Friday, January 31, 2014

Handdrawn Seachien Village / 手繪溪墘村


我說:「要畫過一個地方才算真的認識它。」

I say, I need to sketch a place to really know it. 


今年去溪墘村拍了很多照片,不過我總是得坐下來一兩個小時,好好地速寫,才能把對當地的體驗內建於我的腦裡。去年我也在溪墘村畫了好幾張圖,但我總覺得今年的圖會很不一樣。

I took many photos this winter in Seachien Village. However, to build the memories of a place into my head, I have to sit down for one or two hours to sketch. What really excited me was, I drew some sketches of the same place last year, and I was looking forward to what I would produce this year. 

        今年的天氣雖然豔陽高照,氣溫卻低得嚇人,我坐在堤防上畫圖時,風狂野地呼嘯著,可是我不要因為這樣走掉,我在零度左右的天氣裡畫到手都凍了也都能繼續,這不算什麼。

   The weather was deceptively sunny, but the cold wind raged as I sat on the embankment drawing. As I had tried sketching on freezing days in Europe, the last thing I wanted to do was to walk away without having finished any image. 



        因為畫了這張圖,所以我才想到要趨上前和阿伯問他種的是什麼作物,否則在第一回拍照時,我按下快門便冷酷地走掉。

   If I hadn't drawn the sketch, I wouldn't have gone up to the farmer and asked him about his crops. In fact, I had walked past him cooly right after having taken photos earlier that day. 

        和阿伯聊完後,待他踩機車油門要回家時,我用力地揮手和他道再見。

   I waved goodbye to him when he was about to ride his scooter home after our chat. 



        每次來都抵擋不了這些很有風味的紅磚屋,上次也在傍晚時來速寫,這次遇見出來倒垃圾的阿姨,她問我是不是在殺時間,我說不是,我是特地來畫這些房子的,因為它們很美麗。

   I could never resist the charm of these red-brick houses whenever I came. I did the sketches in the evening last year as well. This time a lady who came out to dump garbage spotted me. She asked if I was killing time. I said no. I came to draw the houses on purpose because I found them so beautiful. 



        去年來到溪墘村時,內心有股很大的反動力,可能是那股力量,讓我全心集中在畫圖上,今年心很平靜,但少了力道,所以我也明白畫起圖來不怎麼樣。

   When I came last year, I felt a great force in me, which I directed to drawing. However, this year I was in a very poised state of mind. Without the fire, I knew the drawings aren't that powerful. 

        要離開的最後一天,到和安國小餐廳後的田地前,去年我曾在同樣的地方畫一張圖,我想試試看今年畫出來的圖會是什麼樣子。去年宜棒在我畫圖的某刻冒出來陪了我幾分鐘,今年我有新的同伴,圖左方的房子裡冒出兩個孩子和我作伴,於是我明白,我們總是會遇到新的人,每一刻會有不同的火花,我不能說哪一刻最美好,因為每一刻都有當下的燦爛。

   On the last day before we left, I went to the same spot behind the cafeteria of He-an Elementary School. I drew right there last year, and I'd like to see what my picture this year would look like. Last year my student Croc emerged out of nowhere and spent a few minutes with me while I was sketching. Interestingly, this year I had new companions. The two kids living in the house on the left side of the image came to greet me. I thus realized, we will always run into new people. There are new sparks for every moment. In my world, there isn't "the best moment" for every moment has its beauty. 

Thursday, January 30, 2014

All grown up / 都長大了








最近常被問到服務學習的意義,用簡單的幾個字來回答,就是學待人做事。

I've been asked the purpose of service learning often. Simply put, it is about learning how to take care of people and things. 















        連續兩年在雲林和安國小服務學習,在同樣的地方特別容易看出學生的不同,台北的孩子和雲林的孩子都長大了,我也長大了。

   We've been doing service learning for two years in He-an Elementary School in Yunlin. In the same place, it's particularly obvious to see the change in others and ourselves. The children from Taipei and the children in Yunlin have both grown up. I have too. 





        用這張照片和幾滴分別時的眼淚做旅行的結尾,是多好的回憶呢!

   I'll conclude the trip with this photo and a few parting years. How lovely the memories! 

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Seachien Village, Yunlin / 雲林溪墘村小旅行






趁著學生在忙的同時,我溜出和安國小,在溪墘村來趟半小時的旅行。

I spare some moments to sneak out of He-an Elementary School and take a 30-minute trip in Seachien Village in Yunlin while my students are preparing for the winter camp. 







        放眼望去不是農田就是草地,但因為作物長相不同,視覺效果也不一樣。

   I am surrounded by either farm fiends or grasslands. But because of the different patterns, they create various visual effects in my eye.



        我觀察在田裡工作一整天的阿伯,待他要離開之前才鼓起勇氣問他在種植什麼作物,原來他在拔花生。

   I muster up the courage after having observing the farmer working in the field for a whole day to ask him what his crops are. It turns out that he's picking peanuts by hand. 





        路上只有零星的農人,生活步調很悠閒。

   There aren't many people to be seen on the roads. I quite enjoy the leisurely pace of the place. 























        沿途有無限多種的花花草草。

   I am amazed by the wide variety of flora along the way. 



        美麗的冬日裡還有小鳥陪著我旅行。

   I am so lucky to be accompanied by the lovely birds on my journey. 

