Abstract:
Chinese--Canada; Immigrant children--Canada--Social conditions
Subjects:
Chinese--Canada; Immigrant children--Canada--Social conditions
Subjects Facet:
Chinese--Canada; Immigrant children--Canada--Social conditions
Creator:
楊是農; Yang, Shinong
Date:
1996-01-10
Date searchable:
1996-01-10
Date searchable:
1996-01-10
Genre:
articles
Genre Facet:
articles
Format:
image/tiff
Language:
Chinese
Language Facet:
Chinese
Relation:
Article from: World Journal（世界日報）
Rights:
Contact UVic Archives for access to the original resource and for reproduction requests (fee for reproductions).This material is made available on this site for research and private study only.
Title-Alternative:
The Stories of Young Immigrants 《Article Five of a Series of Reports》(Part two)
Description-Abstract:
Keywords: Loh, Mason; the United Chinese Community Enrichment Services Society
Location(s):
British Columbia--Vancouver
Location(s) Facet:
British Columbia--Vancouver
Transcript:
小移民成長故事
《系列報導之五》(中)
「新移民要從家庭社會依賴中走出來」
樂美森：機會要靠自己爭取
本報記者：楊是農
從樂美森在溫哥華市小山區居民會所遇見中僑的梁淑玲女士開始，並爲中僑做義工算起，到今日他成爲中僑理事會主席，已經過去了十五年，而這十五年中他也與中僑結下了不解之緣，他對這份分毫不取的義工工作，就像對他的事業一樣兢兢業業，默默奉獻了他無數的日日夜夜。他說，這是從小就受他父親樂嘉範和母親趙可士的言傳身敎影響的結果。樂嘉範先生一九六〇年加入台北市北區扶輪社，一九八一年創立溫哥華華埠扶輪社並擔任創社社長，爲推展該社工作不不遺餘力，他還是卑詩省康復協會目前唯一的華人理事。在他的影響之下，樂氏全家都以公益爲樂，樂此不疲。
雖然義工工作占去美森大量時間，擔任主席更不可避免的給他帶來精神上的壓力的[和]金錢上損失，但是他認爲自己從義工工作中得到很大收益，是金錢無法購買的。 他不僅從中豐富了對於社會的認識，學到與人相處之道，還得到精神上的滿足。他說，當你覺得你的工作很有價値，可以幫到別人時，這種快樂的心情不是用金錢能夠衡量的。
樂美森也承認，做義工有成績沒有人鼓勵，工作出差錯容易受責難是常有的事。他希望人們對義工多予鼓勵，也希望人們不要抱有等到事業有成才做義工這樣的想法，力所能及的投入義工服務，回報社會。
樂美森說，北美社會、特別是加拿大福利好，而且地大物博人口稀少，的確是一個充滿機會的地方。但是福利好也有副作用，容易讓人對政府和社會產生過份的依賴，使優勢反而變成不利。不管甚麼人， 機會畢竟是要自己爭取，而不是人家給的。由於這裡的傳媒經常刊載失業的消息，移民靑少年看了，也會失去衝勁感到心灰意冷。他相信實際的機會是很多的。他自己的律師事務所雇用了四個律師和六名文員，是憑務實的拚搏精神，一步步發展起來的。
他還發現，在加拿大唸過書的人容易適應就業市場，一些新移民反而過於在乎職位和薪資，不太能夠適應。他認爲，新移民靑少年要從對家庭、政府、社會的依賴中走出來，把握住自己的人生。 他說，找工作的人不要因爲工錢低，或者不合專業，或者職位低而喪失機會，要有埋頭苦幹，從零點開始做起的踏實態度。一個人最重要的是靠自己的才幹和努力去贏得尊敬。(待續)
【圖片】： 樂美森的父親樂嘉範先生、母親趙可士女士與他在丘吉爾中學的畢業典禮上所攝。（照片由樂嘉範先生提供）
English translation: The Stories of Young Immigrants
《Article Five of a Series of Reports》(Part two)
New Immigrants Should Rely Less on Their Families and Social Support
Mason Loh (Le Meisen): Opportunities are given to those who are always seeking them
By Yang Shinong, journalist of World Journal Vancouver
Mason Loh met Ms. Liang Shuling at Little Mountain, Vancouver, and started volunteering for the United Chinese Community Enrichment Services Society (S.U.C.C.E.S.S.). It has been fifteen years since he joined as a volunteer to his present status as its chairman. During these fifteen years, he also had a lasting bond with S.U.C.C.E.S.S. He is as dedicated to this volunteer work as he is to his career, and he has silently devoted countless days and nights to it. He said that this was the result of the influence of his father, Le Jiafan, and his mother, Zhao Keshi, from an early age. Mr. Le Jiafan joined the Rotary Club of Taipei North in 1960. He founded the Rotary Club of Vancouver Chinatown in 1981 and served as the founding president. He took every effort to promote the work of the club. He is also the only current Chinese Canadian steward of the BC Rehabilitation Association. Under his influence, the Loh family enjoys contributing to the public welfare and is not tired of it.
Although volunteer work takes up a lot of Mason’s time and working as the chairman tends to bring him financial challenge and mental pressure, he believes that the benefits he gets from his volunteer work are priceless. He not only enriched his understanding of society and learned how to get along with others, but also received spiritual satisfaction. He said that when you feel that your work is valuable and can help others, the happiness generated by it cannot be measured in money.
Mason Loh also admits that few encourages volunteers when they have achievements and that they are often blamed for mistakes. He hopes that people will give more encouragement to volunteers. He also hopes that people would not have the idea that they have to wait for a successful career to do volunteer work, [so that] they could volunteer and repay society as their capacity allows.
Mason Loh said that North American society, especially Canada, has a good welfare system. As well, its territory is vast and has abundant resources along with a small population, making it a place full of opportunities. However, a good welfare system also has side effects, which tend to cause excessive dependence on the government and society and make the advantage into a disadvantage. Opportunities are usually given to those who are always seeking them. Since the media here often post news of unemployment, young immigrants will lose their enthusiasm and feel disheartened when they read it. He believes that there are many actual opportunities. His law firm, which employs four lawyers and six clerks, has developed into its present size step by step as a result of hard work.
He also found that people who have studied in Canada are more likely to adapt to the job market, while some new immigrants are too concerned about positions and salaries and cannot adapt easily. He believed that new young immigrants should stop relying on their families, the government, and society and take ownership of their own life. He said that jobseekers should not ignore opportunities because they have low wages, are not your specialization, or are low positions. They must work hard and start from zero. The most important thing for a person is to earn respect by his own abilities and efforts. (to be continued)
[Photo]: Mason Loh’s father, Mr. Le Jiafan, and his mother, Ms. Zhao Keshi, took this picture with him at his graduation ceremony of the Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School. (Photo provided by Mr. Le Jiafan)
