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對我和我先生來說，台灣是很特別的地方，因為那是我們領養的孩子所出生的地方。我們是歐洲裔美國人，我們收養了來自台灣的三個兄妹。透過這本書的合著，我有機會研究以及書寫關於台灣食物。讀者可以透過這本書學習有關台灣的獨特食物以及認識幾個世紀以來外國強權在台灣對台灣食物的影響。讀者也可趁機一窺究竟台灣人民的生活型態，就像當年我們到台灣去接孩子ㄧ樣有機會學習有關台灣的事。
我和先生當年在中秋節的前幾天逛了高雄夜市。當時有兩個台灣女生帶我們去逛夜市。有很多的原因值得我們珍惜這個記憶裡夜市的特別氣味，壅擠的人潮，發亮的中文英文廣告看板，以及好多好好吃的東西。
去夜市的幾天前我們剛從美國飛到台灣，我們終於見到透過領養加入我們家庭的孩子們。就在一年多前，我們完成領養文件，寄了禮物給孩子，也與孩子們有幾次網路面對面的接觸。我們還學了中文，並把家裡準備好要迎接ㄧ家五口的生活。
感覺一下子我們就到了孩子們住的國度。在我們離開高雄之前，孩子們的英語輔導老師和社工堅持要帶我們去夜市逛逛。他們與我們在飯店見面後帶我們坐著充滿藝術視覺的捷運到夜市。當時這兩名女生幫我們照第一個全家福，這也成為我們全家在ㄧ起的珍貴紀念照。
我可以感受為什麼他們堅持要帶我們去逛夜市，因為他們很關照我們的孩子，所以要讓孩子吃好吃的東西。 他們甚至買了剉冰讓我們帶回飯店吃。我當時可以看得出來我們的新朋友是想讓外國父母體驗夜市在台灣日常生活的重要地位。
時光飛逝，五年過去了，一家五口的生活讓我們更加珍惜這三個來自台灣的孩子。寫這本書讓我有機會深度的認識台灣，原來我記憶裡的夜市就是真正一般台灣人所吃的東西，夜市也幾乎是每個台灣人的成長記憶。我們知道，有機會再拜訪這個美麗的島嶼，我們ㄧ定會去夜市逛逛。
Taiwan is special to me and my husband because that is where our children were born. We are European-Americans who adopted three Taiwanese siblings. By co-writing this book, I had the opportunity to research and write about Taiwanese foods. This book provides information about unique Taiwanese foods. Readers can also learn about the influence of foreign powers throughout the centuries on Taiwanese foods, and get a glimpse of the lifestyle of the Taiwanese people as we did on our very important trip to Taiwan.
During the week of the Autumn Moon Festival, my husband and I explored one of the night markets in Kaohsiung, guided by two local young women. Unusual smells, the crush of people, lighted signs in traditional Mandarin characters and in English – and so much delicious food. This was an experience to remember for many reasons.
We had arrived in Taipei just a couple of days before from the US, scheduled at last to meet the children who were joining our family by adoption. For over a year prior, we had completed paperwork, sent gifts and enjoyed the occasional teleconference with the kids. We had also studied Mandarin and prepared our home to shelter a family of five.
Suddenly, we were together on their turf. The children’s English language tutor and their social worker had insisted on escorting us to the night market before we left Kaohsiung. They met us at our hotel and led us to the market, via the city’s art-filled subway. That’s where these ladies snapped our first family portrait – a treasured souvenir of our very first days together.
It was clear to me why our guides wanted to take us to the market so urgently: These generous young women loved our children and lavished them with unique local snacks – even sending us back to the hotel with melting, bagged-up dishes of shaved ice for later. I could tell our kind new friends also wanted us foreign parents to understand the market’s important position in daily life in Taiwan.
Time flies and five years have passed by. We love our Taiwanese children more than anything. By co-writing this book, I had the chance to read more information about Taiwan. My memory of a night market in Taiwan is the true refection of daily food that people eat. Almost everyone who grows up in Taiwan has their own night market experience. No doubt the market will be a frequent stop for us every time we return to the Beautiful Island.
Angela
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