celebrity, I'd probably do interviews for glossy magazines. In the interviews I'd always pretend to know what I was talking about, even if the questions asked by the interviewers confused me. 如果我是個台灣明星, 我應該會接受有水準的雜誌的訪問. 談話的時候我會假裝自己知道自己在講什麼, 但其實我不太懂記者問的問題.
If I was a Taiwanese celebrity - and if I was cheating on my wife or husband - I'd wear sunglasses and baggy clothes when my lover and I visited the night market. Then, when someone recognized me, I'd act surprised and pretend that nothing was going on. "What are you talking about?" I would protest, "We're just friends!" 如果我是個台灣明星 - 如果我想有婚外情 - 我跟情人逛夜市的時候會戴太陽眼鏡和穿寬大的衣服. 當路邊的人發現我是誰的時候, 我就會很驚訝地說我們兩個不是情人, 只是朋友而已.
If I was a Taiwanese celebrity, I'd probably complain about being a Taiwanese celebrity. I'd complain about the cost of skin care products, I'd complain about the cost of my Canadian house, I'd complain about growing older, I'd complain about my variety show, I'd complain about the boring interviews I had to do, and I'd complain about the press invading my personal life. 如果我是個台灣明星, 我應該會抱怨在台灣當明星很麻煩. 我會抱怨護膚商品很貴, 加拿大的房子也很貴, 變老很不方便, 上電視節目很麻煩, 跟記者談話很無聊, 還有抱怨記者讓大家知道我的私生活.
Then maybe I'd hear that I got a part in a big, new movie, or that I'd just been selected to endorse a new skin cream, or that my CD sold another 100 thousand copies in China. And I'd forget about all my troubles - and be happy - for a while. 之後我也許會聽到自己得到一個重要的電影的角色, 或者是因為要推銷新的護膚商品, 或是我在中國賣了10萬張的CD. 然後我就會忘了所有的問題 - 就很高興 - 一下子.
10. Far Away Home 遠離家園 (October 2015)
The other day I attended a wedding party in Chang Bin Township, not far from Hualien County. In case you're not familiar with Taitung County, Chang Bin is FAR from where I live - about two hours by car. 上周末我去花蓮縣附近的長濱鄉喝喜酒. 可能你對台東縣不太清楚, 長濱離我家很遠 - 開車過去要差不多兩個小時.
Towards the end of the evening I found myself sitting in a group of local people, some of whom are members of the bride's family. We were passing a glass of beer back and forth, and a couple of them were asking me about my life in Taiwan. 太陽下山的時候, 我和一群當地居民坐在一起. 他們當中有一 , 二個新娘的家人. 我們一起傳喝一杯啤酒, 其中二個新朋友問我我在台灣的生活情形.
After a while the subject turned to their lives in that part of Taiwan. As it turned out, the guy sitting to my left managed the campground we were sitting in, while the guy on my right had a job in Taoyuan County. The guy who works in Taoyuan said he enjoys his visits back home, but he isn't able to come back so often. They work long hours in his factory, and the trip back to Chang Bin takes a long time. 過沒多久, 我們談話的主題就轉為他們住在那裡的生活情形. 坐我左邊的人就是那個露營區的主人. 坐我右邊的人則在桃園上班. 在桃園上班的先生說他很喜歡回到家鄉來, 只是這種機會不多. 因為他在工廠上班的時間很長, 而且回長濱的路程需要很久的時間.
The guy with the job in Taoyuan reminded me of other guys I've known around Taitung County. Finding a job in this county isn't easy, and for those who grow up in small villages it's just about impossible. Some of them come to Taitung City to work. Others go to places like Kaohsiung, Tainan, and Taipei. They generally hope to return to their villages when they're older, though it doesn't always work out that way. 在桃園上班的這位先生讓我想起其他住在台東的人. 在台東找工作不簡單, 尤其是從小住在小村子裡的人. 有的人會到台東市上班. 有的人則要去高雄, 台南或台北那種大都市工作. 他們大部分希望老的時候可以回去住在家鄉裡, 可是他們不一定都能夠如願.
Sometimes it isn't even work that pulls people away. My wife is teaching at the Sports Junior High this year, and many of her students come from places as far away as Da Ren and Cheng Gong. These students couldn't find the right schools in their hometowns, so they had to move into Taitung City. After they graduate they'll probably also look for work in other places - places offering higher pay, better benefits, or even just a change of scenery. 不只是工作讓人離開家鄉. 今年我太太在體中教書. 她有很多學生從達仁, 成功遠地而來. 他們在自己的家鄉找不到適合的學校, 所以只好來到台東市. 他們畢業之後可能也會在外縣市找工作. 因為這樣可以得到比較高的薪水, 比較好的工作福利, 或是比較合適的環境.
