Ayusa 國際愛優生文化交流協會

這趟交換學生之旅本來是不被我預期會發生在高中三年的學習過程，在爸媽的期望下參加了AYUSA的交換學生十個月體驗。記得當初還在政大行前訓練營時，學長姐的字字句句除了震撼還是震撼， 交換學生不是順妳的意高高興興簡簡單單的過十個月， 所有事情除了自己沒有人可以幫你、心態的轉換、面對問題的態度…等等都會有一定程度上的成長。 記得還沒到接待家庭前在LA參加了文化營，一群台灣人在吃完午餐會在草坪上休息， 講中文講得太囂張被集體警告， 跟中國人韓國人打籃球， 固定時間在同一間房間裡念書寫功課， 在Talent Show的海報上大大的寫上TAIWANESE， 只有一個晚上的時間想動作剪音樂。不論結果，光是過程大家就都高興的不得了!但是那時後還有夥伴可以分享， 兩個禮拜後各自飛到寄宿家庭，我的寄宿家庭算是很好的， 轟爸在微軟上班，轟媽是小學老師，家裡有著一個農場，動物多到像是小型的動物園， 這十個月裡體驗了很道地的農場生活， 搬了上噸的牧草， 扛了近百斤的動物飼料，蓋了動物欄舍，撿了五六百顆的雞蛋，踩了近百坨的動物排泄物。 在學校做了中秋節、 介紹台灣、 新年的報告， 6、70分鐘的文化交流加上些小禮物的幫忙，同學們也是聽的很開心，萬聖節的trick or treat扮女裝要糖果的經驗是今生頭一遭。感恩節南下奧勒岡州一路上的景色讓記憶猶新，聖誕節的那場大雪讓我到現在還沒辦法忘記， 學校Talent Show、 Football Game、Guitar Center 、Drama…等等的活動也沒錯過。新的經驗十個月裡學到的除了自己不會有人知道。 從跟人家講話要摀住嘴巴怕用錯字用錯詞到現在可以正常的溝通，敢在台上報告、 演講、 跟同學聊天，知道自己在學校需要甚麼，找得到適當的老師， 從不能畢業的交換學生在跟校長談過後變成在轟家接待12個交換學生裡第一個有資格畢業且拿證書的。 不懂的就問、 心態上的轉變、 對問題的態度。 沒有家人的陪伴，沒有朋友可以依賴，學著獨立學著自己處理事情， 回台灣後的成長是看的見的，真的在這十個月裡學到很多， 這是個很難能寶貴的一年， 也是改變我很多的一年，很謝謝AYUSA給的這十個月， 這個很不一樣的一年。 

12/2/08-Distribute the Syracuse Christian Academy’s (SCA) Newsletter

This would be the second newsletter for the academy. I sure worked hard on my articles. I was required to write at least two articles. The topics are SCA’s Band and SCA’s Christmas Program. I wrote another one for personal addition. It was about Taiwan’s aborigine-Ami. I met the requirement that my teacher gave me, and also met the requirement that I gave myself. I think the life here has been more and more interesting.

12/07/08-Weslyan Church Concert

The concert was on December 17th at Wesleyan Church, Johnson. I am not a formal member of the church band. But the director said that he thought it would be beautiful if they added violin into their songs. I was willing to help, so I took the violin position. In fact, I was a little surprised because I didn’t know the concert was on Sunday. I only got one chance to practice with the band before the concert.
It was kind of tired for me because I practiced a whole Saturday afternoon. However, that was the only way I could do to make sure I would be able to play with them on the next day. I also had a solo of my violin. It had been a little while since I played a solo next time, so I brought my paper music and iPod with me in order to guarantee the quality of the performance. Fortunately, it was better than I thought I would be. I tried my best to make sure the violin would come out smoothly and reasonably. Actually, the director thought that is came out pretty good with the violin. I think that indirectly prove that my practice was useful. Other parts of the concert also went out without any problem. The director told me that he was going to have a CD for the concert. Well, I have to say that I am looking forward the CD because that will be the first CD that has my violin in it. The other interesting thing is that I met another exchange student from Japan. We talked a little about how Taiwanese think about Japan and how Chinese think about Japan. I enjoyed the conversation. Hayden (the director’s son) took me to the basement to see the place that their band practices at. I was interesting in the electric guitar, so picked up one of them and tried to pretend like I am actually playing it. I think it was 『One Wild Night』 for me and it was a good experience.

