Another kind of life / 另一種人生

帶孩子們去電視台錄節目，我也得到好多刺激，原來電視台的人生是這樣啊！ 

Today I take the girls to a TV station for recording a program. I'm so inspired by everything I see! 

        本來沒有打算速寫，但是攝影棚裡太多好玩的東西，我在當觀眾時忍不住記錄了起來！

     I didn't intend to sketch, but I can't miss out on so many interesting gadgets. Don't worry, while my hand is busy, my ears are paying attention as well to the host, the writer, and the student guests. 

        我非常喜歡攝影棚裡黑色機器和亮橘色燈光的強烈對比，這位攝影師大哥發現我在速寫！ 也許做不了其他工作，但是能有機會去別人的工作崗位體驗一下，真的很不賴！ 

     I really LOVE the contrast between the black boxes everywhere and the fluorescent orange lights. Only the photographer in the above picture notices that I am sketching. 

     I might not have the courage to try another job, but it's so nice to experience something totally different! 

Then, / 然後，

做了同樣工作十五年是什麼感覺呢？我還是很喜歡這個工作，也喜歡遇到的孩子們，但是對於自己的工作意義有很多矛盾的想法，就像每個工作一樣，有理想的目標，同時也有現實的挑戰。

How does it feel to do the same job for fifteen years? Undeniably, I still like the job and the kids that I have spent time with along the way. However, I have to deal with more and more contradictory feelings in myself. As with every profession, it is essential to strike a balance between ideals and the reality.

        有一天楷維出門去上英文課之前，阿公公問了他：楷維，腦袋有戴著嗎？

他答：放在冰箱裡。

     One day before Kai went to English class, Grandpa asked him, "Kai, do you have your head with you?" 

     He answered, "It's in the fridge." 

        思維升上五年級之後，功課變多了，前天寫到十一點四十五分才睡覺。以前他總是每天早上帶著明亮的笑容對我說：上學很好玩啊！現在他就只是累累地微笑。

     This fall since Von was in fifth grade, he has much more homework than before. He didn't hit the sack until 11:45 p.m. two days ago. He used to greet me with a bright grin in the morning, saying, "It's fun to go to school." Now, he just squeezes a weary smile. 

        我說：那麼我們今天不要帶腦袋出去好了，身體走出去就好，腦子放在家裡，想像我們躺在沙發上一整個早上聊天。

     I say, "Then, let's go to school without our heads. We'll go with just our bodies and leave our heads home. Let's imagine lying on the sofa and chatting the whole morning." 

        還好他笑了。

     Fortunately, he laughs. 

        楷維嘻嘻笑地說：老師問我腦袋在哪，我就說要回家拿！ 

        我說：然後老師就氣到炸掉了！

     Kai giggles, "The teacher will ask me where my head is, and I will say I need to go home to get it." 

     I reply, "Then the teacher explodes with anger!" 

        然後，這世界上就再也沒有老師，也沒有功課了！

        我們三個帶著這樣愉悅的心情出門去。我又接著去給學生出更多的功課‧‧‧‧‧‧

     "Then, there won't be any teacher, thus, NO HOMEWORK! Hooray!"

     We three go out in a pleasant mood in the end. Finally, I go to work and give my students more homework...

Rainy face / 下雨的臉

週六的植標館活動，來了一位令人印象深刻的陸配媽媽，和女兒們一起玩，也問了我們很多個人的問題。

媽媽：你沒有自己的小孩嗎？

我：沒有，所以來這裡和別人的孩子玩。

媽媽：我剛來的時候，整天在家裡帶孩子，邊帶邊哭。

媽媽說這話的時候，外面的雨下得好大，好像是她全身上下的寂寞，怎麼倒也倒不完。

On Saturday afternoon in the herbarium, a Chinese immigrant mom brings her daughters to the workshop, but she is more enthusiastic about the lesson. She also asks us many questions on the personal level. 