Not that they're the only ones in this situation. What are guys like me, after all? I also left my own "village" to work in a place far away, even if it wasn't exactly a lack of opportunity that drove me here. I, like them, was also looking for something my hometown wasn't offering, and I, like them, make the journey back "home" when I can. I'm not saying that I deal with the same kind of obstacles that someone growing up in Chang Bin has to contend with, but there are some similarities. 還有其他人也有這種狀況. 像我一樣的人呢? 好像也是. 我也離開我的"村莊"搬來到很遠的地方. 差別是我來台不是因為家鄉的工作機會很少. 我跟他們一樣尋找著家鄉沒有的東西. 我跟他們一樣, 在家鄉的工作機會比較不穩定. 我的意思不是說我生活中所面對的問題跟長濱人一樣, 只是有許多相似的地方.
Anyway, it was good talking to those guys and learning more about them. It's not often that I'm up in Chang Bin, and it's not often that I talk to people there. It was good to hear their stories, and it was good to know that - in some ways - I'm not so different from them. Their village might be far away from mine, but we share many of the same struggles, and we all miss home on occasion. 反正我很高興認識長濱那邊的新朋友, 也很高興有機會多了解他們的生活方式. 我不常去長濱, 所以跟他們聊天的機會很少. 我喜歡聽他們的生活故事, 也很感動於我們相似的情況. 他們的家鄉離我家很遠, 可是我們面對的困難有許多是一樣的. 他們也跟我一樣有時很懷念家鄉.
Please forgive me if I don't translate this into Chinese. I have a lot on my mind right now, and translating this into another language just seems like saying the same thing twice. If you're having trouble with any of this, feel free to ask me about it in the comment section below.
So I won an award today. This award was for serving the Taitung County Government for nine years as an English teacher. Starting in 2006, I worked at Tung Hai Junior High School for two years, and then transferred to Tung Hai Elementary School - where I still work - for an additional seven years. I've worked in some other places besides, but Tung Hai JHS and ES were my main jobs.
To be honest, I was kind of depressed when I found out that I'd be receiving this award. It is, after all, an award for nine years. Nine years is a long time, and it made me a little sad to think about how much older I am now, how much time has passed, and how fast my kids are growing up. Of course I understood nine years as an achievement, but when I was informed about the award my first thought was that time is always marching on relentlessly. I realize that this is a pessimistic kind of argument, but I'm just trying to explain the feeling.
Added to this feeling was the idea that I didn't really deserve the award at all. If you are familiar with public school teaching in Taiwan, you will know that most Taiwanese teachers only receive this award when they are ten years in, not nine like me. The awards are thus ordered by decade, with citations offered for ten, twenty, thirty, and forty years. There is also another award for teachers who are retiring, which I suppose is the greatest award of all.
Yet for me and one other teacher, the two longest-serving foreign teachers in Taitung County, there was a special award created. In Chinese, this award is referred to as the 外籍教師特別貢獻獎, or "special achievement award for foreign teachers." Both myself and the other teacher have been here nine years, and this, along with our status as foreign teachers, prompted the special designation.
Now I could be cynical about the whole thing and say: "Hey, they only gave me this award because I'm a foreigner, and I've been here the longest!" I could bemoan the fact that true merit is rarely rewarded, and that an award for being a foreigner and having been around the longest fails to recognize how well (or how badly) I do my job. I could also argue that the Taitung County Government is now promoting "International Education" in Taitung, and the award I received was part of this promotional effort.
But then again, the Taiwanese people receiving awards could have done exactly the same thing. This is the problem with large organizations (like county governments) giving people awards - the awards are of necessity generalized, and often miss the individual contributions of those awarded. What, for instance, if I had done my job for ten years, but everyone knew I was a terrible teacher? Or what if I had revolutionized the teaching of English in Taitung County, yet I was only rewarded with the same piece of paper as someone who'd been wasting space for the same length of time? Awards are always going to disappoint some people, and the larger the group of people, the larger the possibility of that award losing its intended value.
So yes, I won an award, and I'm happy to take it at face value. In other words, I'm happy to accept it. Maybe they did just give it to me because I was a foreigner. Maybe they did give it to me for self-serving reasons. But awards are often like that, and the reasons and motivations behind any award won't bear close inspection.