              Tonight is the Christian Academy’s Christmas program. We really got a very nice program. Lots of people came and performances are successfully done. We also had several home school students joined the program. They also had performances and speeches. Ryan and I had a good talk with those home school students. I am sure we will invite them to our spring concert, too. And I heard something about having a basketball game with them in January. Anyway, we had a good program and everyone was happy with that. 12/23/08-The Taiwanese T-shirt I got the order of Taiwanese T-shirt from Garden City today. I was kind of exciting because I have been waiting for this moment for quite a while. I am going to sale it in Sherry’s shop, just for a little finance support. By the end of the program, I am going to give every student in the school a special Taiwanese T-shirt. (If I still have enough money to do that then.) Anyway, I am glad that I can finally start my business. I suppose that the following five months are going to be very busy. The Taiwanese Fair has to be successful. I am preparing a speech that will ask for supports for exchange student programs. I want people in town to know that exchange students have dreams and desires to achieve their goals. I will be proud as an exchange student and also as a Taiwanese. Since Ryan stays very close to me, I am going to ask if he wants to do this. I hope that he can make some Taiwanese desserts. I’ve already book the local fairground building for four days. There are going to be series of presentations about the Chinese New Year in January and February. (I hope I can make those presentations work because the timing is a little bit tight.) My goal of this year is to make it one of the most unforgettable periods of time in my life. The thing that I have to do now is to reach my goal.

由於美國的大節日－10.31 halloween即將來臨，

所以我選了一堂不趕進度的課，

想說個presentation關於中元節，

反正我也不用準備資料，

因為之前在政大行前訓練，

我們第6小隊報告的就是中元節。

 powerpoint的檔我還留著，所以得到老師允許後， 

就展開我的presentation拉！

大家都很配合， 

也很認真。

他們也提了好多問題， 

聽到台灣沒有trick or treat，

沒有糖果時，

大家都傻了眼…

我覺得他們的反應好好笑，

我講了很多關於中元節的事，

從一則鬼故事開始到目蓮救母，

大家都聽的很入神。

那一堂課我就好像是老師，

因為完全沒有演講稿，

完全是想到什麼就講什麼。

而且緊張感也都沒有了，

只能說今天的presentation真的是大成功。

而且還抵掉一份作業勒！

真是不錯！

哈哈~

希望下次還有機會可以好好的介紹一下台灣呢！

星期一又到了這個美麗的西雅圖。

(話說~真的還蠻常去的~也才四十分鐘車程)
今天的目的，到中國城買些『家鄉味『，
不過，
如果只是為了買東西而拜訪西雅圖，
那就太枉費此行囉!
所以呢!
轟媽計畫了個小小Trip +餘興節目，

Seattle出名就是她的『文藝氣息『，
在美國有藝術之都的美稱 。

各式各樣的美術館、音樂廳、博物館座落各地…

 接下來~一位架式十足、如癡如醉的吉他手即將上場嚕  !

那裏可以玩一大堆BAND的樂器，
打鼓~BASS~KEYBOARD等…
生平第一次的經驗 ! 在台灣是萬萬也別妄想自己會有打鼓的機會…

或許自己也有那ㄇ一點的音樂天份吧!? 一摸就愛上它了!!