Mom: Do you have your own children? 

I: No, that's why I am here to play with others' kids. 

Mom: When I first came, I had to take care of the girls on my own. I cried all the time. 

When she says these words, it is raining hard outside. It feels like she can never cease discarding her soaking-wet loneliness... 

Yes, you may. / 可以喔！

班上的孩子真的很有趣，說的話很有後座力，我常常當下沒有仔細感受，但之後再回想，總是會忍不住會心一笑。

My new kids always surprise me with really cool ideas. Their words often trigger backlash in me. I might not feel the power in the moment, but whenever I think about their responses later, I never fail to smile or laugh out loud. 

        這星期大家為了爭取交換學生的名額，為了能否讓他校的學生來住自己家，著實想破了頭。其中最可愛的想法是搖一搖妹妹，她很認真地問我：交換同學來的時候，我們可以抱在一起睡嗎？我當時只覺得：哇！真是可愛，但今天再想一下，才感覺到力道，是要多沒有心防的人才說得出這樣的話呢？ 

      This week the girls racked their brains hard to figure out how to accommodate the exchange students. One of the most amazing solutions came from Shakira. She asked me very seriously, "When my exchange partner comes, could I hold her when we sleep?" I was of course amused, but it is not until today that I see through what lies behind her words. I mean, how un-reserved can one be to come up with such an idea? 

        雖然我沒有辦法替交換同學回答這個問題，不過身為一輩子有著銅牆鐵壁的人，這次我願意說：好的，你可以。

      I can't answer for her partner, but as a very reserved person all my life, I am willing to say, "Yes, you may." this time. 

Too much beef / 牛啊，對不起！

下雨天最棒的享受之一是吃涮涮鍋，可是我對牛非常不好，連續吃了三天的牛肉鍋，是地球暖化的罪魁禍首。

One of the luxuries on rainy days is to eat hot pot, but I went for the beef for three days consecutively. Well, I feel very guilty about causing global warming to worsen...

Gifts on a rainy day / 下雨天的禮物

是無限的想像力！

Is endless IMAGINATION!

Happy Big Bear 

Big Bear loves rainy days, 

when there are traffic jams,

when he can sleep on the trams.

Big Bear has honey in his bag; 

not to hear his teachers nag,

Big Bear decides to skip school

because he wants to try the cool 

picnic in the rain 

with his honey mixed with the rain 

還有來自倫敦超級酷的禮物！

And this super cool gift from London! 

戴著它，下雨天也閃亮無比！

I feel my rainy days are extremely shiny when I wear it! 

Constipated roads / 便秘的道路

下雨天，道路飽受便秘之苦，車輛也開始有了自己的想像。

The roads suffer from constipation on rainy days. The cars can do nothing but revel in their own imagination. 

In her eyes / 愛人的眼睛裡

I am not the bush. 

I am the rose.

Wrong lunch boxes / 拿錯便當事件

方的、圓的，圓的、方的；

紅的、黃的、綠的，綠的、黃的、紅的；

每個便當

看起來

像你的，又像我的。

Square, round, round, square; 

red, yellow, green, green, yellow, red; 

every lunchbox looks like

yours, or mine. 

Power of plants / 植物的力量

雖然這個秋天做什麼都有點懶散，連植標館都去得比平常少，不過每次去之後，總是會獲得清新的力量。三年前開始的每日明信片計畫，原本每天都會畫一種植物，結果寫著寫著，就變成每日的喃喃了，這幾天我又想起了初衷，大自然也用念力對我說：趕快回到植物的懷抱吧！ 

I've been rather laid-back for a while. In fact, I don't go to the herbarium as often as before. However, every visit always empowers me no matter how reluctant I am before going. I am reminded of my everyday postcard project started three years ago in which I made it a habit to draw a kind of plant on a daily basis. Now I write only about my trivial daily life. Luckily, mother nature has been sending me the message, "Come back to us. This is where you belong!"