Going to italia diary:the scouts(part2)(中英)
I walked into a basketball stadium. He was there with 22 Scouts and another two coaches. They were all waiting for me. Yes, I was a bit late......Just a bit...
I prepared a speech for them. They raised the flag before I started my speech. Although the content of my speech was not serious, I appreciated that they took it seriously. Scouts respect the tradition. The atmosphere around became quiet and solemn.
The sounds of "attention!", "stand at ease!" and "salute!" were suddenly raised in the ambient occasionally.
After the Flag Raising, the tense in the air disappeared immediately. And I felt that I don't need to hold my breath. Everything returned back to normal.
A ceremony is an interesting thing. It is incredible how the emotions among people were gathered or delivered by those certain actions. During the Flag Raising, I could clearly see the proudness inside those little Scouts. Right there at that particular moment, the Scouts are like warriors in a Warfield.
After the Flag Raising, one of the coaches announced, "Everyone, come around this bike. This gentleman has some stories to share with us".
To be honest, I was nervous, or precisely speaking, "frightened". This was my very first speech delivered in English. Not only the description needs to be modified but also the way people used to receive information can be different in a different language.
Even with Mile's help, I messed up a bit on that speech. My legs just could not stop trembling during that 20 minutes of the speech. But, still, I was glad to have this chance and cherish this experience.
Some questions were asked after the horrifying speech,
"why you have a license plate on your bike?"
"what is the weight of the bike?"
"Do you travel all by yourself?"
"Have you been to Africa?!"
I have tried to answer those question with a sense of humor, although I was not sure how successful I did.
"That license plate belongs to the first car I bought years ago. That car, unfortunately, was involved in an accident. I keep the license plate not just because that was my first car, but also that accident was caused by a kangaroo. I keep this because it was a funny and special experience."
"two hundred pounds"
"I did once have a travel mate. But he rides so fast that I was left behind. So now I travel alone. But I may meet new friends who will travel with in the future, who knows?"
"I haven't been to Africa yet, but I will be there soon. Let's just hope I can ride fast than lions. I don't think the feeling of being a feast for the big cats will be nice."
After those nice chat with young Scouts, Miles awarded me with a scarf and two badges. I guess I am now a part of the Scouts. I regard this precious memory with the Scouts of the Ashbourne as a gift from the God.
In the next morning, Miles and I said goodbye at the peak of the mountain.
"Do not give up your dream and all the best please," he said this short sentence with a firm voice.
"Thank you, I will never give up. I know somewhere in the world there will still be people like you, who is waiting for me. I will make friends with them, bring some exotic stories to them. Life, after all, is a journey itself. I am glad that I have met you."
"Goodbye, my beloved family, my second home in England."
P.S. I believe most of us, including me, do not know the meaning of our lives, but I do enjoy the process of finding my answer.
前往義大利日記:童子軍的榮耀(下)
我進入了一個操場大小的體育館,裡面有22位的小朋友跟三位教練
在演講之前需要升旗,一切都得遵循百年前的傳統儀式,吵鬧的空間一下子變得寂靜,敬禮,稍息
結束了升旗典禮後,下一秒回復了天翻地覆的噪音,下一秒教練提高嗓音說
(大家圍繞這台自行車,這位大哥哥要說故事了)
我是一個正在實行的教材,但我非常緊張,因為我第一次用英文演講,講得亂七八糟,不時還有教練幫我補充幾句(事實是小孩子聽不懂),但是教練非常有耐心地幫我翻譯細節,我腳的顫抖從未停止過,太可怕了。
經過了長達20分鐘的演講,他們問題是
(為什麼車上有牌子?)
(車子幾公斤?)
(有夥伴嗎?)
(你去過非洲了嗎?)
