Sarah's friendly city of Kaohsiung / Sarah的友善城市高雄
Sarah's friendly city of Kaohsiung
◎Text by Ya-Ting Hou
◎Photo courtesy of Sarah Clemente
Sarah Clemente, who comes from the United States, has a sweet voice and speaks with a mild tempo. She moved to Kaohsiung because of her husband's job three years ago. Currently, she dedicates her attention to taking care of her 7-year-old daughter, Carmen, and 4-year-old son, Jacob.
Sarah says that Kaohsiung makes her feel at home and at ease. She especially appreciates the friendliness of Kaohsiung residents. Sarah mentioned that when Jacob was two, he had a broken arm. They were anxiously waiting in line in the emergency department and an extremely helpful person approached them then talked to the doctor to make sure that they would receive proper medical care. It is this kind of genuine hospitality that she loves about the people of Kaohsiung.
Sarah and her family go to Love River or Lotus Pond when she misses the green grass and fields of her hometown. For Sarah, it is vital to have green parks serving as a gateway among the tall buildings in the concrete metropolis. She is pleased with Kaohsiung presenting itself as a cleaner city with more parks. She usually gets around by walking, riding a bike or taking the MRT. The completion of Kaohsiung MRT has made her traveling around the city even more efficient.
Sarah loves to go shopping at traditional markets; she states that there is no place like the traditional markets back in the United States. Sarah even introduced the traditional market to her mother when she visited. As a result, these peculiar traditional markets fascinated her mother as well. Sarah fits into local life well. She said that when she speaks Chinese, the local residents are always very encouraging. She thinks when two people from different cultures communicate, it is best to treat the other as you would want the other to treat you - be patient and talk slowly. This attitude will form great communication across language barriers.
This year marks the Clemente family's third Christmas in Kaohsiung. In addition to celebrating traditional Christmas, Sarah's family also adopts the Chinese custom of giving red envelopes to the children at Lunar New Year as they embrace the new culture. Multi-cultural awareness has enriched their family's lives to experience different perspectives.
Sarah的友善城市高雄
◎文／侯雅婷
◎照片提供／Sarah Clemente
美國籍的Sarah Clemente有著很甜美的聲音，說起話來不徐不疾。今年是她居住在高雄市的第３年，因為先生工作的關係而來到高雄，現階段Sarah以照顧她一雙兒女－７歲的Carmen和４歲的Jacob為重心。
談起高雄，Sarah說高雄給她一種家的感覺和自在，特別是高雄民眾很友善，總是很樂於助人。Sarah回想起初到高雄時，她還不會說中文，那時候二歲的兒子Jacob的手受傷了，她很焦慮地排隊等候急診室掛號，Sarah說，那時有位很熱心的民眾主動向前關心他們的情況，還特別去跟醫生確認他的「外國朋友」會受到妥善的醫療照顧，這樣的熱心助人的舉動讓她覺得非常溫暖，也銘感在心。
每當Sarah想念放眼綠油油的家鄉時，她就會和家人到愛河、蓮池潭去走走，對她而言，這些公園綠地提供給居住在城市的人，在高樓大廈充斥的水泥建築空間中重要的休息站。Sarah心有所感的說，高雄變乾淨了，有越來越多的綠地，Sarah平日交通工具以走路、騎乘自行車和搭乘捷運為主，因此捷運通車後，讓Sarah的生活更便捷。
Sarah特別提到她很喜愛到傳統市場採買生鮮用品，Sarah說美國沒有像傳統市場這樣的地方，所以當Sarah的媽媽來看她時，她還特地帶著媽媽去逛逛傳統市場，這種充滿台灣味的市場也深深地吸引Sarah的媽媽。相當融入本地生活的Sarah談起在高雄的生活，她說她開口說中文時，高雄人總是給她很多鼓勵；她認為兩個不同文化的人互相溝通時，需要抱持著耐心，試著站在對方的角度為對方設想，這樣就可以有產生良好的互動、溝通。
今年的聖誕節也是Sarah一家人在台灣渡過的第三個聖誕節，除了保有傳統方式來歡渡外，她也入境隨俗地在新年時發紅包給孩子，多元的文化讓Sarah
一家人的生活更加豐富、多彩多姿。
Bark A Non-profit Organization Helping Stray Animals
◎Text by Ya-Ting Hou
◎Photo courtesy of Chris Leroux
Five years ago, Chris Leroux moved from Canada. He came to Taiwan to teach English. He gets a great deal of satisfaction from his work in Taiwan and he truly appreciates seeing his students' progress.
