葉卡琳特堡 Ekaterinburg

原本只是路過，結果這個城市卻讓我印象意外深刻，除了這裡英文標示清楚、交通便利、擁有景色宜人的河岸散步道之外，還有兩個讓我覺得很有意思的地方：

1. 1918年最後一任沙皇一家七口在這個城市被無辜殺害，處決現場現在矗立著濺血教堂（Church of the Spilled Blood），遺體被棄置處則成為有七座木造教堂的Ganina Yama園區，兩個地方都成為東正教徒朝聖的地方。有趣的是，後來沙皇一家七口都被東正教封為聖人，因此在紀念品店裡可以看到「全家福」的聖像畫，全家大小像一般家庭拍照那樣坐在一起，但每個頭上都多了一個光圈。

2. 葉爾欽博物館。促成蘇聯解體的俄羅斯聯邦第一任總統葉爾欽在似乎在俄羅斯人心目中風評不太好（相較於做了這麼多年，支持率還是絲毫未減的普亭），不過他的家鄉葉卡琳特堡還是為他建立了一座博物館。博物館本身建築就很引人注目，不過讓我更覺得震撼的是它表達出的強烈反思意識。展場開頭就毫不留情的批評，由於俄羅斯走上共產主義的道路，和人類社會的發展趨勢脫節了70年之久；但最後也沒有把葉爾欽英雄化，甚至把他晚年支持率掉到只有5%、以及背後的原因都寫出來（所以大家不要再嘲笑9.2%了啦，人家比上不足比下有餘呀XD）。這種誠實面對功過、不隨便神化個人並且讓參觀者自己去思考的設計我很喜歡，這和我拜訪的前一個國家正好形成強烈對比。

I thought this is just a random stop on my trip, but was later impressed by it. In addition to helpful English signs, decent transit system and scenic river walk, I found two interesting places in the city.

1. The last Year along with his family were executed here in 1918. A landmark cathedral "Church of the Spilled Blood" was later erected on the execution site, and now at the disposal site stand 7 wooden chapels, to memorize the Tsar, the queen and 5 children. What I found interesting was, since the entire family was later declared saints by Russian Orthodox Church, now at the souvenir shop you can find the painting of a "saints family", which is like a typical family photo but there is a ring around everyone's face.

2. Yeltsin Museum. The first president of Russia Federation and the person who pushed the button of the Soviet Union dissolution, Yeltsin received fairly negative criticism (compared to Vladimir Putin, whose support hasn't dropped since he came into power in 2000), but still his home city founded a museum for him. The building itself was eye-catching, but what amazed me was the reflective voice it conveys. At the beginning of the exhibit, the Soviet Russia was criticized that "it led the country astray for 7 decades"; at the end, Yeltsin was not deified either. His 5% support rate and its historic context were honestly presented. I really like this experience, as it leaves a visitor not a firm conclusion, but a room to think more. This is a huge contrast to my experience in the previous country.

喀山 Kazan

這是一個我原本就有所期待、但後來發現期待以外的驚喜的城市。

大家都知道中亞地區有五個斯坦國，他們的下面還有兩個斯坦（阿富汗、巴基斯坦），不過很少人知道其實俄羅斯境內也有個斯坦國：韃靼斯坦（Tartarstan），是由韃靼突厥人（Tartar Turks）人為主體的俄羅斯聯邦境內的自治共和國，首都就是喀山，他們獨特的文化傳統可以追溯到16世紀的喀山汗國（蒙古四大汗國中的欽察汗國瓦解後的產物）。因此在這裡既可以見到東正教堂，也可以見到規模與氣勢毫不遜色的清真寺，兩群人兩種信仰在這個城市裡並存著。我當初決定要來喀山，為的就是要來體驗這種獨特的文化氛圍。

但這個城市還給了我更多的驚喜。喀山的文化很特別，但它不光靠自己的文化獨特性存活。近來喀山每兩年就主辦一次國際賽事，除了這次有參與主辦2018世界盃之外，2013年的世大運就是喀山主辦的，因此整個城市的基礎設施非常完整，俄英雙語的標示與地圖到處可見，辨識度極高的旅遊資訊中心裡有英文流利的服務人員，更不用說這裡大概永遠不會有「蚊子館」的問題。喀山也是歷史悠久的大學城，據說最近還成立新學校培養資訊科技人才。誰說一個文化古城就一定要把歷史遺跡當唯一賣點？喀山曾經膨風自己是俄羅斯第三首都，它的人口距離全國第三還很遙遠，但它的企圖心和行動力確實有著緊追莫斯科和聖彼得堡的氣勢。

Before arriving, I already had some expectation for this city, but it proved itself beyond my expectation.

Everyone knows there are 5 -stan's in Central Asia, and two more in their south (Afghanistan and Pakistan), but very few know there is one more -stan in Russia: Tartarstan Republic, an autonomous republic made of primarily the Tartar Turks, whose capital is exactly Kazan. It's cultural root can be traced up to the Kazan Khanate, one product after the dissolution of the Golden Horde Khanate. Therefore both Orthodox cathedrals and mosques can be seen in this city. Two people and two religions live harmoniously here. This is why I wanted to come here originally.

