poor but happy / 貧窮卻快樂的人生

第一天 / the first day 

上學前一天雖然很期待，但是也感到某種程度的緊張，第一天去上課提早了半小時，結果粗心的警衛報錯教室位置，讓我在兩個校區之間奔走，還好找到教室時居然還前幾名到達。我們有兩名老師德瑞克和馬修，兩人分別負責平面設計和插畫，因為平面設計和插畫組混上，所以這幾天講話的都是前者，德瑞克有教過各個年齡層學生的經驗，所以我除了學美術設計，我從他身上看到很多一個好的老師必備的條件。一開始德瑞克就和大家說上課不要遲到，而且要非常努力，因為畢業的學生和外面的工作機會不成比例，我覺得他是個說話很實在的人，但又會一直強調有問題一定要和老師們溝通，我很高興當時面試的老師讓我進了FdA。

Though I was looking forward to the start of school, I was meanwhile kind of nervous. I went to school half an hour earlier, but the careless guard gave me the wrong direction. I groped for my way between two campuses, but fortunately when I found the studio, I was still one of the early birds. We have two instructors, Derek and Matthew, respectively responsible for graphic art and illustration. For the time being the two groups of students have classes together, so it's mostly Derek that talks. Derek has had experiences of teaching all levels of students, so apart from learning about design and art, he actually shows me what a good teacher should do. In the beginning, Derek told everyone not to be late for class and to work very hard since only a small percentage of art graduates get to find jobs. I think he's a very down-to-earth person, but he kept emphasizing if we have problems, we have to talk to them. I am very glad that the interviewer back then advised me to study in the FdA program. 

我出門的時候準備了午餐放在超市的大塑膠袋，拿在手上真的佷不好看，我便把它藏在背包裡，但去到學校發現人手一個塑膠袋，就算沒有拿塑膠袋的人打開包包一定有一個保鮮盒，休息時間黑頭髮的喬和我聊起三明治的製作方式，還有可變化的醬汁，這真的是學生生活很重要的一部份啊！

When I left home, I put my lunch in a huge Morrisons' bag, but I found it quite embarrassing to carry it around, so I hid it in the backpack. As I got to school, I saw many people holding a plastic bag. With those who didn't, you would find a food container in each of their bags. During the break, the black-haired Joe talked to me about how to make sandwiches and different kinds of mayonnaise we can try.  This is such an important part of students' life here! 

第一天中午德瑞克幫我們分組，每個人要和自己的同伴聊幾個問題，例如說我們來坎貝爾之前在做什麼，我們想學什麼和我們畢業後要做什麼，插畫和平面設計兩組加起來約六十人，亞洲人不到六分之一，加上我坐的那一區都是英國人，我被分到和一個紅髮的小男生喬同一組，本來覺得他看起來沒有特別友善，不過在校園外吃午餐聊一聊之後也還好，然後他有一群朋友走過來和他哈啦，我便和他說，我先去上廁所，讓他們好好聊，之後我先回到教室，他居然很急地跑過來說：你跑去哪裡？我到處找你呢！可能我總是照顧別人的人，聽到這話我挺感動的。

On the first day, Derek paired us with a new friend. Everyone had to talk to their partner about several questions such as what we were doing before coming to Camberwell, what we would like to learn and what we plan to do after graduation. There are about 60 students from both groups, with less than 1/6 of Asians. I was seated in an area with mostly Brits. I was in the same group with the red-haired Joe. He didn't go out of his way to chat with me before  noon, but he turned out to be quite friendly while we were having lunch outside. Then a group of his pals walked by and greeted him. I told him that I was going to the toilet and that I'd let him chat with his friends. After I went back to the studio, he rushed in with anxiety saying, "Where have you been? I was looking for you!" I was rather surprised because I am usually the person that looks after others. I was quite moved then. 

