對大部份新移民來說,來到一個全新的城市,只要活過第一週,就代表你稍微能鬆一口氣。87Please respect copyright.PENANAeJUEQJ3hMg
87Please respect copyright.PENANA4RQAG1im1G
從這裡開始,你大概知道哪裡有超市、該怎樣坐巴士、哪幾個街角不該亂走,當生活開始有規律,那種剛建立起來的安全感,加上仍在探索新環境的新鮮感,確實會令每天都過得充實又興奮。87Please respect copyright.PENANAAMBNPYvvlA
87Please respect copyright.PENANAYo7dYbSTtJ
而這,亦正是最容易出事的時候。87Please respect copyright.PENANA3J0os7tl13
87Please respect copyright.PENANAbhihFIoAYN
1989年6月,我們一家移民到溫哥華的第二週。87Please respect copyright.PENANApc94TGF4vZ
87Please respect copyright.PENANAsYjRzR94bU
當年我睡在父母隔壁,跟兩個弟弟睡不同房間。某天清晨,我還在睡夢之中,忽然房門外面傳來一陣騷動。儘管還沒完全睡醒,但我確切地感到有事發生了,於是便趕快跳下床,衝出房外。87Please respect copyright.PENANAKBkTwwOXgo
87Please respect copyright.PENANA39gROQP8nN
然後我就看到,一個白人男人站在走廊盡頭,一邊牽着我二弟的手,一邊敲我父母的房門。87Please respect copyright.PENANACp686443xp
87Please respect copyright.PENANAchR4UIs29X
移民前,我家曾經遭賊人入屋行劫。那次我和我兩個弟弟還在熟睡,賊人就拿我們的性命威脅,將我父母反綁起來再洗劫整個單位。87Please respect copyright.PENANAcVREQTcy43
87Please respect copyright.PENANAVk8b1FWukh
所以當下我腦中閃過的念頭不是「他是誰」,而是:「又來了嗎?」87Please respect copyright.PENANA6ivHNsqak3
87Please respect copyright.PENANAGWqHVN1iGb
就在我還驚魂未定之際,我媽已經「咔」一聲打開房門跟對方打了個照面。87Please respect copyright.PENANAu3TQTfBlC7
87Please respect copyright.PENANAm2a3gxgw5A
然後,我聽到我爸的呼喝聲,顯然他跟我一樣馬上就想到被人入屋行劫——87Please respect copyright.PENANAXdfsEXhBzH
87Please respect copyright.PENANACKZnuhGLQT
「等等!」那個白人男子突然舉起雙手,語氣溫和的問:「這孩子是你們的嗎?我在公園看到他一個人在玩,所以帶他回來囉。」87Please respect copyright.PENANAOhT0rsjdCk
87Please respect copyright.PENANAR8YmpUIfTN
這下,所有人都愣住了。87Please respect copyright.PENANAdZFcGIoCNF
87Please respect copyright.PENANAHqlMLHRfjE
原來,這位好心人清晨六點出來晨運,在公園看到我弟一個人穿着睡衣在盪鞦韆,嚇得趕緊牽着我弟找回來,沒料到我家竟然中門大開,裡面安靜得像發生了命案一樣。87Please respect copyright.PENANALGiE1qaxCY
87Please respect copyright.PENANAhd0saQqF5E
白人男子說完,走廊的氣氛變得超級尷尬,所有人的目光都落在我弟身上。87Please respect copyright.PENANA0fVUBjgYJY
87Please respect copyright.PENANA0gDuHUtxt6
我弟當年8歲87Please respect copyright.PENANAcqY35KwCJU
清晨5點多,讓家裡中門大開,一個人跑到這個公園玩87Please respect copyright.PENANAsIhfGYlHun
87Please respect copyright.PENANAPCq3beSOkr
在剛移民的幾年,我經常被本地的親戚叮囑:「別把以前住在香港那一套帶來加拿大。」87Please respect copyright.PENANAhhDwkqsO20
87Please respect copyright.PENANAWwaaJJnJyw
他們說,加拿大人的淳樸,不只是對你微笑點頭、寒暄幾句那麼簡單。87Please respect copyright.PENANAKHJTwLhQem
87Please respect copyright.PENANAHosu0s3CND
這裡一直都存在着某種心照不宣的默契,一種靠誠信維繫的「Honor System」。很多事不需要寫進法律,大家都會自覺遵守。87Please respect copyright.PENANAmIHgRdmvKE
87Please respect copyright.PENANATzG2wjUK2c
你守規矩、不是因爲怕被抓,而是因爲你認爲那是對的。87Please respect copyright.PENANA4yCIKnEjtf
87Please respect copyright.PENANA2fqr2ut2JV
你不會偷,不是因爲到處都有監視鏡頭,而是因爲你不是賊。87Please respect copyright.PENANAa9Q0sEE8Gh
87Please respect copyright.PENANArzxMVOFA8b
信任、誠實、互助,這是1989年在加拿大默默流動的做人原則。87Please respect copyright.PENANA55wZyxOJaq
87Please respect copyright.PENANAp2pxbaKxCg
即使鄰居彼此不太來往,整個社區依然維持著一種互信的平衡。87Please respect copyright.PENANAQiByk3UECI
87Please respect copyright.PENANA25kUok6znA
你家門一整天沒關也不怕,有事附近的人們會來幫忙。87Please respect copyright.PENANAtoVwUwQP6a
87Please respect copyright.PENANAKhijPCnlTU
單車丟前院、孩子偷跑出去,不用擔心從此下落不明,因爲沒人會順手牽羊。87Please respect copyright.PENANAqXPztxi5RJ
87Please respect copyright.PENANAXKqwwjjhWg
