Author Jiang Wan-Ci’s “thick description” approach to this work captures brilliantly the authentic lives of migrant workers in a narrative that explores migrant worker culture as well as these workers’ various and sundry Taiwanese employers. Interactions between migrant workers and their employers generate authentic stories that bear only a passing resemblance to traditional employee-employer relationships.
The narrative follows the everyday lives of migrant workers, from neighborhood clean-up activities and weekend get-togethers at Taipei Main Station to shared celebrations of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, motorbike outings, experiences caring for their disabled clients, and participation in local festivals. The unique experience of each migrant worker is part of a shared tapestry of life, with their work in Taiwan projecting clarity and singular brilliance into their own lives.