圖文閱讀:十件出國才能深切知道的事兒
一、英語不努力學，是掌握不了的
出國以前我以爲到了國外，有了英語環境，自己會不費力地通過語言關。然而，除了小孩子，成年人慾消除語言障礙談何容易？難怪許多在國外生活了半輩子的老僑，其英語程度還屬初級。
Before going abroad, I thought it would be easy to study English with an English-speaking environment. However, execept children, it's difficult for adults to eliminate the language barrier? No wonder many of the old overseas Chinese' English is not that good.
二、從中國出口海外的食品，是給華人吃的
在國內時，經常看到這樣的宣傳：某某傳統食品遠銷世界五大洲，深受各國人民的喜愛。到國外才知道，中國的食品絕大部分只有在華人超市裏見到，是以華人爲銷售對象的，西方人除了偶爾到中餐館打打牙祭，平時幾乎不買中國食品。
In China, we often see such advocacy: certain traditional food is exported to the world's five continents, and deeply loved by people of all countries. In fact, the vast majority of these food only are in the Chinese supermarket which are mainly sold to the Chinese. Instead, foreigners buy those occasionally.
三、在國外完全脫離華人圈，是不大可能的
國內人有這樣的誤解：到了國外，交的是西人朋友，接觸的是西文，吃的是西餐……。其實，除了華人稀少的城鎮，以及生活於校園內，或者嫁了老外，在中心大城市，你的生活範圍很大程度是在華人社區。
Domestic people have some kind of misunderstanding: when abroad, we will make foreign friends, contact the Western culture and ate Western food... .... In fact, apart from rare Chinese cities and towns, and living on campus, or marrying a foreigner, in the center cities, the scope of your life to a large extent is in the Chinese community.
四、頻繁變換職業身份，沒有什麼了不起
本人粗略計算，出國六年多，自己從事過不下十個職業，從快餐店服務員到賭場發牌員，從中文教師到電話推銷員，從送晨報的到送比薩餅的，從流水線工人到公司小職員……，頻繁地身份轉換，而且職業屬性五花八門，對於我來說原來是不可想象的，而對於新移民是再正常不過了。
According to my rough calculation, during the six years abroad I had been engaged in no less than 10 careers, from the fast-food restaurant waiter to the casino dealers, from Chinese teachers to telephone salesman, from the Morning News to send pizza delivery, from the assembly line workers to the company a small staff of ... ... I frequently did the identity transformation, and my professional attributes varied accordingly. It may be srtange to me at first, but not to the new immigrants.
五、汽車洋房，不是可望而不可及的
過去國內報章經常報導某某“海外人士”，如何放棄國外優越的生活，放棄汽車洋房，毅然決然迴歸祖國云云。原來在國外，只要你是勞動者，汽車洋房人人有份。
The domestic press frequently reported in the past that how certain "overseas person" gave up superior living abroad including cars, houses, and resolutely returned to China and so on. Originally in foreign countries, as long as you are working, car and houses are for everyone.
六、上電視上報紙，沒什麼了不起
國內媒體是舌，高不可攀；在國外報紙電視是私營企業，公開透明。所以這裏的新聞媒體大家辦、大家看，沒準一不留神你就成了焦點人物，不信明天你中了彩，後天大小報紙都有你的照片。
The domestic media is the tongue, out of reach; in foreign newspapers, television is a private, open and transparent agency. So here's the news media we do, for everyone to see, chances are there that you may become the focus.
七、牙齒保健，不能不重視
在國內，什麼時候牙痛了纔去看牙醫，平時根本不在乎，很多人都有用牙咬開啤酒瓶蓋的“英雄壯舉”。出了國發現西人的一口白牙，似排珠，賽玉貝，咱們真是相形見拙，“難於啓齒”，所以花心血讓下一代一定愛護好自己的“門面”。
In the home, you won't see the dentist untill there is something wrong with them. You usually do not care about them. Also many people use their teeth to bite open the beer bottle. After going abroad, you will discover that westerners white teeth, resembling a row of bead.
八、西方政要，沒有什麼可神祕的
我在多倫多大街上見過加國總督伍冰枝，除了有兩個粗壯男子五米之外相隨，人家伍總督和老公牽手漫步，儼如平民。在一些場合，與市長、省長、議員握個手、合個影，也並不難。而在國內，森嚴壁壘的政府部門，警車開道的領導出行，相比之下，你會有許多吹牛的資料。
I have seen Canada Governor Adrienne Clarkson on the Toronto des the two sturdy male following five meters away, Governor Wu and the husband are strolling just like common people. In some situations, shaking hands or taking a photo with the mayor, governor, congressman, is also not difficult.
九、與西人交往，並非想象得那麼容易
國內人以爲我們在國外都有一些西人朋友，其實不然，與西人較深層次地交往，除了語言的差異，更重要的是文化的隔閡。誰都對身邊事務的關心程度甚於外域，普通西人熱衷中國文化、渴望結識華人朋友的少之又少，“物以類聚，人以羣分”，在哪裏都一樣。
The domestic person thought that we in overseas certaingly have some westerner friends. But in fact it is not so. It is difficult to develop deep level contact with foreigners for language difference, and also cultural barrier.
十、高學歷知識分子，做普通工作不新鮮
“龍陷淺灘，虎落平陽”，高知做藍領在國外司空見慣，我見過印度的哲學博士開出租車，東歐的音樂家幹裝修，中國的計算機工程師肉聯廠殺豬……。人爲了生存，要能屈能伸，很多時候學問不能當飯吃。
It is common for scholars to be a blue collar in overseas. I used to see India's doctor of philosophy being a taxi driver, an Eastern Europe's musician doing the repair, Chinese computer engineer working as the meat producer.
