Now I’m not going to criticize anyone or anything about their approach to learning English as even the poorest English speaking Taiwanese person is still much better than I am at speaking Mandarin. For example, the other night I took a taxi and after paying my fare, I asked for a receipt in Mandarin. The cab driver just looked at me, so I tried again and again which resulted in nothing but a confused stare by the driver. Finally I said “receipt” in English and made the hand signal of me writing on a piece of paper. He continued to look at me a little funny, but did give me my receipt and I was on my way. I later learned from the people that I was in the taxi with that I kept saying to the taxi driver “toilet.”

No, I definitely can’t criticize Taiwan’s effort to learn English. I can however, express my wonder at some of their creative methods. Perhaps the most unique method to teach the masses English is being carried out by the Taiwanese sanitation department. While in the United States, Sanitation Engineers or garbage men if you’re not so politically correct, carry out a very important, yet not such a high profile or highly regarded function in our society. It is their role solely to gather and remove trash from houses and street corners so that we can move forward as a culture in a manner that is sanitary, clean, and environmentally responsible. That is it. Sanitation Engineers are the unsung heroes of fresh smelling kitchens and clean streets. In Taiwan, the garbage men are asked to take on a greater, more critical responsibility. The Taiwanese sanitation department has taken on the responsibility to teach the masses English!

Yes, I too was shocked with disbelief when I first heard this, but then I saw it in action with my very own eyes and I was a believer. Every garbage truck is equipped with rooftop speakers and a stereo system. In fact, the garbage trucks look very similar to the contraption that Jake and Elwood Blues used to drive around Chicago announcing their reunion concert. But, instead of announcing upcoming concert dates or any other civic events, the garbage trucks broadcast English lessons.

I first encountered an English-tutor garbage truck when I was walking down a busy street in Tainan. I’ve grown so accustomed to never hearing English, that whenever I do hear it, I always turn around to see who is speaking. Anyway, I was walking down the street and I heard someone say “May I have your telephone number?” When I turned around, I didn’t see anyone who looked like they would be asking me for my number. Then, I heard it again and realized it was coming from the garbage truck. The truck then went on to teach the people such useful phrases as “what time is it?” and “where is the bathroom?” With this second phrase, I was hooked on the idea. These folks are brilliant, teach the Taiwanese people the phrases that I need to communicate. Now if I hear a truck that teaches people how to say “may I have a large, black coffee,” then I may just nominate the sanitation department for a Nobel Peace Prize.