(若大家喜歡我鏡頭下的馬拉松風景,不妨Click樂施會的標誌,資助他們的扶貧工作)

2007年6月28日星期四

巴勒斯坦篇.序





This isn't a tale of heroic feats. It's about two lives running parallel for a while, with commom aspirations and similar dreams.

Was our view too narrow, too biased, too hasty?

Were our conclusion too rigid?

Maybe wandering around our America has changed me more than I thought. I am not me anymore, at least I'm not the same me I was.

《Motorcycle Diaries》 1952

旅行的魔力在於,你總會得到想像不到的收獲、意外的驚喜、還有一大堆異地情誼、尋出新方向,甚至像哲古華拉一樣,找到一個令他在下半生也著魔、甚至值得犧牲性命的目標。所以做人一定要旅行,出發未知領域、衝擊沉悶生活、感受世界之美,才可以在日常沉悶重覆的生活中,找多一點生存的意義及理由。

兩年前的8月,我到了東耶路撒冷一間名叫Burj lug lug的社區中心做義工。牽引著世界局勢發展的地方正是中東,對比起巴勒斯坦,香港是和平得令人可怕,只是10小時距離的航程,宛如兩個世界,一邊廂差不多每天都有巴勒斯坦,死於以軍的槍下、這邊報紙的頭條,只是迪士尼樂園將開幕。

充滿硝煙與憤怒的哈馬斯集會、到訪阿拉法特長眠的墓園、被以軍用槍指嚇、巴勒斯坦人在檢查站被刁難…在電視畫面、紀錄片看到的東西,終於可以親身經歷,也發現原來自己對中東的歷史和文化的認識是那樣少。

於是返港後,開始大量閱讀與中東有關的書藉及新聞、立下目標將來要修讀中東研究、找機會學阿拉伯文,既然目前的專業是記者、若將來有一天或可以到中東做新聞,可算是不枉此生了。人生目標達不達成其實是次要,最重要是享受努力的過程的得著及樂趣,即使現時行了小小的一步,有機會到英國進修中東研究,但我也不認為、甚至不太相信自己可以完成這目標。
 
當然巴勒斯坦也不全是沉重,這次旅程還有很多愉快的經歷:在死海通宵游水等日出、死海更治好右膝傷患、見識耶路撒冷的美及神聖、晚上到橄欖山看耶路撒冷古城夜景、晚晚在Jerusalem Hotel及西耶路撒冷酒吧與鬼仔劈酒(有次勁嘔,要幾個鬼仔抬回宿舍)、賺了不少異國友情。


主修Islamic Studies的德國仔Daniel,本年九月去曼徹斯特大學讀短期課程;法國仔Regis現在做體育記者;另一法國仔Anthony讀國際研究PHD,他本科的論文研究恐怖份子財政,更得到大學當局資助,今年暑假去埃及學阿拉伯文;法國女Amelie現在於黎巴嫩讀MA兼學阿拉伯文,真主黨與以色列的戰爭於去年8、9月間結束,但局勢仍未穩定,她的宿舍附近更曾爆炸彈!...

很快又有機會與他們會面了。

PS:最後要多謝大佬同Y小姐。若不是大佬識搵外國義工,我也不知道有咁好玩的旅行。若不是Y小姐多年督促,我也不會的起心肝,今年交表申請讀書。

7 則留言:

albert 說...

Some English!
I will obviously only comment on what i can read! I dunno if you have the concept of a "gap" year. But basically, i took one year off to do my own stuff before going to uni, which i used to go travelling in Eastern Europe and studying in Beijing.
Most Chinese families, mine included, would think this was a waste of time. And it sounds so cliched: "Travelling changes your life." But certainly, travelling to foreign places makes you much more confident and sure of you're own capabilities. Conventional Man is afraid to leave the comfort zone, thinking that without the city's luxuries, without a "professional" job, you will not survive. Material society deludes you into thinking you are absolutely dependent on shopping malls. But actually, strip Man of his city luxuries, throw him onto a train with limited money in a country where he cannot speak the language and he can, not only survive, but have a great time too.

匿名 說...

旅行讓人們知道個世界有多大;
生活,有多種的可能性;
文化,有多元而千差萬別;
思想,有多麼遙遠的南轅和北轍;
放下框框,重拾謙卑,再出發.

fai

匿名 說...

莊氏:
容許我還這樣稱呼你, 因為這兩個字把我的一條腿拉回學生時代的comfort zone.
還未逐一細看你的文章, 光是看你那幅「我到過的國家」圖, 已令我羨慕不已。
假設你的遊歷經驗豐富度是有五隻皮靴, 曾幾何時我以為自己也可以有三隻; 至少也會有兩隻。可是我執行力遠不如你。
不停轉念, 自知不應感慨, 因為選擇從來都在自己的手上。
在「計劃」還處於混沌期, 就靠你多貼相貼文分享了。
jac

Clare 說...

我真係好佩服你的passion同決心,想當年我讀中東政治同好像去以色列,但因為種種原因一直擱置,好彩而家得你的相助同鼓勵,令我終於可以「完夢」!

Chong Hiu-yeung (莊曉陽) 說...

To Albert:Sorry, I will try to write more English in future! I admit for most people, Gap Year is luxurious, especially for those who need to feed their unemployed parents and repay University grant-loan, just like me.

To enjoy or work hard, it is a complex question. Honestly speaking, if I cannot earn some extra money from blooming stock market, I surely cannot support these travelling. I am fortunate actually.

To Clare:唔駛客氣。我識的人之中,無乜人對中東有興趣,你是第一個問我點去,我當然全力支持及幫你。

To Jac:人生雖然流流長,但年青的日子有限,你也不會未來發生甚麼事,所以想玩甚麼,想做甚麼,快些做好了,有些東西就算遲些早了,但得到的快樂,也不及現在做,人生的遺憾已經有很多,也無必要再加多幾筆了。

To Fai:世界其實很大,只是時間同錢太少,無法走遍地平線每個角落。即使每年只去一個旅行,但十幾廿年後,也可以累積不少回味無窮的經驗及回憶。

版主

匿名 說...

Hi~ i'm just a passersby.

inadvertently reached your blog while surfing the web and got fascinated by your travelling stories. yes "i travel therefore i am" 萬歲~

it appears that you've been to the city of petra in jordan. it's always my fantasy land. but never have the chance to get there. may i know will you post your experience there as well?

匿名 說...

To Gianne:

I read your message today. Maybe I should set up email alert function?

Yes, I have been to Petra, if you still chase my blog, you can read it. So pity that my camera wide angle was out of function when I was in Petra!

版主