班上有一些人是德瑞克和馬修親自面試，感覺他們當時很競爭，有些人已經有業界經驗，而外國學生尤其戰戰兢兢，有那種準備好隨時要打戰的姿態。德瑞克對那些設計師說：沒關係，將來很多同學會來問你們什麼東西怎麼做。

Some students in class were interviewed by Derek and Matt. It seemed to be rather competitive then. Some people are already equipped with much industry experience. Some foreign students were very alert. Looks like they were ready to fight any minute. Derek said to the designers: It's alright. A lot of people here will ask you how to do certain things in the days to come... 

最後大家要走時，德瑞克還把國際學生留下來，問我們有沒有問題，他說的課程簡介和我們當初心裡想的一不一樣，每個星期還騰出某一天固定要和我們說話，真的是很有愛心的老師啊！

When everyone was about to leave, Derek kept the international students, asking if we had any question. He wanted to know whether the course syllabus did correspond to what we thought or what we looked for. He wants to have a talk with us on a weekly basis during the first term. He is indeed a very wonderful teacher. 

坎貝爾分校沒有很大，我們六十個人只有兩間教室大的畫室，但到處都是給學生展覽作品的空間，從畫室到圖書館，我不停聽見老師和圖書館館員說：想要秀作品的人寄申請表過來吧！

Camberwell School of Art isn't especially big. In fact, sixty students share two studios, but there is space for students to curate or exhibit their works. From the studios to the library, I kept hearing the teachers and librarians say, "If you are interested, pleases send us a proposal!"

每天晚上回家我都會和嘉蕊互相交換當天的學習心得，因為她讀的是倫敦傳播大學的大學部平面設計，學校不同教學風格也不同。她和我說去了一個展覽，雖然都看不懂在幹麼，但是他很開心因為那代表這裡一切不受限。我很喜歡他的這一席話，我們都會排除自己不懂的東西，可是反過來說，如果我們願意接受，思考就會開闊許多。

Every evening after I go home, I am in the habit of exchanging my day with Jazel. She studies in the BA graphic art program in LCC. Different schools have different teaching styles. She told me about an exhibition she had seen earlier that day. She didn't understand what it was about, but she was very happy because it means here you can do whatever you'd like to. The sky's the limit. I like her remarks. After all, we tend to exclude what we don't understand, but if we can open our mind, then we will get to broaden our horizons. 

第二天 / the second day 

今天我們要分組去探索倫敦！我和其他九個英國人被分配到Shoreditch，我們要親自拜訪那裡的藝廊書店咖啡店和餐廳，明天回去學校要分組報告。這種校外教學很好玩，等於倫敦一日遊，又可以讓我們互相交流。

Today our mission was to explore different parts of London! I was in a group with other nine Brits and we were assigned Shoreditch. We had a list of galleries, bookshops, cafes and restaurants given by Derek. This kind of outing is a lot of fun because through traveling, we got to mingle with one another. 

剛開始我跟著一個很有親和力的小女生貝絲，她很像我之前那些教的孩子，這個女孩很單純也很開朗，之後在公車上我發現其實大家都有交友的恐懼，自己就沒有那麼擔心了。

In the beginning I followed a young girl named Beth. She is like the girls I taught before, very simple and outgoing. Later during the bus ride, I realized that everyone has fear when it comes to making new friends. I was thus less worried. 

以前去旅行時也會去藝廊逛逛，但現在這變成我生活裡的一部份，果然是踏進門和在門外的差別啊！

I'd visit galleries when I went on trips, but now this has become part of my life, which is the difference between being an art-major and a layman! 

出發之前我們討論出明天上台呈現的模式是每個人選一個地方，用一張A3的圖表現，意思就是我我們今天會去到十個場所。

Before we started the trip, we decided that the form of our presentation is for everyone to present a venue by doing whatever he or she'd like to on a piece of A3 paper. In other words, we'd check out 10 places today. 

