翻轉視界 18 Changing Perspective

There's not just one road to the destination, but many roads. You just need to take the little step that’s right in front of you, and then the next one, and a few years down the track, they will seem like massive achievements.

通往目的地的路不止一條，有很多路可走。你只需要邁出眼前這一小步，然後再邁出下一步，幾年下來，將會成為巨大成就。

文章來自於New Humans of Australia (有取得授權)

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I didn’t meet my father until I was 6 years old. My parents had a comfortable, middle-class life in Shanghai, or as close as you could get under communism. But they always wanted to live overseas, and just before I was born, my dad came to Sydney to set things up. I don’t know why, but in the end, my mother and I didn’t join him until I was 6.

•a middle-class life 中產階級生活
•set things up 打點一切
•live overseas 往海外生活
•in the end 最後 (表達在經過一段時間或一連串事件之後的結果)

直到六歲前我都未曾見過父親。我的雙親在上海過著舒適的中產階級生活，或著說，在共產階級下所能得到的最接近的生活。他們一直響往海外生活，就在我出生前，我父親來到雪梨打點一切。但不知何故，直到六歲那年我與母親才終於與父親團聚。

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Unfortunately, half a year after we arrived, he left us. That was a huge shock. Our transition had already been quite difficult, as we both didn't speak English. Also, as Shanghai was such a big bustling city, Sydney felt a bit like the countryside, especially on the weekends, as no shops were open back then!

•shock 令人震驚的事件（或經歷）；驚愕，震驚 (come as a great shock 讓人倍感震驚)
•transition 轉變；過渡
•a bustling city 繁華都會

不幸的是，就在我跟母親抵達半年後，父親離開了我們。這是個巨大的打擊，因爲我們不會說英文，在適應過渡期本就已過得相當艱辛。此外，不同於上海的繁華都會，雪梨更像鄉下，尤其在週末，那時連商店都不開門。

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We were very much reliant on my dad, not only financially, but also as a conduit into the wider community. So to have that broken was quite distressing. I remember Mum crying a lot. As we had become socially isolated, we didn’t find out anything about Centrelink, so we survived on her savings for a while, and then got some help from her family back in China.

•be reliant on… 依賴...
•a conduit into 進入...的渠道
•distressing (adj.) 令人苦惱的,令人擔憂的
•become socially isolated 變得孤立於社會
•survive on her savings 僅靠的她積蓄過日子

我們相當依賴我父親，不僅是經濟，他也是我們進入更廣泛社區的渠道。因此，當局面被打破時令人相當痛苦，我還記得母親時常哭泣。由於我們孤立於社會，所以我們並不知道澳洲社會福利聯絡中心 （Centrelink）的任何資訊，僅靠母親的積蓄支撐了一段時間，然後從母親在中國的娘家得到一些幫助。

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Eventually, Mum moved us down to Melbourne, where we were able to make some new networks and family friendships. But I was bullied a bit at school about things like my food and clothing! Whenever someone bullied me, I would defend myself, but because I didn’t have the language skills to explain to the teacher why, I got in trouble quite a bit. I ended up having to move school 3 times before I came to Balwyn Primary School, which was relatively multicultural.

•be able to 能夠
•make new networks 建立新的人脈，關係網
•be bullied 被霸凌
•language skills 語言能力
•get in trouble 惹上麻煩
•end up 最後處於；最後成爲；以…告終
•relatively 相對地
•multicultural 多元文化的

最後，母親帶著我搬遷到墨爾本，在那我們能夠建立起新的網絡與家庭情誼。然而。我在學校飽受霸凌，例如我的食物及衣物。每當有人霸凌我，我會自我防衛，但我的語言技巧不足以向老師解釋事發原因，因此常常陷入麻煩。後來我不得不再三轉學，直到就讀相對多元文化的博文小學（Balwyn Primary School）。

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After that, I did alright. Music featured very prominently in my life. I had started learning the violin from the age of 2.5 years old and even with all the troubles that were going on in my life, had somehow still kept up with it. As a result, I got a music scholarship to Trinity Grammar School. But even there I used to get into quite a lot of mischief, and would often skip school to go to the movies.

