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29.1.13

The Travel Within: 萬人擁抱


跑到德國曼海娒及繼而跑到意大利米蘭,也是為了參加我印度靈性導師Amma的擁抱大會及當義工。Amma以不計種族、宗教和國藉等向無數人給予愛的擁抱而聞名。每年她均會巡迴全球,主動親近人群,向他們給予擁抱。

30年前起,她已開始巡迴歐美,故每年1011月,她均會到訪歐洲約10個城市,於每個地方舉行為期三日的擁抱大會。參加的群眾往往成千上萬,由於Amma旗下亦有一個龐大的人道救援組織Embracing The Worldhttp://www.embracingtheworld.org/),因此所有擁抱團的工作人員也都是義工。去年,我是整個團的隨團義工,由於很喜歡歐洲團的氣氛和團裡的人,卻又沒有時間再作整個團的義工,今年便只挑了其中兩個站當駐站義工。

擁抱大會的會場往往十分龐大,加上每日人流逾千,因此需要大量義工在各個範疇幫忙,如飲食(全場只售賣素食)、清潔、維持秩序、銷售等。所有收入所得,均會撥到Embracing The World作災難救援、教育、醫療等多方面。

去年我在圍巾店裡當銷售員,今年我在曼海娒則負責切菜,在米蘭則在小食店的廚房裡弄三文治和各式義大利甜品。由於很喜歡煮東西,因此在廚房裡工作實在是一件賞心樂事。而今年當駐站義工與去年不同的,就是認識了另一批住在該國的當地義工。他們全都也是充滿熱誠和愛心,他們無私的服務精神同樣令我十分感動。

其實擁抱大會是怎樣的呢?這邊廂,Amma會作馬拉松式的擁抱,那邊廂會有當地人在表演各式各樣民族特色(當地或印度的也有)的舞蹈和樂器,另一邊廂,在等候的人也可在西式或印度餐廳用膳、在精品店裡逛逛又或觀看Embracing The World的展覽等。具體情況實在難以形容,不如看看這段意大利的新聞短片吧:

訪問內容大約關於來參與擁抱的人來自哪裡(來自義大利四方八面,甚至其他歐洲國家)和被Amma擁抱過後感覺如何(通常他們也說很開心,但難以形容,建議想知道的人要親身一試)。

另外,也可看看這篇意大利報章的報道:


標題大意是:「三萬人排隊拿取擁抱,Amma的擁抱為人帶來祥和與喜樂,無論是陌生人還是認識她的人,每人也獲得20秒的擁抱。」最有趣的是該報道同時也比較了在不同範疇中知名的擁抱,包括在藝術(十九世紀法國藝術家奧古斯特‧羅丹 出名的雕像,The Kiss)、體育(200679日意大利足球隊成為世界冠軍)和政治(2012117日,奧巴馬與妻子)。

除了當義工和見見Amma,在歐洲團中我最享受的事情就是與一眾歐洲朋友聚會,有在旅行時認識的,更多是在印度Ashram認識的。在曼海娒時,從中學時就認識的好友Ursina就特地從瑞士跑來,還帶來了一歲多的小女兒來探我。另外,一個同住在長洲,現在德國作打工假期的朋友也前來了參加Amma的擁抱大會。

擁抱大會的高潮往往是大夥兒同宵達旦拿取Amma的擁抱(Amma總是不眠不休連續10多個小時地給予擁抱,她的紀錄是連續22個小時給予擁抱),聽樂手現場演奏之餘,遇上節拍強勁的鼓樂更會聞歌起舞。例如每年均有數名法國裔的非洲人在不同城市表演具印度感的非洲音樂,他們往往令群情洶湧,即使眾人均是通宵未睡,但也會因此而情緒激昂。

經過了這一個星期的擁抱大會之行,為我再次儲滿了能量,心裡感覺充滿了愛和光。接下來,我便和意大利好友跑到她在雪山腳下的山間小屋渡假。跑到寒冷的山裡,才發現自己忘形至連登山鞋也丟在會場了……讓我下次再繼續說我的深山故事吧!

3.7.09

Learning Italian

While I was waiting for my visa in Rome, I decided to learn Italian.

Why I paid almost 10euros per hours to learn another not useful language(I think probably Italy is the only country where I can speak Italian)? Am I crazy?

Yes, I am really crazy in learning about language. There is no reason to explain the feeling when I can speak another languages and when I am learning it. It just gives me the feeling like falling in love.

Moreover, I always feel frustrated if I cannot speak the local language with the people there. I want to use their language to communicate with them and to learn more about their cultures. And to your surprise, Italian people don't have a high standard of English education, so speaking Italian can be useful.

Furthermore, Italian is such a beautiful language, just listening to it and speaking it is already a pleasure for me. Because I have the foundation of Spanish, learning Italian just becomes so easy for me. They have the similar grammer structure, similar spelling of vocabulary, similar pronuncation. Though it also confuses me sometimes, I mix the two languages while I am speaking.

However, comparing with the learning experience in Ecuador, I needed to pay more money for the class, I need to share one teacher with more student in the classroom, I also got less chance to practise. But, here is Italy! I cannot expect I can pay the same small amount of money and get the same result as in Ecuador.

But I also enjoyed it, I like the interaction with other classmates. And I met interesting people in the class. I found that most often, the people who learn Italian are out of religious reasons.

In my class, there were 2 Colombians, one is a prist, the other is a professor in Teology. Then there was a nun from Poland, who could only speak her language and Italian. I cannot imagine how hard it took her to learn Italian! There was also a woman from Kenya, who is studying Teology in Rome. And there were also 2 Brazilian, one Japanese girl. Such an interesting combination. But I found out that religious people like prist and nun are not necessary serious and stubbon. They are so funny and intersting like normal people.

