第4部分(第3/6 頁)

an　a　recently　arrived　immigrant。

Initially　you　struggle　along；　ignorant　of　procedures　that　all　others　take　for　granted；　stuttering　in　flawed　idioms；　unable　to　assert　yourself；　unwittingly　violating　established　codes　and　customs。　You　behave；　and　you　are　treated；　like　someone　mentally　and　socially　deficient。　Courtesy　and　respect　are　in　short　supply。

As　a　clever　immigrant　you　pick　up　the　challenge　and　do　your　best　to　assimilate；　fast　and　furiously；　until　your　new　countrymen　can　no　longer　tell　that　you’re　not　‘one　of　them’。　But　is　that　really　what　you　want？　Go　through　life　masquerading　as　something　you　are　not；　and　never　will　be：　‘one　of　them’？

Identity　身份（3）

The　whole　point　of　migrating；　which　by　far　outweighs　the　hardship；　is　the　wonderful　freedom　it　brings。　The　privilege　of　not　being　expected　to　conform。　The　advantage　of　belonging　to　all　cultures　and　none。　Choosing　the　best　from　each　one　you　sample　but　at　heart　remaining　your　true　unaffected　self。

We　all　love　people　who　represent　an　image：　who　take　to　life　as　if　it　were　a　stage。　Acting　out　impressions　we　can　easily　interpret；　taking　their　bow　from　the　rest　of　us。

Some　of　them　bee　cult　figures：　James　Dean；　Kennedy；　Elvis；　Grace；　Diana　–　the　list　is　long。　But　there　are　also　modest　examples　of　people　pursuing　symbolic　lives　in　relative　obscurity。

I’m　sure　you　can　think　of　a　few　examples　of　people　who　have　successfully　invented　themselves：　the　perfect　housewife　ensconced　in　her　colour…matched　home；　the　businessman　in　a　tailored　suit　taking　his　seat　in　the　board…room。　The　bearded　bohemian；　the　stern　intellectual；　the　sweet…smiling　bimbo；　and　so　on。　All　helping　us　decipher　the　mystery　of　human　nature　by　labelling　themselves　unequivocally。

In　my　younger　days　I　worshipped　s