移民必读：加拿大生活和文化的"潜规则"
新移民日常生活新指南
为了在温哥华建立一个美好的新生活，有时候，仅仅学习英语是不够的，它不足以让人真正感到舒适和自信。VCC（温哥华社区学院）英文老师Kari Karlsbjerg和她的学生Yi Zheng写下了《我在温哥华的新生活》一书，就是希望帮助消除新移民和当地人之间沟通的障碍。在加拿大的日常生活和文化中有许多“潜规则”，对于一个新来的人来说，这些规则显得如此新奇和神秘。当地人很难理解为什么新来者不知道，或者不遵循这些隐含的“规则”，常常会导致误解。这些不同的思维方式你无法简单地评判是好或是不好，它们只是不同而已，这些差异对于新来者了解温哥华的生活很有帮助。因此，这本书所有的条目都是帮助新来者更好地了解日常生活和文化，了解了这些“潜规则”将会使他们感到更轻松、更舒适的生活在这里。为了方便读者，书中的每天一个条目，全都是用英汉双语书写的，所以每个人都能从中得到有价值的信息。通常当人们在新的环境中感到迷失和困惑的时候，很难有足够的勇气和当地人交谈。Karlsbjerg和郑真心希望这本实用的指南能够鼓励温哥华的移民们抓住各种机会，在温哥华结识新的朋友，建立一个美好的新生活。
这本书有365个按天书写的日常双语（英语和汉语）的条目，包括所有人们关心的日常生活的话题。此外，还提供了许多迷你“日常生活英语”的英语课程，这些课程围绕着日常阅读的主题，帮助读者掌握当地的语言和信息。这本书可以从亚马逊网站、阿伯丁中心的三联书店、克里斯代尔西41大街上的Hager Books以及温哥华社区学院书店均可买到。
该书网址:
下面我们将节选几段书中的章节。
三月六日：不同的思维方式
（书中第120页）
驾驶的礼仪和礼节——挥手致意
在温哥华开车的时候，人们会礼让，尽力帮助别人，而不会超车抢行，比如让别人在您的车前面并线先行。当您这样做时，有时会看到对方司机友好的向您挥挥手。这种挥手是对您的一种答谢。挥手是一种表达您欣赏其他司机的做法。别的司机为了让您在他前面先行通过，会把车开到慢行车道，甚至有时会靠边停车让行。总的说来，只要是遇到他人礼让，都要挥手致意。即使其他司机只是遵守交通法规，处理得当。彼此也会发出这个友好的信号。虽然这只是一个小小的动作，但当地人认为这是一个很好的礼貌待人的好习惯。
四月十日：如何与当地人接触？
（书中178-179页）
先从您的邻居入手吧
结识当地人的一个很好的办法就是从自己身边的邻居开始！您可以向隔壁的邻居介绍自己。如果您访问我们的网站，您可以听到一些与邻居交谈的英语视频。如果您感到害羞，您可以先从简单的小事做起，比如当您在社区周围散步时，微笑着向周围的人说一声，“您好”。多了解当地的企业、多去图书馆和社区中心。慢慢地您就会认识更多的新邻居。邻居之间总是尽量尊重彼此的隐私，不要太过打扰，但通常都是挥手示意，并在不太匆忙的情况下，进行简短而有礼貌的谈论当地的天气、花园、孩子和在当地社区中发生的事情。如果您觉得有点害羞，您可以写一张非常简短的便条，送给邻居一个小小的礼物（茶或饼干）然后介绍您自己。如果您不想和他们交谈，您可以把它放在他们的前门。下面是写便条的例子：
日常生活英语
当您第一次搬进来的时候，您可以送给邻居们一张介绍自己的便条，您也可以在新邻居搬进来的时候给他们写一张欢迎的便条。
•当您搬进来时，给邻居写的自我介绍的示例：
“Hi, we are new to the area and would like to get to know some of our neighbours, I hope to talk to you in the future. We don’t speak much English yet, so thank you for your patience. Your new neighbours: Yan and Yi, 3500 West 33rd Ave”
“您好，我们是新搬来的，想认识一下周围的邻居，我希望将来能和您谈谈。我们目前还不能流利地说英语，所以要感谢您的耐心等待。您的新邻居：严和义，西33大街3500号。”
•当新邻居迁入时，给他们写欢迎便条的示例：
“您好，欢迎您的到来，我们希望您在这里过得愉快，如果您有什么问题，可以随时和我们联系。期待着有机会能和您聊一聊，您的邻居，严和义，西33大街3500号。”
八月十一日：温哥华餐厅的习俗与礼仪
（书中第378-379页）
共享食物
过去，在餐馆里共享食物是很罕见的。只有非常年幼的孩子与他们的父母共享食物，或者是两个朋友共享一份甜点。然而，这种习俗正在迅速的改变，越来越多的人愿意在餐桌上共享菜肴的理念，这样既省钱又能品尝到更多不同的食物。当地人在共享食物时，通常他们会把食物按人数分装到不同的盘子，而不是在同一个盘子里共享。有时候，餐馆会在后厨先把它们分好放盘，然后再把它们端出来。如果您打算共享菜肴，一定要事前告诉服务员。
English for Everyday Life
日常生活英语
以下是您打算与同桌朋友共享食物与服务员对话的例子：
Server:Are you ready to order?
