2022年4月25日 星期一

Dino, But Not Going Anywhere


The author of this blog, on his way to work one morning, was kidnapped by Dino, Danny, Owen, Niki and Irene from the Dino on the Go! textbook series.  The four deranged children and their pet dinosaur placed the author in an aluminum shack adjacent to a pineapple field, where they interrogated him over the course of several days.

Day One, 7:35 A.M.

1. Where were you yesterday?

It depends on what time of day we're discussing.  In the early morning I was in our apartment in Taitung.  After that I was at one of the Taitung McDonald's eating breakfast.  After that I was in the Taitung immigration office, renewing my ARC, and after that I was at the Danti Hot Spring in Jinluen.  After that I was in the house we're renting in Fangliao.  It was a busy day.

2. What did you do yesterday?

As I just said I ate breakfast, renewed my ARC and drove around a lot.  Why are you so confrontational, Danny?  Is it because most of the third graders spell your name wrong?  Oh, and I also read part of a novel, 2312, before going to bed.

3. What's your favorite season?

I don't think I have a favorite season in Taiwan.  Spring?  Not really.  Summer?  Not really.  I like that 1-2 month period when the weather turns warmer, but not the months that are truly hot.  I like sunshine for sure.  I get depressed on cloudy days.

If we're talking about Seattle, where I'm from, I'd definitely go with summer.  Getting through winter and spring in that part of North America can be a struggle.  When the sun finally does come out there it feels glorious.

4. How much is the T-shirt?

Niki, please get that T-shirt out of my face.  I don't know.  I get all of my T-shirts from either schools where I work or half marathons I join.  I haven't bought a T-shirt in a long time.

Day Two, 10:34 P.M.

Can you loosen the ropes, please?  I'm losing the feeling in my arms.

5. Where are you from?

I'm from Seattle, Washington, in the U.S.A.  I also spent a lot of my childhood in Bay City, Oregon, where my grandma lived until her death in the early 90s.

I think if you asked my mother where she's from she'd say Montana.  Maybe Illinois?  My dad's from Seattle, and aside from a trip he took to the U.K. in the 1970s I don't think he's lived anywhere else.

6. How do you go to school?

It depends on the day.  On Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays I ride a bike to either Fangliao or Yuguang elementary school.  On Wednesdays I ride a scooter to Fangliao in the morning, ride it Yuguang for my English club after lunch, and at 4 o'clock I ride home.  It's too far between my house and the two schools for a bike ride to be practical that day.

Sometimes I have a class at Nanzhou Junior High School on Saturday morning.  When I have that class I drive a car.  Riding a scooter between Fangliao and Nanzhou is exhausting.

7. What do you do after school?

On Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays I read a book.  I also go running on Tuesday and Thursday evening.  On Wednesdays I watch a movie.  This semester all the movies I've seen have been from the 1970s.  On Fridays I drink beer in combination with whatever else I'm doing.

8. What time do you get up?

I think you know what time I get up, Owen.  The five of you were here, waiting for me, while I was on my way to work.

I usually get up at 6:30.  I sometimes hate this about myself, but my body is like an alarm clock, and it always wakes me up if I have something to do the next day.  You could tell me that I have somewhere I need to be at 5 A.M. the following day, and I'd probably wake up at 4:30 the following morning without meaning to.

Day Three, 11:22 A.M.

9. What day is today?

Please turn the hose off, Irene.  I'll answer any questions.  Just no more hose.

Today is...  Today is...  I dunno, I've been in here for too long.  I think it's Thursday?

10. What do you want for dinner?

If you let me go, we're having dinner in Chaozhou tonight.  I'm not sure what I want to eat up there.  I'm tired of the hot pot, and also tired of the pizza.  Ditto for McDonald's, which is never that good anyway.  If I had to pick right now I'd pick steak.

11. Do you have PE class on Monday?

No, I'm an English teacher.  Come on, guys!  You know that!  That's how we know each other, remember?  Dino on the Go?  Grades 4 to 6?  We've known each other for so many years already!  Why are you pretending?

12. Whose cap is this?

It's my cap.  I wear it to school every day.  It keeps the sun out of my eyes when I'm riding down the hill from my house.

