依稀記得七年前,我在台中清泉崗童軍營地參加三五童軍節的大露營,隨著領隊過五關斬六將,玩傳統童玩,滾鐵圈打陀螺,高聲唱著「中國童子軍歌」,著藍色制服,男童軍叫小狼,女童軍叫小蛙,原本夜宿戶外帳棚,因蚊蟲之故將帳棚搭在活動中心裡頭......今天又再讓我再回味那身雷同的童軍制服。

 

接待家庭裡的頑皮小弟也是小童軍,今天(9/24)有一場童軍的大露營。不一樣的是我們用camper取代帳棚;他們射箭玩BB槍而不滾鐵圈打陀螺;「中國童子軍歌」變成"I pledge allegience, to the flag of the United Stateds Of America......";我們用三指敬禮他們只用兩指.....

 

在上回camper camping一週之後,接待家庭的爸爸(Jess)也為家中「添購」一台camper,這次露營首次啟用了我們的新camper,讓夜宿更有家的感覺,不過卻少了帳棚的野味。Jacob的cousin(Ashley)也加入了這次露營,我們兩個高中大孩子可沒有像小童軍們能闖關遊戲,只得繞著營地兜圈子走動,稍嫌無聊些,不過卻讓我想起上回camping時,Felicia的姊姊說:露營的目的就全身放鬆,不想任何雜事,坐著發呆也好,親近大自然也好,反正忘掉一切瑣事就對了!

 

到了傍晚時,我們到營地附近的湖畔釣魚,第一次拿起魚竿,猛進一甩,見浮標沉進水面時,微微收線,恰當時機再用力一拉,享受魚兒上鉤的喜悅。初學者的我,釣魚成績顯然不亮眼,不過我們四人的總成績也不過三條小魚......

 

露營時,竟然碰到我第一天抵達Kentucky的arrived family,也是現在的RC(區域接待員),我為第一天忙碌行程而忽略的照相紀念在今天補上一張。

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Man! I Feel Like A Woman!
 
Today(9/23) there's a special pageant in my school. Many boys made up like girls, and imitate girls' action, than start a beauty contest. Every "lady" walk on stage and the host introduce the "lady's" hobbies, dreams, and favorite TV show. I think their movement and behavior are weird for really lady, because they touch their fake bust and bottom. It seems to let himself(herself?) become sexy?
 
Some friends asked me to join the pageant, but I can't imagine what I'll be, so I give up. But I enjoyed being an audience, and makeing some photos with my "lady" friends.
 
 
FRESH THING IN THE U.S. (5)
 「三民主義,吾黨所宗,以建民國,以進大同。咨爾多士,為民前鋒; 夙夜匪懈,主義是從。矢勤矢勇,必信必忠;一心一德,貫徹始終。」我們的學生每天唱國歌,美國的學生每天要宣示
I pledge allegience, to the flag of the United Stateds Of America, and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation, under god, indivisible, with liberity, and justice for all.

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Recent two days (9/16~17), there was a music Festival in University of Kentucky(UK). The music festival takes place every year, they invite many high school choirs to join and perform. I was part of it this year and enjoyed the music very much.

 

First day (9/16) we left school at 9:15, taking school bus for 3 hours to Lexington. On the way to UK, we ate lunch in one of 4 differences fast food restaurant, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, KFC, and Pizza Hut. In fact, we have more than 4 choices, American loves fast food. No wonder most of Americans are big.

 

When we arrived Lexington, we went to check-in hotel first. Than went to UK to practice songs that we will perform. Choir is composed of Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass. We separated to practice. I’m a Tenor. After 3 hours practicing, we admired UK choir performance.

 

When we back to hotel at 10:30. Our teacher said we have curfew at 11:30, so we decided to go swimming first. The swimming pool was really small. I thought we can only play inside the pool, not swim. Just as I expected, everybody played together. I want to emphasize “EVERYBODY” this word. It’s amazing to me. In my opinion, Boys always esteem girls, we won’t touch or hug girls when we’re both naked (of course, we wear swimming suit). But I’m wrong, they hug, touch….. I had to be brave and join with them.

 

On the second day, we practiced together, and rehearsal again and again. I really enjoyed singing and listening to music. Try to imagine, you stand with 400 people and sing together. The music full of power, it touched my heart very much.

 

In the formal perform, we stand on the stage. The audiences not as big as I thought. But the clapping was still very loud. We had a very good performance.

 

FRESH THING IN THE U.S. (4)

台灣多半只有在速食餐廳有購餐車道(Drive Thru),美國不僅在速食餐廳有,星巴克、藥局、啤酒店、ATM……,究竟該說美國很方便,還是美國人很懶呢?