When Chris first came to Kaohsiung, finding western food was his biggest challenge. These days he enjoys fried rice and local buffet restaurants. Since Chris hails from rural Canada, he particularly likes outdoor activities. He also really likes Southern Taiwan's wonderful weather and beaches. In the summer, Chris goes to the beach in Kenting. In the winter, he enjoys the hot springs in Maolin. He also enjoys Kaohsiung's convenient lifestyle, particularly 24-hour convenience stores. When his friends visit, he takes them on temple tours to places like Lotus Pond and Fo Guang Shan Monastery.
Chris and his wife, Natasha, started Bark by rescuing strays, taking in many animals off the streets. They continued to take in more and more animals until they realized that they were spending all their money. Chris and Natasha began to look for more people to help out with the strays. As they found more volunteers and support from the community, they were able assist a greater number of animals. Chris stresses that people and animals depend on each other. In 2006, they founded the non-profit organization-Bark. Bark helps mostly sick, injured and abused animals. They believe that it is unnecessary and a great injustice to abandon or abuse animals. Their philosophy: Treating animals kindly will make our world a better place. To date Bark has helped more than 200 dogs and cats and 1 rooster.
Bark Taiwan also operates a CNR program: Catching, neutering, and returning stray animals to the area where they were captured. Chris remarked that the best way for people to help strays is to rescue one from the street themselves and take it home, or to help Bark find good homes for other rescued pets. For those that are interested in adopting a pet and giving an animal a home, Bark Taiwan holds a "Pet Adoption Day & Flea Market Fund Raiser", most Sundays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. It is held at No. 180, Bo-ai 3rd Road. Animal lovers will enjoy finding their new pet at these events. For more information, go to: http://www.bark-taiwan.org/
流浪動物的守護神
Bark 動物基金會
◎文／侯雅婷
◎照片提供／Chris Leroux
加拿大籍的Chris Leroux居住在高雄有５年之久，目前他在學校教授英文，他說每隔一段時間都可以觀察到學生們在課業上的進步，這是這份教職工作帶給他最大的成就感。
Chris談起他剛到高雄時，飲食是他無法適應的事，後來慢慢地嘗試不同的食物，直到找到了他的最愛－炒飯和自助餐。喜愛大自然的Chris夏天時會到墾丁游泳，冬天時則到茂林去享受溫泉
。對他而言，南台灣的好天氣和海灘是他定居在高雄的原因。除此之外，Chris最喜歡高雄的便利性，他說高雄到處都有7-11等便利商店，隨時隨地提供各種服務。而每當他的朋友造訪時，他則會帶著他們去參觀廟宇或是到蓮池潭和佛光山去走走。
Chris和太太Natasha觀察到高雄的街上總有許許多多的流浪動物。一開始，Chris和Natasha會將需要幫助的流浪動物帶回家，但是他們很快地將所賺來的錢都花費在收養的流浪動物身上，Chris表示，因為人和動物是互相依存，所以開始尋求更多的人能一起加入他們，希望結合更多人的力量，幫助更多需要幫助的流浪動物，因此他們在2006年創立了Bark Taiwan動物基金會，Bark Taiwan這個非營利組織幫助的對象大部份是生重病、受傷或受虐的流浪貓、狗。因為他們相信虐待動物是不應該也是不正義的行為，善待動物，將讓世界變得更美好！到目前為止，Bark Taiwan已經幫助了約200隻動物和１隻公雞。
Bark Taiwan的運作程序是先捕捉需要幫助的動物，再予以醫治，然後再讓動物回到原本的生活環境。Chris表示幫助這些流浪動物最好的方法就是認養他們，為它們提供一個家。
Bark Taiwan動物基金會在每個星期天下午3點至7點在博愛三路180號舉辦跳蚤市場為流浪動物募款，喜愛動物的您也可前往認養流浪動物。更多資訊，請參考http://www.atkaohsiung.org/。