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。117Please respect copyright.PENANA81l2vMkPUe
117Please respect copyright.PENANAsVNhaZZHih
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAE7zrZ7HaKp
117Please respect copyright.PENANA1p3EUcc3Db
而這,亦正是最容易出事的時候。117Please respect copyright.PENANAWgDX4RSEqc
117Please respect copyright.PENANA96Wxi3bgNg
1989年6月,我們一家移民到溫哥華的第二週。117Please respect copyright.PENANAmZaFDoinKS
117Please respect copyright.PENANAQfvNUeQOGr
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAvRZXvHZndP
117Please respect copyright.PENANAO3fLkqGPSf
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAyPdbiq4DEP
117Please respect copyright.PENANAcDhP8cVW0N
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAcGFpEcYdq5
117Please respect copyright.PENANAs7ZlZdFtoQ
所以當下我腦中閃過的念頭不是「他是誰」,而是:「又來了嗎?」117Please respect copyright.PENANAjmjAOBse8X
117Please respect copyright.PENANAIUHyTnYUOE
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANA0kxQkBoWmL
117Please respect copyright.PENANAesJFPzD4c4
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——117Please respect copyright.PENANAlZkBUcdwl9
117Please respect copyright.PENANAO3CoqRPgTF
「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。」117Please respect copyright.PENANAHXnmGlzgXq
117Please respect copyright.PENANA6tYIGUkoH8
這下,所有人都愣住了。117Please respect copyright.PENANAmEvvVUDKSc
117Please respect copyright.PENANAGPIREif3j3
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANA0zZvlH2DVp
117Please respect copyright.PENANApIL1Eexgz5
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANADSxLYM4C7f
117Please respect copyright.PENANAdO8HBEVct9
我弟當年8歲117Please respect copyright.PENANAQDdt6tihOE
清晨5點多,讓家裡中門大開,一個人跑到這個公園玩117Please respect copyright.PENANAF5NJn9VO4R
117Please respect copyright.PENANAGL8YkjzRwQ
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。」117Please respect copyright.PENANAkxqVftiAo3
117Please respect copyright.PENANAjBDOJgyl3n
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAcGIRWOjUwO
117Please respect copyright.PENANAvWQkmr46Kc
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAVEUgaGEI7N
117Please respect copyright.PENANAmlaCqobdmz
你守規矩、不是因爲怕被抓,而是因爲你認爲那是對的。117Please respect copyright.PENANA4GX6DUpXde
117Please respect copyright.PENANAy3ewqyHpmo
你不會偷,不是因爲到處都有監視鏡頭,而是因爲你不是賊。117Please respect copyright.PENANAEyBUm0smoD
117Please respect copyright.PENANAkHivTMS1Kj
信任、誠實、互助,這是1989年在加拿大默默流動的做人原則。117Please respect copyright.PENANA76mu6zO6UB
117Please respect copyright.PENANA9j2YmowuW7
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAIpdesKKdUy
117Please respect copyright.PENANAqkdYbz0OGh
你家門一整天沒關也不怕,有事附近的人們會來幫忙。117Please respect copyright.PENANAwCro40jlCA
117Please respect copyright.PENANA1BlFHKKayR
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAlptmoaCev7
117Please respect copyright.PENANADf2eHwgZCt
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAlLZPenWlHC
117Please respect copyright.PENANALz7eRoOfOs
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAIpIs0JbqAJ
117Please respect copyright.PENANAiB0QDqFYfk
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117Please respect copyright.PENANAcwVGmzfhOs
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
117Please respect copyright.PENANA8XOi69NEuz
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAz5CrtMzKS4
117Please respect copyright.PENANAWPFilgXcNK
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAb7VdJ2vau8
117Please respect copyright.PENANAwVLB196Es3
「奉公守法」被取笑是「蠢」,上前阻止更被反罵「憑什麼」。117Please respect copyright.PENANAgMY0ggUJqC
117Please respect copyright.PENANAc7zNSBoUsm
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAKW9mKkBmQh
117Please respect copyright.PENANA8UraXwXw8F
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAqgBxBm1t3z
117Please respect copyright.PENANAdAtfw3AWm0
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAJV3pZAXI6M
117Please respect copyright.PENANACcY4e11pEf
然後,這座城市「學乖了」。117Please respect copyright.PENANAlwCkOjSaFf
117Please respect copyright.PENANAiZCmFZF06r
家家戶戶都關上大門,Skytrain裝上閘門還要派人抓逃票。117Please respect copyright.PENANApOpmQqXqol
117Please respect copyright.PENANA8MDZJyB5wa
現在誰敢把單車停在外面?117Please respect copyright.PENANA0oLlqPFgsC
117Please respect copyright.PENANAj2TqO8a0lg
就算上鎖了,還是要擔心一轉眼就被人偷走。117Please respect copyright.PENANAXdtSa5cv5D
117Please respect copyright.PENANABDyS3T2xQg
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
117Please respect copyright.PENANAIxUTFrzC5L
這根本不是進步,是戒心。117Please respect copyright.PENANANOIllBLhlj
117Please respect copyright.PENANAvr6J2Oi7E9
人變得警覺了、冷了、疏離了。117Please respect copyright.PENANAgGuImptU3h
117Please respect copyright.PENANAR9f1SU2fR5
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?117Please respect copyright.PENANAMvwDlpZnm6
117Please respect copyright.PENANAZC8nDTpesg
有些東西,當初不珍惜,到消失了才來抱怨。117Please respect copyright.PENANAn2waKGwOhH
117Please respect copyright.PENANANofkjhrX0h
是它變了,還是你讓它變了?117Please respect copyright.PENANA75suIa9H6F
117Please respect copyright.PENANAbeQyBXdl5A
作爲一粒楓糖魚蛋,我太清楚什麼叫不上不下。117Please respect copyright.PENANAZRSZ3mWy5l
117Please respect copyright.PENANAkBlFQhQ79s
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAmVVNjibLir
117Please respect copyright.PENANA9Ch0Cpjvcf
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAjX5zEgooGa
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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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAibaBYDxaPj
117Please respect copyright.PENANAMqKPUbrdZS
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAuXK3QpLnp9
117Please respect copyright.PENANAVb5KV2ANkL
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANAqGG7QYfuH4
117Please respect copyright.PENANASecq77lGai
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。117Please respect copyright.PENANARO44T3QM2R
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因爲這麼一來,這裡就不再是加拿大了。