等了又等,在剛果當義工的C終於回港。舊雨新知沒法想像,身嬌肉貴的她,在當地怎樣過活。
工程師出身,放下鐵飯碗到非洲,要應付的先不是修橋鋪路,而是摸黑生活。
每晚歸家如入賭場買大小,按電掣揭盅有沒有光。連續供電的日子更可怕,像問斬前的叉燒飯,之後幾天肯定在黑暗世界渡日。
「供電有限,要配給」當地人如是說。起初,用洋燭掙扎照明,後來索性反樸歸真,早睡早起。
超市的商品標價令人咋舌,一卷厠紙折合港幣$250。學本地人光顧街邊攤檔?一副老外臉,還不是被敲詐。
馬死落地行,從香港運來菜苗,在自家花園搞小農經濟,竟然掌握了耕作周期,自給自足。
沒供電的日子,珍貴的紅木被用作乾柴生火。C暗心痛,如果用這些紅木來製傢俬出口,毛利肯定奇高。不過,連飢荒都未解決,談貿易,太奢侈。
小鎮一個,一舉一動通天曉。基於安全考慮,每次離開小鎮都要申請。扺不住繁複程序,變相被軟禁。人民連生存都成問題,哪還有私隱可言?
公共衛生意識接近零。垃圾待入夜倒入河中,白天一到,居民照樣在河畔洗濯嬉戲可也。蚊叮虫咬是閒事,被咬的人無故失踪,方知是死於瘧疾。人命不值錢,每天張開眼死不去,全因好彩。
「咁你都捱到兩年?!」全場人聽得目瞪口呆。明明記得從前的C,用五百歐羅買一件皮革都面不改容;在倫敦生活,仍有本事每周吃日本菜;別人孭背囊旅行,她卻在大碼皮篋內放一個暖爐!
「當你沒選擇,就甚麼都能適應了」C說。不過,C可以選擇回港,剛果的人呢?兩年難熬,一世又如何?
6 則留言:
很有興趣知道為何原來的她會肯放下身段跑到老遠當義工
Well, I really want to learn more about your friend C, and how has he accustom himself to that life.
I really do. Continue to write if you can.
But seriously, I think degrading lifestyle is almost hell for a lot of people, especially when your friend was in such good shape before.
How did it happen?
I am in China, and I still live a Hong-Kong life... which is a splurge for my age in China.
Well?
I'm looking forward to further posts.
Me too. Going to the underdeveloped countries for volunteer work sounds high-sounding. But on second thought, I would hesitate. I am fine without all those "material things", but I could not quite bear a non-sanitary environment, as well as a life w/o internet, for two years ! Let alone the solitude of leaving yr family.
but i guess sth could only be done when u are young. Once and all.
C曾經進修了一個Development Studies的碩士學位,希望在這方面有所貢獻和參與.難得有機會到剛果實地了解,有志之士總不會錯過.當然,每一次體驗後,都會對自己的目標有所修正,是一個長期的學習過程.
覺得她兩年的經歷很寶貴,幫助了她很多。
這種經歷,是錢也買不到的。 ;-)
如果香港那些有錢的孩子中學的暑假,「遊學」的地點變成剛果,香港就有希望了! :-)
>>frostig
”如果香港那些有錢的孩子中學的暑假,「遊學」的地點變成剛果,香港就有希望了! :-)“
唔一定既,窮地方都有有錢人,佢地一樣咁住,唔通監禁佢地咩。
>>selina
I agree, non-sanitary. Jeez, can't tolerate that =)
>>黃明樂
比著好多人可能捱唔住就放棄目標或者修改目標,難得你個朋友咁意志堅定,真係佩服!
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