噪音 Noise

以前在中国读书的时候，每天晚上过了11点半，全栋宿舍都必须熄灯，每间房只能开桌灯。有时和学姐聊天聊得过瘾时，声音大了一点，隔壁房的澳门学生就会敲门、敲窗口：“烦麻小声一点！”。 再不然就是巡房的阿姨会来敲门：“好夜了，小声一点。”考试期间，如果有那一间房“炸机”（玩音响），就会被别的同学大声回应：“好吵啊！收声啦！！”

在英国，与国际学生相处，有时真的不知如何是好，午夜12点，是我开始进入梦乡的时间，却是他们开始召集人马，来宿舍吃晚餐的时间。上个月，我在赶论文期间，他们在厨房喧哗，完全当其它室友不存在。他们其实对人都很友善，很热心，可就是喜欢三更半夜把别人吵醒却不当一回事。我的日本、大马、中国同学在学校内宿舍也大吐口水，为什么那么他们爱开派对？

现在，每当我的室友玩音响时，播放我根本不懂得欣赏的、却掩盖过我的音乐时，有时，我会出去说一声，有时，我只是拿起耳套听音乐，继续读书。在这个完全依赖自制的环境里，我竟然开始怀念那种“军人式”的秩序。或许，文化差异不能靠谈判解决，文化是内化的过程。

When I was studied in China, every night after 11pm, we were required to switch off our light in the room, only desk lamps were allowed. Sometimes, if we talked a bit louder in our room,
my Macau flatmates lived next door would come and knock at our door or window :"please keep your voice down." The accommodation officer who was patrolling would also say:"It is late now, keep your voice down." During the examination, whenever somebody tried to play her Hi-fi，there must be somebody else shouted:"it is too noisy, turn it off!!!"

In the UK, I am having a different experience with international students. During the midnight, when it is time to sleep for me, they begin their dinner. Last month, when I was stuck at my essay and deadline was approaching, they were having party in the kitchen. They are all friendly and helpful friends, but I cannot find a proper reason to explain why they cannot realize there are residents in this flat who need to sleep, and it seems that they didn't realize they have awaken somebody else in the midnight. Some of my Asian friends are also facing the similiar dilemma.

Now, whenever there is music that I don't know how to appreciate playing "on air", I will use my ear plug to avoid it, sometimes, if it covered the music in my room and disturbed my work, I will speak out. In this environment that requires self-discipline, ironically, I begin to miss those days with lots of rules and regulations. Perhaps, cultural is something that rooted internally, we need more rather than negotiation when there is cultural clash.
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