•do alight 過得不錯，做的不錯
•feature (v.) 以…為特色；給…以顯著的地位
•prominently 重要地；著名地；突出地，顯眼地

之後，我便過得不錯。音樂在我生活中佔有重要的一席之地，我從兩歲半開始學習小提琴，儘管生活中事事不如意，我依然堅持不輟。因此，我獲得三一文法學校（ Trinity Grammar School）的音樂獎學金。但即使在那，我也常惡作劇、逃學看電影。

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By the end of year 11, I was told I would have to either repeat the year, or consider going to another school, which was quite humiliating for my mum. I decided to move school and surprisingly, I ended up doing quite well in year 12! As a result, I ended up getting into a double degree in Law and Music at Monash.

•repeat the year 留級 ; 重唸一年
•humiliating 令人感到恥辱的，丟臉的

11年級結束時，我被告知要麽被留級，要麼考慮轉學，這對我母親來說相當丟人。我決定轉學，而令人驚訝的是，我在12年級的時候表現優異，最後錄取蒙納士大學法律與音樂雙學位。

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When I started, my first thought was that I didn’t belong because I had done so badly in school up to year 11 and everyone else seemed so smart. But I put my head down, got through it, and ended up getting a job in the legal department of a major manufacturing company, which was a different approach to what most law students do.

•do not belong 不屬於這
•put my head down 埋頭苦幹
•the legal department of ...的法律部門
•a different approach 不同途徑
•approach （思考問題的）方式，方法，態度

當我開始進入大學，最初的想法是我不屬於這，因為我在11年級前都表現不佳，而這裡的人似乎都聰明絕頂。但我埋頭苦幹，咬牙撐過，最後在一家大型製造公司的法律部門找到工作，這與多數法律系學生的途徑不同。

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I really enjoyed it. It was hard work, but I learned a lot of foundational business, legal and corporate communication skills. After that I worked in corporate governance in RMIT, then started to moonlight as a lecturer in the Law Faculty. Eventually, they asked me if I wanted to do a PhD and I blindly said yes! I next worked at Swinburne University, and then was head-hunted to lead the corporate legal team at the Commercial Passenger Vehicles Commission.

•foundational 基礎的
•communication skills 溝通技巧
•corporate governance
•moonlight (v.) （尤指瞞著僱主）從事第二職業，兼職
•headhunt (v.) 物色（人才）； 挖角
•legal team 法律團隊

我非常喜歡這份工作，這是份辛苦的工作，但我學習了很多基礎商業、法律以及公司溝通技巧。之後我在皇家墨爾本理工大學（ RMIT）從事公司治理工作，並開始兼職擔任法律系講師。後來他們問我是否想要讀博士，我便盲目地答應了。接下來，我在斯威本大學（Swinburne University）工作，再被挖角到商用小客車委員會領導法律團隊。

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I had a good life, but after a while, I realised I wanted a different kind of job. I could see my seniors were making a lot of money but that their family life was not that good. And looking at my own upbringing, I wanted to be the kind of father who could be present in my own kids’ lives. So I decided on dentistry. It would not only allow me to use the hand skills that I had developed from playing the violin, but also the analytical and reasoning skills that I'd developed in law. Plus it would be flexible, and offer me a stable income and the chance to meet different people every day!

•upbringing 教養
•decide on sth 決定某事或東西
•analytical and reasoning skills 分析和推理能力
•offer a stable income 提供穩定收入

我的生活很不錯，但一段時間後，我意識到自己想要一份不同的工作。我知道前輩們賺了很多錢，但他們的家庭生活並不美滿。看著自己的成長經歷，我想要成為可以在孩子生活中出席的父親，所以我決定改行當牙醫。這項職業能讓我使用從拉小提琴中發展出的手部技巧，也能運用我在法律中發展出的分析與推理技能。此外，這個職業相當靈活，能為我提供穩定收入，並有機會每天與不同的人見面。

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My now fiancée, who was my girlfriend at the time, was also applying for further study, and coincidentally we both got into university in South Australia, so we moved to Adelaide together a few years ago.

