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2018年10月1日 Corfu Island, Greece 希臘科孚島
Our Greek guide Elena, very educated with enthusiasm about world cultures and history. She was once in a volunteer program in Japan. And there in Greece, I was the volunteer sent from Japan. We just switched places after these years?!
She also told me about her private life, including a love story which took place during those months in Japan. However there was no happy ending. She left broken hearted back in Greece but after many years, she is in a much better place.
Oh, there was another side story!
Right after visiting a monastery, we got back on the bus with 4 passengers MISSING!!! It was before lunch time, people started to get a little impatient and we were already behind schedule. The staff asked the bus driver to call the restaurant while Elena and I went looking for the missing lambs. We went shop by shop, shouting our car number out loud for their attention but without success (We use car number to identify to tour group). We started to walk up again into the mountains, only then we saw two of them and were informed that the other two were even far behind. They blamed the staff for not explicitly indicating the turn outside the monastery. Although it was quite simple as we just had to follow the same street down but they went up into the mountains instead. While the staff and those passengers were shooting arrows at each other, Elena and I were just felt relieved that they have made their way back and that we can move on to our next destination…
和我們的導遊伊蓮娜同遊，她飽讀詩書，對世界文化與歷史特別有研究。年輕時候的她曾在日本做志工，在那兒待過幾個月。而我呢？剛好也在從日本出發，乘坐日本遊輪到達希臘，擔任一日遊的口譯志工。是不是很巧呢？她也和我聊到她個人的愛情故事，在日本譜出了一段戀曲，當時沒能修成正果，她回到了她的國家。而在多年以後，她早以釋懷，在她的家鄉有著自己快活的人生。
哦！對了，還有一段小插曲。從修道院下坡回到停車場時，有4位乘客不見了。這是在吃午餐之前，大家等得不耐煩而且已經晚點了。領隊請司機告知餐廳，而我和導遊去找迷失的小羊們。在湖邊的店家一個一個喊，沒有…開始往回走，又開始爬到半山腰，才找到其中2位，而他們說另2個人還有在後面呢！原因是我們沒和他們說好，從修道院出來左轉還是右轉，他們往深山裡走去了。其實也是他們忘了上去的路，只要原路沿著下坡就可以回到停車場。怎麼往上走了呢？呵呵…結果是領隊有點生氣，而他們對領隊不太滿意。而我和導遊只覺得能回來最重要，鬆了一口氣，繼續前進…
2018年10月3日 Dubrovnic, Croatia 克羅地亞 杜布羅夫尼克
With Maggie 
Tasting wine and cheese 
Having lam stew, njam!
Our guide, Magda or Maggie, our bride-to-be (was getting married in November, I asked because she was wearing her engagement ring). There we experienced the vibrant life in Konavle region and did some sightseeing in Dubrovnik old town.
The weather so sunny and beautiful in every way. We visited the winery, tasted local wine and cheese, followed by local lunch at a traditional house. It was a very lovely tour that brought smiles on people’s faces (Maybe because they could drink all the wine they want?! ).
However, not everything was perfect. At times, I could sense some tension among the Peace boat staff, passengers and the guide. There was an episode about whether water that was served was drinkable. The staff asked whether it is tap water, if it is safe. From the boat’s side, they wanted to make sure it wouldn’t upset the stomachs of the passengers as they have been drinking only the filtered water on the cruise for a while. But for the host, they simply offered what they drink locally. There was really no right or wrong from either sides but I personally wouldn’t want to offend the locals. Certain way of questioning, would make them feel like we are implying that their drinking water is not safe. I think it would have been perceived better if we could explain upfront that the passengers are not used to drinking tap water and there was different type of water in Japan and on the boat.
Also for the coffee, it was mentioned to be Turkish “black coffee”. But it came with the type of coffee that has way too much sugar in it. Not many people could drink that but then again we were told that it was the local flavor. So it’s all part of the experience. 😉
I mean people travel to appreciate foreign landscapes and cultures so who could blame on those differences? It is for those differences, our world is beautiful, isn’t it?
