13.10.07

眷顧在鬼地方



過去個多月,是徬徨、漂泊、迷罔、擔憂的。現在,總算 settled down。

徘徊在去與留之間,十五十六。發出 CV,等待回音,戰兢地面試,再三等了又等,驚多於喜。比起之前的三年安穩學習生涯,剛好相反。重投真實世界 (校園始終是校園),有點兒不慣,要一點時間適應。適逢宿舍的租約期滿,非搬不可,心理、生理、財政上都處於不穩狀態,人在鬼地方 (異鄉),倍覺難頂。

搵工加上搬屋,要處理的事情多如繁星,急性子的港人如我倆,差點被迫瘋。愛異地的悠閒,但有時真的難忍那股怠惰的待客態度。愛理不理,理得你死,慢吞吞的回應,無稽的收費,「唔憂做」的工作態度,真的屢見不鮮。令我懷疑自己已經悟出日不落帝國近百年衰敗的主因。例如,申請寬頻,大多數質素較佳的供應商都要求住戶要有固網電話線裝置,沒有的,要幫襯 BT 申請一條,安裝費盛惠 £120 (HK$1920),需時四至六星期,之後每月 £10 (HK$160)。有了固網線後,才可申請寬頻,又需時兩星期,安裝費 £20,另加月費 £20 起。真係等得嚟都蚊瞓!這都未算最奇,奇就奇在其實有其他較快較平的選擇 —— 幫襯口碑差勁的「處女」,三四日搞掂。口碑雖差,但相比起天價,身為窮人,又想上網,為有就範。(這只是百忙之中的一忙,還有租屋、買傢俱、修理水力問題 ... 等)

搵工。正式七月尾才開始力搵。起初只寄心水公司,但頭輪過後,音訊全無,見勢色不對,第二波開始亂石投林。前前後後,其實自己所發出的求職信數目不算多,廿零卅封而已。雖則說多發 CV 就多點機會,但我承認,我真的不是一個積極進取拼搏型的人。有朋友說,在這裏求職要施盡渾身解數,面皮要夠厚,致電、上門、交際都要做足,否則難以得到注視。亦有朋友說:「我最憎做 monkey!」我不介意多交朋友,出席適量的交誼場合探探行情,但要我做到「買我啦!我好掂㗎!請我啦!」,實在難為。

厚面有厚面的道理,含蓄有含蓄的策略。有時,得失與否,我覺得不全是能力高低的問題。好 portfolio 一定搵到工?我見有不少出色的都選擇回家發展。進取一定有人請?我見失敗的例子亦不少。有幸留下,多拿點工作經驗的,多少要靠一點際遇。我視之為一種眷顧,從上而來的祝福。

當心中默默地數算着各種在不順處境中的意外,我不得不心存一絲一絲的感謝。雖未盡如我意,但經驗告知,這可能又是另一個出乎意料眷顧的開始。我有信心。


(頂圖) 住了兩年暗暗的地面單位,終於重見天日。新居窗外景色。
(底圖) 公司窗外景色。向西,個景好過 London Eye。攝於昨日下班時。

31 Comments:

At 14/10/07 11:25 am, Blogger 塞米一條揚陸轟炸機 said...

恭喜晒~~!

 
At 14/10/07 3:24 pm, Blogger 黑人 said...

取出冰櫃 Jolly Sandy 乙罐
朝大不列顛方向
舉杯慶祝

 
At 14/10/07 7:33 pm, Blogger ablogaday said...

Job is job. After you settled down, take a look at what you're doing, think about what you need to learn here, what you can learn here, and then one day when you finished this learning, you know you need to move on, wherever it might be. Or else, time will just drag you to nowhere.

 
At 15/10/07 4:05 am, Blogger Snowdrops said...

Oh congratulations, this is brilliant news indeed! Am glad that your patience finally paid off. Keep up the good work!

Am so surprised to hear that BT charges 120 quid for installing a landline???????? That's day light robbery!! Eircom here charges around 30 euros or thereabouts (can't remember the precise figure now when I had it installed a few months ago in my new apartment) and I thought that was steep enough... Anyway, am glad to hear that you are settled finally and have a much nicer view out of your windows both at home and at work. Bliss.

 
At 15/10/07 5:35 am, Blogger 學子 said...