我用幽默的單字拼湊出答案回答給他們
(因為我第一次買車就撞到袋鼠,他活著我車卻毀了)
(200斤)
(有,但是他騎太快了所以我們失散了)
(我即將要過去,希望我騎得比獅子快)
教練頒發了兩個徽章和領巾,這是老爹給我的禮物,我想我會一直帶著領巾,直到有人比我更適合他,我會交給他。
人生第一次英文演講就獻給了ashbourne
的童子軍們,這真是珍貴的回憶,
隔天,我跟邁爾斯在山頂上道別
(不要放棄你的夢想)
(我從來沒想過放棄,因為還有像你的人在未來等我。)
再見了,邁爾斯一家人,英國第二個家。
PS:人永遠找不到答案,直到你老去,
有趣的是,有人正在享受找尋答案 的過程。
英國買車牌子 在 Goodbye HK, Hello UK Facebook 八卦
在香港時嘅偽中產日子與在英國的真生活 (6)
香港其實係一個地方細,交通方便而同時高度集中嘅城市。揸車對好多香港人黎講,真係無乜需要。地鐵,巴士,小巴其本上經已可以去到大部份嘅地方。不過,作為一個中產,如果有小朋友的話,而又要顯示自己嘅成就,又點可以無一架車呢?
老實講,我自己响香港都有車,而的確有車嘅話同小朋友出街去遠啲嘅地方係比較方便嘅。而同時,因為我屋企係有行動唔方便嘅老人家,所以對我黎講响香港揸車就變成必須品。
我唔係想講香港養車有幾貴(係香港人都會知),而厘個的確係個人嘅需要同選擇嘅問題。响香港揸唔揸車根本上就係一個拗唔完嘅嘢。我係想講嘅係响香港,其本上九成嘅中產(包括我自己),要養車,無論要幾實際或者幾show off,都係好無性格嘅,原因都係無得揀。响香港做中產,其實有乜嘢係有得揀嘅呢?
一家幾口,加個工人姐姐,重要做「車埋你」厘個好有形嘅動作,其本上除咗七人車就係無選擇。個個都係嗰三兩個牌子,嗰幾個款,咁點去凸顯自己有車厘個「成就」呢?來來去去都係嗰兩個方法,第一,搞到自己嘅車鬼五馬六或者肉肉麻麻咁,再唔係,買架貴好多嘅七人車囉。
對於我個人黎講,大家可以話我老土,我其實真係接受唔到七人車個樣。無奈地,我當年响香港都係要揸,我嘅感覺由頭到尾都覺得自己成個司機咁,一啲駕駛樂趣都無。所以,我好堅持只係會買最實惠,最普通嘅七人車,乜都唔搞,識行識走就算。因為無論點貴,點豪華佢都係一架裝到七個人嘅貨Van。就算係七、八十萬,Full Option,帶晒黑超,個鼻向晒天都好,都唔改變到架車係一架van by nature厘個事實!
去到英國,因為我唔係住London而且郊區,兩公婆一人一架車就變成必須品。英國人甚至歐洲人嘅中產買車係可以好實際嘅,大部份日常嘅車都係細車。原因不外乎係啲車位細,小路多,而有啲屋企係street parking。七人車都有嘅,不過香港日日見到嗰啲日本七人車就完全無。因為,當個個都有車嘅時候(而London好多時個個都搭車),小咗「車埋你」厘樣嘢,七人車就變咗幾多餘,要真係一家好多口先有需要。
但係我本人,唔計親戚朋友,就係外父、外母、阿媽、一年都會過黎幾次,而每次至少兩三個禮拜。一到步,我又要被要求去揀七人車。不過就係因為响英國有得揀,而我本人又係愛國用國貨嘅人,咁我就好任性咁用幾千鎊,買咗一架十幾廿歲由細到大最鐘意又唔敢買嘅車:Defender。當然,用國貨同任性係要付出代價嘅,我老婆最初都唔知幾憎厘架車。因為初初佢未諗掂買乜車嘅關系,又棍波,又慢,又大架,玩死佢😜
但係,當落雨或者行山路,去同個女去真‧郊游嘅時候,佢就開始明白我嘅選擇。而當我屋企嘅老人家一次過黎嘅時候,就直話好啦,因為根本上我係買咗一隻又穩定又大力嘅牛。
而當我者婆買咗架細車之後,我個女就經常投訴:「坐媽媽架車,我睇唔到嘢呀!」,因為坐响baby seat,媽咪架車矮好多,佢睇小咗好多嘢。
#香港中產 #連養車都無得揀 #英國生活 #英國揸車 #有得揀係好重要 #愛國就用國貨 #英國國民之車 #LandRover