「國際觀」/ Global vision

最近在Facebook上讀了一篇關於「國際觀」的文章，上面引述了一個博客主在其他文章中讀到的一個故事。一個曾在曰本工作的女孩，嫁到韓國去，請了日本的社長/社長夫人來參加婚禮。而社長夫人卻是她人生中第一次出國，去到韓國也吃不慣那裹的飲食，還要自備醬料。

然後那博客主用她自身融入外國生活的經歷來詮釋一方面的「國際觀」。讀完那篇文章之後，我想，「國際觀」，對我來說，究竟是什麼？

I read a post on Facebook recently about “global vision”; the blogger used a story from another article she has read.  A girl, who spent some time working in Japan, married a Korean.  She invited the Japanese company’s boss and his wife to her wedding.  It’s the boss’s wife’s first trip aboard, she’s not used to the Korean diet, and had to prepare some of her own food ingredients. 

The blogger then used her own experiences in integrating into local life whilst studying in the US to illustrate what was “global vision” to her.  After reading the article, I asked myself, what is “global vision”?

大概一兩年前香港的新聞充滿了「通識科」和「國際觀／國際視野」這些字眼。大部份指年輕一代的香港人「國際視野」狹窄，只顧身邊的事，對周邊／世界的事不聞不問，影響香港的競爭力。事實上，當時我並沒有對「國際觀／視野」有什麼想法。

A couple of years ago, “general studies” and “global vision” took the centre stage of Hong Kong’s media.  They mainly talked about how Hong Kong’s younger generation lacks “global vision”, given their struggle in the newly introduced “general studies” O-Level exam, and how it hinders Hong Kong’s competitiveness.  To be honest, I didn't really think much about it back then.

所謂的「國際觀」是指知道世界各地的一些冷知識嗎？相信大家都有可能認識一些伶牙利齒，喜歡地理冷知識的小朋友，被他們矯正「巴西的首都是巴西利亞而不是里約熱內盧」之類的情況吧？ 我們可以說這些小朋友有「國際觀」嗎？

The so call “global vision”, does it mean knowing some trivia about different countries?  I’m sure we all know some kids who know an encyclopedia inside out, telling us something along the lines of “Brazil’s capital is Brasilia, not Rio de Janeiro”.  Can we class these kids have “global vision”?

曾到外地旅行、留學或工作？ 雖然自助旅行或背包旅行比以前普及，但我想大部分出國旅遊的人仍然是參加旅行團。只是隨團去過一些名勝景點，這就是「國際觀」嗎？ 

How about having been to abroad sightseeing, studying or working?  Despite the increasing popularity of backpacking/self-organized trips, I imagine most people still use organised tours or package holidays when they sight-seeing abroad due to cost and convenience.  So, does visiting landmarks with a tour equals to having “global vision”?

那位博客主也指出有很多留學生大部份的時間都是跟著華人混在一起，事實上我自己也曾經有一段時間是這樣的。而且，有很多在中國餐館或唐人街工作的人也一樣，在外國以中式的生活為主，生活在華人的小圈子中，這有什麼國際觀可言？

The blogger herself also pointed out a lot Chinese oversea students spend most of their time with their Chinese peers, isolate themselves from the country they live in.  In fact, I was like that at one stage.  Not only students, it’s also how most people working in Chinatown or in Chinese restaurants live.  What “global vision” can one cultivate when Chinese hanging out with Chinese and living like Chinese?

當然也有許多人到外國留學或工作，認識的都是外國人，完全的融合當地生活，把自己變成一個「徹頭徹尾」的外國人。雖然這是把「入鄉隨俗」四個字進行到底，而且對於世界時事的認識都是由所在地的「國際媒體」的報導，例如在美國的看CNN或Bloomberg、在英國的看BBC或Sky News或在日本的看NHK。這樣的「外國觀」就是「國際觀」嗎？

Of course, on the other hand, there’re a lot of people integrate fully into the country they’re in and live a local.  All they know are stories fed to them by their “international media”, such as CNN and Bloomberg for US, BBC and Sky News for UK or NHK for Japan.  Are these “foreign visions” equal to “global vision”?

我認為「國際觀」是對於世界的一些時事、地理和政治有一定程的認識，從而對其他的文化有一定程度的了解。能明白和尊重其他的文化與思考模式和我們自己（香港，台灣或中國大陸）的不同。

“Global vision” to me is having a good degree of understanding in geography, people, traditions and politics of different places, in order to have some understanding of different cultures.  Able to understand, respect and appreciate the differences between other cultures and our own (whether it’s Hong Kong, Taiwan or Mainland China).

我相信自助／ 背包旅行和工作假期是一種很好的方法去感受不同國家的生活，和不同種族的人溝通，對不同的文化進行認識。從而建立自己有根有據的「國際觀」。

I believe both backpacking and working holidays are good ways to experience different life in different countries, to communicate with different people, and to understand different cultures.  Therefore enable us build our own “global vision” from our own knowledge and experience.

事實上我對自己的定位是介乎於「外國觀」和背包旅行之間。我盡量的去融合外國生活，但沒有就不同的文化進行過一些深入的思考。看來是時候花一些時間在這方面了。

I see myself as someone who has some “foreign visions” and enjoys backpacking.  I integrate with British life and try to observe cultural differences when I travel; but haven’t been thinking that much about their deeper meanings.  Perhaps it’s time to put some effort into this.