TO search for a formal, proper, permanent job after studying full-time for 10 years in this country was not an easy task for me (at all). I didn’t know what to expect, either, in a totally different profession. So when I reported to the office on the first day of my new adventure here in Hampshire (“Hants”), there was this deafening-but-eerie remark from my colleague Paddy: “Welcome to the Real World!”

Well, so it seemed, after so many years of isolation in an ivory tower. Or, at least this is what people believe has happened to me. Come to think of it, actually, this speculation is not so far-off from the reality anyway…

But, working in a medium-size market town like this… “What’s so REAL about it, Paddy?” The 19^th-century Catholic church right in front of my flat holds the wedding ceremony every single Saturday, meaning I am always in luck of being immersed in the joyful bell chimes for 1.5 hours on Friday evening (for rehearsal), and again non-stop on Saturday afternoon after the wedding (the real thing). Can’t say this is not “real” enough in enriching my experience with anything local, as I had never been exposed to so many chimes in my life until settling right at the doorstep of a church. (Location, location, location…)

River Anton runs through my town, bringing another “surreal” phenomenon (to me at least). You know this type of road sign that reminds drivers of watching the road, so as not to hit certain kinds of animals or pedestrians? Well, here, around 100 meters from my flat where the river runs in parallel with the road, you get this sign:

“Watch the ducks!” (quack, quack~~~~)  NOPE, this is not set up for the sake of being light-hearted or humorous, like what some British would do in the most understated manner. This is for REAL! For, you can see flocks of ducks and even wild geese wandering on the riverbank, and occasionally making their way to the middle of the road should they feel tired of fighting and chasing each other in their wet habitat… I even saw two ducks sleeping like angels in my back-garden once! In the past, I actually have bumped into various road signs like this all over Britain, featuring the elderly people, horses, rabbits, deer, sheep, even cows. But, DUCKS?

Yeah, now I understand the meta-message in Paddy’s greetings: “Welcome to the real world, and enjoy the SURREAL side of it!” There’s promisingly so much more fun than confining myself in Ye Olde Ivory Tower, LOL!

Yau (31/08/2008)