SElf expression and emotions
One of the ways in which migrant workers alleviate their pain from leaving their families behind is through forming new bonds with other migrant workers and engaging in group activities, such as playing music and dancing. While I was in Singapore, I had the honour of attending a few events that showcased the talents of these hard-working individuals. One event in particular was a fashion show, which showcased a couple fashion lines that were entirely designed by domestic workers and inspired by their home country. Now, it is important for you to understand why it is quite spectacular for domestic workers to develop new skills and pursue other endeavours while in Singapore. Most domestic workers wake up at 5 or 6am and work until late in the evening, with many finishing at 11pm or later. Of course there are also many who have much more lenient employers who recognize the importance of rest time and allow them to finish their work at 8pm or so, but essentially they are still working long hours in North American terms. These women work at least 6 days a week, with many some now get one day off a week. However, this day off is not always acknowledged, as many women still do not have a day off or only get 1 or 2 days off a month. Additionally, many women are expected to work before they leave the house on their day off and must return by 5-6pm, in order to clean up the house, or to prepare dinner for their employers. There are also situations where the employers allow their domestic workers to have a weekly day off every week, for the entire 24 hours, in which the women are not expected to do any work on their day off. Nevertheless, domestic workers still do not have very much time to pursue and develop new talents.
Many of the women who I interviewed said that getting together with other migrant workers on a Sunday (their day off) was their way of relieving stress, as these meet-ups provided a therapeutic safe space to talk about their problems and be their “true selves.” It is important to remember that not only are these women far away from their families and possibly dealing with issues within their workplaces, but almost all foreign domestic workers are the breadwinner for their entire families (children, parents, siblings, nieces/nephew, grandparents, etc.) and have the stress of family problems also lurking in background. Thus, having a day off where they can speak their own language and enjoy the flavours from their home country with friends who they can freely laugh and cry with is an important mechanism for thriving for foreign domestic workers while they try to navigate and exist within the rigid and unfamiliar structures of their place of work. |