Creating Intercultural Surprise / 創造跨文化的驚喜
Creating Intercultural Surprise
◎Text by Kuan-Chun Chen
Agnes Roussel- Shih from France moved to Taiwan with her Taiwanese husband De-Hua Shih in 1992 and has lived in Kaohsiung ever since. With help from friends and family, she has gotten used to living in Kaohsiung and loves the strong friendship Kaohsiung citizens show. Not only doesn't she feel like an outsider, she enjoys surprises she encounters in Taiwanese culture. She can order soy milk in a coffee shop, prefers tea to coffee, and likes to dress in Chinese style clothing. Every time she goes back to France, she brings Chinese style garments for her friends and they all enjoy the special souvenir.
Agnes teaches at the Department of French of Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages and speaks fluent Chinese, which is the result of diligent Chinese learning for 10 years. In addition, she is also a Tai-Chi master and will challenge herself with the C Class Tai-Chi Teaching Certificate this year. "Consistent" seems to be the best word to describe her personality. She has been working as a volunteer for the French Institute in Taipei since 1998 and is in charge of assisting French residents in Southern Taiwan (including Kaohsiung, Pintung, Penghu and Green Island in case of emergency. This year, she received "Chevalier dans l' Ordre National du Merite" issued by the French Government in the name of the French President. Agnes says that the recognition was unexpected but indeed an honor.
Looking back at Kaohsiung's changes in the past few years, Agnes said that the city has become cleaner and more impressive. Though there are more tall buildings in the city; gratifyingly, the warm community feeling are still everywhere in Kaohsiung. Her visiting French friends are always impressed by friendly Kaohsiung citizens. Some of them even use "incredible" to describe friendly and loving Kaohsiung citizens.
Agnes enjoys taking a walk by Love River or Sun Yat-sen University. When friends come to visit, she likes to take them to historical sites like traditional temples, the British Consulate of Dagou, Kaohsiung Rose Basilica or Fo Guang Shan (Buddha Light Mountain). They will also enjoy gourmet food at the traditional market and seafood stands or fragrant tea at a tea house. Agnes is particularly concerned about the preservation of culture. She once saw a quaint building on Wufu Road being torn down for parking lot construction and felt grievously about it. Whether it is the traditional architecture, artifacts or Chinese puppet, she emphasizes, all of them are unique cultural treasures of Taiwan and should be preserved appropriately.
創造跨文化的驚喜
◎文／侯雅婷
法國籍的盧安琪(Agnes Roussel- Shih)在1992年跟隨著台灣籍的施德華先生回到台灣，定居於高雄市，最喜愛高雄人濃濃的人情味，在家人的協助之下，很快適應高雄的生活，不但沒有跨文化的格格不入，反而感受到不同文化帶來的驚喜；就像安琪會在美式的連鎖咖啡店點熱豆漿、不喝咖啡卻喜愛喝茶；安琪也愛中國風打扮，回法國時還特地挑選一些中國風的衣服贈送親友，親友們都珍喜愛這份別緻的伴手禮。
任教於文藻外語學院法國語文系的安琪中文說得很流利，這是她學習中文10年的成果；此外，她還是位太極高手，即將挑戰太極Ｃ級教練證。持之以恆似乎是安琪很重要的人格特質，這點也反應在她從1998年開始，擔任法國在台協會在台灣南部地區義工，協助處理南台灣的法國人各種突發狀況，負責的區域從台南以南的高雄、屏東到澎湖及綠島。今年，安琪的表現獲得法國政府頒發以法國總統署名的「法國國家功勛二級騎士勳章」，安琪表示能夠獲獎她感到很意外也很光榮。
談起高雄市這些年的變化，安琪說高雄的大樓變多、變高，市容景觀也變得更乾淨、更漂亮，但她肯定地說，唯一不變的是高雄人還是一樣很有人情味；高雄濃濃的人情味總讓造訪安琪的法國友人印象深刻，安琪的法國友人們甚至以incredible一詞來形容友善而熱情的高雄人。
喜愛靜態生活的安琪平日喜歡到愛河或中山大學走走；親友來訪時，她會陪伴她們參觀高雄市的傳統廟宇、前清打狗英國領事館、玫瑰天主堂、佛光山等地方，亦或是體驗傳統市場、吃海鮮或是到茶館品茶。居住在高雄，安琪特別關心城市對舊文化的保存，提起之前高雄市五福路有一棟古色古香的歷史建築被拆除並興建停車場感到很惋惜，她覺得台灣無論是傳統的建築、手工藝品或布袋戲等都是獨具特色的文化資產，應該被完整的保留下來。
Bond with Friendship in Kaohsiung
◎Text by Felicity
"Kaohsiung makes me feel like home" said Alexandre Jenselme, an international student from Marseille, France. Alexandre, majoring in Mandarin, first came to Kaohsiung in his senior year of college to study in the exchange program at Wenzao Ursuline College of Language for six months. He formed a wonderful impression then, and it made him want to visit Kaohsiung again after he graduated.
