Ep. L: Lèsè chē Garbage Truck 垃圾車

(想聽2021年6月4日的廣播節目可以點開上面音符圖案的檔案 If you'd like to listen to the original 6/4/2021 radio episode, please click on the above music note to play the file )

A few months after I moved to Taiwan, a student asked me a question about the U.S. that I didn't know how to answer. The question? "Why do Americans use forks to eat?" I had no idea! I had never thought about that because almost everyone in the U.S. uses forks to eat, so we don't think about not using forks. At that time the world didn't have smart phones that could look up an answer quickly, so I just had to think up something right there. And what did I respond? "Well, why do Taiwanese use chopsticks to eat?". To which my student replied, "That's true."

All this is to say, every culture does special things that we don't realize are special until we meet and talk with someone from a different culture. And Taiwan's garbage trucks are a perfect example of that. In my hometown in my state of Washington in the U.S., our garbage is collected by the garbage truck once a week. So we have small garbage cans in our homes to collect garbage, and when those are full we empty them in a big garbage can (and a big recycling bin) we usually keep behind our house. Then, the night before the garbage truck comes, we move the outside garbage can and recycling bin next to the street in front of our home. The next day, when we're at work and school, the garbage truck comes and the garbage worker puts our garbage and recycling into the garbage truck or recycling truck, and leaves the empty cans next to the street. When we come home we move the empty can and bin back to behind our home. Before I came to Taiwan, I didn't really think about the garbage system, but if you asked me, I would have guessed that's how everyone throws out their garbage.

But Taiwan, and Für Elise, and A Maiden's Prayer, opened my eyes! I didn't know collecting garbage could be so creative! Or so entertaining! Or so stressful! Because now, when I hear Für Elise, I start worrying about grabbing all my household garbage and running out the door to catch the garbage truck before it drives away.

Which way of collecting garbage is best? Well, that's kind of like asking which is better: chopsticks or a fork? They both fit the culture that uses them. So many different kinds of people means we make so many different solutions for everyday problems. And one of the best things about learning about another culture is discovering different ways of doing things that all humans do. We can learn from each other while also seeing how special and unique our own culture is.(Remember to look at the bottom of the post for the song chords!)

我搬來台灣幾個月後，有一次有一個學生問我一個關於美國的問題，而我不知道如何回答．是甚麼問題呢？「為甚麼美國人用叉子吃飯？」我也不知道！我從來沒想過這個問題，因為在美國幾乎每個人都用叉子吃飯，所以我們不會考慮不用叉子．那個時候世界上還沒有出現可以快速查詢答案的智慧型手機，所以我只好當下想出一個好回答．我回應了甚麼呢？「那台灣人吃飯為甚麼用筷子呢？」我的學生回答說：「呵，也是．」

這就是說，每種文化都會做一些特殊的事情，直到我們遇到來自不同文化的人並與他交談時，我們才會意識到這些事情的特殊性．台灣的垃圾車就是很好的例子．在我家鄉，在美國華盛頓州，垃圾車一周只收垃圾一次，所以我們家裡會有一些小垃圾桶來收集垃圾，當它們裝滿時，我們把它們倒進一個通常放在家後面的大垃圾桶（還有一個大回收箱）．然後，在垃圾車來的前一天晚上，我們把外面的垃圾桶和回收箱搬到我們家門前的街道旁邊．隔天，當我們上班和上學時，垃圾車就會來，垃圾工人把我們的垃圾和回收物放進垃圾車或回收車並把大垃圾桶放回路邊．當我們回到家的時候，我們就將空的大垃圾桶和大回收箱移回我們家後面．來台灣之前，我並沒有真正想過垃圾的系統，但如果你問我，我會猜想每個地方的垃圾系統都是這樣處理垃圾．

但是台灣、《給愛麗絲》還有《少女的祈禱》讓我大開眼界！沒想到收集垃圾可以這麼有創意！這麼有趣！還有造成那麼大的壓力！因為現在，當聽到《給愛麗絲》時，我馬上緊張起來，開始擔心在垃圾車開走前來得來不及收集家裡面的垃圾並跑出去把它丟到車上！

