英国：没有国庆节

　　编者注：

　　英国没有传统意义上的国庆节，只有女王的“官方生日”。英国女王伊丽莎白二世的真正生日是1926年4月21日，而其“官方生日”则定在每年靠近6月11日的那个星期六。每年的这个时候，一向有“雾都”之称的伦敦天气也比较好。其主要活动，是由女王亲自检阅“军旗敬礼分列式”。由于星期六本来就不是工作日，因而这一天也不在假日之列。

　　我在苏格兰乡村长大，成长经历和那些在城市里长大的孩子非常不同。然而，到了10月，苏格兰的孩子和中国的孩子都会被仁慈地给予一周的时间，从上学的压力中解脱出来。

　　在苏格兰，传统上，10月的开始是农民们需要年轻人来收获土豆的时间。原来，这个节日是个需要劳动的节日，是个实用性的，而不是用来庆祝的节日。而且，在我10岁那年，我确实劳动了一整天。我还记得犒赏是一小笔钱和一袋马铃薯。

　　当然，现在在这个假期，很少有人在地里劳作了。一般来讲，我用自由的时间来从事较温和的娱乐活动。因此，我的兄弟们和我会在家里把妈妈逼疯。和中国十几亿人挤上火车的混乱情况不一样，休假在英国很灵活。我父亲喜欢选择在暑假去欧洲旅行，在10月的假期里工作。

　　在大学里因为10月是开学的月份，所以这个假期被停止了。但因为我现在中国，这个假期又回来了。现在，对我而言，事情变得不同了。

　　然而，这种感觉和文化差异没有任何关系（大多数人相信，文化差异能解释所有的外国人在中国的感受），这和中国不太高明的媒体宣传，以至于外国人无法理解也没关系。这种感觉只反映了一个简单的事实：约8年过去了，现在我长大了；节日，在成人眼里，已不再是有趣和懒散，更多是意味着需要借机休息，重新充电。

　　这并不是在说，我对这个假期不心存感激：我承认有些可怜的人要持续工作，不能休息，但我认为这一周的界限太过程式化，休息是一个目标而不该是强加的。对于我，我的目的是：什么也不做。

　　我坚信什么也不做是节日的实质所在。节日使你感觉愉悦，它可让你理清思路。当然你也可以有所行动，但仅仅在精力充沛时。或许，让一个来自乡村的孩子，待在上海休息整整一周是最好的方式，这种想法本身有些自相矛盾，但很真实。

　　一些捣乱的人，当然会告诉我这是在浪费时间，我应该去旅游，因为这样的休息机会在时间表上不常有。他们说：“要去

　　更进一步说，在一个特定的时间旅游，和其他每个人一样，并没有体现逃脱单调工作生活的目的；它让人感觉到像一个拿着相机，跟着黄旗子到处跑的游客。在自由和随意被束缚的那一刻起，乐趣也就失去了。不，在这个假期里，我只想去我最想去的地方：在床和

　　还有什么能做的？我将跳过国庆节的庆贺节目，而是读一本书。利用早晨时间学习中文。现在，天凉了，窗户要关上，我应该可以在房间了享受新近的安静。是的，给我休息时间，无论你发出多大的噪音，无论你的聚会多么热闹，我都不会理睬。晚安了，周一要叫我起床呀！

　　（本文作者现在上海某语言学校任英语老师）

　　原文

　　By David Jamie Wills

　　My youth was, if not a million miles away from the typicalChinesechild, then a whole world from the Shanghai kids to whom Iattemptto inculcate red and . Growing up in the Scottisherewhons andattending first a school of 90 and then a localcomprehensive 11miles over the hills which tallied at 500, myupbringing was as muchan opposite as possible from those growingup here in the sprawl. Iknow what grass feels like. Ive seenstars. On my walk home fromthe bus stop at a blustery croossroadsin the wilderness, along thegrass verge, I passed a castle. Therewas, its safe to say, littlein common with this environment; yet,come October, both Scottishand Chinese children alike are granteda weeks clemency from thepressures of being educated.

　　In Scotland the October holiday seemed special in its oddity:notlong enough to become bored and, having been back at schoolbarelylong enough to mould a seat on the bus to my size, connectedto thesummer holiday in feeling but the Christmas break inclimate.Frankly it seemed a ridiculous time of year to take timeoff andtry to enjoy ones self. The snows would come later –January,February, occasionally Christmas Eve – and so this recentlyarrivedcold was not fun, just bitter, and made worse by BST movingto GMTand forcing everyone to wake an hour earlier, an hourlessfriendly. In cold climates October is the point in thecalendarwhen things begin to happen slower as Novemeber and itsindoorslife approaches, when faces freeze to a stoic glare. We arebetweenparties.

　　My brothers and I would therefore drive my mother crazy athome.We never went anywhere truly exotic during October because,unlikethe insanity here where a billion people squeeze onto thetrains,this holiday didnt exist for adults unless requested: daysoff aremore liberally applicable in Britain. As my father preferredsummertrips into Europe – when we would all jump into the car anddrivethrough a series of countries and fight over the radio station– hespent this time at work. And perhaps we did not need goanywhereexotic for looking out I could see the fields and foliagefindingcolours and hues unique to the season: fawn, russet, thefadingyellows and greens of an Autumn ending. Undulations rippedacrossthe low-lying brows of the remaining crop heads, rippling nottolife as in spring but to the end of a cycle. The winds fromtheNorth Sea had arrived and pushed clear the last of theheat,leaving a hint of salt that lingered an inch off the skin.Byronand Shelley would have loved it, but mostly I watched TVandimagined playing professional football. The week seemed sparelikethat. And then it was gone.

　　At university having an October break stopped as this wasthemonth studying began, but now Im in China it has returned.Thingsare different now, however, and it has nothing to do withtheculture gap that most people believe explains everythingthatforeigners feel here, nor the fact that China is patting itselfonthe back with a horrible media grin outsiders dont get toconnectwith. It is a simple truth that somewhere eight years passedandnow Im older; that holidays are, it seems, different foradults,less about fun and slacking, more about keeping your headdown andrecharging. That is not to say I am ungrateful for the time– Iacknowledge those poor dears working through - but instead thattheboundaries of the week are more defined, where relaxing is agoalrather than a given.Even a task as basic as not going to workneedsconsideration and purpose. For me the aim is this: donothing.

　　Doing nothing is what I firmly believe holidays are about.Itfeels good and it puts thoughts in order. The potential to actisalways there, but ony if youre feeling frisky. Perhaps it isastrange dox that for a country boy staying in Shanghai is thebestway to relax for this one week, but nonetheless its true.Sometroublemakers, of course, tell me this inertia is a waste, thatIought to go travelling whenever there is a break, thattheseopportunities are rare in the schedule. They say go to thewall,or Xian. I believe, on the other hand, this would beforced,travelling for travellings sake and not because I want togoanywhere. Moreover travelling at a dictated time, along witheveryother soul, defeats the purpose of escape, makes one feel likeatourist armed with a camera and following a yellow flag. Themomentfreedom and liberty is defined it loses its fun. No, mytravellingthis break is only to places I truly want to visit:between my bedand the fridge.

　　And what else to do? I shall swap theself-congratulatingcelebrations of National Day and instead read abook. StudyingChinese will take up a little of the morning. Nowthat its coldenough to close the windows I shall enjoy the newquiet in myapartment. Yes, give me time off and no matter how muchnoise youmake, how big your party, I will ignore you. Goodnight.Wake me upon Monday.

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