So even though I haven't been here ten years yet, and even though my years of service make me feel old, I have been around, and being recognized for it is enough. I don't need to look into the reasons behind my award, because in the end they don't matter. And besides, maybe my winning the award actually does have something to do with my doing a good job.
Nine years is a long time. Yes it makes me feel old, but I'm satisfied with the encouragement and appreciation I've received during all this time. It tells me I'm wanted here. It tells me that I'm part of something. It also reminds me of the more personal congratulations I received after the awards ceremony, and these, in themselves, were enough. I know that there are people still happy to have me around, and for their sakes I will try to do the best I can.
And besides doing your best for those you care for, what else is there?
7. Restaurants I Like in Taitung County 我在台東縣喜歡的餐廳 (September 2015)
The restaurants listed below are not necessarily my favorite. They are, rather, the restaurants I visit often, and the reasons I visit them often vary. Some of them are just open all the time. Others are conveniently located. Still others really are my favorites. 以下介紹的餐廳不一定都是我最喜歡的. 它們只是我常常去的餐廳, 我常去的理由有很多, 有時是因為他們天天開門做生意, 有些則是地點很方便, 有些就真是我最喜歡的.
Oh and sorry, foreign people. These restaurants don't have English names - or even names written alphabetically! 我要跟外國朋友道歉. 這些餐廳都沒有英文名字, 也沒有英文拼音的名字喔!
1. He Nan Wei Beef Noodles 河南味牛肉麵
There are two of these in Taitung City. The one I go to is on Shin Sheng Road, right across from Shin Sheng Junior High School, and the other is on Jung Hua Road, near the Tai Ping Bridge. They sell beef noodles, lu wei (not sure how to say that in English), and a few other things. 台東市有兩家. 我去的是新生路上, 位於新生國中對面的, 可是還有一家在中華路上, 靠近太平橋. 他們賣牛肉麵跟滷味. 也賣些其他的餐點.
2. Wan Jia Shiang 萬家鄉
This is a stir-fry restaurant on Jung Shan Road, not far from the big police station and the Taitung County Government. Their dumplings are very good, and everything there is served fast. Their hue guo rho is probably my favorite. 這是中山路上的快炒餐廳. 靠近大警察局跟台東縣政府. 他們的餃子很好吃, 上菜的速度也很快. 他們的回鍋肉是我吃過最好吃的.
3. Dong Jer Yuan 東之園
This is a lunchbox restaurant down the street from my apartment building. It's on Chuan Guang Road, not far from Bao Sang Junior High School, and I eat there very often. They sell out very quickly, and if you plan on eating dinner there it's best to walk in before six. I think their fried chicken is the best. 這家便當店靠近我家. 他們在傳廣路上, 離寶桑國中很近. 我常常吃他們的便當. 他們的生意很好, 常常很早就賣完, 如果要在那裡買晚餐的話, 六點前去比較好. 我覺得他們的炸雞是最好吃的.
4. Tong Fa Shuen Seafood Restaurant 同發順鮮海產
This restaurant is WAY south of Taitung City, in Da Wu Township, on Highway 9. Their seafood is very fresh, and the people that work there are very nice. Definitely my favorite seafood place in Taitung County. 這家餐廳離台東市很遠. 在台九線上, 位於南邊的大武鄉. 他們的海產很新鮮, 那邊的工作人員也很熱心. 這是我在台東最喜歡的海鮮餐廳.
5. Yuan Shr Village 原始部落
This restaurant is in Li Jia, a small village northeast of Taitung City. This place is kind of touristy, but their food is good and the view at night is amazing. They sell a mixture of aboriginal and Chinese food. Not easy to find, but its worth the effort. 這家餐廳在台東市東北邊的利嘉小村. 有時候這裡的觀光客很多, 那邊的食物跟夜景都很好. 他們的餐點有中式的也有原民式的. 只是這家餐廳比較不好找, 但是來過後會覺得很值得.
6. Chen Hong Shin Pork Noodles 陳紅心豬肉麵
This place is on Chuan Guang Road, not far from the Triangle Park. I think they are kind of famous now, but when I started going there they weren't nearly so popular. Their minced pork with rice is my favorite. They also sell noodles and lu wei. 這家在傳廣路上, 靠近三角公園. 他們最近比較有名, 我剛開始去的時候他們的名氣沒那麼高. 我最喜歡他們的滷肉飯. 他們也賣麵跟滷味.
