I have to carry out an interview for my journalism course. I decided to interview a migrant worker, one of 130 million who have migrated from the country to the cities to work. My plan was to interview a builder. There are hundreds of thousands in Nanjing building the gleaming new skyscrapers. They sleep on the streets or in tents on site or in tin boxes. It’s pretty grim but they think it’s better than being in the countryside where there are no jobs and a miserable existence.
Ellen in my office suggested that I speak to a prostitute. Well, when she suggested it she was joking but I thought it was a good idea. They service a huge number of workers who are here without their wives for a year at a time, only returning to the village from the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year).
So I have asked Mr Zhao the driver to find me a prostitute who is willing to speak to me. Ellen says my budget of 10 pounds will not get me a very good prostitute but I pointed out that her skill level was less important than her story – I only want to speak to her after all!
So hopefully next Thursday Mr Zhao will have set up a meeting with a “low level” prostitute. I have promised my friend Era that she can come too. Ellen will come as the interpreter. She is very obliging!
If you can find a DVD called “Last Train Home” then it’s worth every penny you spend on it. It is an award-winning documentary which follows a migrant family’s life and their journey back and forth from Guangzhou to Sichuan each Spring Festival. It’s worth buying just to see the crush at Guangzhou Railway Station!