Rock & Roll!!  過癮極了

　　JK羅琳的哈利波特洋洋灑灑的寫了七集,而就拿我這短短一年交換學生的洗禮, 同樣給我七集來撰述,庵的故事根本多到寫不完!! 哈哈哈~ 白駒過隙,充實的十個月就醬過完啦???親愛的AYUSA~可以再給我一次十個月嗎?? 回想起剛拿到寄養家庭通知,正式成為交換學生起,從政大的新生訓練,LA的文化營到整個的結束,爸爸媽媽~我要大聲的說~謝謝你們給我一個那麼特別的十八歲生日禮物! 沒有家人與朋友的陪伴,帶著外交小尖兵的使命,獨自一人來到了華盛頓州, 八月十號,剛從文化營畢業的我沒有哭,但是一到機場,真的受不了了,一個十七歲的 大男生眼淚如雨般唏哩嘩啦地落下,當一踏上登機門, 哭得更是厲害, 未來的十個月,天天都要說英文,所有的事務都必須自己解決,新的環境 新的學校,新的家庭…不像文化營般,周遭都是台灣人,中文無限說,發生困難,有staff幫忙解決等.So,就簡單一個結論~我是要長大了!!! 　　　　                             

        天生”福星”高照,才在第一個轟家停留了一天就被CR帶走,接二連三地,前六個月,換了四個轟家三所學校,在旁人眼中~哇!你還真可憐啊!!從中的波折裡,還差點拿到警告信(可以問主任),但一路順遂不見得就是一件好事,凡事反向思考,就是 這種種的考驗,給我有機會憑自己的鎮靜與應變去一一突破,也正因為如此,我比別人多了些難忘與特殊的經驗 ..,轟家忙,只能在家當個宅男; 另一個轟家的嚴格(哪都不能去 ? 那就往學校跑啊!!他們總不能拒絕你上學吧??) 美國學校兩點多就放學, 課後時間正是你的social and free time,我參加網球校隊,籃球校隊,游泳校隊,足球校隊 ; international club和drama team,學校的生活是這麼的多彩多姿!! 萬萬沒想到上學也可以這麼快樂 !!  　　　　　　                       

        美式教育真不是蓋的! 強調團隊合作與快樂學習~不像台灣的填鴨式教學,在美國,老師三不五時就要你組隊作報告,要求你先去思考,有時上完課,還會要求你重複今天所傳授的內容 !! 而且,美國高中是以選課制, Choose whatever you like!其中~我選了堂解剖學,除了切切貓啊~羊啊~魚啊等,老師還帶我們去看人體解剖!!想必在台灣應該只有醫學院的學生才有這種經驗吧?? 千萬不要怕開口,大家都知道你是交換學生,說錯了不會有人笑你,而且,交朋友一定要主動,要不然,也沒人會理你的.在美國有一句名言~Everything is possible, 而用在我身上更是再恰當也不過了…身為亞洲人,刻板印象就是 ”矮?” ”小?” “弱?”由於我又是轉學生,錯過了籃球隊的Try out,籃球本來就是黑人的天下, 連教練也”黑”的,不過我卻是那萬”黑”叢中的一點”黃”  .嘿嘿嘿!!為什麼呢??  為了圓籃球夢,一邊找這個老師幫幫忙,一邊子又找教練說說情,再加上寫Email 給Athletic director,哈哈~現在哪個人不知道我是那個台灣來的那個交換學生!!!!  　　　　　　                                         

          來美國這麼一趟,並不只是了解美國文化和增強英語能力而已,改變我最多的就是『國際觀『不論是在教堂或學校,一定都會遇到不同國籍的同伴,尤其是在學校,我的轟家~華盛頓州Tacoma,(著名的混雜區),有各式各樣的族群,就拿我的學校來說好了!,亞洲人加黑人的比例遠遠超過全校人數的50%,名符其實的民族大熔爐!! 再來就是,英文能力不是一下子就可以變好,差不多過一陣子後就會發現瓶頸, 總覺得自己的英文沒有進步??這時,當然就是要靠自己去突破囉!  葵花寶典第一式~當個電視兒童吧!!美國的電視電影都沒有字幕,正是練習聽力與會話的好時機.而且美國家庭的休閒活動大部分都是看電影或看球賽,不但可以培養和轟家的感情更可以增進英語能力!!不是一舉兩得嗎!!  　　　　                             

        最後~給學弟學妹們個忠告~Open your mind to face the world!好好規劃你的一年。也給那些放心不下; 或是還不能放手的叔叔伯伯阿姨們 ~ 放手讓您的孩子去展翅飛翔吧! You will be proud of them in the near future..!