Story and pictures in my childhood

I and my younger sister

I was 12, and my sister was 11

We were in grandpa and grandma's house

I, my younger sister and my cousin

I was 12, my sister was 11, and my cousin was 8

We were in a restaurant (I gorgot its name)

Me

My younger sister

I was very naughty when I was little.

One day, my mom went home, being very exhausted. She lied on the bed and closed her eyes to rest, but not sleeping. Then, I walked into the room(I was about 3 years old.), and my little sister(She is about 2 years old.) was behind. While I saw my mom, I turned to my sister and said: "Mom is died. We should pull her out." So two unfilial daughters set out to pull their mom…… = =

Egg Bomb

People in their childhood may have some impressive stories which bring lots of influence on them. And I would like to tell a story which happened when my younger sister and I were elementary school students.

At that time, our parent were busy at works. Every days after returning home from school, we should wait for our mom who will bring supper for us. However, at that day, mom didn't came home on time. We were so hungry that we wanted to cook food by ourselves. Unfortunately, we didn't know how to cook by using the stove, and we were forbidden to use it. In order to calm down our stomach, I excogitated a stupid idea: using microwave oven to make hard boiled eggs. As soon as I figured out my plane and told my sister about it, we started to carry out the cooking project.

First, we put the eggs and some water into a bowl, and them we put the bowl into microwave oven. Awhile late, after the microwave oven stopped heating our food, we took the bowl out excitedly, preparing to enjoy our supper. Suddenly, the eggs burst out, hot egg yolk and egg white scattering on my sister, since she didn't dodge the attack from the eggs which didn't want to be eaten by us. She was seriously scalded and cried heavily. I was shocked, because the reality was opposite to my exception. I took the poor girl to the bathroom, rinsing the eggs out by cold water. But she was still crying. I had no idea of what to do, but standing beside my sister without a word. Fortunately, mom came home at the moment I felt helpless. Instead of blaming me, she calmed my sister down and plastered ointment on her skin.  I considered that she couldn't bear to blame me, since I didn't do it on purpose.

After the egg bomb incident, I learned how to use microwave oven correctly. But the most important of all,  being sure of what you do is correct, or running as fast as possible.

Postcard from Lisa (U.S.A.)

May 26, 2011

The image of the America postcard is as important and famous as Brandenburg Gate in Germany, which has important meaning of history.

The introduction on the postcard:

Dating back to 1980, this Hopi stronghold against the Spanish stands on a rock mesa at a 6225 ft. elevation. This is the site of the famous Snake Dance when the Indians hold poisonous rattlesnakes in their mouths.

Introduction of Hopi people (Wikipedia):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hopi_people

Introduction of Native American in U.S.A. (Wikipedia):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_Americans_in_the_United_States

Although Hopi is very famous in the Internet, I have never heard it before until I received the postcard.

I am grateful to Lisa who love archaeology for sending this valuable postcard to me, since I got great knowledge of archaeology from it.

Postcard from Michele (Germany)

May 17, 2011

The image of the postcard is about Brandenburg Gate which is a symbol of Germany and is regarded as one of the famous landmarks in Europe.

Brandenburg Gate is in Berlin. It is located west of the Pariser Platz and east of the threshold of Platz des 18. März and Straße des 17. Juni.

Brandenburg Gate is the “witness” of the history in Germany, silently looking at the stories leaved their footsteps around it.

Introduction of Brandenburg Gate (Wikipedia): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandenburg_Gate

I am grateful to Michele for sending this significant postcard to me, and it’s my pleasure to receive it.

Besides, I appreciate Irene and her classmate Ludwig Kleinschwarz, for translating the German introduction on the postcard into Chinese, and taught me the history in Germany.

I am very lucky that there are some many people help me know more about the world.

