Associating a Song with Languages

Associating a Song with Languages 

April 19,2016 on the trip way to Ilan , Maggie Lin sang a song " An eighteen aged girl looks like a beautiful flower."in  fluent Hakka language that was attractive and fascinating. It reminded me to listen a Peruvian girl 's song " The Way You Make Me Feel ." from You Tube, she sang Michael Jackson's famous song entirely in her native tongue :Quechua.

In Taiwan ,the official language is Chinese .Since 1949 ,the schools were banned to use  mother's languages to teach ,even never had a native tongue's conversation with each other in 1950s campus.Through our growing time ,mother's languages were regarded as from non- education ,rural people,rough and older people . We felt ashamed to watch native opera or to sing native songs being the lower class. It's so weird and wacky that nearly missed the roots of oneself.

The same language is the advantages to communicate and understand , how to learn more languages is significant ,especially speaking Chinese, English is a strong point.

Hopefully, we still pay attention to respect the difference of the cultures and languages.

一支歌與語言的聯想

二〇一六年四月十九日在往宜蘭小旅行的遊覽車上，秋梅以流利的客家話翻唱了一首國語歌「十八的姑娘一朶花」，語言的魅力頓時迷倒衆生。它使我想起在You Tube聽到一個秘魯女孩唱一首麥克傑克森膾炙人口的歌「你給我的感覺」，她用的是她的母語印加古語克丘亞。

在台灣，官方統一使用國語。從一九四九年學校禁止使用母語教學，甚至整個一九五〇年代校園內禁止使用母語交談。我們整個成長的年代，母語被視為來自未受教育，鄉下人，粗俗的，老年人的語言。我們恥於看歌仔戲布袋戲等地方戲曲或視母語歌曲俚俗而貶低其社會階層。這實在是很奇怪扭曲的現象，因之幾乎失去自己的根。

相同的語言有助於溝通和理解，如何學習更多的語言是有意義的，尤其會説中文英文是強項。但是希望我們仍然關注去尊重文化和語言的差異性。

Wandering by Train

Wandering by train

In Taiwan, we can take a train from Keelung to Pentung with an Easy Card , it's convenient to take a wandered trip, no destination just following the feeling to somewhere.

Someday ,when the rainy and cold weather bothered us , we got on a train toward the south, through emerald green fields and hills ,passed by the blue sea rolling waves of breaking against the rocks, and the rural , farm and urban view like changing pictures.

Chasing after the sunshine ,we got off the train and walked out from Fun-Shan station.

Awesome ! It's a beautiful city, surrounding by a long stream called Tsaur Gong Jiunn which was an irrigation channel, built in 170 years ago by Tsaur Gong ,from Kuo- Pen River to irrigate the farms almost all Big Kuoshung area . When the industrial life instead of agricultural society, the people ignored it's existence and became a dirty under channel. Currently, the local residents remembered the past great channel and recovered glorious features in friendly environment with clear water, plenty of various plants ,athletic equipment ,leisure garden ,children park and bike path.

Now ,Fun Shan is a quiet, pleasure city surrounding by the winding stream and making your head swim scenery. Our meeting with the amazing city was by accident but enough an unforgettable trip.

坐火車漫遊

在台灣，我們可以憑一張悠遊卡坐火車從基隆到屏東漫遊，它很方便可隨意上下車，可以是沒有目的地僅隨感覺去某個地方的旅遊。

某一天，當我們煩透了濕冷的雨天，我們坐上了開往南部的火車，穿過翠綠色的田野和丘陵，駛過藍藍的海洋，看滾滾浪潮衝向岩石激起浪花，鄉村、農田、城市的景緻像一幅幅不斷變動的畫。為追逐陽光，我們在鳳山市下車，走出火車站。

哇噻！這是個多麼美麗的城市！它整個被一條長長的河流包圍著。這條河流叫曹公圳，是一條灌溉渠道，在一百七十年前由被尊為曹公所建設，從高屏溪取水，曾經灌溉區遍及大高雄地區的農田。當工業化的生活取代了農業社會，人們忽視了它的存在，逐漸成為骯髒的地下渠道。近年來，地方居民懷念以前偉大的灌溉渠道，並以生態環保的友善思考，淨化水質，廣植各類水陸植物，運動設施，休憩庭園，兒童樂園和自行車道，恢復其過往的繁榮景象。

現在，鳳山市是一個安靜舒適的城市，它被一條蜿蜒的河流和令人目眩神迷的風景包圍。我們和這個奇妙的城市相遇純屬偶然，卻是一個令人難忘的意外小旅行。

A Great Blessing

A great blessing

My daughter in law is ever changing from a shy girl to a brave mother. I appreciate her to struggle for the problem and to face the problem calmly.