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"Where are you from?"
 
"I'm from Taiwan!"
 
"What? You tied one on?" ("tied one on" means somebody got drunk)
 
"Pardon? What's that mean?"
 
上星期的Camper camping時,一位和藹的老人跟我開玩笑說「Taiwan」聽起來像「tied one on」,他是Anna接待家庭的爺爺----Sylvester Duncan。我對他印象並不算特別深刻,不過tied one on卻讓我記憶猶新!而他在911四周年那天走了......
 
今天(9/13)晚上,我和接待家庭的媽媽弟弟妹妹一同前往教堂參加他的viewing(遺體供瞻仰)。我對於台灣葬禮的印象並不太好,雖然並沒有真正進入過那種場合,但也聽過從藍色帳篷裡擴音器傳來由葬儀社誦經團拿著麥克風為一位與他們毫無血緣關係者的嚎啕大哭生,似乎那種悲傷非要讓大眾知曉似的。
 
為避免失禮,我先問清楚了衣著及該注意的禮節。依著台灣習俗,我隨手抓了張紅紙塞進口袋,避免任何晦氣,同時也在經過詢問許可後帶著相機。
 
到了教堂,門口擺了兩張桌子,左邊放了一個做得像房子的箱子,寫著"In memory. Love gift, note.
or write"以及一些信紙與信封,供親友留言祝福﹔右邊放了純白的卡片和一本簽到簿,卡片封面印
著"Going Home",內頁印著他的照片、生日及葬禮流程。進入viewing,裡面坐著些許親友,衣服並不刻意,甚至紅色也不被避諱。遺體前方坐著他的內人和子女,左右方分別放置卡片及他的照片。
 
"Thank you for coming,他走得很安詳(我忘記他是如何表達的)"上回在camping時Anna接待家庭的一家之主是和藹老人的兒子,他緊握我的手說。
 
我愣了一會兒說"I'm sorry, I don't know what should I say."
 
"Let's OK! Thank you for coming! Appreciate!"
 
我並沒有因為這個場合而感到悲傷,倒是感受到他們的虔誠,人往生是Going Home,回到天國去,但永遠存在我們心中。這與中國佛教道教的前世今生和輪迴給人更正向與光明。
 
我接著把一旁他的照片瀏覽一便,這時卻有一股心酸感覺。我偶爾翻看自己兒時迄今的照片,有一種感覺叫做「成長」;這時看他從中年到老年的照片,從黑髮到白髮,從年輕力壯到老年孱弱......有一種感覺叫做「老化」。這是人生必經的階段,可以很平凡,更可以很精采。
 
林玫玲校長在《我家開戲院》簽書時提了「人生如戲,精采收場!」Sylvester Duncan的電影剛下檔,我的電影還在拍攝中呢!絕對是未上演先轟動,敬請期待吧!
 

FRESH THING IN THE U.S. (3)

「ㄘㄟˊ」是我們平時口語表示不削或「早已知道你說的」。美國版的「ㄘㄟˊ」是"Duh......"。

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I'm not a sport fan, but yestertoday(9/9) there's the first football game in school. I was curious about football, so, I watched the game.
 
Classmates told me I have to wear gold or brown color T-shirt to school. Because these 2 color are our school color. And students went crazy all day because of the ball game at night. Fourth period, every student got together in the gym to encourage the football players.
 
No matter freshman, sophomore, junior ,or senior, everyone yelled and shouted for their own grade. Than all students shouted for scholl slogon "Go Raiders!"
 
The footbal game took placed at7:30. Cheerleaders started cheering and Players started running, but the audience didn't seem excited. A few of them shouted only if we got a point. It made me confused. The foodball games in the movies are exciting, but why not here?
 
I'm proud of my school, because we won the game, even though the game itself wasn't exciting to me.
 
P.S. I though Quidditch(魁地奇), the sport in <Harry Potter>, just like football, but it takes place in the sky!

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I joined the school madrigal, and this TUE(9/6). is my first time performance.
 
Because of Cumberland Lake Hospital has a new building, so they invited us to sing. (My classmate said that MCHS Madrigal is the best choir in McCreary County.) We sing 2 songs, one for begining, the other for ending. Begining song is <Star Spangled Banner>, ending song is <My Old Kentucky Home>. I enjoyed singing very much. (You can touch the song's name, than you can listen to the music!)
 
After singing, we had a big luch. There are 3 floors for food, 1 floor for appetizer, basement for main food, 2 floor for dessert. There are Mexican food and American food for main food. And the dessert has a chocolate fall. We can eat every fruit and cookies with chocolate. It's really delicious.
 