The German introduction on the postcard:

Brandenburger Tor am Pariser Platz Das 1788-91 errichtete Gebaeude ist als Wahrzeichen Berlins und als Symbol des geteilten, seit 1990 wiedervereinigten Deutschlands weltbekannt. Nach antikem Vorbild von Carl Friedr. Langhans im klassizistischen Stil entworfen. Die 1789 von Joh. Gottfried Schadow geschaffene Quadriga mit der Siegergoettin Viktoria (heute Kopie nach Gipsabguss) wurde 1807 von Napoleon nach Paris entfuehrt und kehrte 1814 zurueck.

The Mixed Fairy Tales

Act One

Voice-over : “Long time ago, there was an innocent princess who was very quiet and seldom talked to others. When she was eight, she held a birthday party in the hall of her magnificent castle, inviting all her friends in the country.”

Princess : “My dear friends, thank you for coming to my birthday party. It is high time to enjoy yourselves in the delicious food and the wonderful atmosphere.” (Princess said in a delightful voice and lifted her goblet up)

(All the guests cheered.)

Voice-over:”As everyone in the party was happily eating and playing, the Big Wolf suddenly broke into the hall.”

Big Wolf : “You!”

(Big Wolf yelled in anger, pointing at the princess. But princess turned her head and look at others. It seemed that she didn’t know that the Big Wolf was talking to her. )

Big Wolf : “Hey, you, stupid princess. I am talking to you.”

Princess :”Me?”

Big Wolf :”Of course. Because I am looking straight at you. When a person is looking at someone, it means that it wants to talk to…. Hey! That’s not the point .”

Princess :”Well, what’s the point you want to express?”(confused )

Big Wolf :”I wish our greatest princess will be poisoned by the apple at eighteen. ”

Guest 1:”What ! Why did you curse our princess?”(surprised)

Guest 2:” Highness is kind to us.”

Big Wolf :”Well…well….Because the ungrateful princess didn’t invite me to join her birthday party.” (acted a person who realized and agreed what the guest said, but shouted in a loud voice after that, letting everyone know its indignation)

Big Wolf: “If I hadn’t helped you to catch the three little pigs and the seven lamb, you would have been killed by those vile animals and you would have had no opportunity to hold a birthday party.”(stared at the princess)

Princess :”There must be something mistaken. I …”(interrupted by the Big Wolf)

Big Wolf:”What ? You don’t believe that you will be poisoned in the age of eighteen. Oh, come on. I am a magical wolf. Every spell that comes from my mouth will become a reality. Just wait and see.”

Voice-over :”As soon as the Big Wolf finished it’s talk, it disappeared in the heavy smoke. The princess and the guests in the hall were worried about the curse, but they all forgot that before long. ”

Act Two

Voice-over :Time quickly passed by, the princess was eighteen and became the most beautiful lady in the world. One day, she skipped the castle, going to the banana orchard, and expecting lots of fun there. But suddenly, she was struck by a flying apple. The heavy hit made her fall down to the ground and the dizziness let her see nothing. She struggled to get up and pleaded”

Princess :”Oh, God, please, I don’t want to be a Sleeping Beauty, but the second Newton. ”

Voice-over :Unfortunately, God didn’t hear her prayer. The princess became a Sleeping Beauty and slept for one hundred years.

Act Three

Voice-over :One hundred year later, a handsome prince went on a picnic in the banana orchard. He found the Sleeping Beauty. Attracted by her lovely face, he fell in love with her.

Prince 1:”I want this lady to become my wife. I determine to rescue my love.”(said in a strong voice and closed his face to the princess’)

Voice-over : “But before kissing his love, an apple on the ground caught the prince’s eye”

Prince 1:”It looks delicious, and it may make my mouth smell like the fragrant flowers. ”(take up the apple and eat it)

Voice-over :”After nibbling the apple, the prince fell down. His body hit the princess, and woke her up. Interrupted from comfortable sleep, the princess walked right away from the dying prince angrily. ”

Act Four

Voice-over : “Another prince came to this unlucky place. He fell in love with the dying prince as soon as he found him.“

Prince 2:”Oh, what a handsome man he is. His eyes are like the shining stars, leading me into the right way; His arms are like the spinning scarf, warming my frozen neck; His body is like the beautiful paint, making me want to kiss his face. ”(The prince kissed his love.)