7. Yi Pin Wu Japanese Restaurant 儀品屋日式簡餐
This place is on Geng Sheng Road, not far from the Jeng Yi Hardware store on the big intersection of Chuan Guang Road and Geng Sheng. Their kimchi noodles and pork cutlet with rice are both very good. This is one of the newer restaurants in Taitung City. 這家在更生路上, 靠近傳廣路跟更生路的正一百貨. 他們的泡菜拉麵跟排骨飯都很好吃. 這家在台東是新餐廳.
8. Ba Fang Yun Ji Dumplings 八方雲集
There are two of these restaurants in Taitung, and this is also a chain restaurant that can be found all over the island. One of their restaurants is near the intersection of Shin Sheng Road and Jung Hua Road, and the other is on Chuan Guang Road. I eat here often. It's cheap, it's fast, and they have air-conditioning. I only wish they still had the "European style" dumplings. I loved those! 台東有兩家分店. 有一家靠近新生路跟中華路的路口, 還有一家在傳廣路上. 我常常在傳廣路這邊吃餃子. 這家又便宜, 又快, 又有冷氣. 我希望他們還會繼續做歐式餃子. 那種是我最愛的!
And those are some restaurants I like. What about you? What restaurants do you like? 這些餐廳我都喜歡. 你呢? 你喜歡什麼餐廳?
8. American Politics 美國政治 (October 2015)
I'm no expert on American politics. Most of what I know comes from Google News, or from conversations with friends and family. I also hear things from other Americans living in Taitung. 我不是美國政治的專家. 我知道的部分大多是從Google新聞來的, 或是從親戚朋友間的談話. 有時候也是住台東的美國朋友給我的消息.
I try to stay informed on the subject, but it's not easy. I usually know what's going on with the President of Taiwan, and I usually know what's going on with the mayor of Taipei, but about American politics I am far less certain. President Obama rarely makes the front page of the Apple Daily. 我要知道最新的美國新聞有點困難. 我常常看到台灣總統的最新消息. 也常常看到台北市長的消息, 可是關於美國的政治新聞我知道的不多. 因為蘋果日報的頭版新聞沒有歐巴馬.
Some of my American friends in Taitung are obsessed with our home country's politics. Any conversation with them veers toward that subject. I do my best to keep up with their opinions on Obama, the Republicans, or even the New World Order, but there are times when I have trouble keeping up with the conversation. 有的在台東的美國朋友很關心我們本國的政治. 每次跟他們聊天都會談到政治問題. 我盡力了解他們對歐巴馬, 共和黨, 或是"New World Order" (世界新秩序)的所有意見, 可是我有時候不太懂他們的意思.
A lot of the recent talk is about the upcoming U.S. Presidential elections. President Obama, having served two terms, is on his way out, and it seems likely that Hillary Clinton will replace him. I don't really have a problem with Hillary Clinton, aside from the fact that she represents the forces of political correctness everywhere. She also ranks low in terms of personality. Of course personality ought not be the chief qualification for U.S. President, but to be honest I wish she had more of it. 最近很多人談的是即將到來的美國總統選舉. 歐巴馬總統的第二任期快滿了, 之後希拉蕊·克林頓很可能成為下一任總統. 我對她沒什麼意見, 我只是覺得她很重視政治上的正確性, 不是很有自己的個性. 當然對總統來說個性不是最重要的, 只是我個人希望她有多點自己的風格.
Then again, she's not half as scary as Donald Trump. Donald Trump hopes to win the Republican nomination, and in case you weren't aware he's also a massive idiot. What scares me most is that a lot of Americans actually identify with this guy. 而且希拉蕊·克林頓沒有唐納德·特朗普那麼恐怖. 特朗普想被共和黨選上. 但他也是一個大笨蛋. 最恐怖的是很多美國人覺得他是個很有能力的人.
I've also heard that Joe Biden, the current Vice President, is thinking about running. I like this guy a lot more than Hillary Clinton, but I'll refrain from supporting him until I know what he's about. As it is, I'm clueless as to his position on anything. 我也聽說目前的副總統拜登要參選. 我覺得他比希拉蕊·克林頓好很多, 可是我現在沒辦法支持他, 因為我不知道他將推出什麼政策.
