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。218Please respect copyright.PENANApOUkr6NCYp
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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。218Please respect copyright.PENANA3TPlbq1GD3
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而這,亦正是最容易出事的時候。218Please respect copyright.PENANAlSK8t8jeKP
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1989年6月,我們一家移民到溫哥華的第二週。218Please respect copyright.PENANAtHPB0b3GCI
218Please respect copyright.PENANAlHjx4XCTLf
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。218Please respect copyright.PENANAgfr5gPQdY7
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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。218Please respect copyright.PENANAhhppPT3sdW
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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。218Please respect copyright.PENANAoUJUPblP3c
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所以當下我腦中閃過的念頭不是「他是誰」,而是:「又來了嗎?」218Please respect copyright.PENANAtLEtyBawCX
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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。218Please respect copyright.PENANAD6RdFxNxPl
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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——218Please respect copyright.PENANAsKduhfK6nN
218Please respect copyright.PENANABfqd72KF4o
「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。」218Please respect copyright.PENANAD3v9MvhpFo
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這下,所有人都愣住了。218Please respect copyright.PENANAzpu0yvUNkx
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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。218Please respect copyright.PENANAw5fnyUNwIh
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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。218Please respect copyright.PENANAw5VVqBz6ni
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我弟當年8歲218Please respect copyright.PENANAYRjsPawL1v
清晨5點多,讓家裡中門大開,一個人跑到這個公園玩218Please respect copyright.PENANAE0MKVA1oOg
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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。」218Please respect copyright.PENANAzA7l5mexml
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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。218Please respect copyright.PENANAB5mme7PVlu
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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。218Please respect copyright.PENANAOtkDVkV8Zo
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你守規矩、不是因爲怕被抓,而是因爲你認爲那是對的。218Please respect copyright.PENANACL6xpZLypQ
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你不會偷,不是因爲到處都有監視鏡頭,而是因爲你不是賊。218Please respect copyright.PENANAgIl9W0R3iU
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信任、誠實、互助,這是1989年在加拿大默默流動的做人原則。218Please respect copyright.PENANA2wk4yMp04Z
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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。218Please respect copyright.PENANAZ4DUnQnZj1
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你家門一整天沒關也不怕,有事附近的人們會來幫忙。218Please respect copyright.PENANAtiHohAARHv
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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。218Please respect copyright.PENANAOsPBv0AEo6
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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。218Please respect copyright.PENANAl6Xqql5ySH
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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。218Please respect copyright.PENANA0jyetu86gH
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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218Please respect copyright.PENANA0TNU7Y66z2
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
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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。218Please respect copyright.PENANAl1wX0JZulq
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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。218Please respect copyright.PENANAaUvKi4ofCU
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「奉公守法」被取笑是「蠢」,上前阻止更被反罵「憑什麼」。218Please respect copyright.PENANAaS4aUKtjwz
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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。218Please respect copyright.PENANAcFw1ogzPsG
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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。218Please respect copyright.PENANA97QF1xQPCA
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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。218Please respect copyright.PENANAPj6QtBLEFo
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然後,這座城市「學乖了」。218Please respect copyright.PENANAmSl9O9ImnQ
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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。218Please respect copyright.PENANAEF0xKgCRfZ
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現在誰敢把單車停在外面?218Please respect copyright.PENANAtgYq6r8b5C
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就算上鎖了,還是要擔心一轉眼就被人偷走。218Please respect copyright.PENANAN7mXMljPwo
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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
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這根本不是進步,是戒心。218Please respect copyright.PENANAAb4yjfRPPl
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人變得警覺了、冷了、疏離了。218Please respect copyright.PENANA9VusNTpOv0
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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?218Please respect copyright.PENANAFGdIsyqG2C
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有些東西,當初不珍惜,到消失了才來抱怨。218Please respect copyright.PENANAa00M4MxNJo
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是它變了,還是你讓它變了?218Please respect copyright.PENANAoQFnEU6lFB
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作爲一粒楓糖魚蛋,我太清楚什麼叫不上不下。218Please respect copyright.PENANAhBu1K8FKIn
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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。218Please respect copyright.PENANAq63kHxVVe0
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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。218Please respect copyright.PENANA0NojTe37Nv
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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。218Please respect copyright.PENANAwuAxWnjMni
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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。218Please respect copyright.PENANANOKzLL75JA
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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。218Please respect copyright.PENANAICJiSXuNxX
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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。218Please respect copyright.PENANAchoGwh0EI5
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因爲這麼一來,這裡就不再是加拿大了。