il Giardino Romantico

這群人在等什麼呢？當然是除夕當天最受矚目的舞龍舞獅表演囉！

What is the crowd waiting for?  The answer is the most popular even of the day - the dragon dance!

節目單上說11:30開始，可是我跟大家一樣乖乖的站在這等了好久好久都不見龍的身影。為什麼我會這麼想看呢？除了要當個稱職的『駐利物浦記者』要拍照之外，其實我自己無論是在清邁或是在台灣過年好像都沒親眼看過舞龍舞獅呀！所以聽說中國城有這個活動，我怎麼能輕易放過這難得的機會呢？

沒想到在利物浦的除夕比在台灣的過節氣氛還濃厚！除了來自世界各各角落的華人，當然還有當地的英國人以及來自世界各地各種族的朋友們都感受到了我們農曆春節的隆重性！

這裡的華人社區舉辦了各式各樣的活動。當然其中包括最受矚目的『舞龍舞獅』我日後會在跟大家分享。不過大年初一[發文時間台灣已經初二了，不過我這還是初一...]，先來看看比聖誕市集還要精彩的新春市集！

It completely took me by surprise to see how festive Chinese New Years was in Liverpool.  Everyone around the world, not just the ethnically Chinese, but English and surely tourists from elsewhere, all gathered in China Town to witness the biggest celebration of this exoctic culture.

『利物浦不會下雪！』
『利物浦不會下雪！』
『利物浦不會下雪！』

在當地住了好幾年的朋友這樣跟我說。叫我不要期望會在利物浦看到雪。雖然偶爾飄了些雪花，但是那根本不能算是雪吧！？

It doesn't snow here in Liverpool.

再補上一句新年快樂！

每年跨年都在自家陽台上 or 頂樓從遠方觀看台北101化身成為仙女棒。直到台灣時間晚上十點多時，我才發現我有多麼想念那根超大仙女棒。也因為這股思念，讓我希望能夠在網路上跟沒出去外面跨年的台灣朋友們一起倒數。到了台灣時間2009年後，我等了一小時，又跟泰國的朋友一起倒數賀新年。跨了兩次年之後，終於輪到我自己的跨年了。

我問當地的朋友說利物浦的人都怎麼跨年的？朋友告訴我，如果想去pub跨年，要找小間點的而且當晚有賣票的。否則呢，會非常的麻煩。如果有朋友請你參加house party的話，那可能是最好的跨年方式囉。恰好我另外一個朋友說他同學要辦house party。即使我再怎麼宅，再怎麼不想出門、再怎麼怕冷怎麼能夠錯過第一次在英國跨年的天大機會呢？

話說，我朋友她...讓我左等、又等。從六點跟我說她要開始準備，一直到八點說要準備出門。後來又說要等她室友開車來接我一起去house party...等著等著不知不覺竟然就到十點啦！我跟她抱怨說再不到人家家裡的話，就要跨年了說！好加在，真的及時趕到。

攝於Bold St.某間店的櫥窗：Superlambanana的耶穌誕生景

很好奇在英國的聖誕節是怎麼樣的嗎？如果你覺得會比台灣熱鬧好幾百倍，會比台灣多有feel，很抱歉讓你失望了。因為聖誕節是回家跟家人團聚的日子。沒有人會在外面閒晃。沒有人應該在聖誕節的時候落單。有朋友聽說我聖誕節沒有要回台灣過，還很好心的約我去他家過。因為僅有點頭之交，讓我更感動的是，他還特地告訴我如果我要去他家過聖誕，他會特地轉告他母親說我不喜歡吃肉。雖然很感動，也很心動，但我朋友裡面也有人落單。好姊妹的男友在這天要上班。到很晚才下班。如果我跑去別人家過聖誕，就變成他落單一人。不如兩個人一起過個溫馨的小聖誕夜。再完美也不過了。