My grandson worried about his hair cut would be laughter by his classmates and didn't know how the adult were afraid of the adventure that the surgeon will operate on his head. I taught him to read prayer and he wondered," Why do you speak Taiwanese ,isn't the God listening any other languages?" I smiled at the pure and ignorant child," If you can translate into Chinese or English ,the God will understand." "Grandma, I just remembered what you had taught me." It said : "Oh, My God ! I think of you wherever you go, in the heaven ? or on the earth ? I wish the human no more suffer from the disaster and the diseases turn away from my body. All unhappiness disappear without a trace."" If you feel nervous ,the words will be relieved." We wish a great blessing for his good health.

Thank God and doctors my grandson is safe, we were filled with admiration for the courage of my son's family to overcome the challenge again .

一個大大的祝福

我的媳婦在不斷的改變中，從一個羞怯內向的女孩成長為一個勇敢的母親。我欣賞她能在掙扎於問題中，選擇勇敢冷靜的面對問題。

我的孫子擔心理光頭會成為同學的笑話，而不知道家長多麽害怕外科醫師在他頭上的手術是多大的風險。我教他讀祈禱文，他竟質疑，「阿嬤，你為什麼唸台語，難道神聽不懂其他語言嗎？」我微笑的看著這個純真無邪的孩童，「如果你能翻譯成中文或英文，神都能理解。」「阿嬤，我剛剛記起了你曾經教過我的。」「天羅神，地羅神，人離難，難離身，一切災殃化為塵。」「如果你覺得緊張時，唸這些話，會讓你感到安心。」我們真心祈望神明保佑孩子健康長大。

感謝神和醫師，我的孫子平安了，我們充滿了讚嘆兒子一家再度克服挑戰的勇氣。

Changed and Unchanged

January 26, 2016 ,we visited Tiejhen Mountain and Jenn Lann Temple in Daijia Town with Taoyuan Hiking Team . I was very excited that it was so close and far to me.

1949-1955 my elder sister and I were sent to live and received elementary education on the town with my dear grandmother ,due to my younger sisters and brother coming one by one. In the meanwhile, the KMT military suffered defeat in Mainland China and came to Taiwan ,a small part of them temporary living in half of our school house.Watching the soldiers routine trainings and listening the stories of battlefields was attractive to the pupils. Not enough schoolrooms, we were often reading under the trees or two classes used the same room by turn . 

Taking a trip on foot in spring and summer to Tiejhen Mountain was unforgettable memories, we walked in line to the destination- The Sword Well ,the legend said that 1662 Koxinga's army passed through the area,suffering from no water , Koxinga drew a sword and prayed to God ,and then spring up here . So that local people built a temple and a well to memorize the events.

In that time, we went to and fro school on foot and took off our shoes holding by the hands ,because most parts of our schoolmates no shoes , bottom skin of our feet asleep no more feeling hard，cold or heated. My grandmother gave me two dimes as pocket money every day ,by the way ,there were many vendors around a big old tree of The Jenn Lann Temple, I used to buy a guava and ate on the long street. 

The Jenn Lann Temple is one of the most famous Matzu Temple in Taiwan ,has over two hundred years of history ,though the residents of the town busy in celebrating Matzu birthday on March every year,such as playing Taiwanese local opera,treating the visitors and relatives and following Matzu to go back her mother's home which is The Peikang Chaotienkung of Yunlin county. Till now,it has become a world famous religious ceremony and has attracted domestic and international tourists.

We were jogging around the grand park in the Tiejhen Mountain which was the military camp in the past and opened to the tourists recently,  except The Sword Well I didn't find anything what was similar scene to me . While we were walking in downtown Daijia ,unchanged temple and the old tree still stand here . The passing of time changed the features of the town ,but unchanged Matzu cultural and an honor to Koxinga's.

