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。128Please respect copyright.PENANA41dZosAy1q
128Please respect copyright.PENANAw0FddWuoFE
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。128Please respect copyright.PENANAXe20NAEYzh
128Please respect copyright.PENANADKZ6WCQakm
而這,亦正是最容易出事的時候。128Please respect copyright.PENANAazZjDhItpj
128Please respect copyright.PENANAdhsq7pFFlz
1989年6月,我們一家移民到溫哥華的第二週。128Please respect copyright.PENANAzzL47sdTog
128Please respect copyright.PENANAKbi7PK5hlS
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。128Please respect copyright.PENANA5uhLJGqIlf
128Please respect copyright.PENANAvN1Ju37n2U
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。128Please respect copyright.PENANAuHVtkeRjJO
128Please respect copyright.PENANAlrD0S3YL88
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。128Please respect copyright.PENANA0KD7AWly39
128Please respect copyright.PENANAaUiw7Fsfuc
所以當下我腦中閃過的念頭不是「他是誰」,而是:「又來了嗎?」128Please respect copyright.PENANA8MAFHJrVs6
128Please respect copyright.PENANAwe5yQJavsU
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。128Please respect copyright.PENANAfZU9ajOGa9
128Please respect copyright.PENANAaO7KoN7P77
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——128Please respect copyright.PENANAnW5wsIA8DZ
128Please respect copyright.PENANAoCNDgW89iT
「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。」128Please respect copyright.PENANA9yOAndxyMc
128Please respect copyright.PENANADGMuQ6dKEV
這下,所有人都愣住了。128Please respect copyright.PENANALTZrWDAD6G
128Please respect copyright.PENANANqpDDYurSQ
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。128Please respect copyright.PENANAaoqsOGOiSX
128Please respect copyright.PENANATsBOGKet91
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。128Please respect copyright.PENANAWFqjj353jH
128Please respect copyright.PENANAWxZyJqMRKz
我弟當年8歲128Please respect copyright.PENANAwRJh6a59CV
清晨5點多,讓家裡中門大開,一個人跑到這個公園玩128Please respect copyright.PENANAA4RDdulIj9
128Please respect copyright.PENANAryC3sccQa4
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。」128Please respect copyright.PENANAr8FFUnwqq0
128Please respect copyright.PENANA6jUV2uUnp4
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。128Please respect copyright.PENANAbSKOiwRXw6
128Please respect copyright.PENANAVKq3ptFBf2
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。128Please respect copyright.PENANA5Q5EZmFA4d
128Please respect copyright.PENANA0VLSm0tVCU
你守規矩、不是因爲怕被抓,而是因爲你認爲那是對的。128Please respect copyright.PENANAQu4qGGU7My
128Please respect copyright.PENANAOVIStcSkew
你不會偷,不是因爲到處都有監視鏡頭,而是因爲你不是賊。128Please respect copyright.PENANAfPODfsibc3
128Please respect copyright.PENANApma8XUrQVE
信任、誠實、互助,這是1989年在加拿大默默流動的做人原則。128Please respect copyright.PENANAdD2779hzAv
128Please respect copyright.PENANA7UhVVjAiY9
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。128Please respect copyright.PENANAa3u27Kk77t
128Please respect copyright.PENANADSUGsxFlmn
你家門一整天沒關也不怕,有事附近的人們會來幫忙。128Please respect copyright.PENANALfbMcbcz0O
128Please respect copyright.PENANAeXzRkhRkUz
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。128Please respect copyright.PENANACnpzLJJoHQ
128Please respect copyright.PENANAuaTuWGOC3T
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。128Please respect copyright.PENANAFiDPCfbiyT
128Please respect copyright.PENANA7oxBErx9WU
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。128Please respect copyright.PENANAk7MSXxCGd3
128Please respect copyright.PENANAB4PNmqP7ht
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128Please respect copyright.PENANAXZPR6QuUuE
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
128Please respect copyright.PENANAlm806FIXAt
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。128Please respect copyright.PENANAHbmaUXcutJ
128Please respect copyright.PENANA8gRzSlfNuf
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。128Please respect copyright.PENANAYcHb0ZDPyB
128Please respect copyright.PENANA0SRKYn7jrt
「奉公守法」被取笑是「蠢」,上前阻止更被反罵「憑什麼」。128Please respect copyright.PENANA8OqeArU3k9
128Please respect copyright.PENANAhSCdauqZEq
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。128Please respect copyright.PENANAWNsVDqfFZO
128Please respect copyright.PENANAUsn64inysh
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。128Please respect copyright.PENANAs7hgHRAyAE
128Please respect copyright.PENANAH2kbYYNwWq
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。128Please respect copyright.PENANAf9tKel7IQs
128Please respect copyright.PENANAolh2lCp66g
然後,這座城市「學乖了」。128Please respect copyright.PENANAG6dyt1VTR3
128Please respect copyright.PENANAnX5keEX2OU
家家戶戶都關上大門,Skytrain裝上閘門還要派人抓逃票。128Please respect copyright.PENANAIqm4apdzK1
128Please respect copyright.PENANAq6m0k63ICd
現在誰敢把單車停在外面?128Please respect copyright.PENANAhhFgzEIQuH
128Please respect copyright.PENANAXWYk8SHNrQ
就算上鎖了,還是要擔心一轉眼就被人偷走。128Please respect copyright.PENANAluGleq3Yg3
128Please respect copyright.PENANAGiutTfyHHl
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
128Please respect copyright.PENANAPBhYXURRl4
這根本不是進步,是戒心。128Please respect copyright.PENANAwZCnGdocWi
128Please respect copyright.PENANAdvyAjA3Qzj
人變得警覺了、冷了、疏離了。128Please respect copyright.PENANA431Zw25Ig4
128Please respect copyright.PENANAKAW4LyENtn
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?128Please respect copyright.PENANA0LK5kpLvQd
128Please respect copyright.PENANAyJmeINEahC
有些東西,當初不珍惜,到消失了才來抱怨。128Please respect copyright.PENANA2SCcOo3Z96
128Please respect copyright.PENANAlmigR2VmeT
是它變了,還是你讓它變了?128Please respect copyright.PENANARjoDQJFGQl
128Please respect copyright.PENANAwNZLW4XHGM
作爲一粒楓糖魚蛋,我太清楚什麼叫不上不下。128Please respect copyright.PENANAME7Sn7S3jp
128Please respect copyright.PENANA4rzUIvNQT4
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。128Please respect copyright.PENANAd4PCsaHcKB
128Please respect copyright.PENANALsPyFfrQT0
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。128Please respect copyright.PENANA5JCPMV94ne
128Please respect copyright.PENANAI0jEzBjtxy
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。128Please respect copyright.PENANA4Sg8pGcpoS
128Please respect copyright.PENANAvfiVMeSDwx
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。128Please respect copyright.PENANACvpXIl37C4
128Please respect copyright.PENANAlTeJ7kySDG
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。128Please respect copyright.PENANA1Q9Ax3aA1V
128Please respect copyright.PENANAgDjvYZkNen
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。128Please respect copyright.PENANAQYZgTLT0T1
128Please respect copyright.PENANAn7QHP651vi
因爲這麼一來,這裡就不再是加拿大了。