Everybody was very full. When we were waiting school bus, one of classmates ask me "Do you know about martial(Chinese Kung Fu)?" That's a good question. I have answered this question many times. American thought every Chinese knows Kung Fu(功夫)!? My answer is I had learned a little bit Taekwondo(跆拳道) in my childhood. So they asked me to show them Taekwondo. You can see that photo that a lady and I have a cool posture!
 
It's a fun day. I thought today let me with friends more close.
 
FRESH THING IN THE U.S. (2)
Happy birthday song is popular everywhere. American Birthday song is longer than our.
>>>>Happy birthday to you,Happy birthday to you,Happy birthday dear ***(name),Happy birthday to you. And many more.

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9/4(Sun.)is my hostfamily's family meeting. Everybody prepare some foods to share, I ate very full. After lunch, my host mother's sister's family will go to camping. They invited me to join them. So my hostbrother and I go with them. There is another exchange student live with them, she's from Germany, her name is Anna.
 
We went to a National Park to camping. They used tent and camper for camping. This is my first time to live in camper. Everything is fresh to me. There are kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom in the camper. Outside is beautiful natural. We enjoyed the BBQ dinner with fresh air, fragrance, and sunshine. Because of the beautiful envirnment, the food taste more delicious.
 
9/5(Mon.)is Labor's day. We never regarded Labor's day as a holiday in Taiwan, but they do. So I have 3 days weekend. We still stay in the National Park untill Monday. And visit a mineral cave and a railway for shipping mineral. Anna and I both are senior in school, so we took lots of picture for school year book.
 
We rode bikes on winding road in hillside. When we were in downslop, it was very comfortable. On the opposite, we were very tired in upslop. I really enjoyed in these 3 days weekend. From Cumberland's Fall to National Park, I love the beautiful natural!!!
 
 NEWFRESH THING IN THE U.S. (1)
 還記得麥當勞的廣告詞嗎?
>>>>雙層純牛肉 / 獨特加料加生菜 / 起士洋蔥酸黃瓜 / 芝麻麵包蓋上去 / 好吃過癮麥香堡
這可是有英文版的唷!
>>>>Two all beaf patties , special sauce lettuces cheese , pickles onions on a sesame seed bun
Anna跟我說,德國的麥當勞可沒有Big Mac順口溜唷!
 
 這股無形卻堅實的力量竟把人與人之間的距離,拉得如此的緊密、、、   ......詳全文
 

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Yesterday(9/2) night, I cooked dinner for my hostfamily. I cooked Chinese traditional food,stir-fry rice(炒飯) and Chinese tea. They seldome use soy sauce(醬油),so we went to supermarket to buy that and rice first. Grandma helped me to cook rice, but we put too more warter, so the rice tasted very sticky. Chinese usually drinks hot tea, American likes to put some ice cude and suger inside. So, when we cooked tea, they added ice cude and sugar, it tasted better for them.
 
Today, we took a trip to a National scenery, Cumberland Falls. It's a pretty place. Espacially, the waterfall is majestic. We made lots of photos. Jacob(my host brother) and I climbed the big stones. We very enjoyed our trip today.
 
When we back home, we started to make some desserts for a family metting tomorrow. Felicia(my host mother) told me the family meeting takes place once a year. Some family members who live far from here will come to meet us, too. I expect that we will have a happy meeting tomorrow!

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This is my school -- McCreary Central High School. I have 4 classes a day,choir, Physics, English, and Art. The first class start from 8:00a.m., and end at 3:00p.m. I met lots of friends, they're friendly. Teachers are nice to me, even sometimes I can't understand what they say. They are always patient to discribe what's that means.
 
I took school bus everyday. The school bus not only belong to my school. They belong to this county, so there are all students from elementary school to high school in the same bus, just like our public bus in Taiwan.
 
I have free breakfast and lunch in school. They like salty food, and they seldom eat vegetable. They drink soda as our water. They like fried food most........ I think I'll be fat after this year.
 
The schedules here are the same everyday. So I can enjoy every subjects, because all subjects are choiced by myself.
 
There is a hurricane in the sky. Here is windy with rain. In general, Kentucky is really hot. They turn on air-conditioner inside all day. So, even it's hot outside, I still wear my jacket.

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  • Aug 30 Tue 2005 08:42
  • Hunter

昨天(8/27)是個美好的星期六,但我卻一早就起床參加考試-----取得當獵人許可!