However, there are more surprises. Kazan doesn't live on its unique cultural root. Instead, it develops as a sports city and hosts an international game almost every other year recently. It is well-equipped with modern facilities, bilingual signs and English-speaking staff at visitor information centers. And I guess they never have to worry about what to do with arenas and fields after a game, as they are always hosting the next. It has also been a well-known college town, and is currently focusing on developing IT professionals. It never limits itself to its cultural heritages. Kazan had marketed itself as "the third capital of Russia". It's far from the third in terms of its population, but its ambition and competitiveness are indeed close to the two largest cities.

《今個月係我第二次聽到有朋友話，想拎外國嘅居留權所以決定讀doctorate》
　
前幾日同一位朋友食飯， 展開咗一個無厘頭嘅對白...
我：要畀幾多錢你，你先肯環繞九龍半島香港島裸跑一次？
朋友：其實好少錢都會，一億啦，香港人好善忘，無人會記得
我：我要一億以及移居火星嘅居留權我會願意
朋友：有得移居火星，唔使錢都跑啦...有乜嘢衰得過繼續留喺香港住
我：我睇新聞話 坐太空船去火星大概需要十年嘅時間，驚唔驚暈船浪
朋友：咁咪好囉，一到火星林鄭月娥就落台，最少你唔需要tolerate 佢執政嘅 嗰段時間
我：我諗起，其實移居火星我真係ok，但要有wi-fi
　
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到底香港係唔係咁不宜居住？喺香港，讀書嘅意義係唔係衰到為左得到外國居留權？
聽到嗰兩個朋友因為想拎外國居留權，決定讀完master 再讀doctorate，真係嚇到我個心離一離，明明佢哋唔似咁有上進心同讀書嘅興趣， 勉強自己讀書，只會好似華府入面嘅華文華武咁，愈讀愈智障。
　
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喺我修讀master接近尾聲嘅時候，好想分享今時今日仲應唔應該讀master，讀書嘅意義到底係咩？
　
未報master前，好多同事 同我講bachelor degree就好似而家小朋友識彈鋼琴一樣，只係 common skill，想做supervisor 或者management， master 係基本門檻。「master 係無野學，但六位數字買張沙紙，就好似中女買skII咁，就算無用都財散人安樂，個心定啲，CV 靚啲，呢啲 就係所謂嘅上進心同competitiveness」
　
我曾經反覆思量過6位數字炒股票會唔會更有上進心？
買張沙紙要6位數字，double a都買到成貨櫃。我讀讀下master期間，爆出蔡思貝讀菲律賓大學，用幾個月嘅時間畢業，快過用靈格風學外語，我就更加覺得自己好蝕水。
　
經歷咗兩年，我想講「master係有用，但你必須要有正確讀master嘅心態，你先學到野」
中小學嘅課程係俾教育局編死，就好似茶餐廳既常餐一樣，間間學校都係一式一樣，變化唔大。真正嘅學習，確係由bachelor degree開始架，讀大學就好似去酒店食buffet，大學同lecturer係提供more than required嘅嘢俾你食，正如你去四季酒店食buffet，提供嘅嘢食，係夠你食半年，但你都只可以喺一晚嘅時間食好西，佢就係教你識得搵最好嘅西來食，教你去學識以後點食野。
　
點解有啲人話讀大學或者讀master學唔到嘢
呢啲人，就係食buffet 只食炒飯，填飽個肚嘅人。佢哋食完好西都唔明好西嘅真味。個啲只係想買張cert，無打算學野嘅人，點可以怪人無野俾你學？係大把野你唔學姐。
　
咁蔡思貝呢啲係咩人？咪就係俾左錢無食buffet 但有影相放上ig嘅人囉。葛佩帆係咩人呢咁？咪就係去M記食哂所有餐，都仲好意思同人講自己岩岩食完Buffet囉。咁朱千雪係咩人？咪係一次比一次去更高級嘅酒店食buffet 嘅人，食到欲罷不能。你學唔學到野，唔只你自己知，其實你嘅氣場係feel 到。好多人 會好似裁判團咁質疑你，讀master有乜嘢用，佢有用嘅地方在於佢係協助你嘅個人思考， 你個人識諗嘢你就做乜嘢 都會比人做得好。
　
至於master 呢餐buffet值唔值呢？
其實就好似你去鴻福堂飲涼茶，到底有無用呢？因人而異啦。我只能夠話，我唔利用呢六位數字，我極有可能會買多好多個 功效唔大嘅facial plan，之後嘅職場人工加幅可唔可以cover到master degree嘅cost？我呢啲人 只識計手指可以數到嘅數，我真係唔識計。
　
master workload 的而且確非常大，就算你係得過且過嘅人，都要花費唔少嘅時間同心力，所以大家真係要諗清諗楚量力而為先報master
　
Master 最後一堂，professor人用咗Patricia Williams呢句：That life is complicated is a fact of great analytic importance.
　
世界真係比我想像中複雜，master 可能係提供咗一噸嘅食物，但我呢個眼闊肚窄嘅學生，食親buffet都蝕俾酒店，我只能夠話食呢一餐buffet嘅過程，雖然時不時都飽飽滯滯， 但行出間酒店嘅時候，係快樂嘅。
　
最後，喺呢度祝福兩位讀doctorate嘅朋友，可能佢哋都係眼闊肚窄， 但可以去最豪華嘅酒店食buffet ，的而且確值得我哋呢啲留守喺香港地獄嘅人 戥佢高興。