一年

Date: July 11, 2008

Location: Hsinchu, Taiwan

Time flies so fast. I can’t believe that one year has passed. I flew to Palau on July 11 last year and launched my one-year-adventure in this tropical island. I didn’t know where Palau is located. I had no ideas about the island which is nicknamed as “Rainbows End” before my plane landed there. I just know I was going to take an adventure in a to-me-unknown country.

That night I flew into the one runway international airport of Palau. I didn’t know anyone on the island. All I had with me was courage. I chose another lifestyle other than a common one. Everything started with that night in the airport. A secretary of Taiwan embassy and two staff members of Palau Community College came to the airport to pick me up. They were sparkles which brought me more and more friends into my life in Palau. So many great friends and so much warm friendship that made me hard to leave this beautiful island after serving one year there.

Nine days has flown away since I left the great island full of marvelous memories, high and low. Now I am sitting in my best friends’ coffee shop in Hsinchu Taiwan. I seem to see the sky as blue as deep oceans and clouds as white as snow and as soft as cotton balls. I can see the blue and clear ocean with rock islands dotting around. I can see the great smile from my great friend---Polo.

Well, I have to admit today is the day I miss Palau a lot. I miss my great friends.

【Illustration】My humorous friend - Polo with that squid ring in Dragon Tei which is our favorite restaurant in town.

帛琉休止符

June 30, 2008In Rock Island Cafe

A chapter of my life in Palau is going to draw a conclusion. I had never imagined what my life would be like in the tropical island before I arrived here. If life was a picture, mine in Palau was black-and- white in the beginning and color in the end. All the credits went to people I had met no matter what their nationalities are---Taiwanese, Palauan, Filipino, American, Chinese or Japanese.

I grew up in a city in Taiwan. I have never imagined swimming in a natural pool and snorkeling in the deep water with marvelous corals, colorful reef fish, sea turtles and gentle sharks. I loved kayaking in a peaceful lagoon and in a challenging mangrove area. I loved visiting waterfalls, sitting under waterfalls, being kissed by small creek shrimps. I loved going off-road in a four-wheeled van and embraced the unknowns. I loved visiting the farm of Taiwan Technical Mission and picked up produces myself. I loved taking a photo safari tour and visited sites of Palauan legends and traditions. I loved having Barbeque and beer with great friends. There were so many beautiful memories of Palau.

Palau has expanded my vision. I have never imagined that I can get to know so many people with different cultural backgrounds and occupations. High government officials, the ambassador, diplomats, businessmen, chefs, bankers, agricultural specialists, doctors and nurses, my colleagues in Palau Community College and many others have brought me unique experience. They have taught me a lot in different aspects.

I cherish all the beautiful memory of my life in Palau and friends I have made in Palau. I appreciate everyone who has joined me in my life here. Good bye.

【Illustration】a boat in my favorite dock, Ngarmid, Koror, Palau

中獎了

三瓶啤酒、一個小西瓜、一個蕃茄、一串葡萄、一個馬鈴薯，這就是這個星期幸運中獎所換來的獎品。WCTC很妙，收銀員不論購物金額多少都會在收據上貼上摸彩票，最近我才知道不特定的日子裡還可能得到兩張或三張彩票。這次真幸運中了兩張五塊的。是的，以上這些食物花了我十二塊多。葡萄簡直是奢侈品，所以很久沒吃到了，葡萄是此間作客送禮的好禮物。那顆蕃茄身價頗高，也很少出現在我的食物清單上。啤酒嘛，偶爾喝之心情好。

換回來這些獎品就擺到桌上，想拍張照片紀念，這過程讓我想起高中參加美術社畫靜物的畫面。那時畫的是優雅的姬百合，手上揮動的是粉彩筆。那是第一次接觸粉彩，感覺很好。現在取景的對象是食物，心境走務實派，手上拿的是照相機。粉彩筆跟照相機最相似的特質就是它們提醒我，我還有點藝術細胞。

獨白

在帛琉的這段日子有苦有樂，也從跟人的互動裡有了新的看法跟體認，總的來說收獲不少。有時看看網友的部落格寫了詳細的食記或是遊記，非常佩服，但自己對那樣鉅細彌遺的風格不太在行，在餐廳吃飯也不好意思拿出照相機來。有一次學妹說想從我的部落格看一看帛琉的風光，真的覺得很不好意思，因為這裡有的是我自己的獨白，或說「心情垃圾」，而照片就那幾張而已。
不太會安排生活，在這裡能真正交心的朋友又不多，寂寞常常會悄悄爬上來。重看「濃情巧克力」幾次，那個馬雅女子呼應北風的招喚，帶著女兒到不同的地方去分享馬雅巧克力的傳統配方。或許在某個小鎮生活才要開始，只要狡猾的北風吹起，他們又得搬家前往下一個需要他們的地方。有時覺得自己也滿像那個隨風而行的馬雅女子，在某地的任期期滿時，就得決定走或是留下來。也許有一天走累了，就會留下來吧！

【圖片說明】Rock Islands。中間那個小島看起來像不像小鯨魚啊？