老外看台灣／老外怎麼過中秋？印度混血兒曝如何慶祝

【看CP學英文】當台灣天氣逐漸轉涼時，大家便會開始前往超市進行中秋前夕最後的大採購。

As cooler winds blanket Taiwan, supermarkets are bustling with people doing last-minute Mid-Autumn Festival shopping.

近幾年來，許多人開始購買私人用的小心烤肉架、煤炭和其他道具，導致在路邊、公園和海灘烤肉的台灣人成為今日中秋景致中不可或缺的一員。

Over the last few years, there is a growing trend to purchase barbecue grills, bags of coal, and various other equipment, resulting in people barbecuing on roadsides, parks and beaches.

中秋節也在許多外國人心中佔有一席之地，因為他們能在這節慶中擁抱東方文化，與親朋好友參與當地的慶典。

The festival has also warmed the hearts of hundreds of foreigners who embrace Eastern culture and partake in local festivities with family and friends.

多年來，看到商家擺滿一盒盒精緻的月餅和聞到鄰居烤肉的香氣，我們終於屈服了，買了一個烤肉架和幾包煤炭，開始準備中秋「料理」。

After years of seeing stores brimming with beautiful boxes of delicious mooncakes and watching our neighbors enjoy a barbecue, we finally caved and purchased a grill, some coal and got to work!

在印度，自家烤肉不太普遍；相對的，餐廳通常會提供烤雞或其他的肉類。然而，在這裡，烤肉已成台灣文化的一部分，變成一種凝聚家庭、和朋友一起享用美食的慶典。

Back in India, home barbecue is not a trend; rather, restaurants will serve barbecue grilled chicken or other types of meat. Here in Taiwan, however, barbecuing is part of the culture and it brings family and friends together to celebrate with delicious food.

雖然吃素的我在烤肉時選擇相對的少，然而我還是非常喜歡烤香菇、玉米、青椒還有豆腐。烤肉雖然麻煩，但是成果總是值得的！

Despite being vegetarian and limited in my barbecue options, I love to grill mushroom, corn, and bell pepper kebabs as well as tofu. Barbecuing is a tedious task but the end result is always worth the wait.

有時，烤爐散發的煙和熱讓與我輪流烤肉的家人感到非常不適，然而自己烤熟的食物徹底保留了傳統爐具無法捕捉的味道。

The heat radiating from the coals as my family members and I take turns to grill sometimes is unbearable. But, the food after being cooked thoroughly retains a taste that a traditional stove cannot capture.

去年，我的外婆從印度來看我們，於是我和弟弟向她解釋中秋節的重要。她對於路邊一堆人圍在烤爐旁烤肉的現象感到特別好奇，也問我們為什麼中秋節節慶時商店內會有那麼多促銷活動。

Last year, my grandmother visited us from India, so my brother and I explained the importance of the Mid-Autumn Festival. She was particularly curious after seeing everyone barbecue in the streets and questioned why there were so many promotional activities in stores.

從一個旁觀者的角度來看，她被台灣城市裡的熱鬧和溫馨的氣氛所感染，甚至還愛上了月餅，在離開台灣前買了數盒回去印度分享。

From the perspective of someone who hasn’t yet been exposed to the festivities in Taiwan, she was fascinated by the warm and loving atmosphere that was buzzing in the city. Moreover, the delicate mooncakes made such an impact on her that she packed several boxes to take home.

我們家雖然在台灣居住了二十幾年，但卻只在近五年才開始參與中秋活動。

My family has been partaking in Mid-Autumn Festivities for almost 5 years now even though my family has resided in Taiwan for almost two decades.

現在回頭看，這讓我們更加了解台灣文化，擁抱台灣傳統。如果講得直白一點，這讓我們感覺更加融入了這個節日，真正成為台灣的一份子。

In hindsight, this has brought us closer to the culture and embrace Taiwan’s fantastic traditions. If I put it colloquially, it makes us feel more integrated into the festivities and part of the place we call home.

今年受氣候變遷影響較小，天氣較為涼爽，也讓烤肉活動更加誘人。

This year, the season is less tainted by global warming and the regular typhoon season has made it cooler which makes hot barbecue all the more tempting.

我們家今年計畫一邊和鄰居烤肉、吃月餅，一邊好好享受這節慶的氣氛。

We plan to barbecue our food and share mooncakes with our neighbors while savoring the joyous celebratory ambiance.

過節總是一個令人期待又好玩的時節，不過還是要呼籲大家注意安全。希望大家安全駕駛，也在安全的情況下進行烤肉活動。

Festivities are always an exciting and glorious time, but safety is an underlying issue. Hopefully, people can drive safely and conduct all their grilling in a secure manner.

在此祝大家一個歡樂的中秋節，可以大嗑月餅、在月光下與親朋好友一起烤肉慶祝！

Here’s to another prosperous year and celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival munching on cakes and barbecuing under the moon.

Saloni Meghnani is a student working towards a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication in Taiwan. She grew up in Taipei and attended an international school. Saloni is an avid reader and is passionate about writing. Her upbringing as a third culture child gives her a unique perspective on her coverage of socio-economic issues in Asia.