14 The embarrassment, shock, and witness of the rich lifestyle in Switzerland

Fly with Lily

My heart is born to travel. 我的心生來就是要旅行。

I actually didn’t know there was a basement, at first. Yann took me downstairs to a huge and dimly lit laundry room and where the family hung their clothes to dry. It was very strange for me, since in Spain and in Asia, we hang most of our laundry to dry in the sun outside. Being in this laundry room made me realize how dirty my clothes were — I only had three sets of clothes and I hadn’t washed them in a week! Unfortunately, my awkwardness got the better of me, and I decided against asking to use his washing machine. I would go on wearing these old clothes. When we walked out of the laundry room, Yann led me to another door and told me to close my eyes.

事實上，原先我不知道那裡有一個地下室。Yann帶我到地下室到一個好大的暗暗的洗衣室，那裡是他的家人晾他們衣服的地方。其實在西班牙還有在亞洲，我們大多把我們的衣服晾在太陽下，所以這個感覺有點奇怪，但是在那個洗衣間里，我又想到因為旅行只有帶三套衣服出來，一周在路上沒洗衣服，我現在衣服很臟，但是我覺得實在有點彆扭，所以我並沒有問他要使用他的洗衣機。我就繼續穿我的髒衣服吧。當我們走出洗衣室之後，Yann告訴我要閉上自己的眼睛。

When I opened my eyes again I saw a church. The house was actually connected to the church where Yann and his wife had been preaching. He told me he moved here twenty years ago and the church gave him this house so he and his family could have a place to live. He told me that, because his son has grown up and moved away, he has a spare room to offer to guests. He has hosted guests like me from around the world in that room. In fact, he has made a point of only hosting guests from countries he didn’t know too much about.

當我又打開自己的眼睛我看到了一個教堂，原來房子是和他和他老婆傳道的教堂是連在一起的。他告訴我他20年前搬來這裡，教會送他們這個房子給他和他的家人住，但是他的兒子已經長大離開家，家裡有一個空房可以給客人用。他就開始招待世界各地的人，事實上，他也強調他只提供給那些他不太認識的國家的人來住宿。

I was deeply touched by his story and I think he was an amazing man. 他的故事讓我很感動，而且我覺得他是一個很棒的人。

That night, Yann prepared dinner and we had a great chat about his previous guests, and the volunteer work he had done in Madagascar. He learned while he was there how delicious the food was and he had a special batch of chilis he had brought back. I had some of the chilis and I loved it. Then we went to his home office and planned my trip for the next day. Yann said the best way to travel in small towns in Switzerland is actually by hitchhiking. He then wrote Montreux on a piece of cardboard and insisted I take it with me. Though I decided against hitchhiking because I’m a bit timid, I was grateful for his help.

那一晚，Yann準備晚餐然後我們聊之前他接待過的客人還有他在馬達加斯加的志願工作聊得好開心。他聊到那裡的食物有多好吃，還有帶回來一些那裡的辣椒醬。我嘗試了一些，而我好愛啊！然後我們去他的辦公室計畫我隔日的旅行，Yann說在瑞士小鎮旅行的最好的方式是搭便車，他寫下了蒙特勒在一塊紙板上，然後堅持我帶上。因為我有點害羞所以我還是沒有去搭便車，但真的蠻感謝他的幫助。

I got up around 8am, and Yann had already sent me a text message that he had prepared breakfast for me downstairs. I went down and saw yogurt and toast laid on the table. And he had also prepared a sandwich and some dried mango for me to take with me on today’s trip. I was amazed by his hospitality. I was in one of the most expensive countries in the world, but I hardly paid a cent because of this man’s generosity. Though he gave away so much for free, I could tell he lived a richer life because of it.

我大概8點起床，然後接到Yann的簡訊說他已經在樓下準備好了早餐。我下樓然後看到優格和吐司已經擺放在餐桌上。他還準備了一個三明治和芒果乾給我旅行帶著。我真的對他的好客感覺到非常的驚奇。我在世界上最貴的國家之一，然而因為Yann的慷慨，到現在我還沒花到一毛錢。他給別人好多東西，然而我可以說他因為這樣過上了更富足的生活。

Stay tuned…there’s much more to come!

In the next episode I’ll be sharing more of my solo adventures on the Swiss train journey!

敬請期待，還有好多故事呢！

下一集我會和你分享更多我在瑞士火車旅行的獨自冒險故事！

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