馬爾他故事集-一切都是從搭便車開始

「我真的很想念台灣。」

「我在那有一段很好的回憶。」

「亞洲可以算是我第二個家。」

在我眼前的他，會說中文(繁體)、義大利語、波蘭語、以及英文。

我永遠記得，我們在馬爾他相遇的第一天，是多麼的離奇。

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在返回台灣的前夕，抓緊時間跟馬爾他的朋友們聚一聚。

這位朋友名字叫派特，我們從去年十一月認識以後便一直相約找時間在聚一聚。

然而各自生活緊湊難以安排，一直到今天才終於敲定造訪他的新家喝咖啡。

派特來自義大利，在台灣念過書，之後到回義大利讀研究所，再領了獎學金到上海讀博士。

在上海時遇到了來自波蘭，當時在讀研究所的老婆。

兩位都是實實在在的學霸! 班排墊底的我真的是望塵莫及呀。

兩人結識之後，有了可愛的小女兒，然而因為Covid的關係一切亂了套。

也因此回到了歐洲來生活。

時間回到去年十一月，當時英國地頭蛇來馬爾他找我。

我們到卜派村玩，回程時原本想說搭公車好了，而最近的公車站需要步行30分鐘。

過程中，一輛汽車緩緩地在前方不遠處停下來，

一位西方臉孔的陌生男子，卻用中文向我們搭話?

「你們講中文嗎?」

「對。」

「你們從哪裡來的?」

「台灣。」

「哦! 我以前在台灣待過 ! 你們要去哪裡? 我可以載你們一程。」

派特呀派特，雖然你會看到這篇文章，但我還是必須很老實地跟你說，

當時第一次遇見你的時候，我其實抱持著警戒心，原本打算拒絕你的。

尤其有朋自他方來，我更是不願讓他人遭遇任何風險。

在一萬公里的異鄉遇到同樣會講中文，而且還非常流利的西方人，還說在台灣待過?

怎麼想都覺得很詭異，世風日下，防人之心不可無，原諒我。

然而在外面見到車上還有一對母女之後，

我才稍微放下了警戒心。

也因此開始了我們的緣分，我很慶幸自己當初做的決定。

如今在派特的新家，電視機的下面，仍然擺放了許多中文的教科書。

我們間的對話，多數時派特使用中文，而我使用英文。

「我很喜歡亞洲的文化及生活。」

「哦?怎麼說?」 聽到這一點倒是激起了我的興趣。

「怎麼說呢，我覺得你們亞洲人比較熱情一點，相比於歐洲人的話。」

這點我是滿訝異的，我反倒覺得歐洲人很好客的。

「在亞洲很容易找到人幫你，但是在歐洲比較難，我覺得歐洲人普遍比較自我(自私)一點。」

關於這一點，我聽另一位很close的義大利同事聽說過，他時常需要從西西里島飛來馬爾他總部洽公，

因為他有家庭生活不容易，為了省錢，我會讓他來住我家，對我來說不算什麼，然而他卻說這很不可思議。

「或許你們亞洲人受孔子思想薰陶，你們的文化比較注重整體社會大於自我。」

「Maybe」

然而反過來想，這一點我們也可以解釋成亞洲人比較不會爭取自身的權益，

看看歐洲的罷工多兇多猛，而在台灣，勞基法竟然可以當作一項公司福利......

「我覺得亞洲(這邊泛指台灣、中國、日本......等)的一切都比較有條有序，治安也比較好。」

這點我認同，我親眼見過法蘭克福火車站外滿地的針頭且路邊滿是像僵屍一樣的吸毒仔，

要知道歐洲央行就是在法蘭克福，是歐洲的經融重鎮，我當時真的是驚呆了。

見識過西班牙夜晚的危險，也在巴黎鐵塔下見過一群黑人拿著球棒在圍事。

發生在英國唐人街的各種搶劫案也是聽過不少。

「歐洲的那些大城市治安真的不好呀，相比之下馬爾他治安很好，跟你們那邊很像。」

「我同意。」

「台灣就像我的第二個家，我在那邊有很多很好的朋友及回憶。」

「會想回中國或是台灣嗎?」

「如果有好的機會的話，Why not ? 我很喜歡當時在那邊的生活。」

「不過我的中文有點退步了。」

「我可以幫你複習。」

兩人相視而笑。

「你呢，未來有什麼打算，繼續留在馬爾他嗎?」

「不確定呢，目前就且走且看吧，未來的事也說不準。」

「也是，我們都還很年輕，有許多的可能。」

「如果沒有Covid的話，我現在應該還在中國。」

他如此說著。

而我也可能還在台灣，

我們彼此也不會相遇。

你，相信命運嗎。

EN Version:

"I really miss Taiwan."

