150. World Village on a Cruise Ship |遊輪上的世界村
– Musings of Dr. Jamie C. Hsu, 7.10.2023
Last month, we took a two-week cruise to London, Iceland, and Norway. There was marvelous scenery for us to enjoy and appreciate on various excursions through glaciers, lava, harbors, monuments, and city centers. We saw where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates diverge and create Iceland’s very unique geology. We also experienced days with 22 hours of daylight. Time and space seemed to be distorted on our cruise through continents and oceans.
But what really made a lasting impression on me was the diversity and harmony of the 6,000 tourists and 3,000 crew members on board this gigantic ship. There were people of all backgrounds and ethnicities from places like Great Britain, the Nordic countries, Baltic States, China, India, Taiwan, Thailand, and many Muslim countries. People of all shapes and sizes were having a great time eating and doing whatever they wanted. Everyone had the right to freedom and choice.
Even in entertainment, there were programs to fit all tastes and preferences. We had Zumba, Irish folk songs, opera, rock and roll, and classical piano and violin duets. Every performance drew a crowd and enthusiastic response.
And of course, the variety of food truly reflected the tastes of a diverse population in this “cruising world village.” We took the opportunity to sample food from all over the world. It was fascinating to see each different food station attracting a different crowd.
People on this cruise ship were very different in background, ethnicity, physical ability, and musical taste. Yet we accepted all these differences and treated each other with respect, kindness, and gentle smiles. It was heartwarming and uplifting to see diversity and harmony co-exist so beautifully. Everyone was happy, content, and free to do things they like and are capable of doing.
I wonder if this is a world village on a cruise ship, or heaven on earth.
I hope more people can experience such a harmonious way of living together.
遊輪上的世界村 (2023/07/10)
-作者 許俊宸博士
-中譯 薛乃綺
上個月我跟親友們去了一趟長達兩周的遊輪之旅，造訪了倫敦、冰島和挪威。我在這趟旅程中，真的是好好的欣賞了一回大自然的奇景，透過冰川、岩漿、港口、古蹟和市中心等各種行程，讓我們留下了十分美好的回憶。在冰島，我們看到了亞洲和歐洲板塊匯聚，這造就了冰島擁有非常獨特的地質景觀。還有，我們親身體驗了持續22小時的白晝；在這趟遊輪旅程中，穿越大陸和海洋，感覺整個時空都扭曲了，彷彿置身在奇妙的時空隧道裡。
然而，真正令我留下深刻印象的，是搭乘這艘巨大的遊輪上的六千名旅客、以及三千名的船員，大家在一起多元共融地生活了兩個禮拜。這裡真可謂是來自各色人種的熱鬧場所呢！包括像是來自英國、北歐和波羅的海、中國、印度、回教國家、台灣、泰國等等地區。不同身形樣貌來自各地的人們，在這裡盡情地享受著美食、隨心所欲地做自己喜歡的事情。在這裡，每個人都能享受到充分的自由與選擇權。你可以想像這是一個真正的美食天堂和多元文化樂園！
此外，遊輪上的娛樂節目更是五花八門，絕對滿足大家不同的喜好和胃口！有跳Zumba的、還有愛爾蘭民謠的、甚至是歌劇演出；就連摇滾樂、古典鋼琴、以及小提琴二重奏也都不缺席。每場表演都吸引了一大票觀眾，熱烈回響不斷！可以說是個歡樂的大舞台，讓人一玩就停不下來！嗨翻全場！
當然啦，這裡的食物選擇真的是超級多，完美地呈現「遊輪世界村」裡各族群多樣化的口味。我們可是把握這個機會，品嘗了來自世界各地不同的美食呢！每個餐飲區域都吸引不同的人群，看到這樣熱鬧的場面實在讓人目不轉睛！
這艘遊輪上的乘客背景、種族、身體狀況、音樂品味等都各自不同。但是，我們大家都接受彼此存在的差異，用尊重、友善和溫暖的微笑，來相互對待。看到如此多元化的共融，真是令人感動和振奮！大家都感到開心、滿足，而且可以自由地做自己喜歡或者能夠做的事情。這樣的場景真的讓人感到心暖暖的，幸福滿滿！
我甚至在想，這是不是就像是一艘縮小版的〝世界村〞，或者說是個海上的世外桃源？甚至可以说是地球上的天堂？希望你也有機會體驗這樣跟不同民族和諧相處的經驗，真的是十分美好！
