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人的一生說長不長，再加上時空、地理等外在因素的侷限，每個人能經歷的人生體驗總是有限。然而，透過閱讀，我們就能在極短的時間內，瀏覽、品鑑別人一生的起落與故事。這本由邱瀟君所寫的《台灣小妹，美國大姊》，和前陣子看過的《偽魚販指南》同屬一類，是相當私人的家書型作品；內容卻更貼近家庭與生活，而書中的文章也都曾刊載於《聯合報》。
這本書記載著她大半輩子走過的悲歡離合，時間軸幾乎橫跨一家三代的日常點滴。而她的故事也展現了一種外省第二代子女的典型：上一代原本在對岸家世良好、生活無憂，卻因國共內戰而流亡來到台灣。長輩在經濟困苦的環境下拉拔子女成長，並受惠於一併帶來的中華文化中尊師重道的傳統教育思維，這群外省第二代多半在學業、事業上都小有成就，更有不少人憑藉優異成績赴海外留學，最後直接移居美國、加拿大。
這樣的一群人一住就是數十年，在異國生活的時間，甚至比待在台灣還長。台灣對他們而言，只是生命中如過客般的一個逗點；人生最重要的奮鬥與美好，反而都建立在美、加的旅居歲月裡。不過，當年他們為了移居海外，忍受外國人的歧視，放棄年少時的夢想，只為了生存而從事各種工作。等同於耗費大半生的光陰，只為了在海外獲得一方安身立命的天地。這正是許多第一代移民的寫照。最後受惠的，則是那些一出生便擁有綠卡的第二代移民，他們甚至已經不認得台灣在哪裡。
如果常去百貨公司美食街用餐，或是在星巴克裡喝咖啡，偶爾聽見幾位白髮蒼蒼的老太太茶餘飯後聊天，說著外省人口音字正腔圓的國語，忽然冒出一句：「我在溫哥華……怎樣怎樣。」說不定，她就是移居海外多年，最後因為年紀大了，覺得回台灣看病比較方便，而返國定居的僑胞呢。
A person's life is not all that long. With the limitations of time, place, and circumstance, the range of life experiences any one of us can have is naturally limited. Reading, however, allows us to witness the rise and fall of someone else's life in a very short time. Through books, we are able to explore and appreciate stories that took others a lifetime to live. *Taiwanese Little Sister, American Big Sister*, written by Chiu Hsiao-chun, belongs to the same category as *A Fake Fishmonger’s Guide*, which I read not long ago. Both are highly personal works, almost like collections of family letters. This one, however, focuses even more on family life and everyday experiences. The essays in the book were originally published in the *United Daily News*.
The book records the joys and sorrows of the author's life over several decades, covering the everyday lives of nearly three generations of her family. Her story also reflects the typical experience of many second-generation mainlander families in Taiwan. Her parents' generation once enjoyed comfortable lives on the Chinese mainland, but the Chinese Civil War forced them to flee to Taiwan. Despite growing up in poverty, they worked hard to raise their children while passing on the traditional Chinese values of respecting teachers and valuing education. As a result, many people of this generation achieved success in both academics and their careers. Quite a few also earned opportunities to study abroad because of their excellent academic performance, eventually settling permanently in the United States or Canada.
Many of them stayed overseas for decades, spending more years abroad than they had ever lived in Taiwan. For them, Taiwan gradually became little more than a brief pause in life, while their greatest achievements and happiest memories were built during their years in North America. Of course, moving overseas was never easy. They endured discrimination, gave up the dreams of their youth, and accepted whatever jobs they could find simply to survive. Many devoted the better part of their lives to building a place where they could finally call home. Their stories represent the experiences of countless first-generation immigrants. The greatest beneficiaries, however, were their children—the second generation, many of whom were born with permanent resident status or citizenship. Some of them have grown so distant from Taiwan that it has become little more than the place where their parents once came from.
If you often eat at department store food courts or enjoy a coffee at Starbucks, you may occasionally overhear a group of elderly ladies chatting after a meal. Speaking flawless Mandarin with the distinctive accent of Taiwan's mainlander generation, one of them might suddenly say, "Back when I was in Vancouver..." Chances are, she is someone who spent decades living overseas before returning to Taiwan in old age, finding it a more convenient place to receive medical care and spend her retirement.
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