•fiancée 未婚妻
•at the time 當時
•apply for 申請
•further study 繼續教育，進修；進一步研究；深造
•coincidentally 碰巧地；巧合地

我的未婚妻，當時的女友，也申請繼續深造，巧的是我們都考上南澳大學（University of South Australia)，所以幾年前一起搬到阿得雷德（ Adelaide）。

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I was lucky to get a university job at Flinders University. Initially, I started out as a casual lecturer in the law school, but I’ve since transitioned into teaching health law and research, and I’m currently writing a few books on the intersection between law and medicine. And also, obviously, trying to finish my dentistry degree!

•start out as… 起初擔任...
•transition into… 轉變到...

我很幸運的在福林德斯大學（Flinders University）找到工作，起初我在法學院擔任臨時講師，但我後來轉換到醫事法教學及研究。目前我正撰寫幾本關於法律與醫學相接的書籍，並努力完成我的牙醫學位。

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Mum eventually retrained as a Chinese high school teacher, and she’s still teaching to this day. Like most first generation migrants, she struggled quite a lot, and invested heavily in my success. After we’re married, my fiancée and I are planning to have children, and I’m sure they will have it much easier than I did.

•retrain 重新培養；再培訓；再訓練
•to this day 至今
•first generation migrants 第一代移民
•struggle a lot 掙扎奮鬥許久
•have it much easier 過的比較輕鬆

我的母親最終重新接受培訓，成為一名中文高中老師並執教至今。如同大多數第一代移民，她掙扎奮鬥許久，並為我的成功投資甚多。我與未婚妻打算婚後生孩子，我確信孩子會過的比我輕鬆得多。

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Still, a lot of the failures that I’ve had in my life have really informed a lot of my successes. Looking back, I wouldn't really want to change that to have a smoother life.

•inform [正式] 影響某人的態度或意見
https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/inform

•have a smoother life 有一個更順遂的人生

我的生活中的種種失敗確實為我的成功提供借鑑。回首過去，我不會想要改變那些坎坷經歷去擁有一個更順遂的人生。

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Over the years, I've learned that perseverance is very important. I hope that through telling my story, I can be an example to others who might be in a similar position as I was: to show that there's not just one road to the destination, but many roads. You just need to take the little step that’s right in front of you, and then the next one, and a few years down the track, they will seem like massive achievements.

•over the years 多年來
•perseverance 不屈不撓，堅持不懈
•be an example 成為榜樣
•be in a similar position 處於相似的處境
•down the road/line/track 將來(的路)

多年來，我學到堅持不懈是至關重要的。我希望透過講述自己的故事，能成為其他可能與我有相似處境的人的榜樣：向他們展示通往目的地的路不止一條，有很多路可走。你只需要邁出眼前這一小步，然後再邁出下一步，幾年下來，將會成為巨大成就。

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Photographer: Paul Heinrich instagram.com/paulfheinrich

文章與圖片出處: https://bit.ly/2XJsciq

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翻轉視界: http://bit.ly/3fPvKUs

批判性思考問題大全: http://bit.ly/34rdtJ7

📰 Tsai 1st to receive Taiwan-made COVID vaccine
🀄 蔡總統第一位接種台灣製造的高端疫苗

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said she was not nervous and "didn't feel anything" as she became the first to receive the domestic(國內的) COVID-19 vaccine developed by Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp. (高端疫苗, MVC).

📌 台灣總統蔡英文表示，當她成為第一位接受由 Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp. 開發的國產 COVID-19 疫苗的人（高端，MVC），她並不緊張，也“沒有任何感覺”，

As Medigen vaccinations opened to the public on Monday (Aug. 23), Tsai arrived at the National Taiwan University College of Medicine (NTUCM) gymnasium(體育館) before 7:30 a.m. that morning to present(示出) her health insurance card(健保卡) and check-in(辦手續). The medical staff in attendance(在場) confirmed(確認) that she would be the first to receive a dose(劑) that day.

📌 隨著周一高端疫苗向公眾開放，蔡於當天早上7點30分前抵達台大醫學院體育館，出示醫保卡並辦理手續。在場的醫務人員證實，她將是當天第一個接種疫苗的人。

Prior to the shot, a nurse measured(測量) Tsai's body temperature and found that it was 36.9 degrees Celsius. Tsai then completed the required paperwork and signed her name.

