Maple’s Special – 35
In the past, I once dreamt to be a tour guide.
I felt that it’s so great to have such job, can earn money and travel around the world at the same time. And it’s so nice to able to meet with different people, discover new culture.
That’s all my imagination, thoughts of being a wonderful joyful tour guide.
But the reality in China gives me a big blow, to my daydreaming.
Guess how much is the monthly salary of a tour guide in China?
Don’t think about fancy number.
It’s only 800 RMB.
Shocked? 800 RMB, which equals to SGD$150 only and it, is based on per MONTH.
I am totally speechless when I heard of the number. In my imagination, tour guide is a stable job which can at least earn SGD$1800 per month! Yet, the answer from reality is such a big contrast!
After acquainting with several tour guides, I must really say that, the life of being a tour guide in China is really tough. Along the journey guiding the tour, we all have our welfare well taken care of. But to tour guide, it can really be said that there’s no welfare provided for them.
While we’re complaining about our plain breakfast, they have to eat the biscuit they prepared themselves.
While two of us are sleeping on the uncomfortable (which we think it is) bed, the tour guides (4 people) have to squeeze inside a small tour guide room to rest.
There’s no time for them to eat, no time for them to sleep properly, but time to serve us. After the hard work of an entire month, they can only get 800 RMB as repay.
Don’t you think that they’re pitiful? Low salary is given, but high perseverance is needed. Though the market price is really bad, still they have to struggle to carry on their jobs as China is an over competitive society. As you know, there’re thousands of places of interest in China. Hence, thousands of tour guides needed. But there’re millions of people are jobless. The competition is really harsh. In order to survive through, one must really endure it.
Perseverance is something all of us shall learn, to pull through the difficulties in life.
Labels: Maple's Special