Our Han Teacher (1) /想起我們的漢人老師 （一）

Long ago (before1994), aboriginal people in Taiwan were still called "mountain people" by Han people, who had been immigrating to Taiwan since 1600s, and their villages, "mountain villages." It was said that during Japanese colonization, aboriginal people were forced to move to the mountains. Since then, I think, the mountains had separated not only the people, but their hearts, as well.

I was lucky enough to teach in an elementary school in a mountain village. My mother almost cried when she knew that I was sent there. It turned out to be the most memorable time of my teaching life. I was taught that aborigines were uncivilized, uneducated, and maybe unteachable, so I was arrogant enough to think that they needed my help. But, it was really the other way around. They helped me to grow a more critical perspective to people and their cultures. 

The following stories are based on true happenings, which have been tugged away in my memories for a long time. It's about time to revisit them, share them through the narration of a boy named A-Wei.

很久很久以前，那時的原住民， 漢人叫他們山地人，部落叫山地郷。那時候，花蓮縣西林村的西林國小，來了一位剛從學校畢業的漢人老師 ，這位漢人老師在原鄉部落裡好奇的探索著文化差異所帶來的樂趣。 原住民小朋友和這位漢人老師之間的故事，那段簡單純真的師生之愛，已經封存在記憶的甜筒裡很久很久了，現在是該把甜筒打開，和大家分享那甜甜滋味的時候了。

The New Teacher....Chased by a Dog

I'll be in the second grade when the school starts. I'm excited that we're going to have a new teacher, but my Payi (grandmother) is wiser. She said our principle and teachers change all the time; "it's easier to catch a wild boar than to keep a new teacher, " she said, "The new one will probably leave soon. Too early to be happy. " She may be right, but you never know, she may stay like Mr. Liu, the janitor. He's been a janitor since my father was a student of my school.

The school finally starts, and we can't wait to meet our new teacher, but before she comes, A-Dai darts into the classroom, panting, "I saw her, I saw her." He shouted, "she was on a bike; the one with high handlebar and a basket." That's a fancy bike. no one in our village has a bike like that. 

Then he turns to A-mei and pointed at her, " you are so--- dead. Your dog came out and chased the teacher. " Everybody goes, 'ah' and 'no' and stars at her.  We all know A-mei's dog loves chasing people on any transportation, bikes, motorbikes, trucks, vans...maybe he got an engine inside him and all he wants to do is to compete with other engines.  We know how to deal with it, even the mailman would equip himself with a long stick. But, our new teacher...will she survive?

 "Is she ok?" somebody asks. A-Dai nods, "yes, she is find. She lifted her legs so-- high that the dog did't bite her, and she biked so--- fast, the dog gave up. but she was so-- scared, her face was so--white like the moon." I notice that A-mei's face is white like the moon, too. 

The principle brings the new teacher to our classroom. She was very young, like a big sister. The principle tells us to call her "Teacher Huang." Teacher Huang tells us this is her first year of teaching, "Just like going to school for the first time," she said, " do you remember how nervous you were on the first day of school? I'm like that. A little nervous, a little excited." 

What? the first year? like the first grade? my boy, she must know nothing like those first graders.

"Teacher Huang, I saw you got chased by a dog, " A-Dai cries out and points at A-mei again, " that's A-mei's dog. " The teacher blushes. Her face now is nothing like the white moon. 

“it was not my fault," A-mei says, "he chases anybody. Teacher Huang, next time you bring 2 oranges and you'll be ok."

"Oranges? why? he likes oranges?" asks the teacher, and everybody laughs when hearing this.

"No, not like that," Jun-Kai says, "you throw the oranges to him, like a baseball. If you hit him, he'll never chase you again. You are new here, he don't know you, that's why he chased you."

"Oh, " the teacher nods, then she tilts her head and asks, " but, would he catch it like a baseball?"

We look at her in disbelief. How can that be? A dog catches an orange like a baseball? She really knows nothing! Our dogs would catch birds, flying squirrels, or even snakes. But, baseballs? And, if somebody throws a baseball to the dog, we'll fight with the dog to get the ball. The teacher doesn't know we have more oranges than we can eat, but we have not enough baseballs to play a game. She really is a first-grader.

被狗追的新老師

今年我們升上二年級，又聽說會被一個新老師教到，大家都很興奮，但是Payi （奶奶）說我們的國小的校長、主任、老師常常換來換去，要留住一個新老師比抓山豬還難，新老師下學期可能就下山去了，不用太高興。但是也許她會留下來啊，像校工劉伯伯一樣，我爸爸當學生的時候，他就在學校當校工，很久很久了。

新老師還沒進教室，阿岱就衝進來說他看到老師了，“老師騎著腳踏車上學，那種把手高高有籃子的那種，大家都在看她。“ 然後他指著純妹說：你死定了，你家的狗衝出來追老師，"
大家一聽，都啊的一聲，眼睛都睜得大大的。純妹家的狗真的很愛追人，大家都怕它。“還好老師腳抬的佷高，沒有被咬到，不過她嚇死了，臉變得比月亮還要白。“ 純妹瞪著大大的眼睛，臉也開始變白了。

校長帶新老師到我們教室來，老師很年輕，像大姐姐一樣。 校長要我們叫它黃老師。老師說這是她第一年教書，就像我們上ㄧ年級一樣，有點害怕，有點緊張，又有點興奮。甚麼？老師才上一年級？那她一定甚麼也不懂，像一年級一樣。

“老師，我有看到你被狗追喔，那是謝純妹的狗，“阿岱指著純妹說。老師一聽臉都紅起來了。一點也不像月亮。
“我又沒有叫牠追老師，它甚麼人都追。老師你下次帶兩個柳丁就好了。“純妹趕快解釋。
“柳丁？為甚麼？牠喜歡吃柳丁？“老師問。全班聽老師這樣問都笑起來了。
“不是不是，“俊凱大笑，是拿柳丁丟牠，像丟棒球一樣，丟牠，它就不會追你了，你是新來的老師，牠不認識你，所以牠會追你。

“噢“ 老師點點頭。“牠不會接球吧？“ 老師歪著頭問， 她真的甚麼都不懂，就像一年級一樣，狗怎麼會接球呢？我們的狗會抓小鳥、飛鼠、甚至是蛇，但是棒球？如果有人丟給狗棒球的話，那我們應該會和狗一起搶那顆球吧。?ㄍㄣ


老師不知道，我們的柳丁多的吃不完，可是我們沒有足夠的棒球來比賽，她真是一年級。