 

這週四晚上連著三天,host mother帶著我和host brother一同參加了一個Kentucky州hunter協會舉辦的訓練課程,看了一些關於安全教育的影片,以及野外求生的相關知識,在最後一天參加筆試及射擊訓練。

 

筆試共80題,但只要答對65題便通過。考試過程像做聽力訓練似的,考卷上只有T F 或A B C和題號,題目由准考官讀題,雖然他會為我們讀2次(甚至更多),但我卻被不少單字給卡住,讓答題完全失去方向。

 

考試結果在考後20分鐘後便出爐,我答對了64題,顯然沒有通過,不過大概看在交換學生的份上,它讓我錯誤的16提重新作答!哇哈!I pass!

 

筆試結束後,便是射擊訓練,我們驅車前往射擊場。射擊場共有4項訓練--飛行物射擊、靜態射擊(2種)、射箭。戴起耳塞,真槍實彈,一發發子彈朝目標射去,雖然我的準度還得再訓練,但這新鮮的體驗,為週六沾染豔麗的色彩!  

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The day before yesterday, my computer was broken, so I sent it back to Taiwan. Now, I can't type Chinese until my computer be fixed. Yesterday was my 18-year-old birthday. I got a big big present----a host family. Finally, I found my host family, I was so exciting. I showed them how to make tea and write Chinese words. It was an awesome night!
 
Today, I took bus to school. I had to wake up at 6:20a.m. (Oh! I thought that I can sleep until 8:00 and than go to school in the U.S. It's wrong.) But I have free breakfast and lunch in school. I have four classes a day----choir,physics,English,and art in this semester. I really enjoy it, and I will have some opportunities to perform...........

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我在McCreary High School度過了第一個星期,很新鮮,很充實,但還無法完全的融入群體, 原因是他們說英文的速度很快,所以我這一週說過最多的一句話莫過於"Sorry.can you say again?"他們大多都很合善的為我放慢速度的再說一次,要是仍聽不懂,便乾脆翻出電子字典請他們把單字拼出來。他們對於電子字典非常非常好奇,總是直說"It's awesome!"(awesome=very cool),然後東按西按的問個不停,畢竟他們的母語是國際語言,根本沒見過翻譯機這類的東西。

8/19星期五,暫時的接待家庭帶我到電影院,因為之前我曾說有閱讀過《巧克力冒險工廠》的原著(漢聲出版社譯為《查理與巧克力工廠》),所以對於這部電影非常期待。電影內容與書籍的雷同程度我不太確定,畢竟閱讀它已是好幾年前的事,不過最重要的是我對電影整體是一知半解,因為我還跟不上美國人說話速度。

8/20星期六,我起了個大早,因為這一區的EF交換學生要一同前往位在Ohio(見上地圖,Kentucky=KY,Ohio=OH)的Paramount's KINGS ISILAND遊樂園。我們搭了四小時的車子,屁股坐到麻木,天氣酷熱無比,心情如同氣候般熱情期待著瘋狂的一天。

Paramount's KINGS ISILAND就像是迪士尼樂園,都由電影公司所創建的主題樂園。Paramount's的電影想必大家都很熟悉,從變臉、鐵達尼號、史酷比、古墓奇兵、搖滾教室......,都相當熱門,裡頭的遊樂設施便與電影結合,像是「變臉雲霄飛車」、「搖滾教室搖滾LIVE秀」......,園內也有著名的艾菲爾鐵塔副本,可以算是園內的地標了,每每我們找不到目標前進時,便看著艾菲爾鐵塔尋找相對位置。

我們瘋狂的搭乘了三種不同的雲霄飛車,以及數項設施,一項比一項精采刺激,我這才發覺自己的膽子不知何時以被擴增到以前的數十倍,挑戰極限正是年輕人茂盛狂妄的生命力代表!我們一直玩到太陽下山後一小時(22:00)才伴著煙火放送與遊樂園揮別。

又是四小時的車程,不過我不感到屁股麻木了!因為此時全身疲累,一上車便睡到不醒人事,清晨四點多抵達了我的暫時接待家庭,瘋狂的一天在我甜甜的睡夢裡,一再一再播送著精采畫面.....

