不合時宜

一早，在兩名澳洲員警佩槍監控下，數十名法國人拎著行李大搖大擺的離開YHA，或坐或躺沐浴在HOSTEL外方的馬路邊，神情得意像是得了場勝利。
 

階級制度佔英國文化裡有著很深沉的一部分，除了表面上輕易可見的外在身分：皇室、爵士、商人、中產階級、藍領、農人等，更深入影響進人們的生活。英國人可以從這個人的腔調及用語，了解這個人的家世背景、教育程度，有興趣的人可以參考印度作家所寫的《Karma現世報》窺知一二。
 
告訴我這點的英國人Mr. Colin自己也覺得很Ridiculous。他提起一個實際例子，當倫敦人開車到鄉下地方問路時，往往會得到一個惡趣味的錯誤答案，那些不喜城市人的農人可從來客的口音判定對方的來歷、所來自的地方。

來澳打工除了語言轉換，另外需要適應的，便是像小學生般重新適應群體生活。
 
不像台北，工作下班回家便是屬於自己的時間，可以隨意讓Radiohead、讓The XX、讓Broken Social Scene、讓任何你想聽的音樂充滿自己的房間，或是一路靜默著回家讓思緒填滿自己而不需搭理其他人，但在這邊，所做所為幾乎都是跟人們一起，工作、吃飯、洗澡、睡覺，所作所為幾乎無法逃離人群。
 

剛剛在吃飯時跟M起了一場讓我很心痛的辯論。
我們討論到近幾年的台灣問題，旺中事件、美牛、都更文林苑。
他覺得那些上街抗議的學生 當中沒有多少是真正瞭解始末的人。他覺得文林苑的根本問題就是在於那家人反悔、貪心、覺得錢不夠，不然何必當初簽下那份同意書。

At first when Sophie and Oad invited us to have a drink with them, I hesitated, because we didn’t really talk much before, just played pool together and shared our beloved about movie.
Another thing frustrated me a lot is their French accent and I’m sure my Asia accent troubles them, too. However, I’m curious about if there is any difference of night life in Australia.
Actually clubbing here is no big difference, the music remixed, the drink with too much ice, the waving of the dance, the lonely people for one night stay. When the guy asked for a kiss, I cheated him that I already get a boyfriend. He laughed and said “Seriously?”

來到Maroochydore的Twist Brothers草莓園工作是場巧合際會。在達爾文苦待兩周，除了夜市的臨時工跟Skycity Casino的function，無其他offer通知…跟Brisbane的朋友訴苦後，就建議我飛來這家Maroochydore YHA等工。
 
很多朋友說澳洲打工機運、人脈比實力更重要。在來到這家working hostel時正好碰上農場休耕一周，但很幸運地在上工的第一天就拿到offer，也在鋤草兩周後順利拿到包裝的工作。
 

As shy as I am, it always takes me lots of time to know new people. Fortunately so many generous backpackers here try to start a conversation with us, to know our daily life, to know the complicated issue between Taiwan and China.
 
Su Young, an active 24 years old girl from Korea, who always gets the hottest news and gossip about people in YHA. We talked much about politics and historical issue between South Korea and Korea. “It’s ridiculous to divide Korea just with 38th parallel line without any rational reasons” “Korean used to think of South Korea and North Korea people are all from the same big family, but not anymore.”  I expressed my sorrow to those people struggling in North Korea, but she simply said “I don’t think they do feel depressed because they know nothing about what’s going on outside.” I didn’t say anything, but actually that is what I feel sad about.
 

在澳洲的一個月呼嘯而過，還是難以戒除網路。YHA的外國人跑來問是在忙些什麼，為什麼有辦法抱著電腦用一整天?全世界大概只有台灣人會在旅行中抱著電腦跟網路不放吧，但我想絕大部分是因為放不下過去所擁有的，不管是生活或是朋友。

 
 
One month passed, and I start to wonder my original motivation to this unknown mainland. I come here begging for jobs which I didn’t even think about applying for in Taiwan, rewrite a fake resume to be as an experienced waitress or housekeeper, or try hard to act like an enthusiastic, cheerful, vivacious girl when I stepped into restaurants and café shops to ask for job positions even I know it doesn’t help for finding job.

 
在澳洲待滿快一個月，其中讓我感到衝擊的，是西方世界對於死亡、離開人世的處理，和我所在的東方世界是如此不同。
第一次看到是在Fannie Bay前往East Point的路上，一對澳洲夫婦懷抱著花束就地擺放，第二次是在Brisbane，一鮮黃花束夾著死者名字的白板，靜靜座落在Moroochydore Library返YHA的深藍暮色裡，後來就注意到幾次躲在路邊一角的小小花束。