留下來,皆因遇到一份 ok 的工作 (薪水和工作性質都不算差)。否則,相信我已在港了。雖身懷多年相關工作經驗,portfolio 也不算太差,但要以外人身份找一份較理想的長工,真的不易。不是低薪,就是只請 placement,除非有心理準備當回 junior,否則可選擇的其實不多。遇過有一名牌大公司,in 了兩關,前後合共兩句多小時,見了三個 design directors 一個 studio manager,過程融洽;但最後談到工作證問題,對方便稱我只能留一年實在太短,隨即壓價兼婉拒了,甚有厭棄之意 (可能個別公司作風吧)。不知是托詞推搪還是甚麼,事實上真的有不少設計公司 (HR dept.) 視申請工作證予外國人為大煩事。

剛成功申請了年初新頒布的那個 International Graduate Scheme,簽證續至明年十月頭。之後會否再留,則視乎工作方面是否理想,和我倆的生活是否 enjoy (畢竟這不單是我自己而已)。

工餘與友人們做點小 projects,繼續我愛的博物館遊歷 (還未到過 Dublin 呢),希望他朝有日可以用這些賺來的小小經驗,做點有意義的事。

謝謝諸位關心!

{{ : )

 
At 15/10/07 8:14 am, Blogger big_head said...

congrats!

~Grace

 
At 15/10/07 9:47 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

天將降大任於斯人也,必先苦其心智,勞其筋骨,餓其體膚,空乏其身。

你要努力啊!!!!!!!

 
At 15/10/07 12:05 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

congrats

 
At 16/10/07 12:43 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

congrats!!!

 
At 16/10/07 1:43 am, Blogger Edward Chiu said...

在鬼域打滾十多年,雖說永不言悔,但常在不知不覺間,仍記掛故鄉文化,人始終與鬼文化格格不入。

 
At 16/10/07 4:06 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dear 學子,

Congrats! I am very happy for you. Add oil and hope to see your work in public soon.

Love,

Candy
Hong Kong

 
At 16/10/07 4:07 am, Blogger 學子 said...

飯,我惗一定唔慌係大任,因為講苦我有排都未算苦。但我力是會努的。

Candy,互聯網算唔算 public?

路人甲,對我嚟講,最慘係同自己文化格格不入。

謝 big_head,及眾無名氏。(拜托,假名都留個)

 
At 16/10/07 10:47 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

to 路人甲, I bring you good news.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_V2qJWdxes

Your leader thinks Democracy movement is similar to The Chinese Cultural Revolution; I believe there is hope in your country. If you "常在不知不覺間,仍記掛故鄉文化,人始終與鬼文化格格不入。", there is no better time to go home.

by HK Loudspeakers

 
At 16/10/07 3:43 pm, Blogger 學子 said...

HK Loudspeakers,若美國攻打中國,你會叫好嗎?

我不會。

 
At 16/10/07 8:45 pm, Blogger Edward Chiu said...

HK Loudspeaker, 記掛還記掛,我完全沒想過回流。所有政治玩意,在任何地方都一樣地醜陋。在鬼域或故鄉,晚上回到家關上門,在世上任何角落都無分別。

 
At 16/10/07 9:32 pm, Blogger Hong Kong Loudspeakers said...

to 莘莘學子, I pointed out a FACT, and you present a "Make believe". I gave you a ACTUAL EVENT, and you gave me a "Fantasy" situation.

If you REALLY understood about the political and financial parts of China and the United States, these two countries WILL NEVER go to war. NEVER.

Also, there are no Good War, Bad War, Right War and Wrong War. There are only Justifiable War and Righteous War.

by HK Loudspeakers




ps: i pointed out REAL statements made by the HK (so called) leader. Instead of understand and recognize the REAL situation, you went into a defense position and brought War to this conversation. Come on, 莘莘學子. Calm down. Take it easy.

Many friends warned me to never talked about politic with the Chinese. Now I know why.

 
At 17/10/07 12:10 am, Blogger 學子 said...

得。明白你的矛盾。

 
At 17/10/07 3:47 am, Blogger 學子 said...

懷念故鄉也被人串,真係比極權更極端。

HK Loudspeakers,一直都以為你只是針對不仁政權,不平則鳴,好心求真講正義。但看來,不分敵友地否定異己,撩起爭端,才是你杯茶。

請不要再將人人都知的事實當秘密廣告大家,扮警世。人們不選擇你選擇的路並不代表別人比你蠢,或未看透世情。難道人人都要移民他國,懷着怨恨日夜臭駡故鄉才是對?!

你朋友的好意,看來你還未 get 到。

 
At 17/10/07 7:57 am, Blogger Hong Kong Loudspeakers said...

to 莘莘學子, thanks for the analysis. I appreciated it.

If a child hates what he eats, he walks away. If an adult hates where he lives, he moves. If you hate your job, you will find another job. Most people will agree with this. This is common sense.

My point was if you were unhappy at where you live and prefer to stay, then do not complain and criticize at other people/races for your hardship. Complain will not solve problems. You are in foreign country. You are not in China. You must respect foreign laws and regulations. Most people will understand this. This is common logic.