Day Four, 3:14 P.M.

13. How's the weather?

It's cloudy today.  We're at that turning point between spring and summer.  The weather can't decide if it wants to be hot with clear skies or hot/humid with occasional rain.  My eyes often feel dry and itchy.  I can't tell if it's an allergy or just the weather.  I had the same feeling this time last year, but it was much worse then.

14. Where are you going?

I'm not going anywhere.  You guys have tied me to a chair!  Can I go, please?

15. How many lions are there?

I don't see any lions.  All I see is several deranged children and a dinosaur.  I might be hallucinating.

16. What's wrong?

I've been stuck in this shack for four days answering questions from the English textbooks.  I can't get the feeling back in my arms.  Dino looks very hungry, and during the past four days he may have developed an appetite for human flesh.  I just want to go teach my English classes.  Don't worry, while I'm doing so I'll namedrop you guys as much as possible.

Day Five, 3:00 A.M.

17. What time is it?

I'm trying... I don't know.  It's dark outside.  It might be night or early morning.  I really don't know.  What's the gun for, Niki?  Please, let me go.

18. What are you doing?

I'm not doing anything.  I swear, I don't know why you brought me here.  Is it because I sometimes also use the Follow Me and Here We Go textbooks?  That really wasn't my decision.  It was the school's.  You guys are the best, really.  Please let me go.  We can switch the third graders back to Dino on the Go next year.  I promise.

19. Where are you?

I'm in Jiadong.  I know I'm in Jiadong.  I can hear the highway.  I can hear those dogs that live in the cemetery on the other side of the field.  Niki---  I swear, please put the gun away.  I won't tell anyone.  I'll be good, I'll be so good.  You'll see.

20. Where's my kite?

I don't know about any kite.  I---

Wait a second, do you hear that?  The police are here!  They found me!  WHERE'S YOUR CELL PHONE, Danny?  Did you lose track of it somewhere?  Ha ha ha, you guys are in for it, now!  We're here!  We're here!  We're here!

We're---

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Postscript: Did the author of this blog survive the police raid?  Did Dino, Danny, Owen, Niki and Irene pay for their crimes?  Will Taiwan's "Bilingual Nation 2030" be achieved?  For the answers the these and other questions visit next week, where the truth will be revealed!
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2022年4月17日 星期日

Hengchun Municipality, Pingtung County 屏東縣恆春鎮遊記


Hengchun Municipality is south of Checheng and Manzhou townships. 恆春鎮位於車城鄉 和 滿州鄉南部 。

Many people equate Hengchun with "Kenting," but the two places aren't the same.  A lot of Kenting National Park is in Hengchun, but the national park boundaries also encompass parts of Checheng and Manzhou townships.  Kenting Village (墾丁里), where you'll find Kenting's famous night market, is in Hengchun, but this is a small part of the larger municipality. 很多人以為恆春跟墾丁是同一個地方 ， 其實不然 。 墾丁國家公園大部分位在恆春 ， 可是它還有部分面積位於車城鄉跟滿州鄉 。  有名的墾丁大街觀光夜市在恆春鎮墾丁里 , 而這個里只是恆春的一小部分。

Hengchun has an interesting history.  It's too much to go into here, but the Rover Incident, the construction of Hengchun's old city, and other other bits of local history are worth investigating. 恆春的歷史很有趣 ，  只是沒辦法在這裡介紹完這麼長久的歷史。 當地的羅發號事件 及 恆春古城的歷史都值得探索瞭解。

According to the last census, there are 30,049 people living in Hengchun Municipality. 上次的人口統計顯示 ， 恆春鎮的人口是30,049人 。


This is Banana Bay, between Kenting's night market area and the Uluanbi Lighthouse. 這是位於墾丁大街 和 鵝鑾鼻燈塔間的香蕉灣 .


Maobitou, or "Cat's Nose Head."  And yes, they do have some cats there. 貓鼻頭 .  這裡確實也有些貓 .


"Lords of the Three Mountains" temple in central Hengchun.  There's a trail along the coral behind it. 恆春市區中的三山國王廟 。  廟宇後面的珊瑚礁上有條步道 .


