本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛打工999

一. 999超级市场

(999老板 Bond)
OTTAWA的夏天，天空如此湛蓝而清澈，几朵白云懒懒散散地随风游荡. 清新的空气中隐隐约约掺杂些不知名的花香. 街上驶过的车辆速度不快,就象街上慵怠的行人.靠近Spring STREET和 Sisdaught Street交界的Bridge ST是一条封闭幽静的小街，沿着它，时不时会看到黑的或黄色的小松鼠，在树下捧着什么东西吃着，即使人从旁边经过，也打断不了它的专注。顶多无聊地瞟你一眼，无动于衷于你友好的眼光。 警惕性比较高的只有本性一惊一匝的麻雀,也顶多是发现你并没有施舍的美意,叽咋几声扬长而去.

Bridge ST的尽头，是一座近百年高龄的HOUSE， 年岁虽大，但没有一丝古朴的风范. 那甚至是破旧的外貌，告诉人它单调的历史和苍老的存在，即使是HOUSE临街的墙都已经嵌着大面的玻璃,也丝毫觉不出有一丝现代的感觉。HOUSE的门是一扇贴满五花八门纸张的玻璃小门，已褪色的贴纸上罗列着从招聘厨工，出租，招租房屋到烧蜡加税，GARAGE SALE， 内容象INTERNET BBS一样丰富。 一副色彩最为醒目广告上，一位浓妆艳抹的中年家庭主妇矜持地微笑着托个装满广式香肠盘子，在那女人的下面，从琳琅满目的便条中，杀出一张褪色的红色蜡纸，上面赫然几个毛笔字：999超级市场。

999 超级市场同它一样高龄的邻居之间间隔着一个小小的PARKING LOT， 并排可以停两辆CAR。一般慢慢悠悠下车钻近相隔不远的那扇BBS小门的，大多是168老主顾。PARKING LOT头上那座巨型铁铸的垃圾箱发出的怪味，尚未清理的大大小小的，装肉的，盛菜的，放酱油…的纸箱，木箱，塑料箱，和象日本零式战斗机成群盘旋嚎叫着的绿头苍蝇,或许是多数MANNERS的客人迅疾离去的原因.

这是卫在CANADA 打第一份工的地方.一星期四天,每天10个小时,从早上9点,到下午7点,每小时7个加币,扣除半个小时的吃饭时间,每天可以有60多元的收入.这是CANADA最低的收入水平了.任务就是搬货,然后打价,上货架;兼顾肉档,卖肉,剁骨,斩鸡.还有临近收档的时候,不用任何工具,用手清理堆积如小山似的垃圾,是体现专业水准的时候. (此话回表)

零式战机基地旁,有两扇门,是999的后门.一扇门是制作烧蜡的作坊的,另一扇连接着存储瓜果蔬菜冷库. 每天卫就丛这两扇门走进168开始卫的打工生涯. 168每天销售的杂货,整猪,鸡鸭,也由卫丛这两扇门搬入, 再摆上货架.每个星期四,五和六是进货量最大的.每天大约有三个食品公司的货到.从没计算过每天的工作量.只有一次,记得只进了一个叫”多维”牌子的饮料,有700多公斤,上到货架上就看不见了,从车上搬进999,再搬上货架,要搬两次.

以前国内有份<健与美>的杂志,在身材俊美的男女的刺激下,卫着实练了一段时间健美.999的工作,提供了机会让卫的肌肉再次经受锻炼.下班后褪去混合着各种气味的衣服,看着愈来愈厚实的胸肌和臂膀,着实忘了身上的汗臭和疲劳和裤袋里薄薄的支票.对着镜子作个后羿射日的动作,就一头钻进浴室.