圖中從左至右為露西和潔絲 / from left to right: Lucy, Jess 

圖中為可愛的貝絲 / Beth in the picture 

從左至右為艾登、羅拉、潔米、露西、喬、麥克斯 / from left to right: Aiden, Laura, Jamie, Lucy, Joe and Max 

我們沿途拿精美的明信片，畫廊知道我們是窮學生，會特別告訴我們哪幾樣是免費的。到了某一點時，我真的只能說，我無法想像世界上有比我目前經歷的更美好的人生，我得勒緊褲帶生活，但我非常開心來到這裡看到這些東西，之前看的做的相較之下不算什麼。

We took with us exquisite flyers and postcards along the way. The gallery people knew that we are poor students, so they will specify the kinds of things we can take for free. At one point I thought to myself, I can't imagine a better life in the world. Though I have to live on a tight budget, I am more than glad to have come here and seen these things. What I saw and did before is really nothing compared to all of this. 

之前旅館接待員Vinni和我說白人很窮困，我和小朋友出去，大家對於吃東西的費用很在意，我們走進The Book Club，午餐約十磅，我們又魚貫走出，我們因此走到Brick Lane，據說是外帶天堂，潔絲介紹我們吃貝果，燻鮭魚配起司醬一點六磅，但好幾個人也都忍著不吃，我們其實走了很多路，我還沿路邊吃水果和點心，我想他們一定很餓，所以我把貝果分給其它人吃，因為我還有袋子裡的巨大三明治，在那之後我想到學費漲三倍的英國真的很不忍心，下次抗議我也要上街去！

When I first came here, the receptionist in the hotel Vinni told us that the whites are poor. I noticed that the young people care much about the expenses. We walked into the Book Club to discover that lunch costs about 10 quids, so we walked out. We made it to Brick Lane, which is said to be the paradise for takeaway food. Jess recommended salmon and cream cheese bagels to us, but some of the kids didn't buy anything. We had walked a lot, and I even ate snacks and fruits along the way. I thought they must have been hungry, so I shared my bagel with some of them because I had my giant sandwich in the bag. After that, I was quite sad to think of the hike in tuition fee. Next time when they take to the street, I am going too! 

吃完飯照樣要喝啤酒，夾在一群約二十歲的英國小孩之間真的很有趣，聽他們聊一些有的沒有的一同哈哈笑，其實也不用擔心要說什麼，這樣就變成朋友了。回家的途中我和兩個小男生去美術行，早上離開學校時德瑞克一直交代英國學生要照顧外國學生，所以弟弟沿路一直說：我們真擔心你不見，最後我要搭巴士回家，傑米還問：你確定知道怎麼回去嗎？和嘉蕊說這些時，她反問：他們不知道你幾歲吧？我回答：我聽你的，別人不問我就不說。糟糕，我來到這裡很喜歡和小男生鬼混，我真想轉組到平面設計因為那裡男孩比較多。

After a meal, we had to go to a bar. It was fun to be with a bunch of 20-year-old British kids and hear them chatter about this and that, and laugh, most of all. I didn't have to worry about what to say, and just like that, I became part of them. On my way home, I joined two boys and went to the art supply shop. In the morning before we left school, Derek kept reminding the British students to look after international students, so Jamie and Aiden kept saying to me, "We are so afraid to lose you." In the end when I was about to take a bus, Jamie asked, "Are you sure you know your way?" When I told Jazel these stories, she asked, "They don't know how old you are right?" I replied, "Well, I took your advice. I do not say anything when others don't ask." Alas, I really like to hang out with young boys here, and I am crazy enough to think of transferring to the graphic art group because there are more boys there. 

回家之後收到卡特琳娜和卡洛的信件，前者整整道出我今日的心情。

After I went home, I received Caterina's and Carol's mail. The former totally says how I feel now. 

但是目前這一刻我不能再寫部落格了，明天中午前要完成關於這家書店的圖，我要好好構思去了，各位再見！

But I really can't go on blogging at this moment. By tomorrow noon I have to come up with an A3 image about this bookshop. I really have to go brainstorm. See ya guys!