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。97Please respect copyright.PENANAEKgi8hmo45
97Please respect copyright.PENANALXBI4ZA5p0
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。97Please respect copyright.PENANA42nWwaUm0O
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而這,亦正是最容易出事的時候。97Please respect copyright.PENANAzwn3DjThfG
97Please respect copyright.PENANAbhAZvigiZG
1989年6月,我們一家移民到溫哥華的第二週。97Please respect copyright.PENANAbtQzz6JHFo
97Please respect copyright.PENANAW0UAzNhUzP
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。97Please respect copyright.PENANA76sQ1g70gd
97Please respect copyright.PENANAPIZVSQdqQ7
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。97Please respect copyright.PENANAB04uNIbwNM
97Please respect copyright.PENANArveCowUftF
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。97Please respect copyright.PENANA2AAR0nI5la
97Please respect copyright.PENANAKzofYhD4LB
所以當下我腦中閃過的念頭不是「他是誰」,而是:「又來了嗎?」97Please respect copyright.PENANAcNeNSbF6JX
97Please respect copyright.PENANAWEv3xL9uWu
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。97Please respect copyright.PENANAVk7k8QrG2i
97Please respect copyright.PENANAxED6fJGovD
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——97Please respect copyright.PENANAe2m98dccc5
97Please respect copyright.PENANAdnVFuGxzVp
「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。」97Please respect copyright.PENANASJPaLg9wUP
97Please respect copyright.PENANARm8TQUW61c
這下,所有人都愣住了。97Please respect copyright.PENANAKcMi0ve0ro
97Please respect copyright.PENANAVZxhwfKK3K
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。97Please respect copyright.PENANAVZntSS5op5
97Please respect copyright.PENANA93kVaNHm9E
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。97Please respect copyright.PENANAGL0Wrpb3SA
97Please respect copyright.PENANAmqEahU8jeJ
我弟當年8歲97Please respect copyright.PENANAKkEBcLgf0j
清晨5點多,讓家裡中門大開,一個人跑到這個公園玩97Please respect copyright.PENANAnBgpIPYsBq
97Please respect copyright.PENANARtgh1De1Xu
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。」97Please respect copyright.PENANApDi5DRnCk7
97Please respect copyright.PENANAYgqw2sn9td
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。97Please respect copyright.PENANAE19uKtyxL2
97Please respect copyright.PENANAg7SU668k9v
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。97Please respect copyright.PENANALOILZn0mSO
97Please respect copyright.PENANAUJF5GT3as8
你守規矩、不是因爲怕被抓,而是因爲你認爲那是對的。97Please respect copyright.PENANATrErxwnXSI
97Please respect copyright.PENANAjUh2UpmR19
你不會偷,不是因爲到處都有監視鏡頭,而是因爲你不是賊。97Please respect copyright.PENANAlI6s5OkPJ6
97Please respect copyright.PENANA87cg5oaU1J
信任、誠實、互助,這是1989年在加拿大默默流動的做人原則。97Please respect copyright.PENANA38dtLqOuVa
97Please respect copyright.PENANAuFOwvJQruT
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。97Please respect copyright.PENANAecTusFrHww
97Please respect copyright.PENANAt4QDm8ntxN
你家門一整天沒關也不怕,有事附近的人們會來幫忙。97Please respect copyright.PENANAyfZD7TFSEm
97Please respect copyright.PENANAOefOk3JscR
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。97Please respect copyright.PENANAU1UGa1JmBF
97Please respect copyright.PENANAmEHlAwhy2O
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。97Please respect copyright.PENANAUilC9KCXk6
97Please respect copyright.PENANA25BN1R2BQQ
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。97Please respect copyright.PENANA7bTHKqKV1Q
97Please respect copyright.PENANAmxJF8mj8Ef
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97Please respect copyright.PENANAJO83lCQKbo
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
97Please respect copyright.PENANAZEuycrvJMV
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。97Please respect copyright.PENANA4QwAJzCAsb
97Please respect copyright.PENANAmF8ey03ERg
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。97Please respect copyright.PENANAdza94dkiXG
97Please respect copyright.PENANABwxhE8rI5d
「奉公守法」被取笑是「蠢」,上前阻止更被反罵「憑什麼」。97Please respect copyright.PENANAlt9fJ0JmGP
97Please respect copyright.PENANAs6oAOthKag
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。97Please respect copyright.PENANAlRWfSpK5nj
97Please respect copyright.PENANAC1bFbrTOz8
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。97Please respect copyright.PENANAKNIj92OZfZ
97Please respect copyright.PENANAhFnywGtFwE
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。97Please respect copyright.PENANAd1bajI7NUc
97Please respect copyright.PENANAxPyZQEOlPZ
然後,這座城市「學乖了」。97Please respect copyright.PENANAVtvRpvvzIJ
97Please respect copyright.PENANA9a8ErYIYuT
家家戶戶都關上大門,Skytrain裝上閘門還要派人抓逃票。97Please respect copyright.PENANAyQMJmNPTX7
97Please respect copyright.PENANAexEyjeTejj
現在誰敢把單車停在外面?97Please respect copyright.PENANALMEoarZq84
97Please respect copyright.PENANAteokWvTPYI
就算上鎖了,還是要擔心一轉眼就被人偷走。97Please respect copyright.PENANA5Mvm2OjbeS
97Please respect copyright.PENANAum2PF7X5Xo
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
97Please respect copyright.PENANAQSgddJL5Nv
這根本不是進步,是戒心。97Please respect copyright.PENANAzDBXhSBK5K
97Please respect copyright.PENANAfZ8m8vZBGZ
人變得警覺了、冷了、疏離了。97Please respect copyright.PENANAZugx7WCAiH
97Please respect copyright.PENANACXmhB2u9Ru
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?97Please respect copyright.PENANA6cxSNBLKHj
97Please respect copyright.PENANAXS0cLXZJfp
有些東西,當初不珍惜,到消失了才來抱怨。97Please respect copyright.PENANA61xolcEQ0q
97Please respect copyright.PENANAfZp4CIcwJB
是它變了,還是你讓它變了?97Please respect copyright.PENANAqWg02fKmXh
97Please respect copyright.PENANAs1Qs7uoRsE
作爲一粒楓糖魚蛋,我太清楚什麼叫不上不下。97Please respect copyright.PENANAHLBqphU5ig
97Please respect copyright.PENANAW3IteVxt9W
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。97Please respect copyright.PENANAqx1xbtoH5s
97Please respect copyright.PENANAz3UXrjTlZj
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。97Please respect copyright.PENANAkMg19rSGOk
97Please respect copyright.PENANApGzC5xF8WE
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。97Please respect copyright.PENANAFhOi7H2Vkv
97Please respect copyright.PENANAUM1HkFXGw8
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。97Please respect copyright.PENANAvF2Jg4bfEU
97Please respect copyright.PENANAhMYpwggd5m
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。97Please respect copyright.PENANArJxfoVsphO
97Please respect copyright.PENANA4gLHYlxUzu
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。97Please respect copyright.PENANAUyfU5atvhB
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因爲這麼一來,這裡就不再是加拿大了。