“不分敵友地否定異己,撩起爭端,才是你杯茶。" Well, friend or foe has nothing to do with fact and truth. A simple sentence can be view differently to different people. To you, is a disruptive argument (撩起爭端), but to other is an interesting topic.

Hey, there are so many people living in this beautiful world, I cannot please everyone.

Logic is logic; Fact is fact. Common sense is common sense.

Of course, not everyone has common sense.



Ps: Hey 莘莘學子, I am 撩起爭端 again. I want to know why Chinese is 人 and other races are 鬼? Isn’t this discrimination?

 
At 17/10/07 8:14 am, Blogger Unknown said...

Sure. Internet is counted as a public place...

Take it easy!

Candy
Hong Kong

 
At 17/10/07 8:15 am, Blogger Hong Kong Loudspeakers said...

to 莘莘學子, I saw anti-clockwise on the test.

I am a left brain thinker. Left brain thinker uses logic, detail oriented, facts rule, words and language, present and past, math and science, can comprehend, knowing, acknowledges, order/pattern perception, knows object name, reality based, forms strategies, practical, safe.

omg, this is so true. I use logic and facts.

And 莘莘學子, you are a Right Brain thinker.

 
At 17/10/07 1:04 pm, Blogger 黑人 said...

關於曾特首的文革論,有分析指佢係曲線為陳太助選
http://lau_wan_ching.mysinablog.com/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=809526

正如馬力碌豬,也是曲線扶助泛民
http://lau_wan_ching.mysinablog.com/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=592076

兩篇文章都幾有趣,作者是傳媒工作者,得閒可以睇下

其實點解不能complain 呢?
好多事都係先有complain,再有campaign

 
At 17/10/07 2:10 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

學子:
大部份海外生活指數都較高,但難得有機會留低,咪當有賺囉。

10年前1條 BT land line 要£100安裝費,現在£120,以外國指標......都都都都都都都算合理吧?!

BTW,現在還有「無料電視」年費 (TV license)嗎?

祝你兩生活愉快。

 
At 17/10/07 11:34 pm, Blogger 學子 said...

講事實並非大晒,可以放任地以己度人。不愛白,就一定要揀黑?Come on,世事不都是像你看的那麼二元化。身在一個不太舒適的境況,投訴兩句是人之常情 (純理性機械人另計),這是人類的常識。

至於,鬼人好,人鬼好,這與只有港人才嘲笑港人的英語一樣,外國人是不會太介意被稱為鬼的。因為大家都知道該詞語的文化意義並非純綷的貶意。難道用「大陸」稱呼內地就是貶低嗎?這亦是人類的常識。

左腦好,右腦好,最怕用死一邊。

 
At 18/10/07 12:21 am, Blogger 學子 said...

yup,Jai Jai Meow,TV license 又係騎呢至極,唔畀又唔係,畀又肉赤,真無奈。不只我呢啲外來客,就連本地人都覺無謂。所以我之前最愛看《Little Britain》,好抵死,又學到呢度文化。

{{ : )

 
At 20/10/07 12:42 pm, Blogger el said...

講事實並非大晒....
講得好!!!

 
At 22/10/07 12:26 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

congrats! 加油!在英倫大鼻國找到工作,你好勁啊!祝你一切順利!

 
At 22/10/07 4:35 am, Blogger 學子 said...

Thanks alien,我只是比較幸運而已。

 
At 4/11/07 1:30 pm, Blogger Daniel W. said...

congrats! ~~

我返到 HK 都要開始搵工 :(

 
At 25/11/07 12:12 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hello Ken ~

You don't know me ~
I'm just a person who's yr friend's friend's friend's ....
they forward yr blog to me and we share the topics that you write that inspire us ~
by reading yr blog ... make me feel I actually knew you ..hah

I think I'm at a stage that make me really nervous ... everything around me is changing ~ future is unknown .... but ... is that the "excitment of life " ~??

you can only affort to have "excitement" when you are young ... why not take the risk .. walk out yr comfort zone ...

I think you did it well ..
after all yr stress ~


jimmyshum@hotmail.com

 
At 25/11/07 12:19 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

oh ~ ...
may be i should let you know ~
I study with Hester in Melbourne as a interior designer.
I knew Chan Hou Ling (Fat Ling) too ~
and I'm about to leave AUS heading off to London in a month time for working holiday ~
well~ .....
who can tell me what will happen ~

But i believe :
people need to live with excitment !
(i'm testing my theory now)
hah

Drop me an e-mail if you want
May meet you somewhere in London ~

Jimmy ~

jimmyshum@hotmail.com

 

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