Is this good news?

Recently, there's been news that Singapore is going to need another 100,000 foreign workers in the coming future. Is this good news for me? Will the government decided to reduce the quota requirement for foreign workers again so that it becomes easier for us to come Singapore to work?

Recently I called my ex-boss about work opportunity and he had told me that he is still unable to hire any foreign worker. He's also having some difficulty hiring local workers who are willing to do the job that I used to do, at the salary and working hours that we were used to.

At the Chai Chee location, he's down to just one permanent worker from China with the rest all being local workers. While they are short handed, they have to fill in for each other. I can understand their difficulty as even when I was working there with 3 chinese workers, we were all still  loaded to the maximum with work.

Well, I am keeping my fingers crossed as I would still like to work in Chai Chee, so that I can see my old friends again. But on the other hand, I'd be happy to land any job as long as it is a decent job!

Finally in Singapore!

After a long 8 hours on the plane including a one hour transit in Guangzhou, I was totally exhausted. It's my first time taking a plane and I wasn't sure what and what not to do. I was sitting by the window which offered me a fantastic view as we left Shenyang... and it was my first time seeing my homeland from such a high altitude. I immediately tried to recognize the various places and looked for my home but to no avail.

While having a window seat has its privileges, I felt totally boxed in as two other Chinese men sat next to me. They tried to make small conversation but I was just too confused, exhausted and depressed to entertain them. They were migrant workers too, back for a short break before heading back to Singapore to work. Sometime during the flight, I wanted to go to the toilet but was afraid to ask the men to excuse me as I was afraid of starting the small talk all over again. I just wanted to go to the lavatory and come back to sleep. I was dead tired.

When the plane landed in Singapore, a wave of fear suddenly spread through me and cold sweat started pouring down my forehead and neck. It's my first time in a foreign land and I'm not sure what to expect. Instinctively, I looked around for that lady in black who helped me and saw her some distance in front. As the seat belt sign went off, passengers started standing up and taking their hand luggage while I was still stuck at my window seat waiting for the two men to move. I was excited and worried that the "lady-in-black", whom I intend to follow will alight before I do... and I will lose sight of her. I squeezed my way out to the annoyance of some of the passengers. I also tried to recognize a few passengers so that I can follow them should I lose the "lady-in-black".

Finally, we got through customs and was at the luggage bay. My luggage was one of the last to come out which  made me even more nervous as I wondered what to do should I lose my luggage. As I followed some passengers out of the gate, I kept my eyes opened for the representative agent from Singapore who was suppose to pick me. I do not recognize them but was looking for a signboard... I saw none! More cold sweat! What next?

I hovered around the gate waiting to see a familiar sign, hopefully one with my name on it but there were none. I was tired, sleepy, hungry, sweaty... all rolled into one... and possibly smelly too after that long, sweaty flight. Finally I gave up and decided to take a seat near the gate. As I sat down, the first big tears began to roll down my cheeks... images of home flash through my mind... my chickens, my donkey, the beautiful sunrise and sunsets, my mother...

Factory Girls

I recently read an interesting book about life of factory girls in China written my Leslie Chang, a correspondent for the Wall Street Journal who lived in China for a decade. This book traces the life of women from the countryside who work factories in China.

China now has more than 130 million workers and the government is frantically creating jobs for these people who's exodus from the villages and rural towns would otherwise become a big problem for the country. As it is, supply is already greater than demand, despite the huge growth in industrialization in China, depressing salary and extending working hours and aggravating working conditions.

The recent news of many suicides at the Foxconn factory manufacturing Apple iphones and other products has raised worldwide attention to the plight of the Chinese migrant workers, prompting the factory management to raise their salary by up to 20%. Unknown to the outside world, many continues to be "sweatshops" employing under aged workers, working in an unhealthy environment and putting them through long hours of work away from their homes and their loved ones. Exploitation has its limits and I believe more of these will be exposed as more and more writers pen their thoughts about the situation in China!

It is no wonder that many are jumping on the bandwagon for jobs in more developed countries such as Singapore and Japan, and despite the lower level jobs (eg waitresses, floor cleaners etc...), the salary, working and living conditions are much better than in the cities of China.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand more about the life of Chinese migrant workers. I consider myself to be one of these and while I try to portray a clear a picture to you in this blog, the book certain gives a different perspective of life as a migrant worker back in China.

Putting my money where my mouth is!

This distant relative whom I called "Uncle" lives about 2 hours away by bus. Even though he had finally agreed to lend me the money, I could sense a feeling of reluctance when I was at his place. I don't blame him. He's not rich but he's better off than us. And there was no collateral, which means I may not be able to repay the money. Quite frankly, I don't even know (at that time), if the agent "took me to the cleaners" (cheated me), or if I was able to repay. What I did know was that I will do all I can to work hard and repay the debt... hopefully within the 6mths that the agent had "promised". Regardless, I did not intend to default. We may not be rich, but we are ethical and honest!

Next day, I called the agent who arranged to meet me at his office. I was told to bring all necessary documents; identifications, educational certificates etc... etc... and of course money! I had to pay a 50% deposit and once they secure a job for us, they will contact us for the other 50% before making arrangements for our travel to Singapore. I was actually given two options; Singapore or Japan but I picked Singapore as they money was "bigger" and from what I understand, the population has a high percentage of Chinese many of whom spoke some level of mandarin.

With some doubts still hanging at the back of my head, I reluctantly parted with 50% of the money. The office was not a very impressive outfit. It was small but crowded but I don't think I had many other choice back then. It wasn't even air-conditioned, but ventilated by two big fans, hanging from the dirty ceiling. I could see some cobwebs at one corner where a few geckos and a spiders prey on the few insects attracted to the fluorescent light on the ceiling.

I finally signed some documents and the agent told me to go home and wait for his call. I was a nervous wreck and shaking. Butterflies rumbled in my little tummy heightening the feeling of hunger as I have not eaten all morning. I shivered as a gust of cold air rushed down the back of my neck. I'd never felt so unsure... damn, I wasn't even sure if I'd ever receive a call or see this agent again! I've heard stories of agents disappearing overnight but then... no venture no gain!