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。21Please respect copyright.PENANAsJEBJQrxe3
21Please respect copyright.PENANAAMHRzM4wHD
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。21Please respect copyright.PENANA4m7Z40F1A5
21Please respect copyright.PENANAUzb7REwEeA
而這,亦正是最容易出事的時候。21Please respect copyright.PENANAsSKpwURC7r
21Please respect copyright.PENANAhaeWYIZJIp
1989年6月,我們一家移民到溫哥華的第二週。21Please respect copyright.PENANAV3voR8mKFY
21Please respect copyright.PENANAhX7oG7ssNu
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。21Please respect copyright.PENANA3riL43KPZ7
21Please respect copyright.PENANAvaGaEyKsO2
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。21Please respect copyright.PENANA1CWDaP9ngA
21Please respect copyright.PENANAvoSluIYiSc
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。21Please respect copyright.PENANAbQnX8BmOXz
21Please respect copyright.PENANAWUSs1XvplG
所以當下我腦中閃過的念頭不是「他是誰」,而是:「又來了嗎?」21Please respect copyright.PENANAnUiMWpyehm
21Please respect copyright.PENANAnj9AbQX1BJ
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。21Please respect copyright.PENANAx0fLAgglky
21Please respect copyright.PENANA74gJzlS0sx
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——21Please respect copyright.PENANAbkK1xbs11x
21Please respect copyright.PENANAaEwIhpiXVQ
「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。」21Please respect copyright.PENANAoNjjSBHgSv
21Please respect copyright.PENANApymipKYg5q
這下,所有人都愣住了。21Please respect copyright.PENANA1jhzd2E7Qu
21Please respect copyright.PENANA2dfd5AB5fk
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。21Please respect copyright.PENANAlOKyYYrAJZ
21Please respect copyright.PENANA25NKWW9oKO
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。21Please respect copyright.PENANA9bo7VGgQxF
21Please respect copyright.PENANAC6JXwgzhVL
我弟當年8歲21Please respect copyright.PENANA1T9k5p6NEn
清晨5點多,讓家裡中門大開,一個人跑到這個公園玩21Please respect copyright.PENANA22FzQ2iJAm
21Please respect copyright.PENANAtiNyw5mqZr
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。」21Please respect copyright.PENANAoP58yRCv71
21Please respect copyright.PENANAIBogKUbo2M
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。21Please respect copyright.PENANAPbmVcmnJIL
21Please respect copyright.PENANARpICwpo5io
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。21Please respect copyright.PENANAp1k0W7a3Tb
21Please respect copyright.PENANALzEQZ67haK
你守規矩、不是因爲怕被抓,而是因爲你認爲那是對的。21Please respect copyright.PENANA9EQJxI5Qk2
21Please respect copyright.PENANApsyZ1vpbJN
你不會偷,不是因爲到處都有監視鏡頭,而是因爲你不是賊。21Please respect copyright.PENANA8YO3mc7G81
21Please respect copyright.PENANApX9YJSokFz
信任、誠實、互助,這是1989年在加拿大默默流動的做人原則。21Please respect copyright.PENANAlaFle3N5vP
21Please respect copyright.PENANA3XTy8iCyzr
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。21Please respect copyright.PENANAMRsFVUsLp0
21Please respect copyright.PENANA8uwAENpKux
你家門一整天沒關也不怕,有事附近的人們會來幫忙。21Please respect copyright.PENANAlOfkrwWhPc
21Please respect copyright.PENANAISvY9twQvf
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。21Please respect copyright.PENANAcKyICW5t1w
21Please respect copyright.PENANA4WZoPmvcNT
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。21Please respect copyright.PENANAYaoi6wwppS
21Please respect copyright.PENANAdPqEDNY8xm
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。21Please respect copyright.PENANAccucAVFU2Y
21Please respect copyright.PENANAxzQIuxyT8p
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21Please respect copyright.PENANAvX25tnEAmn
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
21Please respect copyright.PENANAexJfwNF3Ax
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。21Please respect copyright.PENANA6Of3fymQ33
21Please respect copyright.PENANAEPxYtAxzOb
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。21Please respect copyright.PENANAxw73e0GkG6
21Please respect copyright.PENANAOQZugOUyJI
「奉公守法」被取笑是「蠢」,上前阻止更被反罵「憑什麼」。21Please respect copyright.PENANAjrerXLvLXC
21Please respect copyright.PENANAafobj6fxYK
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。21Please respect copyright.PENANA3PwrB2YxMa
21Please respect copyright.PENANAn9BgNR2nPQ
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。21Please respect copyright.PENANAftp8aK01OF
21Please respect copyright.PENANAMs93LjTb6X
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。21Please respect copyright.PENANAudfT22V5VC
21Please respect copyright.PENANAHdLBM1ccBj
然後,這座城市「學乖了」。21Please respect copyright.PENANA4GwMv8fKnU
21Please respect copyright.PENANAuYKDBQu7C6
家家戶戶都關上大門,Skytrain裝上閘門還要派人抓逃票。21Please respect copyright.PENANAtxBhals9fB
21Please respect copyright.PENANAWbVv62ejvy
現在誰敢把單車停在外面?21Please respect copyright.PENANAZBbO7M9cll
21Please respect copyright.PENANApZCC1kIR3K
就算上鎖了,還是要擔心一轉眼就被人偷走。21Please respect copyright.PENANAHpWDK8DIgk
21Please respect copyright.PENANAEdPv1GFkwg
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
21Please respect copyright.PENANAbZ3ydleG9A
這根本不是進步,是戒心。21Please respect copyright.PENANAvNjUKSGM2O
21Please respect copyright.PENANAaQclVrZqcx
人變得警覺了、冷了、疏離了。21Please respect copyright.PENANAq0vdKmLdLu
21Please respect copyright.PENANAM4PLU00urx
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?21Please respect copyright.PENANAjk7CZzp6FG
21Please respect copyright.PENANANf4mGE4m1q
有些東西,當初不珍惜,到消失了才來抱怨。21Please respect copyright.PENANAKXHRP4DTxE
21Please respect copyright.PENANAyKACf7qwzX
是它變了,還是你讓它變了?21Please respect copyright.PENANAZ8rOPnx0h7
21Please respect copyright.PENANADUtPsg7ZgI
作爲一粒楓糖魚蛋,我太清楚什麼叫不上不下。21Please respect copyright.PENANANZqS6C7Xgg
21Please respect copyright.PENANA4NAbBOOiMP
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。21Please respect copyright.PENANAfn2vgU7qOb
21Please respect copyright.PENANAeUpwv7womh
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。21Please respect copyright.PENANA5Gd0fKnuJV
21Please respect copyright.PENANAzrtvZAblMb
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。21Please respect copyright.PENANASejFGYWqoK
21Please respect copyright.PENANAbvNFSZM0QG
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。21Please respect copyright.PENANAE3D0KiZyhJ
21Please respect copyright.PENANAbdhOGAxiW1
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。21Please respect copyright.PENANAD7dylOi3hg
21Please respect copyright.PENANAIm7csvpraH
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。21Please respect copyright.PENANAWw9dCG56Lj
21Please respect copyright.PENANA6igCnxJR6R
因爲這麼一來,這裡就不再是加拿大了。