Alexander points out that both Kaohsiung and Marseille share many features, such as they are both port cities and have friendly citizens. He praises Kaohsiung for making him feel welcome, and people have a genuine concern for him. He says that in Marseille, people would spend time to talk to guests who come from afar and give them their warm welcome, just like people of Kaohsiung. He also appreciates that the City of Kaohsiung has its own path and feels a much more relaxed atmosphere around here.
In 2006, Alexandre came back to Kaohsiung to advance his study of Mandarin and learn to speak Holo. Meanwhile, he is able to manage to teach French in Kaohsiung as well. There is a simple yet touching reason behind his willingness to learn the language of Holo; he wants to communicate with local people, especially the elderly. He considered that being unable to speak Holo would hamper him from exchanging ideas with local people. Thus, he decided to learn to speak Holo. For Alexandre, being able to communicate with others, exchange ideas and learn from each others'cultures are his most precious experiences in Taiwan.
Alexandre rides his motorcycle everywhere. Among the wide range of Taiwanese food, beef noodle soup and salted crispy chicken tender have won over his heart. In his free time, he likes to stroll along the beautiful Love River or appreciate traditional architecture around the enchanting Lotus Pond in Zuoying District. Riding the ferry to Cijin Island is also highly recommended. Alexandre also likes to play music. As for Taiwanese songs, he likes folk songs, such as "A-Mei" because of its simple yet catchy rhythm. Alexandre thinks that Kaohsiung is already a charming and loving city, with many new developments. All the city needs to do is to scrutinize every detail in all perspectives. By simply taking care of every detail, the City of Kaohsiung is going to glow fabulously.
說台語嘛也通的馬賽人─嚴松德
◎文／侯雅婷
來自法國馬賽的嚴松德說：「高雄讓我有回到家的感覺！」
大學時代，主修中文的嚴松德，大三時曾以交換學生的身份到高雄文藻外語學院學習中文６個月，因此對高雄留下極佳的印象和回憶，這也是他畢業後再度造訪高雄的原因。由於高雄市和馬賽兩者皆為港口城市，松德說高雄給他的感覺像極了他的故鄉馬賽，高雄人的友善和好客讓他感到溫暖與自在。松德說，在馬賽，遇見了不認識的訪客，總會邀請他們坐下來聊天，傳達真誠的關懷，這點跟高雄人很像，此外，高雄的步調也較為悠閒，不讓人喘不過氣來。
這次重返高雄，松德除了精進他的中文造詣，更興緻勃勃地開始學習台語，同時他也教授法語。松德之所以有這麼強烈的語言學習動機，背後有一個簡單而令人感動的原因：他認為學會台語可以與更多當地的民眾溝通，產生最直接的互動，特別是年長者。松德談到，他曾在小吃店因為不會說台語，因而錯失了許多與在地人溝通的機會。這讓他下定決心要學台語。松德表示，對他而言，能與民眾或學生直接透過溝通，更了解彼此，對雙方的文化也會有更深入的認識，這就是他在高雄最寶貴的生活經驗。
松德平日以機車代步，最喜歡的台灣美食是牛肉麵和香雞排。空閒時，他喜歡到愛河或風光明媚的左營蓮池潭走走，感受傳統建築之美。松德也相當推薦搭乘渡輪到旗津遊玩，這對他而言是很特別的旅遊經驗。松德認為，高雄現有的建設和景觀已經很漂亮、很完善，但他建議高雄市應該要更注重細節，若能在小地方也力求完美，高雄會更棒！