Near the Shaniao ("Sand Bird") Ecological Conservation Area. 在砂鳥生態保護區附近 。


Longpan Park, past the Uluanbi Lighthouse.  That's Jialeshui in Manzhou on the other side of the bay. 鵝鑾鼻燈塔另外一邊的龍磐公園 。  海灣的另外一邊是滿州鄉的佳樂水 。


Same area, but a little further north. 同一個地方，往北一點點 。


Same spot, just further down toward the ocean. 同一個地方 , 比較靠近下面的沙灘 .


Wanlitong, on the other side of the municipality.  It's a famous diving destination. 恆春的另外一邊的萬里桐 ，它是個有名的潛水景點。


Not far from the nuclear power plant is Houbihu Port.離核電廠不遠的後壁湖 。


East of Houbihu Port, on the way to Nanwan, is the Sisal Industrial History Exhibition Area.  Sisal is a plant brought to Taiwan from Mexico.  It was used to make rope. 從後壁湖開車往南灣會經過瓊麻工業歷史展示館 。 瓊麻是一種從墨西哥引進來的植物 ， 早期是用來做繩子的。

This place is very close to the Longluan Lake Nature Center. 這裡也很靠近龍鑾潭自然中心 。


Nanwan, possibly Taiwan's most famous beach.  I avoid this place during big holiday weekends, but at other times it's OK. 南灣可能是全臺灣最有名的海灘 .  我會避免連假的時候來這裡， 其他的時間來還ok。


The Yoho Beach Resort.  It's getting pretty old now, but it's still a good destination if you have kids. 悠活度假村 。 部分地方顯得老舊， 可是很適合帶孩子來這裡玩 。


Stone lion across from the Yoho.  Next to this temple is the Axin Chocolate Farm. 悠活對面的獅象 。  這所廟隔壁是阿信巧克力農場 。


Turtle Rock, which can be found atop Guan Mountain.  Most people only visit this place on New Year's Eve, but the view from the top is great on any clear day. 關山上的福靈龜 。 很多觀光客來這裡跨年。 這裡天氣好時風景很漂亮 。


Hengchun's East Gate.  Hengchun's old city wall is the best preserved in Taiwan. 恆春的東門 。 恆春古城牆是臺灣保存最完整的古城遺跡 。


Sheding Nature Park is on the hill above "Kenting Village."  The views from this park are great, but be prepared for HEAT in the summer. 墾丁里後面的山丘上有社頂自然公園 。 那裏風景很好 ，只是夏天的時候很熱 。

Related Entries 相關的文章:


Coastal Pingtung, from West to East... 從西到東 , 屏東的海岸 :


...and North Up the Coast of Taitung 繼續往台東的海岸 :

Shiao Ye Liou 小野柳 / Jia Lu Lan 加路蘭

Pingtung's Three Municipalities 屏東三個鎮 :


NOTE 1: I wouldn't even call it "Kenting Village."  里 works for "village" in some instances, but in this context I don't think so.  All that land north of Highway 26, and most of it within the confines of Kenting National Park.  I have trouble seeing this as a "village."

NOTE 2: Places worth visiting that WEREN'T discussed in this entry: Baisha, Kenting National Park's Forest Recreation Area (just north of Sheding Nature Park), Sailboat Rock, and the main beach in front of the Howard Prince Hotel.  I've been to all these places, but my pictures of them are so far back into Google Photos that I couldn't even find them.

NOTE 3: Some of those entries for Taitung will get moved to the Blog Archive for Taiwan Style soon.  Don't be surprised if you're reading this at a later date and some of them have disappeared!
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2022年4月11日 星期一

Taiwan 101: The Superstores


I'm never exactly sure what to call them, but you know what I mean, right?  The chain stores, something between the local hardware store and the Sogo.  They're not fancy like Sogo, and they tend to be wide where Sogo is tall.  You could call them department stores - they certainly have departments - but they're not upscale in the way department stores are upscale.

When I was a little boy in Oregon we had a store called Coronet.  It was about fifteen minutes from the other, smaller town where my grandma lived.  My grandma often referred to this place as a "variety store," and maybe that's what it was.  Maybe Carrefour, RT Mart and A.Mart are also variety stores.  I'm not sure.

