blausea 我在這裡慢慢潛泳,緩緩漂流前進著

去年我們在學校的捐款拍賣會裡標到的 free dress pass 終於派上用場了.特別選在農曆新年的這一天使用,讓全校小朋友穿紅色便服跟我們一起慶祝新年(私立學校是穿制服上學的,一般公立學校穿便服上學).

校長請我寫一小段話,放在給全校的 email 裡.(應該很容易看出哪幾句是我寫的)

Dear Lower School Families,

This coming Thursday, February 3 is Chinese New Year.  This year is the year of the rabbit.  Chinese believe the color of red brings good luck, health and fortune and most dress in red for the New Year.  The xxx xxx family purchased "Free Dress for the Lower School" at last year's auction and would like to invite all Lower School students to have a free dress day in red to celebrate Chinese New Year on Thursday!

Thank you to third grader Bennett and his parents xxx & xxx for supporting our school's auction & for sharing free dress with the Lower School!

Kindly,
Elizabeth C
Lower School Principal

在矽谷這個亞裔當道的地方,留留學校算是亞裔相當少的學校.我們喜歡這個學校有很多原因,其中之一就是家長.學校的家長大多是見多識廣的 professionals, 這群家長鼓勵孩子 reach out 不要只是關心自己的 surroundings, 有些家長甚至跟孩子共讀其他族裔傳統相關的書,吸取多方知識.(On the other end of the spectrum, 也有以為 China is part of Japan 的小孩就是了.)

知道這個背景,大年初一到學校見到一片紅衣服,大家互道 Happy New Year 也不見怪了.新年最大的驚喜來自 school owner Bonnie. 當天我在 facebook 上謝謝學校的支持,班上好幾個家長或回 facebook comments 或寄 emails 來說孩子們很開心. Bonnie 說 "your school is appreciative that you and your son had such a great idea for using your well-deserved pass!" 校長 Elizabeth 也說 "We are all loving our red today! Thank you! "

我繼續回, "So glad thar it worked out. This is exactly why we like our small private school!" 之後 Bonnie 丟來震撼的回應, "Hmmm. Looks like we'll have to make this an official free dress day next year ... If I forget to put it on the back-to-school calendar, please remind me."

我沒聽錯吧?留留的學校今後將固定在 Chinese New Year 當天全校穿便服慶祝?太不可思議了!我激動不已, "Oh my Bonnie! Are you serious? Thank you so much! Every year it's a different day since it's lunar calendar and google will have the date as always!"

沒開玩笑, Bonnie 連怎麼執行都想好了. "Definitely serious ... It's always a fun day at school, so why not give it free dress? The possibilities are great: kids can wear red clothes, dress according to the animal honored, anything related. If New Year's falls on a weekend we can simply pick a day for school observance, like we do with Halloween."

這大概是矽谷第一個,甚至全美國第一個慶祝 Chinese New Year 全校穿紅色的私立學校,而這是正規的學校,不是中文學校!我向留留宣布這個消息,他開心極了! His school honors and supports the idea of celebrating Chinese New Year.  And not just this year.  It's going to be EVERY YEAR! Now you know how hard I am trying to boost up his Asian pride and make it shine! And moreover, I showed him things can be changed and arranged if we try!

最後,不能免俗的,冒著有人說會被放到兒童色情網站的風險(見後記),用兩個孩子的唐裝照祝大家春節愉快!













[後記] My take on this...我自認孩子的照片都是穿著適當的,能放在這裡的都是能出門的.不管穿著,會被性幻想就會被性幻想.拿我自己來講,要是有人告訴我我是他的性幻想對象,我會覺得很榮幸的.反正不會真的跟對方從事性行為,別人要怎麼想我也管不著,就算讓別人幻想兩下也無所謂. so what?