【讀者分享 🇱🇦🇮🇳】 在寮國與印度遊客的對話（四，中英對照） (Patreon)

碰上Vaishali 時， 是在曼谷等候過關時。曼谷機場的人群、排隊的陣勢，足夠讓人談一場戀愛。看著排在我前面的女生，看似弱質芊芊，身上一襲暗橙色的裙子，腳蹬一對適合攀山涉水的 Adidas 平底涼鞋， 可是肩上是一個和她身高體重完全不相襯的大背包， 戴著眼鏡，手持一個典雅的布製手帳，機票、護照、電話，都在裡邊。 我看著她，幾乎覺得她是從甘地那個年代走出來的， 那種氣質，說不出的美。 心裡暗想，這，應該是一位學者吧！

可能我的注目禮引起她的注意，她轉過又來，對我粲然一笑，於是， 我們就聊了起來。

過了關， 她說很想來一杯latte， 於是我們就找個地方坐了下來。 雖說初次見面，但我們好像認識了一輩子。我們聊工作，談生活， 說旅行， 甚至交換了對世事的想法， 也談到對印度莫迪政府的看法。

Vaishali的正職是印度矽谷----班加羅爾(Bangaluru)的IT業管理層，但同時也是一位畫家， 而且會攝影， 閒時寫作，打算在不久的將來寫一部小說。而且， 獨居的他，正安排領養一個女兒。 我笑說，是不是打算把孩子撫養成一個迷你版的自己，她眼睛發亮，笑著說， 那不是每個女人的夢想嗎？

我們談旅遊，我問她下一站打算往哪兒去， 她說日本。 她問我日本有什麼好玩， 我說我的日本經驗太少，沒什麼可以分享。 但是提她JR pass方便， 我迷戀鐵路， 所以建議她要購買JR pass， 可以體驗一下世界上最好的火車旅程。 然後還得到京都，在那些小巧古樸的巷子逛逛。 我突然說， 京都， 不就是你們的總理莫迪上次外訪時，說要把你們的聖城 瓦拉納西 （Varanasi）打造成另一個京都嗎？ 聽到總理的名字， 舉止得體的Vaishali不禁反了反眼，說，瓦拉納西 恆河是很多畫家寫生的聖地， 坐在恆河邊，看著很多人的人間戲劇落幕， 然後捕捉剎那的感覺，讓它在畫布上變成永恆，是很多藝術家夢寐以求的經驗。自從總理打算把這個古老的宗教聖地打造成什麼名城，那個聖地就已經變味了。 地方還在，但是那個城市原來的氛圍、原來的格調，蕩然無存。 她說， 詞窮了， 都不知道怎麼說。我說，就是， 沒有靈魂吧！她說， 對！對！對！就是這個意思！她說，她不反對搞好公共衛生， 提高wifi 服務， 但是不能把舊的東西一一拆掉， 重新建一個， 然後說是保育啊! 那是破壞，與保育無關！

我笑說，她是為唯一一個和我談論莫迪時， 不和我爭吵的人。 我說， 認識的幾位印度朋友， 都受了良好教育， 思想西化， 算是社會上的精英。 可是一說到莫迪， 就失去理性， 只會麻木支持。 因為莫迪是印度教徒， 他們是印度人、印度教， 所以他們要支持屬於他們的領導人! 我說莫迪搞宗教分化，推動民族主義，為了選票，犧牲國家前景和人民的福祉。

我的新朋友說， 這還不止，現屆政府像一個劫匪，專向中產人士開刀， 增加各種稅收。 她從自己的城市開車到另一個城市，除了汽油、路費， 保險， 還有沒完沒了的隧道費，高速公路費等等。 她說， 有天她開著車，突然問自己，到底，這個政府給了我什麼？提高了對中產的征稅，是為了鞏固廣大農民的票源，給農民提供各種名目的補貼。我說， 這連我那些莫迪死忠粉絲朋友也這麼說啊！

她又說，她可以一個人出國旅行， 但是，卻不能在自己的國家獨行，尤其是北部，那些地方不是可以讓女性安心獨行的地區。她問我， 那不是荒謬嗎？ 我不可以在自己的國家安心出行啊！然後， 她又加了一句，每次有什麼強姦案發生， 我們的總理總是三緘其口、一言不發，你能指望這樣的總理、這樣的政府來保護你嗎？

我說， 印度的識字率應該比寮國高才是，而且還是個民主國家啊！真不知道人民投票時在想什麼啊！我的新朋友說，一小點的知識是有害的( a little knowledge is harmful) ，我大笑， 說，不!豈止是有害， 那是危險(dangerous) ， 她說， 對！應該是traumatized  (傷害的, 創傷的)! 我倆大笑不而！我說， 無能的人坐了位子， 就是他不作為， 無為而治， 與民休息， 也是國家的福分。 最怕的就是那種剛愎自用，胸無點墨， 但是一朝得志， 馬上大搞大作， 唯恐天下不亂的領導人啊！

說著說著，時間過得飛快， Vaishali 快要登機， 她讓我趕緊陪她去免稅店買一支唇膏， 她說，她 喜歡把自己弄得漂漂亮亮、精神奕奕出門去 。 然後我送她到她的登機閘口， 給她一個擁抱，互道珍重，我知道我們一定會再聚。

兩位女生， 也是來自發展中的國家， 我並沒有問她們的背景， 到底是不是來自優渥的家庭， 還是他們的祖輩是國家的特權階級， 但是兩位也舉止優雅， 談吐不凡，受過良好教育，而且在相對保守的國度， 她們倆也是獨身， 經濟獨立， 精神獨立， 更是業界的翹楚， 她們各自在自己的領域，奮鬥前行， 這， 殊不簡單啊！