Coronet, by the way, was eventually killed off by Fred Meyer, Oregon's biggest retailer.  In case you're not from the Pacific Northwest, Fred Meyer is an upmarket version of Walmart.  Fred Meyers are more of an urban thing where I'm from, while Walmarts tend to be found outside of major cities.

Wikipedia says: "Fred Meyer is a chain of hypermarket superstores."  In the Walmart entry it goes on to say: "Walmart Inc. is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, or other businesses."

OK then, hypermarkets.  Or superstores.  Or supercenters.  Whatever they're called, Carrefour, RT Mart and A.Mart are the Taiwanese version of Walmart.  Or Fred Meyer.  Or the Great Canadian Superstore.  Anyway, you get the picture.

Those living in Taiwan for any length of time will at some point visit an RT Mart, a Carrefour or an A.Mart.  They're big, multi-level stores (sorry, superstores) that sell everything from broccoli to floor mats for your car.  A lot of what they sell is made in Mainland China, and a lot of what they sell is of relatively low quality.  Every city has several of these stores (sorry, superstores), and they're always in (or adjacent to) an area with high population density.

In Pingtung there are two Carrefours, both located in Pingtung City.  These two Carrefours, both about an hour away from where I live, are the closest superstores to my house.  There are of course other superstores in Kaohsiung City, which is just a little further west.


Superstores (or hypermarkets, or supercenters) are a fact of city life.  If you live anywhere near Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung City, Hualien City or Taitung City you're bound to wind up inside of one eventually.  In Taitung City we did about 50% of our grocery shopping in either Carrefour or RT Mart, with the other 50% done in various local markets.  When we lived in Taichung and Hsinchu we spent an even greater percentage of time shopping in superstores.  In Pingtung County I find myself far away from any superstore, but I do visit the Carrefour south of Pingtung Train Station occasionally.

Carrefour, by the way, is up for sale.  I read somewhere that the Fubon Investment Group was going to buy it, but then heard from a friend that whoever owns PX Mart was the purchaser.  Does the Fubon Investment Group own PX Mart?  I do know that PX Mart recently absorbed the Jason supermarket chain.  Would PX Mart even want to buy Carrefour?

I could probably research these things, but it's Thursday, I'm kinda busy, and I'm honestly not that interested.  One company gobbles up another, and is in turn gobbled up by another company, which was perhaps part of the first company, or is an entirely different company altogether.  Who knows?  I take nothing in the world of corporations at face value.

And in case you're curious, I looked up some more facts. Don't worry, I didn't strain myself doing so.  There are 68 Carrefour hypermarkets (not counting their smaller supermarkets) in Taiwan.  New Taipei City has the most, at 12.  There are 22 RT Marts in Taiwan, and New Taipei City also has the most of those, at 5.  There are 15 A.Marts (formerly known as Geant, even more formerly known as Hyper) in Taiwan, with New Taipei City and Taichung tied at three apiece.

Which one do I favor?  It depends on what I'm buying, and where I am.  In Pingtung I go to Carrefour because that's all there is.  In Taitung I divide my time between Carrefour and RT Mart.  It's more of a hassle to drive to the Taitung City Carrefour from our apartment near the Taitung Train Station, but Carrefour usually has more things that we'd consider buying.  Conversely, it's much easier to drive to the Taitung RT Mart from our apartment, but they usually have fewer things we'd consider buying.

A.Mart?  I haven't been to one in ages.  I went there a lot when we lived in Taichung and Hsinchu, but I haven't lived that far north since 2006.

It's funny to think about it now, but I can still remember my first visit to a superstore in Taiwan, more than 22 years ago.  I was beyond tired, I'd gotten off the plane from the States hours before, and my soon-to-be coworker was dragging me through one of the Taichung Hypers, grilling me over daily essentials I might need.  At the end of that excursion I only bought a bottle of shampoo and a T-shirt.  I then begged her to take me home, where I fell into a fitful sleep soon after.