變與不變

二〇一六年一月二十六日我們桃源健行隊拜訪了大甲鎮的鐵砧山和鎮瀾宮，我非常興奮來到這個親密又疏離的地方。

一九四九至一九五五年，姐姐和我被送到這個小鎮和親愛的外婆居住並接受基礎教育，因為兩個妹妹和弟弟接二連三報到。在這同時，國民黨的軍隊在中國大陸戰敗並來到台灣，其中有一小部分軍隊暫時駐在我們一半的校舍，觀看士兵們的常規訓練和聽戰場上的故事，對小學生有致命的吸引力。由於校舍不夠，我們經常在樹下讀書或兩個班級輪流上下午共同使用一個教室。

當時春秋兩季遠足到鐵砧山是難忘的記憶，目的地就是劍井，傳說一六六二年國姓爺鄭成功的軍隊經過這裡，苦於無水可飲，國姓爺拔劍向天禱告，泉水從此處湧出，因此地方人士建國姓廟及劍井紀念此事。

在那年代，我們上下學步行來回，脫下鞋子提在手上，因為大部分的同學都沒有鞋子打赤腳走路，我們的腳底皮都像睡著似的，感覺不到疼痛和 冷涷,或燙腳。外婆每天給我兩角零用錢，在經過鎮瀾宮旁的大樹下圍繞著許多小販，我會順道買一個芭樂沿著長長的街道邊走邊吃。

鎮瀾宮是全台灣著名的一座媽祖廟，有超過兩百年的歷史，當地居民每年三月都忙碌的為媽祖慶祝生日，如盛大公演台灣地方戲曲歌仔戲，宴請親友和來賓，伴隨媽祖回雲林縣北港朝天宮的娘家。流傳至今，它已經變成世界著名的宗教慶典活動，吸引了許多國內和國際的觀光客。

我們繞著鐵砧山廣大的公園漫步，這𥚃過去是軍事基地，近年開放給旅客遊憇，除了劍井我看不到曾經熟悉的景物。當我們走進大甲市區中心，不變的是媽祖廟和老樹仍屹立這裡。隨著時光流逝改變了小鎮的容顔，不變的是媽祖文化和對國姓爺的尊崇。

A New Big Outlets in Taoyuan

A New Big Outlets in Taoyuan

Nearby High Speed Train Taoyuan Station and MRT Station, a new big outlets are opening. Avoiding from the crowd,we chose weekdays. December 29 ,2015 ,driving a car into a big parking lot and up the elevator, we stepped on Gloria Outlets.

There are lots of stores with famous worldwide brands in designer fashion, accessories & jewelry, bags & luggage, children's clothing & toys-----.we were keeping an eye open for window- shopping ,all produces on sale. Many people speak highly of a sharp knife of Zwilling Style made of Germany ,but being a party of hikers, the coat of Columbia and the shoes of Nick caught our eyes. We must controlled our budget and couldn't shop till us dropped for bargains.

Since 2013 Thanksgiving holiday, an interesting and awesome images of participating in the delightful crowd flowing in and out. These days,The Paragon Outlets were just new opening at Livermore in Northern California, numerous variously produces with the best famous branded in the world. The visitors were excited in bargains holding large number of products which they wanted more than they needed, and then the Food Pavilion were popular filled with a wealth of things covering different cultural and countries flavored cuisine .

Sooner than we expected, the big outlets just open in Taoyuan ,due to the conveniently  express transportation, the new businesses would be a nice calling for the passengers and visitors.

一個大型暢貨中心在桃園

靠近高速鐵路和捷運桃園車站，有一個大型暢貨中心開始營運。為了避免擁擠，我們選擇星期二前往。二O一五年十二月二十九日，我們開車進入一個大型停車場，坐電梯上華泰名品城。

這裡有許多世界級著名品牌的商家，包括流行時尚，珠寶及配飾，皮包及旅行箱，兒童服飾及玩具，⋯⋯⋯我們透過橱窗瀏覽留意欣賞，所有的商品都推出打折特價。許多人讚不絶口鋒利的雙人牌刀具系列來自德國，但是作為健行隊員，哥倫比亞的外套和尼克的鞋子更吸引我們的目光。我們必須控制預算，不能夠因為特價而買到手軟。

自從二O一三年感恩節假期，參與在歡樂的人群中，像潮水一波波湧進湧出，留下一個有趣又很棒的印象，就是那些日子在北加州的利弗摩，帕瑞根暢貨中心盛大開幕，聚集了許多世界級著名品牌的各種商品，人群狂熱的因特價促銷而興奮的買下許多想要而不一定需要的商品，人人提著大包小包的戰利品。然後在最受歡迎的美食廣場，享受包含各國不同文化的各種口味的美食料理。

比我們期望的還快，這種大型的暢貨中心進入桃園，由於便利快捷的交通運輸，這種新的商業模式對於乘客和訪客都會是美好的召喚。

Gone with The Wind

Gone with the wind

October 12,2015, we came to an ancient little town , Hu Co ,Hsinchu County ,to say goodbye to a respectable aged woman.