He-an Elementary School, Yunlin / 雲林縣和安國小


住在學校裡對我來說不是浪漫的事情,不過第二年和學生來到和安做服務學習,我看到很多第一年沒看到的畫面,例如早上映入眼簾的一幅畫。

It doesn't count as romantic for me to stay overnight in a school. Yet, on my second visit to He-an Elementary School for service learning with my students, I got to see many images I had failed to last time, such as the wonderful view that greeted me first thing in the morning. 



        一早在霧中打鬧的男孩。

   The boys playing in the mist in the early morning form such a poetic rural image.  



        不論何時都抖擻綻放的炮仗花。

   The Flaming Trumpet flowers bloom with vibes anytime. 



        一直停留在十二點四十五分的雅緻時鐘。

   The quirky clock that always stays at 12:45 gives me the impression that I am actually transported into a lovely fairy tale. 



        食堂旁的遊樂設施是大小孩的最愛。

   The playground equipment next to the cafeteria is the fav of all kids, big and small. 





        每天早上起床面對操場,我都想大叫:早安和安!

   Every morning when I walk to the playground after waking up, I have the urge to shout: Good morning He-an! 

Beigang, Yunlin / 雲林北港










第二年去雲林,第三次走在北港大街上,當時我只有三十分鐘,腦中沒有特別要拍攝的畫面,在匆匆走過商店的瞬間,很一致地記錄當地人們生活的姿態,他們不做作的樣子正如我接觸到的雲林人,純樸自然。

This was my second year in Yunlin, third time walking up and down the high street of Beigang. I had only thirty minutes then. Though I didn't aim to take photos of any specific objects, I consistently recorded images of local people going about their lives. There is a simple and natural aura about them, which is how I think of Yunliners. 

Monday, January 27, 2014

Agriculture Expo 2013, Yunlin / 雲林農博


因為工作的關係,我很幸運有機會去雲林看農博展,這可說是整趟旅行我最期待的高潮。

Thanks to my work, I had the wonderful opportunity to go to the Agriculture Expo in Yunlin, which was what I most looked forward to on the whole trip.



        每次和親友提到我對農業感興趣時,大家都會很天真地問我是不是想務農,我連小盆栽都種不活,當然沒有傻到夢想下鄉種田去,不過看到農博介紹有夢想的農夫,的確是讓這個行業聽起來很酷。

   Whenever I show interest in agriculture, my friends and relatives will ask naively if I'd like to be a farmer. The truth is, I can't even keep a pot of plants alive. I know better than to live on farming. However, seeing the featured farmers in the expo, I couldn't help thinking that it's a rather cool profession. 





        農民最大總統府中介紹雲林各地的有為農人,而他們的農產品也和經由文創業者包裝,現代農業不再是我們所想像的那麼樸素。回家之後我和友人說:農博很成功地營造當農夫是美好的行業,雖然我想務農比我們想得辛苦多了。

   In the "Presidential Hall of Farmers," I was introduced to many successful farmers in Yunlin. Their crops are now beautifully packaged and widely promoted with the help of the cultural and creative industry. Contrary to the past, nowadays farming is no longer out of fashion. Yet, behind all that glamour, I know being a farmer is by no means easy. 



        另一個展示的重點是食用當地當季食材,因為食物旅行的哩程數越高,對地球造成的汙染便越大。

   Another pavilion in the expo advocates the consumption of local in-season crops. After all, the further food travels, the more pollution it causes to the earth. 



        雲林本地有各式各樣的農產,品質都相當優良,玉米、花生都是主要的作物。

   Yunlin is rich in a wide variety of prime agricultural products. Corns and peanuts are both major crops. 





        同時雲林飼養的牲畜量也居全台灣前幾名,我在「快樂牧場」流連許久,雖然我現在的焦點是植物,但牧場裡有好多可愛的小動物啊!

   Meanwhile, Yunlin ranks top in Taiwan when it comes to the number of livestocks. I ended up spending much time in the Happy Farm. Though my focus is plants, I just couldn't take my eyes off the lovely animals in the farm! 





        不過我從一進場便相當失焦,完全專注在路邊的樹木,其實打從一抵達雲林就看到眾多苦楝樹,苦楝的諧音是台語的「可憐」,加上很多人一直說,雲林其實是很窮的縣,我不禁把兩者聯想在一起。

   However, instead of concentrating on the features of the expo, I focused on the trees on the roadsides. Upon arriving in Yunlin, I noticed numerous rows of Chinaberry trees. The name of the tree in mandarin sounds the same as the word "poor" in Taiwanese. This coincides with the stereotype that Yunlin is one of the poorest counties on the island. 



        因為對樹木太著迷了,所以整個展覽中我最喜歡的是碳匯林場。此區主要是告訴大家種樹的好處以及重要性,因此有許多樹木種子的介紹。

   Obsessed with trees, my favorite pavilion is the Carbon-gathering Woods. Here, visitors get to know the advantages and importance of growing trees.



         訪客們也被賦予種樹的責任,我的種子之後會長成一棵福木。

Visitors are also invited to grow trees. My seed will become a tall Common Garcinia tree in a few decades. 



         農博結束之後,這些樹會繼續生長,也許下次我再來訪時會看到一座美麗的森林!

After the expo, these trees will keep growing, and maybe I'll be greeted by an amazing forest when I come next time!