Prince 1:”Oh! My hero. I will never leave you.”

Voice-over :”From then on, the two princes lived a happy life forever.”

Rivers and Billows in 1949 大江大海1949

The picture was quoted from http://www.books.com.tw/exep/prod/booksfile.php?item=0010444559

Title: Rivers and Billows in 1949 (大江大海1949)

Author:  Long Ying Tai

I would like to share a book to everyone who concerns about the peace

of the world. This book Rivers and Billows in 1949 (大江大海1949) is about the history of those who escaped from China and leaved for Taiwan when the Civil War between the Nationalist Party and the Communist Party was triggered. It not only consists of the real stories of interviewees, but also the significant feelings of the sufferers.

For me, the people’s views of the life they have are very important, since we can know the REAL history through their experience. Somebody might not be interested in this kind of subject, and even see it as a taboo, but in my opinion, if people don’t talk about the foundations of our future, regret, grudge and sorrow will remain forever, and people can’t walk out of the shadow of those bad emotion which might causes the consequence we don’t want to see.

I hope people will know more about the complicated relationship between Taiwan and China and understand the importance of history and peace after reading it. It’s a pity that this book doesn’t have English version, so I decided to translate it. Although I am not a professional translator, I still want to share all the words and sentences in the book and translate them bit by bit every days. I might make many errors, and if you see them, please help me to correct them, and I will appreciate your kindness.

The sentences below are in the first page of the book:

Salute those who were trampled, insulted and lacerated by the era.

They have been daring and energetic, and youthful.

Some of them were moved by country, and were invigorated by ideal.

Some of them were pressed by poverty, and oppressed by circumstances.

They were sent to battlefields, being frozen and starved in wilderness, perishing in the trenches.

Iron wheels of the era ran over their bodies.

Those who remained only had unstable lifetimes and endless exile.

Since they underwent the force of war, and endured the hurt caused by upheaval,

Since they sowed the seeds at the place they fell,

Our generation can grow up in peace with simple and open minds.

If someone said that they were failures in the war,

So were all the people trampled, insulted and lacerated by the era.

Because of their FAILURE, we learned what value is worthy to purchase.

Please gaze at my eyes, and tell me honestly:

Are there any victors in the war?

I am proud of being the descendent of FAILUREs.

Postcard from Ashley (U.S.A)

May 12, 2011

かわいい~(cute)

This cute postcard is from America, and the image is a hairy squirrel.

Although I have seen squirrels before, they always pass by quickly, and disappear before my eyes catch them.

When I saw the cute postcard, I eagerly looked forward to having a squirrel.

Postcard from Katarzyna (Poland)

May 12, 2011

It was my first time to receive a postcard from Poland, and I was so happy about that.

Katowice is a city in south Poland, and the hometown of the sender Katarzyna.

In fact, I know little about the city, but through this postcard, I can see the view of Katowice.

The stamps stuck on the postcard are elaborate, and I love this kinds of painting. (They are watercolor painting, aren’t they?)

Postcard from Lukas (China)

May 10, 2011

I received a postcard from China.

The view of Jiangsu is so beautiful and charming.

I have been to China, but it’s a pity that I didn’t have the chance to visit “Orient Venice”.

The buildings in the image were built in Ming Dynasty, and they are historical remains now.

It’s hard to image how the buildings can still “live” in the world. After undergoing lots of war, they still stand by the canals.

Maybe after visiting Jiangsu, I can find out the method of longevity.

Postcard from Anne (Russia)

Yesterday, I received a postcard from Russia.

Although it was send from Russia, it was ”born” in Cyprus.

According to the sender Anne, this postcard was bought by her mother when she vacationed in Cyprus.

Cyprus is a small country, just like Taiwan, and it’s famous for tourism. Many European love visiting there, enjoying the warm sun light and delicious food.

If I have a chance, I am willing to see the scenery of Mediterranean.