Imagine in a funeral ceremony ,gathering over 200 gray-hair Hakka men named Dai , they belong to a big family that came from the same ancestor who had ten sons and immigrant in Taiwan for two hundred years ago. The generations are worshipping and meeting together every year back to the original home.

The aged woman had passed away who devoted her life teaching countryside females how to live better for forty years in Hu Co Agricultural Organization and won the one of 1994 ten outstanding farmers in Taiwan and got the honor to hand with the President Lee. She was an independent female ,even 91 years old at the end of the day ,she still worked in vegetable garden and practiced Chinese words with fur pen.

This was a quiet and calm ceremony, all people made three bows and worshiped flowers to the aged worthy of praise ,she was elegant to complete the perfect life.

隨風而逝

二〇一五年十月十二日，我們來到一個古老的小鎮，新竹縣湖口鄉，去向一位値得尊敬的長者道別。

很難想像在一個喪禮場合，聚集了超過兩百個滿頭白髮的客家男人且都姓戴，他們屬於同一祖先的大家族，兩百多年前移民來台灣的先祖有十個兒子，繁衍出的子子孫孫每年回到祖屋祭祀聚會。

這位去逝的老婆婆，她在湖口農會致力於敎導農村婦女改善生活品質長達四十年，並在一九九四年贏得台灣十大傑出農家神農獎，獲得李總統召見殊榮。她是一個獨立女性，即使九十一歲生命的最後一天，她仍然在菜園工作，在家練習毛筆字。

這是一個安靜平和的喪禮，所有參加的人三鞠躬致敬並獻花給這位值得讚揚的長者，她優雅的走向完美的一生。

Which do you like better ?

Which do you like better ?

Some people feel sympathy for the rural children who live in countryside didn't watch the traffic light , take the high speed train and MRT , have the artificial toys , play the Video games, even receive the same opportunities of education that the kids in the city have. They are recognized disadvantaged children, but isn't ? We ignore that they are capable of many things ,such as they know the forces and the beauties of nature and they saw signs of new life everywhere in nature and they learn hard work to survive .If facing the difficult and dangerous environment ,they would be the survivor.

June 14 /2014 , we had a trip to visit the Oregon Coast Aquarium ,watching the trainers who taught some great skills to the sea lions for the performances and fed the prize of fish and squid. And then ,we explored Sea Lion Cave which is located 11 miles ( 18 km ) north of Florence Oregon . In the biggest sea cave , the sea lions crowded on the giant rocks to roar and on the Pacific Ocean coast ,they lay in flock doing nothing , just  enjoyed the summer time in the sunshine . Are they seldom skills and unhappier than the sea lions in the aquarium ?

The chicken have enough food in the cage ,but the cooker is around the corner or the wild bird have the vast sky to fly worrying about no food . Which do you like better ?

什麼是你比較喜歡的？

有些人同情偏鄉兒童，他們住在偏僻鄉野，沒有見過紅綠燈，沒有坐過高速鐵路火車或捷運，沒有人造的玩具，沒有玩過電玩遊戲，甚至沒有跟城市兒童接受一樣教育的機會。他們被認定為弱勢兒童，但是真是這樣嗎？我們忽視他們能做許多事的能力，譬如他們知道大自然風火水土的力量和大自然的美麗，他們能在自然界看到新生命的訊息，他們學習為生存辛苦工作。假如面對困難和險悪的環境，説不定他們才是存活者。

二〇一四年六月十四日，我們在美國奧勒岡州旅遊時，拜訪了奧勒岡海岸水族舘，觀看訓練師正在為演出教導海獅許多表演技巧，然後餵以魚和烏賊作為獎賞。接著我們去探索海獅洞，那兒位於距離奧勒岡州佛羅倫斯北方十一英哩（十八公里)的地方。在最大的海洞內，海獅群聚在巨大岩石上不斷吼叫，在太平洋海岸邊有許多海獅擠成一堆享受夏日時光，什麼事也不做祇是懶懶的曬太陽。他們會因為少了表演技巧而比水族舘的海獅更不快樂嗎？，

籠雞有食湯釜近，野鶩無糧天地寬。什麼是你比較喜歡的？