《中英對照讀新聞》Where the commute is a plane ride 搭飛機通勤的國度

◎孫宇青

Every Sunday morning without exception, the Beirut airport becomes packed with Lebanese workers. They are flying two to three hours to Persian Gulf countries to work, where salaries are up to 2.5 times higher.

每個週日早晨，貝魯特機場毫無例外地擠滿黎巴嫩的上班族。他們將搭乘2至3小時的班機，飛往波斯灣國家工作，那裡的薪水高出2.5倍。

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"I spend most of my time on the plane," said Salim Tayah, one of the numerous communters. "At first it’s enjoyable, seeing new cultures, but…sometimes I wake up in a hotel, and I don’t know what country I’m in."

身為龐大通勤族一員的沙林‧塔葉說：「我大部分時間都在飛機上。一開始很好玩，可以看見新的文化，但是…有時我在一家飯店醒來，卻不知道自己在哪個國家。」

Lebanese workers, specifically, are sought for their skills and education, as well as their geographic and cultural proximity. Lebanon has long been a center for trade, commerce and education, and is home to some of the region’s best universities, which attract students from other Arab countries. Many of these graduates also go on to work in the Gulf.

黎巴嫩的上班族憑藉技術、教育程度，以及地理和文化的近似性而特別搶手。長期做為貿易、商業和教育中心的黎巴嫩，匯集該區域最卓越的大學，吸引其他阿拉伯國家的學生前來就讀，而大批畢業生也都前往波斯灣地區工作。

To lure this talent to the socially conservative and financially prosperous deserts, a number of companies have set up programs that allow their employees to work in the Gulf, while still having a home base in Lebanon. They provide housing or hotel accommodation and cover the cost of flights for workers who fly in for their jobs as part of the employment package.

為了吸引人才到社會保守但經濟繁榮的沙漠國家，大批企業設立專案，讓員工即使到波斯灣工作，家庭還是可以留在黎巴嫩。他們的聘用條件包括提供宿舍或飯店，並負擔員工通勤的機票開銷。

新聞辭典

proximity：名詞，鄰近、親近。例句：Proximity to a shopping mall is a merit of this community.（鄰近購物商場是這個社區的優點之一。）

be home to：慣用語，是…的家園。例句：Kenting is home to beautiful and precious coral reefs.（墾丁棲息著美麗又珍貴的珊瑚礁。）

package：名詞，一組事物。例句：To formulate an emergency package is a necessity.（制定一套應急措施有其必要。）