其實我並不擅社交， 而且還有點自閉， 但有時候緣分就是這麼奇妙， 時機到了， 就碰上對的人。 在2023 年底， 認識這兩位美麗獨立而堅毅的女生。 她們的故事，觸動人心。 但願在未來的日子 ， 有機會碰上更多來自其他國家的女生， 傾聽她們的故事，分享她們的經歷。

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When I met Vaishali, I was waiting at the immigration section in Bangkok. The waiting time of the crowds and queues at Bangkok Airport is good enough for people to build a relation. Looking at the lady in front of me, she looks weak. She is wearing a dark orange skirt and a pair of Adidas flat sandals which are suitable for hiking. But on her shoulders was an enormous backpack, which really did not match her height and weight. She wore glasses, and was holding an elegant cloth pocketbook with her ticket, passport, and phone, all inside. When I looked at her, I almost felt that she must be from Gandhi’s era, with that kind of temperament and indescribable beauty. I thought, this must be a scholar! Maybe she sensed my attention. She turned around and smiled brightly at me, so we started chatting. After passing the check-ups, she said she wanted to have a latte, so we found a place to sit down. Although we met for the first time, it felt like we had known each other for a lifetime. We talked about work, life, travel, and even exchanged thoughts on some social issues and our views on the Modi government in India.

Vaishali is in IT industry in Bangalore, India's Silicon Valley, but she is also a painter and she also takes photos. She writes in her spare time and plans to write a novel in the near future. Moreover, she, who lives alone, is arranging to adopt a daughter. I laughed and asked if she planned to raise her child to be a miniature of herself. Her eyes lit up and she said with a smile, isn’t that every woman’s dream? 

We were talking about travel, and I asked her about her next destination. She said Japan. She asked me for my suggestions.  I said that I had too little experience in Japan and had nothing to share. But it is crucial to get a JR pass. I am obsessed with railways, so I suggested that she should buy a JR pass so that she can experience the best train journey in the world. Then we went to Kyoto and walked around in those small and quaint alleys. I suddenly said, Kyoto, wasn’t it the same place your Prime Minister Modi said during his last visit that he wanted to build the holy city -----------Varanasi, into another Kyoto? Hearing the Prime Minister's name, the well-behaved Vaishali couldn't help but retorted, saying that the Ganges in Varanasi is a holy place for many painters to sketch. Sitting by the Ganges, watching the epilogue of many people, and then capturing the feeling of the moment, turning it to become eternality on the canvas, is an experience that many artists dream of. Ever since the Prime Minister planned to turn this ancient religious holy place into a famous city, that holy place has changed. The place is still there, but the original atmosphere and style of that city are gone. She said she was running out of words and didn't know what to say.  I said, that is, there is soul-less! She said, yes! right! right! That's what I mean! She said that she was not against the improvement of public toilets and Wi-Fi services, but they could not tear down the old things one by one, build new ones, and then say it was for conservation! That was destruction and had nothing to do with conservation!

I laughed and said she was the only person who didn't argue with me when talking about Modi. I said that several Indian friends I know are well-educated, have Westernized thoughts, and are considered as elites in the society. But when it comes to Modi, they lose their mind but support Modi blindly. The only reason is because Modi is a Hindu, they are Indians and Hindus, so they must support their Indian-Hindu leader! I say that Modi provokes religious conflicts, promotes nationalism, and sacrifices the country's prospects and the well-being of the people for the sake of votes. My new friend said, that’s not all. The current government is like a robber, targeting the middle- class and increasing various taxes. When she drives from her own city to another city, in addition to gasoline, tolls, insurance, there are endless tunnel tolls, highway tolls, etc. She said, one day while driving, she suddenly asked herself, “what on earth has this government given me? “  The purpose of increasing taxes on the middle class is to consolidate the votes of farmers and provide farmers with various subsidies. I said, even my friends who are die-hard Modi fans say so! She also said that she can travel abroad alone, but she cannot travel alone in her own country, especially in the north. Those places are not areas where women can safely travel alone. She asked me, “isn’t that ridiculous? I can’t travel safely in my own country! “Then, she added, “whenever there is a rape case, our prime minister always remains silent and says nothing. Can you expect such a prime minister and such a government to protect you? “I said that the literacy rate in India should be higher than that of Laos, and it is also a democratic country! I really don’t know what the people were thinking when they voted! 

My new friend said that a little knowledge is harmful, I laughed and said, no! It is not only harmful, it is dangerous, she said, “yes! It should be traumatized!”  We both laughed! I said, if an incompetent person takes up the seat, even if he does not do anything, he governs by doing nothing and rests with the people, which is also a blessing for the country. What I fear the most is the kind of leader who is headstrong and has no ideas, but once he succeeds, he immediately makes a big move, lest the world not be in chaos! As we talked, time flew by. Vaishali was about to board the plane. She asked me to accompany her to the duty-free shop to get a lipstick. She said that she likes to make herself beautiful and energetic when going out. Then I walked her to her boarding gate, gave her a hug, and said goodbye. I knew we would definitely meet again.

Both ladies are from developing countries. I did not ask them about their backgrounds, whether they come from a privileged family or whether they are the blue-blood of the country. However, they are elegant, well-spoken and well-educated, and in a relatively conservative country, they are both single, financially independent, mentally independent, and are leaders in their industry.  Both of them are working hard in their own fields. This is something! In fact, I am not a social butterfly, even with a bit of autistic nature, but sometimes, fate is wonderful, and when the time comes, we will meet the right person. At the end of 2023, get to know these two beautiful, independent and determined ladies. Their stories are touching. I hope that in the coming days, I will have more opportunities to meet more ladies from other countries, listen to their stories, and share their experiences.

▶️ 印度前首席經濟顧問：印度經濟不可能超越中國？
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8g9E93p3eY