In 2022 I still visit those places, and while I'm there I either stand dolefully behind my wife as she compares laundry detergent prices, or I wait for my daughters to work their way through the book section.  Occasionally - very occasionally - I even get to drag a new arrival into one of the superstores - someone as fresh off the plane as I was in 1999 - and I can't help but get a kick out of their reaction to both the similarities and the differences between their country's superstores and those in Taiwan.


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NOTE: Hey, what about Costco?  What about Ikea?  What about B&Q?  To be sure, all of these places are also superstores, but there are important differences between them and the three more prevalent superstore chains described above.
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台灣地名故事 Taiwanese Place Name Stories 5


The Chinese text below was taken from "Taiwan Place Name Stories" 台灣地名故事, published by Windmill 三暉圖書發行有限公司 in 2021.  The Chinese text was written by Windmill and the English text was written by me.


Kaohsiung City
高雄市


打狗 (高雄) Dagou (Kaohsiung)

這裡原始平埔族的打狗社所在 , 清朝康熙時 , 正式有漢人移居到現在的旗津 , 以捕魚為生 , 稱為 "旗後莊" .  日治時代將 "打狗" 改為 "高雄" , 沿用到現在 . This was originally the site of the plains-dwelling aborigines' Dagou Settlement.  Han Chinese people didn't move into the area until the reign of Qing Emperor Kangxi, during which time fishermen founded a settlement by the name of Qihou Village where Qijin is now.  During the Japanese Colonial Administration, the old name "Dagou" was changed to the present name, "Kaohsiung."


半路竹 (路竹) Ban ("Half") Luzhu ("Bamboo Road") (Luzhu)

因為以前此地位於大湖街 (今湖內) 與阿公店街 (今岡山) 之間的交通必經之地 , 又在半路上 , 並且有茂盛的竹林 , 所以稱為 "半路竹" . [It was called "Banluzhu"] because it was located along the road, halfway between Dahu Street (present day Hunei) and Agongdian (present day Gangshan).  At this halfway point there was a lush bamboo forest, so people called it "Banluzhu." (1)


彌濃 (美濃) Minong (Meinong)

清朝永正13年 , 有林姓兄弟來此開墾 , 籌建土地伯公廟 , 開基碑文上有 "瀰濃" 等字樣 , 後定庄名為 "瀰濃" , 表示該地以水為源 , 汲用不息 .  甲午戰爭後 , 佔據台灣的日本人因懷念山明水秀的日本故鄉美濃 , 就將 "瀰濃" 改稱為 "美濃" . During the 13th year of Qing Emperor Yongzheng's reign, two brothers surnamed Lin founded a settlement in this area.  They built a Tudigong temple in this place, and on the stone commemorating the temple's construction can be found the words "Minong."  The village that grew around this temple took its name from these words on the stone, and "Minong" was taken to signify the plentiful waters that originated here.  During the Sino-Japanese War, some of the Japanese soldiers stationed in Taiwan began calling the place "Meinong" (or "Mino" in Japanese) out of a sense of nostalgia for their hometown in Japan.


羅漢 (內門) Luohan (Neimen)

平埔族人稱此地為 "羅漢" , 分為 "羅漢內門" 和 "羅漢外門" .  漢人入墾時 , 平埔族人退往 "羅漢外門" .  民國九年 , 刪去 "羅漢" 改稱 "內門" .  The plains-dwelling aborigines called this place "Luohan," and divided it into "Inner Luohan" and "Outer Luohan."  Once Han Chinese began settling in the area, these plains-dwelling aborigines were pushed back toward "Outer Luohan."  During the ninth year of the Republic of China the name "Luohan" was discontinued in favor of "Neimen." (2)


蕃薯寮 (旗山) Fanshu ("Sweet Potato") Liao ("Hut") (Qishan)

康熙年間 , 居住在鳳山地區的漳州人到這裡開墾 , 大都種植蕃薯為生 , 並在此築寮而居 , 所以稱為 "蕃薯寮" .  後來 , 因東北方有旗尾山 , 狀似清代蛟龍旗 , 所以改稱為 "旗山" . During the reign of Emperor Kangxi, migrants from Zhangzhou [in China] came from Fengshan to this area to farm.  Most of them grew sweet potatoes, and lived in huts, so this place came to be called "Sweet Potato Hut."  Later on it came to be called Qishan after Qiwei Mountain to the northeast, which resembles a Jiaolong banner from the Qing Dynasty. (3)