999象中国农村的小杂货店.店不大,是以前的人家的住宅.店面里外两间,一间摆杂货,蔬菜,和烧蜡档.华姐和邦哥的收银台也在这一间. 走上两级台阶,是另一间屋,卖肉和冷冻食品. 楼上是临时的货仓,上架剩下的货就通过一人宽的楼梯搬上楼上三间储藏室. 店里悬挂着中秋月饼,恭贺新春,特价海鲜等等的招贴,很是热闹.隔开收银台和肉档的小货顶上,一个胡子已经变灰的圣诞老人,拿着瘪瘪的红口袋,咧着嘴笑着…

肉档的房间有个不为人注意的小门,撩开沾满油垢的塑料门帘,里面是烧蜡作坊…没有窗户, 红彤彤的碳在两个齐屋高的大锅炉里烧着,几头开膛破肚吊着的整猪,皮已经烤地滋滋冒油; 另外一个炉门洞开, 一打皮质金黄透亮的鸭子伸着脖子,静静地任由下面的火苗跳跃着舔着. 锅炉旁边,BASEMENT的门口, 横亘着一具油气炉, 上面蹲着两口巨大的油桶,浸着白花花的整鸡,蓝幽幽的炉火在底下烘烤着, 保持着油桶的温度, 油沿着不锈钢的桶壁渗下来.作坊里的水池里泡着鸡爪,操作台上四仰八叉横着一头小猪,肚皮里淋上了酱色的作料,地上的还有几头; 红红的肉块用铁丝穿着,淹在红红稠稠的液体里,用地上两三个绿色的大桶盛着. 有两个烧蜡师傅:阿余,江叔. 盛夏的OTATWA,风是凉爽的,但似乎已经完全遗忘了这个角落, 一盏罩着铁丝网的白炽灯, 从门外透进的光,40度的高温, 是烧蜡作坊的夏天.

999是堆满货物的仓库,走进这里的人,需要耐心仔细,和懂得享受寻找的乐趣.小小的店里2000多种货品铺满了窄窄的走道,挂满了墙面,塞满了货架, 填满了每一个角落.没有货物的地方,寻觅的客人慢慢挪动着…(999对面有家印度人的超市,面积比168大,但货物少的多.)999的SHOPPING CART是米你的,是普通洋人店里的CART1/3大. 一次两个洋人女人拿着SHOPPING LIST来寻CHINESE RICE NOODLE,卫问”WHICH KIND DO YOU PREFER?” 两女一脸茫然.于是卫领着她俩到RICE NOODLE的那面墙,旁边供着关帝爷和土地神, 这俩面对从及近房顶高处一直到及近地面的排满各色RICE NOODLSE的”米粉墙”,叹道”OH MY, IT’S REALLY MY NOODLES HEAVEN” 。999的老板杰哥说”我们地方小了一点,但是东西一点不比大唐少…(大唐是另外一家华人超市,新999起来之前是唐人街最大的)”

999是年纪较大的老移民爱光顾的地方,除了因为杰哥的老婆珠姐那机灵的小脑袋能准确地招呼着他们的姓名, 又能一边动拉西扯地唠家常,一边收钱结帐, （却一个CENT都不会少算）更因为太太们用指甲在鲜嫩的苦瓜上抠下一块,检验它的新鲜程度的时候;或是悄悄在保鲜膜上捅个洞,撕开包装,查看小白菜叶的是否有虫洞的时候,谁也不会责怪他们, 任由他们将所有的菜翻个低朝天,然后什么也不买…然后包菜的霞姐就会出去,拣出捅烂的菜包,重新包装…或是卫一遍一遍把黄瓜,茄子,苦瓜,芒果一个个重新摆列整齐,等待下一只手的苛刻检阅…
(待续)2001/8/17更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net

本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛Leon Lee is one of the 6000 Chinese skilled workers who were attracted to Canada with faith that there are myriad opportunities awaiting them in 1998. He has every merit that immigration officers look for—well educated, young, having work experience and speaking fluent English.

It has been two years since this hopeful newcomer landed in his new home Canada. He was busy putting up Shanghai Bai Choi and other typical oriental vegetables onto the stacks in a supermarket in a sunny Sunday afternoon. With only two big oriental supermarkets in downtown Ottawa, the Chinese grocery store at the east end of Chinatown that Lee worked for was rather busy. In all the hustle and bustle, no one would bother to notice this humble young man.

Graduated with a master degree in electronic engineering from the University of Alberta last fall, Lee was lured to the silicon valley of Canada by the promising prospect in high-tech fields. Unfortunately, his arrival was followed by the beginning of rounds of layoffs in high-tech sectors in the capital city.

