Pozdravljeni, dragi sonarodnjaki.

Najprej se moram iskreno zahvaliti za prestizno nagrado in globoko cast, ki mi je bila z njo podeljena. Oboje nesebicno poklanjam svoji muzi Metki, brez katere ta izjemen dosezek ne bi bil mogoc.

Nadalje se opravicujem za tako pozen odziv. Novice potujejo pocasi, ce so golobi prekomerno rejeni.

Tretjic, ceravno ni alpinisticni prispevek, sem vam izluscil domoljubni clanek iz lokalnega solskega casopisa v dvig narodni zavesti.

Cetrtic, upam, da ne bo kdo hudomusno premaknil mojega clanka v globoka brezna izgube reportaz.

 Clanek:

My experience in Daguan elementary school

I am leaning against my office wall and watching all the students standing in perfect order and formation in front of the waving Taiwanese flag with its shining sun in the bright morning light. It is right after the flag raising ceremony.

        That is just another example of the many traditions and routines the school proudly practices. Nevertheless it has a very ancient Tayan aboriginal culture to preserve and to promote. So the children learn to play their traditional musical instruments, dance their tribal dances and of course speak their original language. On top of that they travel the country and promote their culture in such eminent places as the National concert hall in Taipei city where they staged just last week. I respect and admire the effort the school puts forth to raise a proud Tayan as well as Taiwanese awareness in the students. Oftentimes I think then of my nation how we don't respect our country enough and nobody is there to teach us better. It's not sad, it's just another thing we have to learn on our still short path having an own country.

        The students are adorable. I love each and one of them. The loud. The shy. The never resting . The playful. The silent. None of them is naughty or behaves badly. They just fall in a state of total hysteria whenever we meet, screaming: “Teacher Mat, teacher Mat.” That makes my work in class substantially harder. And more fun, until the point I run out of patience and fall into sheer despair. That doesn’t happen. They are too cute. Probably to make up for their lack of attention.

        I enjoy my stay and feel no need to leave, although that point in time is approaching fast. I learned a lot from students and teachers alike. Not only Chinese, but about love, patience and kindness in human interactions. Here I rarely think of home. When I do, it’s not with a feeling of longing, but a cheerful memory of my close ones and assured expectation of seeing them in the not too distant future. These thoughts come by like today during the ceremony when Paul had asked me, if in Slovenia we do the flag raising in schools.

And I served the answer with a smile: “We don’t love our country that much.”

Teacher Mat