我家社區小巷,常有外來的狗大便,造成困擾。有一天,我拿起掃帚來打掃落葉和那些噁心的大便,恰好看到一個外籍人士牽著狗過來,我順口就說,"Excuse me, do you live in the neighborhood?",他聽到有人說英文,很快回答,"No, why?" 我接著說,"Next time, if you have to walk your dog here, would you please take care of its droppings?"
豈料這外國人傲慢的回答我,"This is a public alley which is open to everyone. No one can ask me to do that. You see, there are droppings everywhere. Everyone is walking their dog here." 甚至說台灣不是日本新加坡。
我很難過的說,"You come to Taiwan to help the our children learn English. You are supposed to teach them not only the language but alos to share your culture with them if you think your culture more valuable. " 我見過這外籍人士娶了台灣妹,生了混血兒。所以我接著說,"I'm so sorry that you choose to live in Taiwan and marry a Taiwanese wife but you don't really cherish the life in Taiwan. I doubt you love your wife. If you don't like Taiwan, why don't you move to Japan or Singapore and behave yourself well in those countries? Anyway, you are not welcome here unless you dispose those droppings."
這樣的對話,讓那外籍人士從此以後不再到我們的巷子來蹓他的"哈士奇"。我想,臺灣人需要更加自重,台灣的文化才會受到別人重視。當我們自己的文化有了自尊自重的基礎,學外語來和別的國家做文化交流,"外語"才有實質意義。