Customer: Yes, we are. We would like to share a couple of appetizer dishes.
Server:Certainly. What would you like?
Customer:We would like to order the ravioli pasta and the garden salad with oil and vinegar dressing.
Server: Great, and I will bring you some extra plates for dividing up the food.
Customer: Thank you.
服务员：您准备点菜了吗？
顾客：是的，我们想一起享用几个开胃菜。
服务员：当然可以。您想要点什么？
顾客：我们想订的意大利式小方饺与田园沙拉配上油和醋的调味汁。
服务员：真好，我这就去给您拿些额外的盘子来把食物分开。
顾客：谢谢。
九月二日：在温哥华养育子女
（书中第414-415页）
玩耍约会和在同学家过夜
对于年幼的孩子，父母在帮助他们交朋友方面将发挥很大的作用。 其中的一种方法就是帮他们的孩子安排playdate玩耍约会。 当父母看到自己的孩子喜欢在学校和某个孩子玩耍时，他们可以联系那个孩子的父母，约个时间邀请他们过来一起玩耍。playdate(是由几个家长安排的)玩耍约会。由于今天的孩子有非常繁忙的日程安排，这可能是一种非常有效的方式，父母可以确保孩子有时间与其他小朋友练习社交技能。
岁数大一些的孩子，喜欢在别人家过夜。 这包括邀请一些亲密的朋友共进晚餐，然后在朋友家里睡一会儿 - 通常是在客厅的睡袋里，所以他们可以晚上呆在一起熬夜，开开心心的玩。 第二天早上，大家在一起共享一顿丰盛的早餐，再玩一会，然后各自回家休息。在别人家过夜属于特殊的事件，通常只发生在周末或者学校的假期，有时也作为生日聚会的一部分。
New Guide to Daily Life for Newcomers
Sometimes learning English just isn’t enough to feel truly comfortable and confident to build a beautiful new life in Vancouver. Kari Karlsbjerg and Yi Zheng wrote My New Life in Vancouver because they wanted to help remove any barriers to communication between new comers and locals. There are many ‘unwritten rules’ of everyday life and culture in Canada that can seem so new and mysterious to a newcomer. They can also lead to misunderstandings when locals have difficulty understanding why the newcomers don’t know about, or follow these ‘rules’ and hidden attitudes.These different ways of thinking are not better or worse, they are just different and it is helpful for the newcomer to know about them to understandlife in Vancouver. Therefore, the book’s entries help newcomers understand the basics of everyday life and culture, so they will feel more relaxed and comfortable living here. Every daily entry in the book is written in both English and Mandarin so the information is accessible to everyone. It is difficult to feel brave enough to take achance talking to local people when you feel lost and confused by all the newthings in your city. Karlsbjerg and Zheng really hope that this practical guide will encourage immigrants to Vancouver to take a chance, reach out and meet newpeople in Vancouver and build a beautiful new life in Vancouver.
