po來訓練一下大家的英文能力吧xd 好像也好久沒碰英文了(哈哈) (訪問周一騰老師) 史薈編輯小組 1. Could you tell us about your school life in University of Dallas and Columbia University? School life of mine was in the University of Dallas, in Texas. People can choose their majors during university. At first I didn’t know what to choose, I thought of biology or dentist, which is my father’s job, or political science . In my second year I took a history class which changed my life. That was a western civilization class which I thought was the greatest hits of modern western civilization began from Reformation. It was then I declared my history major, and had a semester in Italy with the whole school. My school is a catholic school, and I got to Rome and thought: “history is so great and I like it so much”. But then I thought what could I do with history? Therefore, when I was in third grade, I cannot decide what to learn so I changed major into Economic. Though I did so well in Economics, I realized the class I enjoy the most is the history thoughts of economics. In the United States, students can choose their majors during the four years in university. It is because we have more general education in undergraduate programs, unlike schools in Taiwan which students have to choose their majors and only has a few classes different. In school, I was in student government in the first two years. When I was a freshman, I went for the student governor. At that time nobody knew me, so I wrote a sign “If you like to eat, vote for Eaton”. That was some funny memories. 2. Why do you choose to study history? What made you interested in research and teach history? Since my childhood, I like to read about history, especially about wars. I read plenty books talking about Japan, but the first book mentioned China is called “30 seconds over Tokyo”, it was about American fliers attacked Japan and landed in China. Pearl Harbor did a poor job in describing story but this one is much better. Another reason I choose to study history was because I met a very good professor. He made me so interested in history and kind of changed my life. Though I didn’t do so well in class I still think what he taught me were so valuable. There are two Columbia graduated professors I met, he is the one that made me wanted to choose Columbia graduate school. He was young and cool, and I really wanted to be like him. Some people in my family are dentists; no one actually became professor or teacher. I didn’t know what to do before going to graduate school. I taught adults’ English once, and had been an assistant in international student’s dormitory. I had a little time in ESL teaching people older than me. I was not so interested in teaching the ESL students and did it poorly. Later I worked as an assistant of dormitory in Columbia University. The job was like throwing parties for students, and care for their living conditions. Besides, I worked in a gym and had been babysitting for rich kids in Manhattan. That job was kind of watching the students and held parties for them. I’ve been babysitter for rich kids, which the family wanted to show that they’re rich so they pay me 40 dollar a day to take the kid to eat. The kid made me so angry because all he wanted to eat is McDonalds. I like New York City, and Columbia is small campus and border on Harlem . Harlem is a famous African American society in New York. I live in the international dormitory and knew many Taiwanese; some of them work in Taiwan government now. And I knew people from countries I’ve never met again in my life. Like from Turkistan and other central Asia countries. I went to graduate school and thought I want to study French Revolution. But I decided to change my major into Anglo-American history. People always change what they want to learn. I would recommend not only choose major but choose an interesting professor. You have to think big, professors not in your field might teach you more stuff that you never thought of. Life is also an education. We might see more aspect from other people’s shoes. 3. Could you tell us some of your hometown in the USA? My hometown is a small town and we don’t have tall buildings. In my high school I knew everybody. In my childhood, I love to read about wars and I could talk about wars with my grandfather. But I don’t do military history now, though it’s popular in America but not in universities. In the real world people loved to know about wars, but American professors’ think it as politics that they don’t actually researching wars. 4. Could you tell us why do you want to come to Taiwan and teach in NCCU? I was bored with my job in America so I went to see many other places. I had been to Taiwan once to give a speech at Chung Shan University in Kaohsiung six years ago. At that time I thought Taiwan is a good place for me. I could teach American’s history so I applied for Full-Bright and began to teach in Dan-shui University. Though I grew up in a small town but I like cities, I think it’s great to live in a city. I liked Taipei, it’s convenient and safe. Besides that, Taiwan’s food is good. I don’t think Starbucks is a good place for having food; maybe you can introduce me some good restaurants around NCCU. I spent my first night in Taiwan in my student’s house, Chung-Li. I thought that was so much fun to be in a place I never heard of, and the food there is great. Besides, I saw something really unusual at the night market where there was a sign said “no scooters park here” but there seemed to have more than millions of scooters around the sign. I also tried snake soup in my first day. From then on I felt Taiwan is such an interesting place that I want to explore more about it. Taiwan is not only confounding; I have family connection with Taiwan also. My father’s friend was from Kaohsiung. I really didn’t know what to expect but wanted to have changes. Some people kept on asking me why not go to China, but I liked here, which is fine for me to do history. 5. How do you compare students in Taiwan and in the USA? People think Americans have no discipline but it depends on what they are referring to. Some of my Taiwanese students are so late to class, and they bring food there. The Americans have their own problems, being late for class means no respect; it’s a matter of manners. When it talks about manners, it always has different measures. Taiwanese students are good to work with but have different challenges. You have about ten or more classes each semester but American students could have only five classes that might be harsh for them. Americans often live on campus which is a part of university life. American students have more discussions and they have more confidents in speak up. It seemed like cultural differences that students would want to speak in class. 6. Would Professor Eaton share some experience in studying history or story that is important in your life. People have to develop habits, choose what they wanted to learn besides study. Being curious with all kinds of things are good, too. If you want to continue in studying history, writing and publish articles is a good way to enter graduate school. In my research, I worked on Anglo-Americans cultural relations, British set about America and how did the Americans respond. We described it as “Paper war” from 1800~1830, it’s an era of Jefferson and Washington. This is the time when Americans’ culture began and literature showed up. --

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