小店仔街 (橋頭) Xiaodiandze ("Little Shop") Street (Ciaotou)

先民來這裡開墾 , 建立村落 , 為了村民與過往商旅的需要 , 開了幾家店舖 , 因而得名 .  灌溉水圳開鑿後 , 建了一座叫作 "橋仔頭" 的橋 , 民國38年 , 正式成立 "橋頭鄉".  The first settlers started farms and established villages here.  To meet the needs of both villagers and traders passing through the area a few shops were opened, and this is where the [old] name comes from.  After an irrigation canal was excavated through the area, a bridge named "Qiaodzetou" ["Bridgehead"] was constructed [over the canal].  In the 38th year of the Republic of China, this area officially became "Ciaotou Township."


援剿 (燕巢) Yuanjiao (Yanchao)

"援剿" 就是支援正規軍 , 剿平亂事的意思 .  鄭成功時代曾在這裡設置兩個援剿營 , 此地因此而得名 .  直到日治時代 , 改成諧音 "燕巢" .  "Yuanjiao" means support for the army and the maintenance of public order.  In the time of Koxinga two military outposts were set up here, and the [old] name comes from these camps.  During the Japanese Colonial Administration, it was changed to "Yanchao" because this is what "Yuanjiao" sounded like to the Japanese.


梓官 Dzeguan

鄭成功時代 , 漳州人王梓和一群人來此開墾 , 其中以王梓家的勢力最大 .  當時對有權勢的人 , 都在其名字下面加個 "官" 字 , 王梓就被稱為 "梓官" , 此地地名即由此而來 . In the time of Koxinga, Wangdze and a group of settlers from Zhangzhou came to the area.  Within this group of settlers Wangdze's family was the most powerful.  At that time the character "guan" was added to the names of influential people, and thus Wangdze came to be called "Dzeguan."  This is where the name of the place comes from.


六龜里 (六龜) Liouguei District (Liouguei)

因為前後山巖相對 , 成為六個山巖 , 狀似龜形 , 所以稱為 "六龜" . [It is named "Liouguei" ("Six Turtle")] because the mountains on either side of it face each other, forming six mountain ridges, which are shaped like a turtle.  For this reason it is called "Liouguei."

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1. My mother-in-law used to live up there.  These days its halfway between a rundown fishing port and an industrial area.  Lush forests of bamboo?  That time is long gone.

2. The Chinese here seems to imply that Luohan was a fortified settlement, with "Inner Luohan" inside the city wall or gate, and "Outer Luohan" outside of it.  But as this was a plains-dwelling aboriginal settlement, I'm not sure if we can really talk about city walls or gates in the Chinese sense of the terms.  That it was once called Luohan is a given, but there is more than one explanation for the name.

3. This is a triangular banner with fringed edges.  It's often seen at temple festivals.
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2022年4月5日 星期二

"The Foreigners in the Mountains" 山上的外國人


I used to get my hair cut at a place in Taitung City, down the road from Tunghai Elementary School.  The older woman who cut my hair was a member of the Amis tribe.  While cutting my hair she often talked about "life in the mountains," and how it was different from life in the city. 我以前常去台東市東海國小附近的理髮店理髮 ，  幫我剪髮的理髮師是阿美族人 ， 她在理髮的時候常會說到山上的生活跟市區生活的差別 。

On one occasion she talked about all the foreigners who'd married aboriginal women, and how the mountains west of Taitung City were teeming with these foreigners, their aboriginal wives, and their half-aboriginal children.  "There are SO many," she assured me, "They're everywhere." 有一次她說到外國男子跟原住民女子結婚這件事 。 她說台東市西部的山區有很多外國人和他們的原住民妻子及混血的孩子。 她強調 "非常多 " 、 "到處都有 "。

She was exaggerating of course.  But to be fair to her, I have met several foreign men married to aboriginal women in Taitung and Pingtung, and the number of these cross-cultural couples has always seemed unusually high. 當然，她可能說得太誇張了。可是我也認識幾對這樣的夫婦 ， 我也很好奇這些跨文化的家庭的比例。