📌 在註射之前，一名護士測量了蔡的體溫，發現它是攝氏36.9度。蔡總統然後完成了所需的文書工作並簽上了她的名字。

An NTUCM physician then explained the warnings accompanying the Medigen vaccine and confirmed her medical information. While she waited, Tsai calmly chatted with NTUCM staff regarding(關於) their plans for the administration of the vaccine.

📌 台大醫生隨後解釋了高端疫苗附帶的警告，並確認了她的醫療信息。在等待的過程中，蔡總統從容地與台大工作人員聊起了疫苗接種計劃。

The nurse then confirmed Tsai's name, date of birth, and the type of vaccine to be administered. Before and after the dose was unpacked, the nurse presented it to the media.

📌 護士隨後確認了蔡的姓名、出生日期和將接種的疫苗類型。開藥劑前後，護士向媒體展示。

Tsai rolled up her sleeve(袖子) and patiently waited for the shot. As she waited, a member of the media shouted "President Tsai, are you nervous(緊張)?"

📌 蔡總統挽起袖子，耐心等待注射。當她等待時，有媒體喊道：“蔡總統，緊張嗎？”

Tsai responded by saying "no." She then turned to the staff and apologetically(抱歉地) said: "Such a big fuss is being made about this shot. I'm sorry."

📌 蔡回答說“不”。然後她轉向工作人員並抱歉地說：「這次注射如此大驚小怪。我很抱歉。」

After the nurse completed the inoculation(打針), Tsai said, "I didn't feel anything," and gave the thumbs-up signal to the nurse who had delivered the jab(注射). When a reporter asked "Are you OK?" Tsai responded with the OK gesture(手勢) and another thumbs up to the reporters.

📌 護士打完針後，蔡說：“沒什麼感覺”，還對打針的護士豎起大拇指。當記者問“你還好嗎？”蔡英文以OK手勢回應記者，並再次向記者豎起大拇指。

The nurse then explained the information recorded on Tsai's vaccination card. The president showed the yellow card to her audience.

📌 護士隨後解釋了蔡總統的疫苗接種卡上記錄信息。總統向她的觀眾展示了黃色接種卡。

Tsai laughed as she said, "This vaccination was quite easy, and I didn't feel anything." One of the doctors then explained that "the needle(針) is very thin."

📌 蔡英文笑說：“這次打疫苗很輕鬆，我沒什麼感覺。”其中一位醫生隨後解釋說，“針頭很細。”

資料來源: https://reurl.cc/En34GK

[ 義大利荒謬故事：賣床墊的男子，欺騙我的感情 ]

突然想到一件很荒謬的事情。
去年去義大利找我男友，雖然我們已經將近一年未見，但因為他在血汗五星級飯店工作，即便遠距女友千里迢迢來重逢，他也不敢跟公司請假（完全義大利社畜），於是那段時間，我們只有早上九點到中午十二點見面，再來就是半夜一點他下班後，睡覺那幾個小時兩人都不省人事所以不算，這樣一天見面大約四個小時。
於是無所事事的我，那時最常 hang out 的人，就是他媽，露西亞。

/
露西亞一句英文都不會說，最近我男友來台灣找我，一天下午露西亞打電話來，接起來就是一連串義大利式霹哩啪啦，起伏劇烈的語調充滿了沮喪與憤怒，我原本以為是家裡發生了什麼事，後來電話掛掉一問才知道，原來是我男友 9 歲的姪女最近在學英文，露西亞為了教她功課也被逼著學，結果一下就被複雜的「顏色家具連連看」練習給惹怒，教到她發火，小孩哭（原來義大利的媽媽也會經歷和台灣媽媽一樣的事）。

/
回到原本要說的荒謬故事。
有一天，露西亞問我要不要一起去吃晚餐，我欣然同意，於是我和她還有我男友他爸，三個人開車到附近一家餐館去。我跟著他們走進去，結果發現餐桌餐椅都被移到牆邊，房間中央擺了幾排椅子，最前面橫著一張大桌，上面擺了一個床墊，旁邊放著一個簡報展示架，是那種大張紙 present 完一頁還要往後掀的，很古典。
我滿腹狐疑地跟著露西亞他們坐下來，接著她的幾個朋友與她們的老公們也到了，一群人熱情地碰臉寒暄，然後也一起拉了椅子坐下來，屏息等待。