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8/13凌晨兩點起,數百位亞洲區的交換學生分五批先後離開The Evergreen State College,大家彼此祝福、擁抱,也為分開泣不成聲。
 
我的目標地是Kentucky,跟我有相同目標的是ㄧ位日本同學Yusuke,通知單上,我的Host family是他的IEC而我的IEC是他的Host family,同學都很羨慕,必竟已經有個認識三週的人一起同行,在陌生的機場裡也較有安全感。
 
我們凌晨四點左右抵達Seattle國際機場,行李過磅後經過安檢手續。也不知道機場人員是否刻意找我們麻煩,他們挑了十來位交換學生必須經過特別嚴密的安檢。(ㄧ般人安檢僅須拖鞋及外套,行李過x-ray即可;我們除此外,還需雙手雙腳張開成大字型,用安檢棒子在身體週遭掃描),真令我不可置信美國這先進國家也只不過是欺善怕惡的。
 
我們因此使得時間非常倉促,登機時間都已經到了,我們竟才剛過安檢,還得搭乘一段subway才能到達登機口,所幸沒有錯過班機。上了飛機,天剛濛濛亮,6:10準時起飛,我倒頭就睡,直到飛機下降那ㄧ刻我才逐漸清醒,到達Chicago轉機,此時Chicago的時間是正午十二點,但時區已經轉換,我也懶得計算坐了幾小時的飛機。
 
我們各花了7元左右的美金在Chicago機場裡享用午餐,14:10,再度搭上飛機,飛向Kentucky(KY)。飛到KY的飛機是小型機種,載客數大概比國光客運多一些而已。
 
下午四點,我們轉時抵達Lexington,KY,我通知單上的host family father來機場接我們,又是兩小時的車程,才抵達在Somerest家中。我們簡單的吃了些三明治當晚餐,我通知單上的host family mother把我們周日的行程詳述ㄧ便:早上上教堂,中午在她母親家中享用家族的週日聚會大餐,下午則有個小party為這一區的交換學生所辦的。
 
週日下午的party,除了見到之前在camp認識的日本、台灣、韓國同學外,還有義大利、德國、墨西哥的同學,十來位同學中僅有四位男性。大家自我介紹,並用自己的語言說"I'm glad to meet you!",party也包含我們的接待家庭與幾位IEC,為未來一年展開精彩序幕。
 
party在下午四點多結束,通知單上Yusuke的Host family也要把他接走,豈知她竟然叫我也把行李收拾,ㄧ同離開。我頓時完全迷惑,究竟是如何?最後解答是:我們都還沒有確定的Host family,這只是我們的Arrived family。後來又因為怕我們住同個人家裡太擠,我又被送到另ㄧ位IEC家中
 
幸運如我,這位IEC的老公在學校任職,所以翌日(星期一,今天),我便開始上學。美國高中的點滴,改天再與大家分享,今天腦部語言轉換的很疲勞,尤其他們說英文的速度又很快,我常是ㄧ再sorry請對方再說一次,Ohhhh.......

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8/6(最近太忙了,我竟然拖了ㄧ週才寫),全體的學生們有了第一次大開眼界的機會----前進西雅圖。
 
華盛頓州的首都是Olympia,但Olympia並不熱鬧,西雅圖才是真正繁華的地方,但物價便令人咋舌,不過我們的目的本來就不是Shopping,而是來認識西雅圖的。首先第一站是Space Needle,也就是西雅圖的地標,想參訪的遊客列隊大排長龍,欲付費搭電梯到頂樓眺望整個西雅圖,我們因顧慮到雲層和霧氣使得眺望品質可能不佳,便決定先搭乘MONRAIL到靠海鬧區,再轉小小火車到唐人街吃午餐。
 
西雅圖的唐人街大部分被日本人佔去,在超市裡能見到的台灣品牌屈指可數;國際書店也是日本品牌(紀伊國際書店,台灣也有分店),中文新書是早已在台灣上架良久的;珍珠奶茶ㄧ杯的價格就抵台灣的五杯,不過在這裡看到台灣食物,已不太在意他的價格ㄌ......
 

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現在終於漸漸適應美國的生活,打從飲食到生活作息,每天都很充實愉悅,原本很少運動的我(加上高三窩在書旁邊的時間居多),在這裏每天卻至少有一個半鐘頭的運動,也難怪美國食物餐餐提供高卡路里,畢竟每天能消耗能量的時間很多。
 
前幾天,文化營裡有兩項付費活動,溜冰與保齡球,依然隨時保持著好奇的心,(雖然台灣這兩項娛樂也很風行,價格更比美國便宜的多),我兩項都毫不猶疑的參加了,這兩項活動莫過於是與同學朋友們親近認識彼此的大好時機吧!
 
連著兩週,都有一些同學先行前往自己的接待家庭,大伙兒在草皮上彈著吉他,合唱<朋友>歡送,彼此擁抱說Good bye;文化營的地理老師也先行離開,她給每位學生一個深刻的擁抱。也才給她交了一星期而已,卻因為這個擁抱,我心中有股暖暖的震盪。這似乎在台灣不可能出現,我們尊師重道,師生之間是成績與考試,似乎少了這麼些感情,人與人之間很汲汲營營與己利,這是不是該才算是台灣真正的教育問題?

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