Not long after my Amis barber closed down her shop and moved back into the mountains, I was sitting in a foreign friend's house in a Paiwan village.  We were drinking beer with several other people.  Aside from myself, my friend and the two other expats are all married to aboriginal women.  Joining us in our drinking were a few villagers, ranging in age from very young to very old. 我的阿美族理髮師搬回去山上不再營業後， 有一次我去朋友家喝酒，  他的房子在排灣族部落裡 ， 除了我們兩個外，還有另外兩個外國人 ， 他們三個都跟排灣族女子結婚 。  在場一起喝酒的還有部落裡不同年齡層的排灣族人 。


The foreign guys, apart from me, all speak Chinese with an aboriginal accent.  While we sat there they talked about weekends spent drinking, and barbecues in the mountains.  They shared anecdotes from idyllic-sounding lives, and they seemed vert happy with how and where they live.  They never seemed uncertain or self-conscious about it. 除了我之外 ，坐在那裏的外國居民都用原住民的口音講中文 。 他們談論周末時在山上烤肉和喝酒，也分享田園生活中的軼事。  他們的生活好像很快樂 ; 他們對居住的地方很滿意 ;  他們從來沒有表現出不滿或疑惑。

As I listened to them talk, I often wondered if the people in that village would all agree with their assessments of village life.  I wanted to ask one of the aboriginal people sitting with us what they thought, but I couldn't think of a way to do so without sounding rude.  Do they see the lives they lead as being so free and easy?  Do they even want to live in that village?  Do they feel that their lives are as good as they could be? 當我聽著他們的談話 ， 我常想部落裡的人會不會同意他們形容的部落的生活方式 。  我也想問坐我旁邊的排灣族人的意見 ， 只是我不知道如何不失禮的問這些問題。  他們覺得自己的生活那麼地輕鬆自由嗎 ?  他們都想住在部落裡嗎 ?  他們覺得部落裡的生活方式無可挑剔嗎 ?

I really have no idea.  I'm still waiting for the chance to ask.  Something always seems to come between me and asking those kinds of questions, regardless of time, location or people present. 我真的不知道 。 我還在等機會問 。 我找不到適合的地點、時機或人來問這些問題。

What I do know is that their lives are very different from those of my family.  Their kids run around doing semi-secret kid things, their wives seem proud and somewhat distant, and their men carry on, as men everywhere do.  But how are they, really?  I haven't a clue. 我知道的是他們的生活方式跟我家人的生活方式差很多 。  他們的孩子跑來跑去 ， 玩只有他們自己知道的遊戲， 他們的妻子似乎驕傲且有距離感， 他們的男人忙著男人的事，  可是他們過得如何 ?  我真不知道 。

I just hope the aboriginal people (and their foreigners) really are happy in the mountains, because sometimes I suspect otherwise.  People are always glad to show you the good side of mountain life - especially foreigners who've married into it - but it can't all be singing songs and weekend barbecues.  Sometimes you see signs of domestic abuse, sometimes you see signs of alcoholism, and sometimes you see poverty.  Of course these things are also present in any Chinese village, but when I sit in an aboriginal village, stranger that I am, I can't help but wonder how deep these problems go. 我希望原住民(還有他們的外國人)在山裡真的快樂 ，因為我有時候覺得他們的生活不是都這樣子的 。  人們都很高興給你看山上生活的好處 ， 特別是山上的外國人 。 可是山上的生活不可能是每天唱歌和每個周末烤肉的 。 有時候在部落裡會看到家庭暴力、酗酒和貧窮的跡象 。  當然漢人的村落也有這些問題 ，但當我坐在部落裡，我不禁猜想這些問題在部落的嚴重性。

"The foreigners in the mountains?"  They are indeed there, though they're not as numerous as my Amis barber would have had me believe.  They're living their way, I'm living mine, and occasionally our paths cross, to the amusement of both parties. 山上的外國人 ?  他們確實在那裡， 只是沒有我阿美族理髮師講的那麼多而已。  他們有他們的生活方式 ， 我有自己的生活方式 ， 有時候生活中有交集時，彼此分享生活中的樂趣 。


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