I studied for 3weeks in Rome, 4hours a day, 5days a week. But the result is far less sufficient than what I can learn if I can take a private lesson. If it was not because the cost was too high(I also need to consider the accomodation cost), I will continue my study. It was such a happy experience.

Our school. The nun, Sr Corole is really cute.

Our class. The girl with red hair is our teacher, Maricla. She is really good and has a sense of humour.

Website of my school: Dante Alighieri

Anniversary/Aniversario/Anniversario

Time flies. On 28th June 2008, I flew to Ecuador from Hong Kong. One year later, I was in Abruzzo, near Rome, Italy.

During the past year, I was in Ecuador, learning my Spanish. Then I went to Peru, unexpectedly travelled to Bolivia, and fell in love with the region of Salar del Uyuni.

I went to Brazil, Argentina, Uruguary, Chile. I experienced the nature in Patagonia, I went to the southern tip of the land, had a white birthday and was impressed by the wildness of Torres del Paine in Chile.

I suffered the heat and the ant attack on Easter Island. But I love the yearly festival, Tapati there. Then I flew to the notorious Colombia and I found it is my favourite country ever. I love the people, the landscape and the culture there.

Sadly, I had to leave Colombia for Mexico. But it turned out to be my second favourite country, there are wonderful and nice people, delicious and diversified food, more than thousands of years of history and culture.

Amid the panic of Swine Flu, I arrived in Cuba, deeply understand the difficulties of the Cuban people. I loved Cuba, but I also fled to Mexico 2days earlier as I planned.

After 10 months in Latin America, I was totally not used to the high civilization in Switzerland. Luckily, I was pampered by my dear friends in Switzerland. I also met lots of friends whom I met on the road in London. I visited lots of museums and galleries, I enjoyed such a good time there.

Before I can head to my next dream country, India, it already made me suffer a lot. I flew to Italy to apply for the visa, I waited for weeks, I paid a lot for the visa, but it still turned out to be not what I wanted...

Anyway, I am definitely going to experience India in July, especially the hot and the monsoon...

To celebrate the 1st anniversary, I went for a little trek with my Italian friends in Abruzzo. It is around 3 hours away from Rome, where situates the rocky and strange shaped mountain, Gran Sasso (more than 3000metres), means the big stone. Its sharp surface and granite texture reminds me of Patagonia. Unluckily, the unstable summer weather prevented me to appreciate it to its most.

When talking about trekking, based on my experiences in South America, I always think it takes a few hours of tough walking. To my surprise, it was only a small trek that it only took us one hour to reach the destination.


Gran Sasso was totally covered by clouds. I could only see a little bit of its face amid the clouds.


Wonderful landscape. I never imagine a place where is so close to Rome can have such a nature.


The wildlife is so lively here.



A beautiful farmhouse on the path.



The scenery along the path.

There are lots of Visciola (similar to cherry) trees along the path.


In the end, it became a visciola picking trip, we almost picked all the visciola on the trees! They are so delicious and fresh!

Rome - Gay Pride

Because of the unexpected difficulty of getting the India visa in London, I flew to Rome, Italy. I found that flying out form London to anywhere in Europe was incredibly cheap with Ryanair. As it only costed me 60pounds to Rome(one way ticket), so why not gave it a try and see this ancient city?

Before I introduce any typical ruins in Rome which you can find in any magazines or books, I think it will be interesting to see the other side of Rome by watching its gay parade in the city centre.

For me, it was also a wonderful opportunity to take pictures. As it was like a party on the street, everybody was dressing fantastically and liked being shot a lot, though the temperatue was over 30degree, I enjoyed that day very much.

So let's feel how crazy are the Romans!

First of all, let me present 'Jesus'!

He was so serious of 'blessing' the gay world.

Here came 'Maria'. 'Her' look is so holy that there seems light coming from the tip of her finger.


Everybody was struggling for a good location to see 'Maria'!

'The love is all healthy, but not to the Vatican.' Of course, they won't give up the chance of using rhyme to scold the Vatican.


A group of 'Funky pink' was the focus point of all the cameras in the gay pride.


Look how slim 'she' is.


They were just like movie stars.

'She' is really beautiful.


The confident ones are always pretty.


If they are really gay, I will be the first to say, 'What a pity!'


'She' reminded me of Thailand...

'She' is still too masculine, I think...

Do you agree with the tattoo on 'her' shoulder? But I think 'her' confindence has already won over any discrimination.


So SM...isn't it?





'Little Sweet'.


The group of 'Funky Pink' and the 'Little Sweet'.

It was so hot that I wanted to jump into this fountain in Piazza Della Rupubblica.


A real mermaid coming from the fountain.

Hot, isn't it?


One of them is the owner.


We should also free ourselves from clotes.

A brilliant example of the above slogan.

Love should not discriminate.

'She' was the funniest character in the whole gay pride! Just like the funny version of all those goddness of men's dream.


See how 'she' was enjoying herself.

Such a pair of sexy calves.

'She' is the owner of the sexy calves. I guess, she is at the stage of trasforming.


Um...their female features are too exaggerated! Though I envy them, I don't want to be like them...


Panty superman?


Finally, the parade started amid the surrounding of all those excited participants.


Look at 'her' leg, so sexy!

Even the statue of liberty joined the parade.

All the people joined the parade actively.

'We are all sons of the Father'.

You will not think 'she' is not a woman.

Another beautiful 'lady' actively seeked for the attention of my camera.


'Free all'. There were many homosexual organizations holding banner during the parade.


Behind the cheering gay parade, it came the serious looking military police. They totally tensed the atomsphere.


Carabinieri, means the military police in Italy. It is not the same as Police.