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。129Please respect copyright.PENANADxZF63vbqd
129Please respect copyright.PENANAksnLfGpvVA
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。129Please respect copyright.PENANAxOhRVh7yli
129Please respect copyright.PENANACWOg7aLktW
而這,亦正是最容易出事的時候。129Please respect copyright.PENANArvu0STF51O
129Please respect copyright.PENANAfQ5KVeqsOJ
1989年6月,我們一家移民到溫哥華的第二週。129Please respect copyright.PENANAu6nNV2hlzJ
129Please respect copyright.PENANAzrpikRjqId
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。129Please respect copyright.PENANA8LErBFYA4b
129Please respect copyright.PENANAVxBmoQlM8u
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。129Please respect copyright.PENANAfrwhld2zp6
129Please respect copyright.PENANAed8aqc36RI
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。129Please respect copyright.PENANA9bcrmhQaw7
129Please respect copyright.PENANAhY9sXcYUFn
所以當下我腦中閃過的念頭不是「他是誰」,而是:「又來了嗎?」129Please respect copyright.PENANAKWHyrOuP2I
129Please respect copyright.PENANAEdC5zuh2Gl
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。129Please respect copyright.PENANAHLZvAY69nF
129Please respect copyright.PENANAdr6FDjb090
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——129Please respect copyright.PENANAXlrhz6PeGY
129Please respect copyright.PENANAY9DU8Qpj4m
「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。」129Please respect copyright.PENANAAK9RKtC2Ys
129Please respect copyright.PENANAX6zhNpyzqN
這下,所有人都愣住了。129Please respect copyright.PENANAbCNMgx5cqx
129Please respect copyright.PENANAUnsqaaIZWH
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。129Please respect copyright.PENANAteZA9gtYWC
129Please respect copyright.PENANAd4U7KYmtTA
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。129Please respect copyright.PENANAMjhfDFHJBu
129Please respect copyright.PENANAzrp1O1AIRZ
我弟當年8歲129Please respect copyright.PENANAemjUU005yX
清晨5點多,讓家裡中門大開,一個人跑到這個公園玩129Please respect copyright.PENANAVe2HkcNM6W
129Please respect copyright.PENANAgdCE48Kltt
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。」129Please respect copyright.PENANAWmllx37z7a
129Please respect copyright.PENANAgdsA3GV2SY
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。129Please respect copyright.PENANAqLF5A9iQGK
129Please respect copyright.PENANAHY3SM2KHPB
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。129Please respect copyright.PENANAqlTCj09AlU
129Please respect copyright.PENANAbaxnw0Gryl
你守規矩、不是因爲怕被抓,而是因爲你認爲那是對的。129Please respect copyright.PENANAaMCFEDiL9L
129Please respect copyright.PENANAmF017QoZ0H
你不會偷,不是因爲到處都有監視鏡頭,而是因爲你不是賊。129Please respect copyright.PENANAmjOXajBpcy
129Please respect copyright.PENANACde1QLCgiz
信任、誠實、互助,這是1989年在加拿大默默流動的做人原則。129Please respect copyright.PENANATvrAqxU9zW
129Please respect copyright.PENANAcyyEeH2aJw
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。129Please respect copyright.PENANASlodMqYDvF
129Please respect copyright.PENANAA9YsZLPnSE
你家門一整天沒關也不怕,有事附近的人們會來幫忙。129Please respect copyright.PENANAbClJTQkE4q
129Please respect copyright.PENANArsVDJx8Air
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。129Please respect copyright.PENANAXbM0HqdMHX
129Please respect copyright.PENANAIimSIi6Oc1
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。129Please respect copyright.PENANAI9BnEZGWfY
129Please respect copyright.PENANAg9iGINVpGn
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。129Please respect copyright.PENANAeUctUaQri5
129Please respect copyright.PENANA6OgjuOsaXP
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129Please respect copyright.PENANADoYDFQMvpS
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
129Please respect copyright.PENANAsVjUQojGtK
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。129Please respect copyright.PENANA4r2hxZpZGV
129Please respect copyright.PENANAgGrt09dZEf
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。129Please respect copyright.PENANAiUKQgaUCX1
129Please respect copyright.PENANAPPmQ7HbUWP
「奉公守法」被取笑是「蠢」,上前阻止更被反罵「憑什麼」。129Please respect copyright.PENANACozqI0OlCv
129Please respect copyright.PENANAt8ITh4ZMIa
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。129Please respect copyright.PENANAsVw8uAMhjO
129Please respect copyright.PENANAFcvyLaUAUn
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。129Please respect copyright.PENANArPYkE7KA8F
129Please respect copyright.PENANAYtrFIHQ1Nw
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。129Please respect copyright.PENANALHcYOr5rfY
129Please respect copyright.PENANAcphoNQkCit
然後,這座城市「學乖了」。129Please respect copyright.PENANAEu1GpsExWA
129Please respect copyright.PENANAmHnCivBKr2
家家戶戶都關上大門,Skytrain裝上閘門還要派人抓逃票。129Please respect copyright.PENANA8CO7V24ukS
129Please respect copyright.PENANAUFMJNQJJ8S
現在誰敢把單車停在外面?129Please respect copyright.PENANAvKe3KJt6X2
129Please respect copyright.PENANAxmgm9KgYCB
就算上鎖了,還是要擔心一轉眼就被人偷走。129Please respect copyright.PENANAFnP04A2sFX
129Please respect copyright.PENANAVqnB7fQ1rA
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
129Please respect copyright.PENANA1iqFCOhzGq
這根本不是進步,是戒心。129Please respect copyright.PENANAdKDboevWJZ
129Please respect copyright.PENANAHMx7Hvql9A
人變得警覺了、冷了、疏離了。129Please respect copyright.PENANAp5kjxCFeqo
129Please respect copyright.PENANAeWAPumTEsa
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?129Please respect copyright.PENANAyBSZJUt0Pw
129Please respect copyright.PENANAcFApvYR4MF
有些東西,當初不珍惜,到消失了才來抱怨。129Please respect copyright.PENANAZKVlAWPbuT
129Please respect copyright.PENANA4QM9PTbE4Y
是它變了,還是你讓它變了?129Please respect copyright.PENANAKgBIrfADIv
129Please respect copyright.PENANAGR5X6w5MfZ
作爲一粒楓糖魚蛋,我太清楚什麼叫不上不下。129Please respect copyright.PENANA5D9gJhljuw
129Please respect copyright.PENANAbrJhdioQDh
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。129Please respect copyright.PENANA8ZBGG8Sajh
129Please respect copyright.PENANAiGpPpPQ5gV
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。129Please respect copyright.PENANAalgwB3jiOw
129Please respect copyright.PENANAwAKHmIFJEo
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。129Please respect copyright.PENANAMNtPDyYoUU
129Please respect copyright.PENANAUU187BzT9P
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。129Please respect copyright.PENANAV4qNGhZ64A
129Please respect copyright.PENANAEGug0hCHdD
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。129Please respect copyright.PENANAnkm8cGyEPa
129Please respect copyright.PENANAs1QcAuUyOX
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。129Please respect copyright.PENANA3PGMTxqkpF
129Please respect copyright.PENANA9TzScRkDol
因爲這麼一來,這裡就不再是加拿大了。