James and Teacher Ou meet in a coffee shop in the city of Hsinchu. Photo: James Trewby
The first time I heard of Teacher Ou (pronounced Oh in English) was when talking to a young Peruvian Columban priest, Fr Henry Amado Servan Vallejos. The way his eyes lit up when he mentioned her struck me; he seemed so enthusiastic.
I did a little investigating, and it turned out that she had been teaching Chinese (Mandarin) to Columbans in Taiwan, including students on their First Missionary Assignment, priests and lay missionaries, for 30 years.
We met in a coffee shop in the city of Hsinchu. Her humour and generosity were immediately evident as she smiled encouragingly at my bumbling attempts at greeting her in Mandarin.
Although Teacher Ou has always been a Buddhist, many of her educational experiences have been in Catholic institutions. As a child, she attended a Catholic school and then went on to teach Chinese to (non-Columban) missionaries at a university in Taipei. Her enthusiasm for teaching foreigners is rooted in her passion for Chinese culture. She studied Chinese literature at university and is keen on Chinese Opera, calligraphy, theatre, music and many other aspects of the culture.
After marrying, she needed to move from Taipei to Hsinchu. For a year, she took the 90 minute commute by train to the capital to teach, but this proved exhausting. At that time, there was no opportunity to teach foreigners in Hsinchu, so she looked for other work. "But nobody would hire me. I'm not a good secretary!" She explained with a huge smile. An introduction via a friend led to her first meeting with the Columbans.
Columban Frs Kevin and Peter O'Neill were planning to move nearby and were looking for a teacher - to start in six months. She remembers that this was agreed at their first meeting, and then there was no communication for half a year. Her friends were concerned and encouraged her to look for other opportunities. “What if these foreigners don’t show up?” they said, but she trusted they would. "Priests don't tell lies!" she said.
Her faith was rewarded, and the rest is history. In fact, her neighbours were amazed. "Teacher Ou,” they said, “your student, he really studies hard - he comes twice every day," not realising that Kevin and Peter are identical twins! Teacher Ou is still close to Kevin and Peter. She and her husband have visited them and their family in Australia. This theme of friendship and family runs through the conversation.
Most Columbans continue to learn Chinese throughout their time in Taiwan, so some of her students have been with her for over ten years. She explains that as an educator, she becomes a companion and "When I accompany people, I really feel I use my gifts."
She finds this enjoyable and satisfying and explains that all her teacher friends have gone through times when they wanted to quit, but she never has. She strikes me as someone clearly living her vocation.
She described seeing her students go through culture shock, a common experience for people living in a culture outside their own. She says that for the first months, everything is enjoyable and interesting: the “honeymoon” period. Then, they cannot hide a period of homesickness, poor sleep and frustration before they settle down. She supports them by listening and through compassionate teaching.
On arriving in Taiwan, a Columban spends a year learning Chinese full-time, after which Teacher Ou focuses on relevant language for their ministries. This involves listening to them, understanding what they do, reflecting on this, and then creating bespoke learning appropriate for their specific mission and ministry. "My living room is like a library," she says. The breadth of her library truly speaks to her commitment and the changing face of the Columban Mission in Taiwan, including English, Korean, HIV/AIDS, and special needs educational materials. It is evident that Teacher Ou admires the Columbans. "They are doing something I could never do." She describes them as open, patient and humble and notes, "They really love the people they serve.”
It's not only a job. It's mission - a sentiment I can't help but notice is also true of her. She was particularly impressed with their commitment in the face of the pandemic: "When I saw them adapting during COVID, I felt happy. Nothing can knock them; nothing can stop them. They find a way to fulfil their mission."
My final question is about how knowing the Columbans has affected her. She responds that they have changed her life and expanded her heart. “Because of my relationship with the Columbans, I love HIV patients, I love indigenous peoples, I love migrant workers, I love people with special needs. Their love makes my life richer ... the Columbans are the pen, trying to write something God wants them to write. I'm not the pen. Maybe I'm one kind of ink?”
James Trewby is the Columban Justice, Peace & Ecology Coordinator in Britain.
Listen to "Teacher Ou"
Related links
- Read more from The Far East - January/February 2025
