第6部分(第5/6 页)

e　served　at　each　meal；　or　a　top　deck　with　armchairs　and　a　top…class　swimming　pool。　On　board　were　50　people　from　25　countries；　and　everyone　just　enjoyed　the　culture　gulf；　Model　United　Nations　be　damned。　I　felt　like　Alice　tumbling　down　the　rabbit　hole；　only　to　realize　after　waking　up：　pretty　nice　hole。

西天取经（7）

Even　so；　the　first　two　days　we　arrived　in　Egypt；　and　before　boarding　the　ship；　I　had　remained　as　taciturn　as　a　wall。　Not　out　of　annoyance　to　anyone　or　anything；　both　the　people　and　the　activities　had　far　exceeded　my　irrational　hopes。　It　was　the　principle　of　this　Peace　Camp　that　caught　me　off　guard。　Peace　through　understanding；　it　meant　instead　of　convincing　people；　one　should　try　to　be　convinced；　to　open　his　or　her　mind　to　either　side　of　the　story；　which　also　meant　most　of　my　preparations　went　straight　into　the　Nile。　However；　failure　to　adapt　had　never　entered　my　options；　and　while　views　and　notions　may　be　provincial；　humor　is　always　universal。　This　I　discovered　first　night　on　the　Nile　Adventurer。

“…9　o’clock　pm。　So　there　I　was；　alone　in　the　room；　fresh　off　the　plane　with　every　inch　of　me　screaming　for　sleep。　Then　I　wondered　what　if　a　burly　roommate　returned　in　the　middle　of　the　night　and　beat　me　up　for　not　paying　the　proper　respect…”

Chuckles　broke　out。　Apparently　on　the　first　night；　more　than　a　few　people　had　had　to　deal　with　the　same　trepidation。

“…I　could　see　trunks　and　bags　scattered　around　one　of　the　beds；　but　I　couldn’t　exactly　go　over　his　clothes　and　feel　the　sizes　could　I？”　more　laughs　“and　then　it　hit　me—　you　h*e　to　understand　I　was　hanging　by　a　thread　at　the　moment—I　went　over　to　his　bedside；　placed　my　shoe　beside　one　of　his　sneakers；　and　behold：　I　had　the　bigger　foot！　I　was　taller！　I　was　safe！”

Roars　of　laughter