哪種垃圾的收集方式是最好呢？嗯，這有一點像問哪個比較好：筷子還是叉子？它們都適合使用它們的文化．這麼多不同類型的人，意味著我們為日常問題制定了這麼多不同的解決方法．了解另一種文化的其中最棒的好處之一就是能夠發現人類不同的做事方式．我們可以互相學習，同時也可以看到我們自己的文化是多磨的特別和獨特．（記得看網頁最下面的地方就可以找到歌曲的和絃囉！）

Special vocabulary notes 特殊詞彙的說明:

A Maiden's Prayer (Taiwan's other famous garbage truck song) = 《少女的祈禱》（台灣另一個有名的垃圾車歌）

A note about garbage　關於garbage垃圾的說明：
垃圾 = garbage (美語－看地區)
垃圾 = trash (美語－看地區)
垃圾 = rubbish (英語) 

In truth, both the US and the UK's English languages have several ways to talk about different garbage items and we usually understand each other. But even so, we still prefer using our own ways of talking about garbage!

其實，美國和英國的英語系統都有幾個不同關於垃圾的說法．基本上美國人和英國人都能夠聽得懂彼此的說法，但我們還是習慣用自己的說法！ 

Garbage Truck Song Lyrics歌詞 

A: Excuse me, I need to throw out my garbage, do you know where I can do that?
A：不好意思，我需要把我的垃圾丟掉，你知道哪裡可以丟嗎？
B: You want to throw out your garbage?　
B：你想丟垃圾是嗎？
A: Yes. It's too much for my house. Is there a, a, garbage can somewhere I can throw it?　
A：對，放在家裡太多了．哪裡有甚麼垃圾桶可以丟嗎？
B: Yes.
B： 有

When you want to throw your　當你想把自己的垃圾
Garbage out　丟掉時
In Taiwan　在台灣

First things first you need to　首先你必須先
Open your ears　開啟耳朵
Yeah (umm, what?)　是的 (嗯，甚麼?)

Here the garbage trucks　這裡的垃圾車
Come most days　幾乎每天來
Near your home　到你家附近

But the only way to　但唯一可以知道
Know they're near　它們在附近
Is to hear~　就是聽到

Für Elise　給愛麗絲
It's the garbage truck　垃圾車來了
Für Elise　給愛麗絲
Throw your garbage out　丟你的垃圾

Then go home　然後就回家

When you want to get to know your　當你想多認識
Neighbors　自己的鄰居時
In Taiwan　在台灣

First things first you need to　首先你得要去
Take out your trash　丟垃圾
It's true　這是事實

When the garbage truck　當垃圾車
Comes by your house　來到你家
To collect　收集垃圾時

Your neighbors will come out too　你的鄰居也會出來
And say hi　並跟你說「嗨」
Because they hear　因為他們聽到了

Für Elise　給愛麗絲
It's the garbage truck　垃圾車來了
Für Elise　給愛麗絲
Throw your garbage out　丟你的垃圾

Then go home　然後就回家

One last thing to say　還有最後一句想說
Before I go　在我離開
Away　之前

Taiwanese are very　台灣人非常的
Environmental　環保
Yeah　是的

So when you want to throw　所以當你想把
Your garbage out　垃圾丟掉
In the truck　到車上時

Make sure you first　要先確保你有
Separate the 分類那些
Recyclables 可回收的物品
Don't forget...　別忘記！

A: So I take out the garbage when I hear the garbage truck playing Für Elise?
A ：所以當我聽到給愛麗絲時就可以丟垃圾嗎？
B: Yes.
B：對的
A: And you made a song about that?
A：然後你拿這件事情來創造歌曲？
B: I...I like to sing.
B：我．．．我喜歡唱歌．
A: Okay, well, uh, bye.
A：好吧，那麼，再見
B: Bye! Good luck with the garbage!
B：掰掰！祝你丟垃圾好運！