朋友家房東弄的聖誕佈置

老闆早在學期中就預告：最後一週放我們去過節前要來辦個'Sonnet Reading'的小聚會。全員都要交出一首親筆寫的十四行詩。老闆答應會供應sherry和mince pie。聽到老闆這麼說，我心裡是既期待又怕受傷害。老格友們可能比較有印象，知道我在空閒之餘偶爾會寫寫詩。不過這次可不是蓋的。不是隨便貼在網路上分享，滿足自己小小的虛榮心。這次可是要當著一群'masters of English literature'以及教授面前很不要臉的唸出自己的小創作。雖然很期待聽到大家的回應以及感想，但也很怕自尊心從此受損，從此再也無法提起勁來寫詩了。

期待已久的十四行詩聚會終於到來。貼心的老闆總是會在正式開始前先寒暄問暖。不過這次除了關心大家的生活外，當然老闆也最想知道大家對於這門科系的感想。畢竟我們今年是第一屆專攻文藝復興與十八世紀這個領域的。大家都覺得自己學到很多。不過我當然要炫耀我認為我得到的是最多的！畢竟這段路走來挫折特別多！來了以後又不知道自己之前學的是否真的能應付的了這裡的課業。我發現從一開始到現在，我一直都在誇說自己的生活有多麼精彩！即使是壓力大或想家躲在寢室裡掉眼淚，我也覺得那是一種『幸福』。這種變態的生活態度，有時讓我覺得自己還真像個小孩子。事實上我卻是周遭朋友裡最年長的。

On the first day of Christmas,
My true love gave to me
Two advent calendars:
One for my friend and one for myself.


On the second day of Christmas,

 

將自己關在寢室＋圖書館裡足足兩天，也是該出來走走的時候了。這兩天天氣超冷、溼氣也超重的。不適合出走。不過這天不知怎麼著，一早起來就見大太陽！若再把自己關在房間裡就太對不起太陽了。包包裡裝滿了書，帶著iPod以及不會太多但也不會太少的££準備好好來一趟難得的血拼歷險記。

其實我很宅。只是到了這之後，交了新朋友總是覺得要做什麼是不是要問問人家想不想一起去。因此除了圖書館之外，我竟然已經好久沒有跟自己好好相處。或許令人難以理解，一個人有什麼好玩的？我喜歡一個人。因為一個人可以聽見自己在內心深處平時聽不到的、見到平時在大眾面前見不到的－真正的自我。

This is the second time since I got here that the fire alarm had gone off in the halls.  This is the second time THIS WEEK that I have personally been in a 'fire drill'.  The first time it went off in the halls, I did not run out of my room.  Seeing that I just got here, and was still trying to get over my jetlag... I did not even get out of my bed because my sixth sense told me: THERE IS NO FIRE!  Fortunately, the fire engine arrived and soon left. 

On Tuesday, I was suppose to meet up with my MA mates at the library after lunch.  I walked by the library and saw a big crowd gathering in front of it.  Of course, I heard the fire alarm too.  But seeing no smoke, I figured 'it was a drill'.  Although, the fire engine did arrive, it left shortly after.  I found my MA mates standing outside the building, but the people wouldn't let us back in, so we left.

This morning, UK time, of course, the fire alarm went off AGAIN!  This time, it really got on my nerves because I had just woken up, and I DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE MY ROOM!  I thought to myself, (here's the advantage of having your room facing the main road) if I see the fire engine arrive, then I will rush out.  However intolerable the sound was, I remained in my room.

However, my plan was interrupted by a knock on the door from the girl next door.  Along with another girl from Vietnam, we reluctantly headed out of the building after seeing everyone gathering outside.  We were accosted by some woman on our way out.  She reprimanded us as if we were toddlers, "This is a fire alarm!  Why haven't you come out of your rooms?"  What answer did she expect?  I couldn't possibly retort and say, "Well, it's just a drill, ain't it?"  I just stared back at her, thinking you should either let us back in, or let us out.  Don't just stand there and expect an answer for your rediculous question.  After writing down our room numbers, wooo~~~ now I'm in trouble!, she finally let us disperse ourselves amongst the others.