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。136Please respect copyright.PENANAOLB0TSRO0W
136Please respect copyright.PENANANueuMhZ9Wz
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。136Please respect copyright.PENANAaPWbUwiPDc
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而這,亦正是最容易出事的時候。136Please respect copyright.PENANAOnRb6CUaFW
136Please respect copyright.PENANASlGQvBFi0T
1989年6月,我們一家移民到溫哥華的第二週。136Please respect copyright.PENANAYg5b3tF5kF
136Please respect copyright.PENANAsmEuSoWFS3
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。136Please respect copyright.PENANANnSCsDgjsa
136Please respect copyright.PENANANzZrJBZEGl
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。136Please respect copyright.PENANAdwD2dk0Vii
136Please respect copyright.PENANAqHJ6d5kPBC
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。136Please respect copyright.PENANAJn0UNK80yM
136Please respect copyright.PENANAvMTZyYhC82
所以當下我腦中閃過的念頭不是「他是誰」,而是:「又來了嗎?」136Please respect copyright.PENANAkDUdCVRFtR
136Please respect copyright.PENANAc9YPyqmIxp
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。136Please respect copyright.PENANAwz3pr8g9cd
136Please respect copyright.PENANA4jkVK3LtS0
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——136Please respect copyright.PENANA91NvhwF7rL
136Please respect copyright.PENANAXMNU17cxW9
「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。」136Please respect copyright.PENANAeh9diAr3gH
136Please respect copyright.PENANAl9tByxACH6
這下,所有人都愣住了。136Please respect copyright.PENANANs2l2mSdmL
136Please respect copyright.PENANAmyUHK34CLU
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。136Please respect copyright.PENANAxNbfzvvKLd
136Please respect copyright.PENANAMWBhDoFntE
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。136Please respect copyright.PENANAwUtKAenlqO
136Please respect copyright.PENANAk9Tu281FjQ
我弟當年8歲136Please respect copyright.PENANArMfUTzn8VR
清晨5點多,讓家裡中門大開,一個人跑到這個公園玩136Please respect copyright.PENANA1Sro38c5Hb
136Please respect copyright.PENANABn7WeeqV3U
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。」136Please respect copyright.PENANAAdZp2EnZUc
136Please respect copyright.PENANA60mJ4hAjzf
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。136Please respect copyright.PENANAw07V7AQx5E
136Please respect copyright.PENANA4xLQXBazPI
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。136Please respect copyright.PENANAjidBpfrIQO
136Please respect copyright.PENANAdQmYxXZP96
你守規矩、不是因爲怕被抓,而是因爲你認爲那是對的。136Please respect copyright.PENANANO1iBkbZP8
136Please respect copyright.PENANAjvoCaqHpIA
你不會偷,不是因爲到處都有監視鏡頭,而是因爲你不是賊。136Please respect copyright.PENANAGlLUtbXoPG
136Please respect copyright.PENANAzP9Wj8yRPA
信任、誠實、互助,這是1989年在加拿大默默流動的做人原則。136Please respect copyright.PENANAGw9ip1CFLT
136Please respect copyright.PENANASf6pVRu8TY
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。136Please respect copyright.PENANAzkCokh1DbM
136Please respect copyright.PENANA0QEhiEzFoH
你家門一整天沒關也不怕,有事附近的人們會來幫忙。136Please respect copyright.PENANAKAI34Rs81b
136Please respect copyright.PENANAv6kyIAAcIF
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。136Please respect copyright.PENANA75vXMK9xwo
136Please respect copyright.PENANArZFkUUHJxh
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。136Please respect copyright.PENANA8uenjvsDm9
136Please respect copyright.PENANADlYH2aZHe0
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。136Please respect copyright.PENANAPjLTCx09o2
136Please respect copyright.PENANAOfxe2TADQd
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136Please respect copyright.PENANAngjsH1YGdx
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
136Please respect copyright.PENANAM1eIyPu2Rh
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。136Please respect copyright.PENANAuauG6TpWFh
136Please respect copyright.PENANA0bCdt75RIG
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。136Please respect copyright.PENANA1bOzw8U0rv
136Please respect copyright.PENANAiwLbNVmiMP
「奉公守法」被取笑是「蠢」,上前阻止更被反罵「憑什麼」。136Please respect copyright.PENANAOF59sdeRv1
136Please respect copyright.PENANAeIgrJaUbjX
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。136Please respect copyright.PENANAH2AxvGArMX
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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。136Please respect copyright.PENANA7JHOxnUeji
136Please respect copyright.PENANATw9KPuZwOE
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。136Please respect copyright.PENANA3HWE9csZ0v
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然後,這座城市「學乖了」。136Please respect copyright.PENANA4W8PtENlAk
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家家戶戶都關上大門,Skytrain裝上閘門還要派人抓逃票。136Please respect copyright.PENANAgnzaTiyEVB
136Please respect copyright.PENANAcF8noeSena
現在誰敢把單車停在外面?136Please respect copyright.PENANA18SJaRZdUP
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就算上鎖了,還是要擔心一轉眼就被人偷走。136Please respect copyright.PENANAdrLVy6rk9e
136Please respect copyright.PENANAUDcC1ukdEz
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
136Please respect copyright.PENANAid40t9dxgp
這根本不是進步,是戒心。136Please respect copyright.PENANA3wHdu47qCR
136Please respect copyright.PENANA89T3yNqp9p
人變得警覺了、冷了、疏離了。136Please respect copyright.PENANA1oIgN2W77G
136Please respect copyright.PENANAHt3RBhitpA
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?136Please respect copyright.PENANAvGAF6gvG2b
136Please respect copyright.PENANAyRNrWOzgSP
有些東西,當初不珍惜,到消失了才來抱怨。136Please respect copyright.PENANAc5hugRa51a
136Please respect copyright.PENANAl4CvyQRZaG
是它變了,還是你讓它變了?136Please respect copyright.PENANAzHQGnxdLuZ
136Please respect copyright.PENANAFhEk91ufiO
作爲一粒楓糖魚蛋,我太清楚什麼叫不上不下。136Please respect copyright.PENANAnoaTI1enhe
136Please respect copyright.PENANAYI7UDnh7tQ
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。136Please respect copyright.PENANAZEaIUHGD1y
136Please respect copyright.PENANAHxy7AGA4Ss
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。136Please respect copyright.PENANA3uTkMB24n2
136Please respect copyright.PENANAela388uqR5
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。136Please respect copyright.PENANAxkdoawt926
136Please respect copyright.PENANAYgw2v1aRvc
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。136Please respect copyright.PENANAnoNlFKnEom
136Please respect copyright.PENANApVecg2BpNa
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。136Please respect copyright.PENANAMObcI45BEP
136Please respect copyright.PENANAYEUa0KuPsV
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。136Please respect copyright.PENANAwi13lCJtcV
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因爲這麼一來,這裡就不再是加拿大了。