"I have wonderful memories from my time there."

"Asia can be considered my second home."

Before me stands a person who can speak Chinese (Traditional), Italian, Polish, and English. I will always remember how strange it was on the day we first met in Malta.

Before my return to Taiwan, I took the opportunity to catch up with friends in Malta. One of them, named Patt, and I had been trying to meet up since November last year. Our busy lives made it hard to find time until today when we finally arranged to visit his new home for a cup of coffee.

Patt is from Italy. He studied in Taiwan, pursued postgraduate studies in Italy, received a scholarship to study in Shanghai for his Ph.D., and there he met his wife, who is from Poland and was also studying in Shanghai. Both of them are truly accomplished scholars. It's a far cry from where I stand in the rankings.

The moment Patt and I met was quite peculiar. It was last November when a friend from the UK came to Malta to see me. We went to Popeye Village, and on our way back, we thought of taking the bus. The nearest bus stop was a 30-minute walk away. During this walk, a car slowly stopped not far ahead. A Western face, a stranger, but he spoke to us in Chinese.

"Do you speak Chinese?"

"Yes."

"Where are you from?"

"Taiwan."

"Oh! I've been to Taiwan before! Where are you headed? I can give you a ride."

Patt, even though you might read this article, I still need to be honest with you. When I first met you, I was actually cautious and initially planned to decline your offer, especially when meeting someone from elsewhere. I didn't want anyone to be at risk. Meeting a Westerner who speaks fluent Chinese, in a place thousands of kilometers away from home and saying he's been to Taiwan? It all seemed so strange. Pardon me for my skepticism.

However, when I saw a mother and daughter in the car, I let my guard down a little. That's how our connection began.

Looking back, I'm glad I made the decision I did.

Now, in Patt's new home, there are still many Chinese textbooks beneath the TV. Our conversations are often mixed, with Patt using Chinese and me using English.

"I really love Asian culture and life."

"Oh? How so?" His words piqued my interest.

"Well, I feel that Asians are generally warmer and more welcoming than Europeans."

I was surprised at this, as I found Europeans to be quite hospitable.

"It's easy to find help in Asia, but in Europe, it's more difficult. I think Europeans are generally more self-centered."

I've heard a close Italian colleague say something similar. He often visits our Maltese headquarters from Sicily due to family commitments. To save money, he would stay at my place. To me, it's not a big deal, but he finds it incredible.

"Maybe Asian people are influenced by Confucianism, your culture emphasizes the greater good of society over the self."

"Maybe."

However, looking at it the other way, this could also be seen as Asians being less assertive about their rights. European strikes are quite intense, whereas in Taiwan, the Labor Standards Act is treated as a company benefit...

"I feel that everything in Asia (referring to Taiwan, China, Japan, etc.) is more organized, and there's better public safety."

I agree. I've witnessed needles outside Frankfurt's train station and drug users resembling zombies on the streets. Keep in mind, the European Central Bank is in Frankfurt, a major financial center in Europe. I was shocked. I've seen the dangers of Spanish nights and a group of people wielding baseball bats near the Eiffel Tower in Paris. I've heard about various robberies in London's Chinatown.

"The public safety in the larger European cities is really poor. In comparison, Malta and your place are quite similar in terms of safety."

"I agree."

"Taiwan feels like my second home. I have many good friends and memories there."

"Do you think about returning to China or Taiwan?"

"If there's a good opportunity, why not? I really enjoyed my time there."

"But my Chinese has regressed a bit."

"I can help you review."

We shared a smile.

"What about you? What are your plans for the future? Will you continue to stay in Malta?"

"I'm not sure. For now, let's see how things go. The future is uncertain."

"That's true. We're still young and there are many possibilities."

"If it weren't for Covid, I should still be in China."

He said this.

And I might still be in Taiwan.

We would never have met each other.

Do you believe in destiny?