當年,這邊的巴士車票只是一張司機隨手撕下的紙條,憑着撕痕判斷有效時間。架空列車(Skytrain)更是連閘門都沒有,大家自動自覺會去買票,不用人盯、不用入閘,也沒人會懷疑着系統會被濫用。87Please respect copyright.PENANAkeaJdA8SkC
87Please respect copyright.PENANAjr2HfOIuIs
這是因爲大家都知道:交通局要營運、城市要進步,大家就得乖乖掏錢,沒什麼好討價還價的。87Please respect copyright.PENANAlUfJaTvD0m
87Please respect copyright.PENANAYDiK80eUgM
當年巴士司機旁邊有一疊這票,隨手一撕就是票的有效時間87Please respect copyright.PENANAPfaKGvz8UJ
因爲上車時候不會檢查太嚴謹,很多人就自己動手腳來「延長」有效時間囉
87Please respect copyright.PENANAUooNJstDbL
直到有一天,加拿大人發現這一套,跟世界各地的文化相差很遠。87Please respect copyright.PENANAnOfzoJabLC
87Please respect copyright.PENANA0ERPvZAcxB
有些國家的人,對「鑽漏洞」、「佔便宜」這種事,非但不覺得羞愧,還把這種事跟「聰明」畫上等號。只要沒被抓住,那就你技高一籌,甚至可以拿去到處炫耀。87Please respect copyright.PENANAvlLL2lgtNw
87Please respect copyright.PENANAPhtGUDLhfo
「奉公守法」被取笑是「蠢」,上前阻止更被反罵「憑什麼」。87Please respect copyright.PENANA3Rqj7Ekx4r
87Please respect copyright.PENANAfU8K8XoZYo
我不是針對哪一個國家的人。只是這些年下來,加拿大的移民政策確實有漏洞——不是每個來到這裡的人,都願意理解這裡的文化,或尊重這裡原有的規則。87Please respect copyright.PENANA0zCttm45ug
87Please respect copyright.PENANAoCBLVqwqBo
加拿大人痛恨自己一向擁護的價值觀被扭曲,但在「尊重多元」與「文化包容」的信念之下,他們選擇了忍耐。87Please respect copyright.PENANALn3zkKGLkq
87Please respect copyright.PENANAknppgq6exc
結果,話說了一遍又一遍,解釋過、提醒過、教育過,最後還是有人把「怎樣不被抓到」當作值得炫耀的生活智慧,沾沾自喜地四處分享。87Please respect copyright.PENANAM3MiUzA7zp
87Please respect copyright.PENANAh8PvKXFdzz
然後,這座城市「學乖了」。87Please respect copyright.PENANAWQLXXuAu9x
87Please respect copyright.PENANAQZRm82SoxY
家家戶戶都關上大門,Skytrain裝上閘門還要派人抓逃票。87Please respect copyright.PENANAOdsit3jjVv
87Please respect copyright.PENANA9PNFkb5ZWN
現在誰敢把單車停在外面?87Please respect copyright.PENANAgf228ZsX8I
87Please respect copyright.PENANAZH7gxYL4wP
就算上鎖了,還是要擔心一轉眼就被人偷走。87Please respect copyright.PENANAIn4GFMf65V
87Please respect copyright.PENANAZ39QQ4YbVG
現在別說是把單車停在自家門前,就是上鎖也很快被人偷走
87Please respect copyright.PENANAO1oZBIQ76S
這根本不是進步,是戒心。87Please respect copyright.PENANAvSEsC7R2P1
87Please respect copyright.PENANAUBzszybf2i
人變得警覺了、冷了、疏離了。87Please respect copyright.PENANAdQbZePvPQJ
87Please respect copyright.PENANA33p017lTKS
然後,新移民一副發現貨不對版的嘴臉問:加拿大人不是很熱情、很淳樸的嗎?87Please respect copyright.PENANA0Et553tulB
87Please respect copyright.PENANAikpDoSVhUO
有些東西,當初不珍惜,到消失了才來抱怨。87Please respect copyright.PENANAGn3ff0SoCj
87Please respect copyright.PENANAhtBG87BygL
是它變了,還是你讓它變了?87Please respect copyright.PENANA5zYuBvsTFb
87Please respect copyright.PENANAUrAgroF5EX
作爲一粒楓糖魚蛋,我太清楚什麼叫不上不下。87Please respect copyright.PENANAfSCj6yG7xk
87Please respect copyright.PENANACrU0pWK3oQ
要我徹底融入加拿大那套,我做不到;要我全盤認同原居地的文化,我也不願意。87Please respect copyright.PENANA1i3QavU0gd
87Please respect copyright.PENANAdv8SnBE0V6
我既不是道地的加拿大人,也不是既定印象中的那種本土香港人。87Please respect copyright.PENANA6FHy4jud6A
87Please respect copyright.PENANAtR00MbBwve
但正因爲卡在中間,我反而看得更清楚兩地文化的優點和缺點。87Please respect copyright.PENANA5JSoOZofJY
87Please respect copyright.PENANAAl4z6bvcyd
香港的效率高、反應快、腦筋靈活,這些都是加拿大辦不到的事。87Please respect copyright.PENANAHURX4gtfwJ
87Please respect copyright.PENANADsTs1XTacI
尤其我曾回流香港工作十多年,回來後,看到這邊的種種更是刺眼:官僚、愛搶道德高地、該動的不動,動起來又拖拖拉拉。87Please respect copyright.PENANAHoa7uZCeSs
87Please respect copyright.PENANA5Uskn6Ywyq
加拿大確實有太多需要改進的地方,但這不代表,所有文化都能無條件搬進來,當作理所當然。87Please respect copyright.PENANAIvqk2yodYV
87Please respect copyright.PENANAMdENG82Pta
因爲這麼一來,這裡就不再是加拿大了。