在我努力想要搞清楚到底是什麼情況時，一個中年男子出現了。他啤酒肚巨大，頭髮如鳥窩般蓬亂，笑起來的時候會不由自主露出兔子般的門牙，有點憨憨的，但他已經有點年紀，因此這樣的憨不是可愛而是可憐，我無法不想像等他離開這個明亮的餐廳、離開熱鬧的人群後，就會躲回去他塞滿日常用品的 mini van 上，裡面是他僅存的中年家當，其他重要的人生事物包括對人的信任還有小孩的監護權，都被前妻奪走了。
回到現實，我見他手裡拿著一個人體脊椎模型，展示一張脊椎睡眠與健康關係的圖表，然後開始對著那張床墊指手畫腳起來。這時我終於懂了...... 這是一個床墊展售會！我問露西亞，妳要買床墊嗎？她看著我露出一抹得意的微笑：「沒有。但只要來聽完這個，他們就會給我們免費食物。」

原來這些義大利婆媽打的是這個算盤！我轉頭偷看其他阿姨們，各個表情都精到不行，配合著銷售員，在該表示震驚時做出震驚的表情，在真相大白時露出舒緩安心的笑容，然後踴躍地舉手回答床墊男子的問題。

就這樣過了半小時，床墊介紹進入了尾聲，那男人想裝作一派鎮定，不當場問有沒有人要買，讓大家都難堪，而是很乾脆地差人把桌子搬進來，直接上菜。
那頓晚餐一點都不馬虎，從餐前酒、前菜、到 Primo、Secondo、甜點、餐後酒，全部一一上全，而且還很好吃。我邊狼吞虎嚥，邊偷偷觀察那名男子，他依舊努力維持自信，周旋在不同桌之間，但那些義大利人想要得到的東西已經在他們嘴裡了，這時候也不再裝，隨便敷衍男人幾下後就又埋頭猛吃。幾個比較有良心的，戲演得比較足，假裝有興趣上前問價錢，然後又靦腆笑著拒絕。

「有興趣的人，我在外面桌子等你們！」男人對著一房間狂吃猛喝的人宣告，然後走了出去。那張床墊，因為早先男人在示範內裡設計，於是被大卸八塊，這時候就這樣裸露著裡面的棉絮和彈簧，很赤裸地晾在空氣裡，看起來很淒涼。

酒足飯飽，最後一抹醬汁被麵包抹得一乾二凈，大家在餐桌上閒話家常，兩個小時過去。臨走時，我見到那男人還真的坐在餐廳外面一張長桌邊，等著客人來下訂單，而外面天色剛轉暗，變得有點冷了。
他還是保持著那個微笑，門牙在暮色下隱隱反射著微光。我心中有種強烈的不忍情緒，於是我問露西亞，那張床墊多少錢，搞不好我可以買，最近聽男友說總是睡不好。結果露西亞給我一個不可思議的表情，她說，那張床墊，要價十三萬台幣。

十三萬？？？

我想著這頓至少價值一人 25 歐元的晚餐以及在場的 30 多人，想著那架老派的掀紙式簡報架，想著那男人有點邋遢的穿著，想著那條做工粗糙的脊椎，想著那不怎麼有說服力的睡眠科學報告，想著那個五臟六腑暴露在外、後來一部分還掉到地上的床墊......

這樣要賣十三萬？

可以看得出來，這家床墊品牌應該是想要模仿高端時尚或美妝品牌那種行銷手法，精心營造一個奢華活動，去把一件本身價值其實不高的商品價格推上去。我們買的其實都是「感覺」。
但這名男子卻徹底失敗了。第一次近距離體驗如此充滿矛盾的行銷方式、Branding 手法，讓我一方面讚嘆這位男子橫衝直撞的賭博性格，一方面讓我覺得同情他的感情被欺騙。

#雖然他可能只要賣出一個就能回本
#但我懷疑有任何精打細算的義大利人會買
#晚餐結束後他應該回他的mini van去了
#圖片是當晚的其中一道菜

#義大利 #旅遊 #故事