Aside from the above, I've heard that the U.S. Government might have to shut down again. This has happened several times already, and it's becoming depressingly familiar to those who follow American politics. You would think that the U.S. Government - one of the most powerful in the world - would have enough wherewithal to function properly, but apparently it doesn't work that way. 除了總統選舉這件事之外, 我還聽說美國政府可能會停止運作一段時間. 這種事已經發生過幾次了, 也讓很多人失望. 大家都認為美國政府(世界上最有力的政府)會有足夠的錢維持它的運作. 但明顯的是它並不是這樣.
I can only hope that the U.S. Government doesn't have to shut down. I can only hope we'll get a President less stupid that Bush Jr., and I can only hope that the next President will be (slightly) more effectual than Obama. Not that I'm blaming anybody. I voted for him the first time. 我希望美國政府不用停止運作. 我希望下一個美國總統不是像小布希那麼笨. 我也希望下一個總統比歐巴馬有能力. 我不是在怪任何人. 當時歐巴馬當選的選票中也有我的那一票!
9. If I Was a Taiwanese Celebrity... 如果我是個台灣明星... (October 2015)
If I was a Taiwanese celebrity, I'd probably spend a lot of money on skin care products. Maybe I'd even star in commercials for the skin care products I used, and they would give me extra skin care products for free! 如果我是個台灣的明星, 我應該會花很多錢買護膚產品. 可能我會為自己用的護膚產品作廣告, 然後他們會送我很多免費的護膚產品.
If I was a Taiwanese celebrity, I'd probably own another house in Canada. In my house there would be a swimming pool and an exercise room, and I'd have an expensive car parked in my garage.
如果我是個台灣明星, 我應該會在加拿大再買一棟房子. 那棟房子會有游泳池跟健身房, 還有很貴的車停在車庫裡.
If I was a Taiwanese celebrity, I'd probably worry about growing older. I'd spend a lot of time in front of the mirror, looking for wrinkles that weren't there before. When the worry over old age became too much for me, I'd think about visiting a plastic surgeon.
如果我是個台灣明星, 我應該會很擔心變老. 我每天可能花很長的時間看鏡子, 尋找還不存在的皺紋. 當我無法接受變老這件事情的時候, 我就開始找整形外科醫生.
If I was a Taiwanese celebrity, I'd probably star in my own variety show. I'd have a very fake laugh, and I'd use it all the time. Then the other Taiwanese celebrities and I would play silly games together, and it would look really fun - even though it wasn't. 如果我是個台灣明星, 我應該會有自己的電視節目. 我會在節目中發出很假的笑聲, 也要笑不停. 然後我會跟其他的明星玩很無聊的遊戲. 我們玩的時候會看起來很開心, 但我心裡卻覺得很不好玩.
If I was a Taiwanese celebrity, I'd probably do interviews for glossy magazines. In the interviews I'd always pretend to know what I was talking about, even if the questions asked by the interviewers confused me. 如果我是個台灣明星, 我應該會接受有水準的雜誌的訪問. 談話的時候我會假裝自己知道自己在講什麼, 但其實我不太懂記者問的問題.
If I was a Taiwanese celebrity - and if I was cheating on my wife or husband - I'd wear sunglasses and baggy clothes when my lover and I visited the night market. Then, when someone recognized me, I'd act surprised and pretend that nothing was going on. "What are you talking about?" I would protest, "We're just friends!" 如果我是個台灣明星 - 如果我想有婚外情 - 我跟情人逛夜市的時候會戴太陽眼鏡和穿寬大的衣服. 當路邊的人發現我是誰的時候, 我就會很驚訝地說我們兩個不是情人, 只是朋友而已.
If I was a Taiwanese celebrity, I'd probably complain about being a Taiwanese celebrity. I'd complain about the cost of skin care products, I'd complain about the cost of my Canadian house, I'd complain about growing older, I'd complain about my variety show, I'd complain about the boring interviews I had to do, and I'd complain about the press invading my personal life. 如果我是個台灣明星, 我應該會抱怨在台灣當明星很麻煩. 我會抱怨護膚商品很貴, 加拿大的房子也很貴, 變老很不方便, 上電視節目很麻煩, 跟記者談話很無聊, 還有抱怨記者讓大家知道我的私生活.
Then maybe I'd hear that I got a part in a big, new movie, or that I'd just been selected to endorse a new skin cream, or that my CD sold another 100 thousand copies in China. And I'd forget about all my troubles - and be happy - for a while. 之後我也許會聽到自己得到一個重要的電影的角色, 或者是因為要推銷新的護膚商品, 或是我在中國賣了10萬張的CD. 然後我就會忘了所有的問題 - 就很高興 - 一下子.
