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。385Please respect copyright.PENANA6Vhw071DCU
385Please respect copyright.PENANApAjSk0azS3
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。385Please respect copyright.PENANAKMKfGIK0KE
385Please respect copyright.PENANARiK4KC9LQi
而這,亦正是最容易出事的時候。385Please respect copyright.PENANACX6qJ3yq1a
385Please respect copyright.PENANAobfSM3GFE2
1989年6月,我們一家移民到溫哥華的第二週。385Please respect copyright.PENANAi5RNou5jtn
385Please respect copyright.PENANA5wq3b6oQ7v
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。385Please respect copyright.PENANAP7tEoQ4JKK
385Please respect copyright.PENANAXv6y1a2J8U
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。385Please respect copyright.PENANARTc5MXewCU
385Please respect copyright.PENANAPNJZg9PpgG
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。385Please respect copyright.PENANAVbmOZ07bwK
385Please respect copyright.PENANAk9O4MWZYR2
所以當下我腦中閃過的念頭不是「他是誰」,而是:「又來了嗎?」385Please respect copyright.PENANACWzG5CudmI
385Please respect copyright.PENANADm38uSRWj0
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。385Please respect copyright.PENANANikbaxudJX
385Please respect copyright.PENANA6woJ7WX0TD
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——385Please respect copyright.PENANAQ2RedeoXPp
385Please respect copyright.PENANATijk9nYEiC
「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。」385Please respect copyright.PENANA27TVxiokfu
385Please respect copyright.PENANAx1Y07efbwK
這下,所有人都愣住了。385Please respect copyright.PENANA62yiQF3oFC
385Please respect copyright.PENANAIj69mjmphN
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。385Please respect copyright.PENANA0Yi2mFgyAa
385Please respect copyright.PENANACmfGb3Uwnt
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。385Please respect copyright.PENANAbNa9dqaz4t
385Please respect copyright.PENANAsocA1txlvp
我弟當年8歲385Please respect copyright.PENANAuOcZOW63YT
清晨5點多,讓家裡中門大開,一個人跑到這個公園玩385Please respect copyright.PENANA2VAuLFehcn
385Please respect copyright.PENANAIPUuH0ix5o
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。」385Please respect copyright.PENANALbP9E1RHUW
385Please respect copyright.PENANAmO7PBkxtDj
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。385Please respect copyright.PENANAbjSyjUpBe5
385Please respect copyright.PENANATDLEiOaItN
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。385Please respect copyright.PENANAdFxmPSLXle
385Please respect copyright.PENANAVwcAutcxhO
你守規矩、不是因爲怕被抓,而是因爲你認爲那是對的。385Please respect copyright.PENANAnhNn2Vx4S5
385Please respect copyright.PENANAtHOZ7oPDIP
你不會偷,不是因爲到處都有監視鏡頭,而是因爲你不是賊。385Please respect copyright.PENANAdiiNvrlTD8
385Please respect copyright.PENANAb2x7ITFFjw
信任、誠實、互助,這是1989年在加拿大默默流動的做人原則。385Please respect copyright.PENANARL4lYYIken
385Please respect copyright.PENANAOrPcjVGFip
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。385Please respect copyright.PENANAQC3LgeG3PR
385Please respect copyright.PENANAdyAlRxizuU
你家門一整天沒關也不怕,有事附近的人們會來幫忙。385Please respect copyright.PENANAfo22RgH9is
385Please respect copyright.PENANA4XXtKkreIj
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。385Please respect copyright.PENANA4hl5ualCcY
385Please respect copyright.PENANAVuteJRz0FA
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。385Please respect copyright.PENANAnjlPHrdNgK
385Please respect copyright.PENANA1bW4P5HUFr
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。385Please respect copyright.PENANAzfWKAXxlUK
385Please respect copyright.PENANA7CjzekRRG3
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385Please respect copyright.PENANAs7OUvgJw4f
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
385Please respect copyright.PENANAFWwWrzEQJC
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。385Please respect copyright.PENANAYoupRQfOaO
385Please respect copyright.PENANAUvfOPR7SS9
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。385Please respect copyright.PENANA6NUhyKTbmj
385Please respect copyright.PENANA2CHu74fTjt
「奉公守法」被取笑是「蠢」,上前阻止更被反罵「憑什麼」。385Please respect copyright.PENANAybSgeS1vWw
385Please respect copyright.PENANAl0U7GHW9qi
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。385Please respect copyright.PENANAen0DSr0nPV
385Please respect copyright.PENANAqPAifFjQ1M
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。385Please respect copyright.PENANAIEkTYmBDOb
385Please respect copyright.PENANAhTqndbXpKX
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。385Please respect copyright.PENANAdAeXLnCZcZ
385Please respect copyright.PENANAJPUQ34T1BR
然後,這座城市「學乖了」。385Please respect copyright.PENANAihp7B0RGMN
385Please respect copyright.PENANABDUhwHmL5H
家家戶戶都關上大門,Skytrain裝上閘門還要派人抓逃票。385Please respect copyright.PENANAy28hMa3pHn
385Please respect copyright.PENANAGn7qSWCJfN
現在誰敢把單車停在外面?385Please respect copyright.PENANAISejCHjCbq
385Please respect copyright.PENANA9WBpetDMXy
就算上鎖了,還是要擔心一轉眼就被人偷走。385Please respect copyright.PENANAH4bQSybuoW
385Please respect copyright.PENANA7vhfJ1tVZe
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
385Please respect copyright.PENANALJnCLC8ACZ
這根本不是進步,是戒心。385Please respect copyright.PENANAKiQivVMVz1
385Please respect copyright.PENANASXA9J87j2D
人變得警覺了、冷了、疏離了。385Please respect copyright.PENANA1WxT8cfP4T
385Please respect copyright.PENANAyCwGYagGVX
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?385Please respect copyright.PENANA6y29q4hYs4
385Please respect copyright.PENANAAY7zpb8lX0
有些東西,當初不珍惜,到消失了才來抱怨。385Please respect copyright.PENANA8jPxosJaZK
385Please respect copyright.PENANAhPsXx6WQPv
是它變了,還是你讓它變了?385Please respect copyright.PENANATdKA6ezjJk
385Please respect copyright.PENANAbOR7kyBwtY
作爲一粒楓糖魚蛋,我太清楚什麼叫不上不下。385Please respect copyright.PENANA1Bpc086g9x
385Please respect copyright.PENANASv0T8OQL86
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。385Please respect copyright.PENANAvgktPnfE4e
385Please respect copyright.PENANAAv2wjH0Rye
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。385Please respect copyright.PENANAFdmtzEAWUM
385Please respect copyright.PENANAvyMipRV7NK
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。385Please respect copyright.PENANAqJjj7FObOV
385Please respect copyright.PENANAmLDzMeGgtv
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。385Please respect copyright.PENANArLnmUBb9Gf
385Please respect copyright.PENANAoCEK6iqjjo
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。385Please respect copyright.PENANA0qtDeInww8
385Please respect copyright.PENANAAt2dnf6k7h
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。385Please respect copyright.PENANA85fUXTmgdl
385Please respect copyright.PENANAXXCfvDcolv
因爲這麼一來,這裡就不再是加拿大了。