The book has 365 daily bilingual entries (English and Mandarin) that target all of the major categories and topics of daily life. In addition, many of the entries include practical mini English lessons called “English forEveryday Life” which provide local language and information directly related to the topic of the daily reading. The book can be bought from the website, Amazon, SUP Bookstore at Aberdeen Centre, Hager Books on West 41st Avenue in Kerrisdale and from the Vancouver Community College Bookstore.
The book website:
Here are four excerpts from the book:
On Page 120
March 6：A DIFFERENT WAY OF THINKING
Driving manners and etiquette – the friendly wave
When driving in Vancouver, people try to be helpful to others and not be socompetitive such as letting someone merge in front of your car. When you do this, you will sometimes see the driver give a friendly little wave. This waveis a way to show your appreciation to the other driver for letting you move infront of him, or for pulling over to let you pass – basically you give the little wave any time that another driver does something that makes it easier for you on the road. Drivers will give this wave even when the other driver is just obeying the law and doing the right thing. It is just a little action, but locals think it is a nice way to be polite to each other.
On Page 178-179
April 10 ：MEETING LOCAL PEOPLE
Start Right in Your Own Neighbourhood
One great way to meet local people is to start right in your own neighbourhood! You can introduce yourself to the residents who live right nextdoor to your home. If you visit our website, you can listen to some practice videos of the basic English you need to speak to your neighbours. If you feel shy, you can just start small and simply smile and say hello to people when you go for walks around the area. Get to know the local businesses, the local library and community centre. As you get to know more about your new neighbourhood, you will see the same people more. Neighbours always try to respect each other’s privacy and not be too intrusive, but it is common to wave and say hello and, when not in a rush, to have short, polite conversations about things like the weather, garden, children and things that are happening in the local neighbourhood. If you feel a little shy, you could always write a very short note and give a small present (tea, cookies) to your neighbour to introduce yourself. If you don’t want to talk to them, you could just leave it by their front door. Here is an example of a note you could leave:
English for Everyday Life
You can give an introduction note to neighbours when you first move in, and you can also give a welcome note to new neighbours when they move in.
A sample introduction note for your neighbours when you move in:
“Hi, we are new to the area and would like to get to know some of our neighbours, I hope to talk to you in the future. We don’t speak much English yet, so thank you for your patience. Your new neighbours: Yan and Yi, 3500 West 33rd Ave”
A sample introduction note for new neighbours who move in:
“Hi,welcome to the neighbourhood, we hope you enjoy your time here, if you have any problems, you can speak to us anytime. Looking forward to talking in the future, your neighbours, Yan and Yi, 3500 West 33rd Ave”
On Pages 378-379
August 11：RESTAURANT CUSTOMS AND ETIQUETTE
Sharing Meals
In the past, it was considered very unusual to share food at a restaurant. It would only happen with parents of very young children sharing their food with them or a couple of friends sharing one dessert. However, this custom is quickly changing and more people are enjoying the idea of sharing dishes at the table both to save money and to be able to try many different foods. When people share food here, usually they will divide the food onto individual plates instead of sharing from one plate. Sometimes a restaurant will take the dish and divide it onto separate plates for you in the kitchen before they bring it out. It is always polite to mention to the server that you plan to share the dishes.
On Page 414 - 415
September 2：Parenting in Vancouver
Playdates and sleepovers
For young children, parents play a role in helping them make friends. One way that parents can help is by making playdates for their children. When parents see that their child likes to play with a certain child at school, they can contact the parent of that child and invite them over for a playdate. A playdate is an appointment that parents make for their children to play together. As children today have very busy schedules, this can be a way that parents can make sure that there is also time for friends and practicing social skills.
Older children like to have sleepovers. This involves inviting some close friends to dinner and then to sleep overnight in their home – usually in sleeping bags in the living rooms so they can stay up late and have fun. The next morning everyone shares a big breakfast together, plays some more and then the guests go home. Sleepovers are special events that only happen on the weekend or during school holidays and sometimes as part of a birthday party.