10. Far Away Home 遠離家園 (October 2015)
The other day I attended a wedding party in Chang Bin Township, not far from Hualien County. In case you're not familiar with Taitung County, Chang Bin is FAR from where I live - about two hours by car. 上周末我去花蓮縣附近的長濱鄉喝喜酒. 可能你對台東縣不太清楚, 長濱離我家很遠 - 開車過去要差不多兩個小時.
Towards the end of the evening I found myself sitting in a group of local people, some of whom are members of the bride's family. We were passing a glass of beer back and forth, and a couple of them were asking me about my life in Taiwan. 太陽下山的時候, 我和一群當地居民坐在一起. 他們當中有一 , 二個新娘的家人. 我們一起傳喝一杯啤酒, 其中二個新朋友問我我在台灣的生活情形.
After a while the subject turned to their lives in that part of Taiwan. As it turned out, the guy sitting to my left managed the campground we were sitting in, while the guy on my right had a job in Taoyuan County. The guy who works in Taoyuan said he enjoys his visits back home, but he isn't able to come back so often. They work long hours in his factory, and the trip back to Chang Bin takes a long time. 過沒多久, 我們談話的主題就轉為他們住在那裡的生活情形. 坐我左邊的人就是那個露營區的主人. 坐我右邊的人則在桃園上班. 在桃園上班的先生說他很喜歡回到家鄉來, 只是這種機會不多. 因為他在工廠上班的時間很長, 而且回長濱的路程需要很久的時間.
The guy with the job in Taoyuan reminded me of other guys I've known around Taitung County. Finding a job in this county isn't easy, and for those who grow up in small villages it's just about impossible. Some of them come to Taitung City to work. Others go to places like Kaohsiung, Tainan, and Taipei. They generally hope to return to their villages when they're older, though it doesn't always work out that way. 在桃園上班的這位先生讓我想起其他住在台東的人. 在台東找工作不簡單, 尤其是從小住在小村子裡的人. 有的人會到台東市上班. 有的人則要去高雄, 台南或台北那種大都市工作. 他們大部分希望老的時候可以回去住在家鄉裡, 可是他們不一定都能夠如願.
Sometimes it isn't even work that pulls people away. My wife is teaching at the Sports Junior High this year, and many of her students come from places as far away as Da Ren and Cheng Gong. These students couldn't find the right schools in their hometowns, so they had to move into Taitung City. After they graduate they'll probably also look for work in other places - places offering higher pay, better benefits, or even just a change of scenery. 不只是工作讓人離開家鄉. 今年我太太在體中教書. 她有很多學生從達仁, 成功遠地而來. 他們在自己的家鄉找不到適合的學校, 所以只好來到台東市. 他們畢業之後可能也會在外縣市找工作. 因為這樣可以得到比較高的薪水, 比較好的工作福利, 或是比較合適的環境.
Not that they're the only ones in this situation. What are guys like me, after all? I also left my own "village" to work in a place far away, even if it wasn't exactly a lack of opportunity that drove me here. I, like them, was also looking for something my hometown wasn't offering, and I, like them, make the journey back "home" when I can. I'm not saying that I deal with the same kind of obstacles that someone growing up in Chang Bin has to contend with, but there are some similarities. 還有其他人也有這種狀況. 像我一樣的人呢? 好像也是. 我也離開我的"村莊"搬來到很遠的地方. 差別是我來台不是因為家鄉的工作機會很少. 我跟他們一樣尋找著家鄉沒有的東西. 我跟他們一樣, 在家鄉的工作機會比較不穩定. 我的意思不是說我生活中所面對的問題跟長濱人一樣, 只是有許多相似的地方.
Anyway, it was good talking to those guys and learning more about them. It's not often that I'm up in Chang Bin, and it's not often that I talk to people there. It was good to hear their stories, and it was good to know that - in some ways - I'm not so different from them. Their village might be far away from mine, but we share many of the same struggles, and we all miss home on occasion. 反正我很高興認識長濱那邊的新朋友, 也很高興有機會多了解他們的生活方式. 我不常去長濱, 所以跟他們聊天的機會很少. 我喜歡聽他們的生活故事, 也很感動於我們相似的情況. 他們的家鄉離我家很遠, 可是我們面對的困難有許多是一樣的. 他們也跟我一樣有時很懷念家鄉.
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