Unable to land a job after months of searching, Lee walked in the Chinese supermarket in east Somerset street and took up jobs from loading and unloading stuffs, cleaning kitchen to selling fish. “I am starting to enjoy the fun of doing these sheer physical labour work,” the 27-year-old man said, putting aside the double diploma he earned from two prestigious universities both in China and in Canada.

“People think I am wasting myself away but I don’t see that way,” Lee laughed off every compassionate words and kind encouragement he received from friends and acquaintances. Lee said he wouldn’t have had much time to meditate the meaning of life if he had started with a decent job and impressive paycheck.

“To be honest, I will have to really think about it if I am offered a better job now. I got more hours here,” Lee’s self-mocking humor is a hallmark of him and has helped him maintain his dignity and be able to enjoy his day. Lee said his personal value has never been under such close scrutiny in the past. “I think about the grand question about life a lot,” Lee said.

“Maybe I should be thankful for not given the opportunity because I lack Canadian experience,” he humor once again prevailed. Admitting that China might be a better arena for him to pursuing his career, Lee said he will go back to China when having enough fun of observing people of various hues coming to the store.

Lee is not alone to have compromised high hopes for daily bread. According to a research came out earlier this year, the skill under utilization among new immigrants is a persistent and pressing problem facing the Canadian society.

The study by Jeffrey Reitz, a professor in ethic and immigration study, found that the over emphasis on Canadian experience and the non-recognition of foreign credentials are the major hurdles stopping skilled immigrants to get a job in their profession. The research showed that the labour market value of foreign work experience in Canada is near zero. Canadian employers place very limited value on work experience of immigrants gained from abroad.

But the paradox is that the unwanted foreign experience is so highly played up by the immigration department. Canada’s immigration policy puts as much weight on work experience as on other important items such as knowledge of official languages when it comes to the evaluation of applicants under the skilled worker category.

Henry Fung, who is lecturing a job search workshop in Ottawa Chinese Community Service Centre, believed that the government is not doing enough to facilitate a smooth transition for professional new immigrants.

Fung said he often heard of employers complaining about the lack of local experience and language proficiency among new immigrants. “But they themselves got to be a bit more culture sensitive too,” the Hong Kong origin said.

“It is unfair to put all the blames on the immigrants. They have already swallowed too much pressure and conducted endless self-examination after encountering major setbacks in a completely new culture. The government and employers should have done more to make their lives easier,” Fung said.

“More often than not, employers do not care to learn the customs and cultures of other countries. Asian people, for example Chinese people, they speak a totally different family of languages so distant from European languages. They are not talkative and expressive doesn’t lower their knowledge and technical skills,” Fung said, “if more employers are willing to spend time understanding this culture-based difference, it is them who eventually benefit.”

Fung believed Ottawa has a better chance to develop the first large mandarin-speaking community across Canada due to the fact that the majority of Chinese immigrants came to Ottawa in recent years are from mainland China.

The government-funded Ottawa Chinese Community Service Centre, which now provides job search workshop for Chinese newcomers on a monthly basis, has became the first and must visit place for new chinese immigrants.

“Many newcomers underestimate the difficulties for locating a job before moving to Canada. This adds to their frustration when shutting out,” Fung said. He suggested would-be immigrants do more research before setting their foot on the new land.

Being a first generation immigrant himself, Fung admitted that immigration is a painful decision. Still not having the sense of belonging to the country, Fung said he never regretted of migrating with his whole family, although his grown-up daughter has decided to go back to Hong Kong in search of a better fortune.

As Canada is absorbing more skill workers, the call for better integrating them into our workforce becomes more urgent than ever before. According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada, of all the 197,129 immigrants actually landed last year, 118,462 are skilled workers. 77.79% applicants and dependants intended to work. China continues to be the top immigration source country in the past three year, with 27,410 skill workers and their dependants came to Canada last year, almost doubling the number of 1998.

The figure shows that many more Chinese professionals are planning or packing to come to the other side of the Pacific Ocean, supposing they can realize their dreams and build up a better life for their children here. When they are pleased to access an open door to a more equal and democratic country, they are also faced by the daunting tasks of knocking open some other doors, which are well beyond their control.


By Wendy Luo
Photographed by David Lee更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net