That day I learned to make friends with everyone, the guide, staff, the hosts and try to keep a friendly connection among everyone. As an interpreter, how you say things could totally change a person’s perception about the very same matter. The communication could go beyond languages. A long face or a tensed face, for some people might find it rude. I understand that most people are not looking for troubles and their requests might most likely be reasonable. If they feel heard, whether things go as their way or not, it would be better appreciated. So as a CC (Communication Coordinator), we don’t have to interpret everything. The important thing is to share the same goal with the team and for the better, we shouldn’t have to interpret everything literally. There are times to leave things out or add more explanation. 🥰
當地的導遊瑪姬，當時訂婚，工作之餘正準備她在11月的婚禮。我會知道是因為她戴著一顆大鑽戒被我注意到了。我們一起同遊老城區和附近的產酒的村子，天氣好的不得了，大夥兒都開開心心的，也許也是品酒配起司，大家有點醺了。之後再到另個大戶人家享用燉羊肉，桌上又有葡萄酒。正所謂吃吃喝喝團…
不過也不是都那麼順遂，我注意到了幾次導遊、和平號的領隊和客人間有著不愉快的緊繃感。這是有關桌上放置的飲用水，領隊問這是不是從水龍頭倒的，安全嗎？因為船上都是使用過濾過的水，忽然飲用其他水源可能會讓乘客鬧肚子。但對當地的主人來說，他們都是喝這種水呀…其實沒有誰對誰錯，只是話怎麼說比較好聽而已。領隊的口氣像是在質問犯人，有點不和善，是在說當地的水髒，不夠安全嗎？如果一開始就解釋清楚，不帶情緒的話，一定會比較能被接受。
而咖啡和我們說是像土耳其的黑咖啡，結果卻是甜到不行。沒有很多人能喝得下口，不過我們得知那就是當地的口味。出來旅行不就是為了欣賞不一樣的風景和味道？誰又能怪罪這樣的差異？也就是因為世界如此不同，才更加地美麗，不是嗎？
那天，我學到了和所有人保持友好的關係，也為他們之間的關係做努力。因為身為一個譯者，你怎麼詮釋，會讓聽的人有截然不同的感受。當然有時候也不是語言的關係，臉臭臭的話，對方也會覺得你不禮貌。大部份的時候，客人的需要也都是合人常理的，不一定是故意找麻煩。尤其是有人傾聽他的聲音的話，就算我們不能達成他的心願，他也很難繼續生氣的。另外，我也發現做為一個譯者，有的時候不需要全部翻譯出來，最重要的是要了解這個組織的願景，在共識下一同努力服務，有的時候選擇適當留白是最美的…
2018年10月4日 Kotor, Montenegro科托爾，黑山共和國
on the right for a group of Japanese guests. Thanks to the girls, I got my free coffee and biscuits (I ate one and share one with my roommate on the boat)!
Nada is a mom of two kids, recently separated from her husband. She’s relatively new in the travel business as she made a career change from a tax officer to a job she loves, now with two years experience or so. I felt she was more like a friend and in case you ask about something she’s not sure, she would look it up instantly to give you the correct answer. It was like catching up with a friend over a cup of coffee, that kind of feeling. Very relaxing.😊
我们的导游在左侧，右为日本客人的导游。
感谢她们，请我喝咖啡和饼干（我吃了一个，带给我在船上的室友一个）！
Nada是两个孩子的妈妈，最近与丈夫分开了。她在旅游业务方面相对是新鮮人，因为她转职从税务官员转变为一位导游，现在有两年的经验。我觉得她更像是一个朋友，如果你问一些她不确定的事情，她会立即查看给你正确的答案。像是和朋友一起喝杯咖啡一样的感觉。很放松。
2018年10月6日 Palermo, Italy 意大利 巴勒莫
Francesca was a typical Sicilian girl according to her. “Sicilians are arguably ethnically distinct from Italians, due to the heavier Greek ancestry and also the presence of Phoenician/Arab ancestry, Sicilians are known for being somewhat darker than most other Italians, and have more pronounced Mediterranean facial features (i.e. fuller lips, thicker eyebrows, larger noses, etc.).”
Together we did some sightseeing in Palermo and Monreale.
The tour with her was a bit rushed. She was friendly but seemed somewhat nervous partially due to the malfunction of the “whispering” interpreting devices and partially because it was a busy Saturday and she wanted to make sure we were on schedule.
据她导游自己说，她是一个典型的西西里女孩。“西西里人可以说与意大利人在种族上不同，由于希腊血统较重，而且腓尼基人/阿拉伯血统也存在，西西里人比大多数其他意大利人肤色更暗，并且具有更明显的地中海面部特征（即更丰厚的嘴唇）眉毛，鼻子等等。“
我们一起在巴勒莫和蒙雷阿莱观光。
与她的旅行有点匆忙，她很友好但似乎有点紧张，部分是由于口译设备的故障，部分也是因为周六观光地很多人，她想确保我们按时走完行程。
其中有一件有趣的事，有一個一起走过的景点『四首歌广场』（意大利語：Quattro Canti），因为前一天恶补了旅游书上的资料，我问为什么叫这个名字。她说：「嗯？哪里有歌？虽然Canti字意也有歌的意思，但也有角落的意思，这正指的是四个角落。」我恍然大悟，原来所有旅游书都是抄来抄去，只要第一个人翻错了，之后就全都错了。翻译果然是个神圣的工作！
Oh, there was something interesting. As I studied the tourist information the day before, I remember a tourist site called Quattro Canti, in Chinese it was translated as “the square of 4-songs” I then asked the guide why it was given a name like that. She said: “What song? Although canti can be a song, it also means corner so here’s a square of 4 corners. I suddenly realized why all the info I found referred to that square as being musical 🤭. It’s because when the very first translator got the meaning wrong, all the rest simply copied and without questioning. Haha, the job of a translator couldn’t be more sacred, we might need to carry the cross for all generations to come😂 .
Acapoti 喝杯茶看世界 