Photo Gallery - Isaan Rice Planting 2013

The latest of my photography galleries, "Isaan Rice Planting 2013", is now available for viewing as well as purchasing of prints.

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Other/Isaan-Rice-Planting-July-2013/30729545_5nhgZK

The Mountain Porter - Huangshan Mountain, China



A Huangshan Mountain Porter Showing the Strain of His Labor

Living and working overseas gave me the opportunity to see how many different people earn their living.  As much as we all take pride in how hard we work or used to work, there are those people throughout the world that most likely work much harder than us and for a great deal less money than we do.

Malaysian Rubber Plantation Workers Offload Raw Latex at Field Station

During my time in Malaysia I encountered some very hard working people - rubber plantation workers outside of Kuantan in the State of Pahang Darul Makmur.  These thin and wiry men went about the vast rubber plantation on small motorbikes collecting the latex one-half balls that were formed in the process of tapping the rubber trees.  We found the workers discharging their harvest at a small weigh-in station in the heart of the plantation.  The workers were hot and sweaty from the jungle's hot and humid air along with their physical exertions associated with walking from tree to tree to collect a semi-spherical glob of tree sap, loading their bike up with hundreds of these globs and perilously navigating the trails back to the weigh station to offload their cargo and recommence the process.  It appeared that their pay was related to how much material they brought to the station for the men were very hectic as well as frantic in the labor.  The smell of the raw latex only seemed to accentuate the sense of urgency about the workers.  I often think of these men as some of the hardest working people that I have ever encountered - so far.

Malaysian Rubber plantation Weigh-In Station

Another group of hard working men are the mountain porters of Huangshan Mountain (Yellow Mountain).  I became familiar with them in 2004 during a photography tour of China or more correctly a potion of China.  Three weeks in China only serves to remind you of how much you have missed and why you need to return to witness and photograph in the vast and very interesting land.

As I wrote in yesterday's blog, Huangshan Mountain receives over 15 million visitors a year.  It is a national park so there are certain environmental as well as land use restriction placed upon the area.  Access to the upper reaches of the peaks is by cable cars or hiking up trails.  As tourists on a three week tour we took the cable cars up and down the mountains.

We originally stayed in the Cloud Valley, elevation 890 meters (2,920 feet) at the base of the mountains.  We spent one night on the mountain at the Bei Hai Guest House, elevation 1,630 meters (5,347 feet).  To get to the Bei Hai Guest House we took an 8 minute approximately 2,500 foot ascent by way of cable car.  Needless to say, the view and scenery were spectacular.  Since we were only spending one night on the mountain we took only a small overnight bag with us.  The remainder of our luggage remained in storage in the Cloud Valley.

At the terminus of the cable car, we were greeted by porters who offered to carry luggage up to the hotel(s).  I don't know if I was cheap, proud, or a masochist but I ended up carrying my backpack of camera gear on my back and lugging our overnight carry-on sized bag the twenty minutes UP to the hotel.  The porters typically carried 6 to 8 bags distributed 3 to 4 bags on the ends of a bamboo pole carried across their shoulders.  I estimate that they were carrying roughly 120 to 160 pounds of luggage each.  In addition they were constantly passing me up the paved trail and stairs to the hotel area.  That was my introduction to the hard working mountain porters of Huangshan.


 Porters Hauling Supplies to Observation Station On Huangshan Mountain

I later found out and observed that all materials required to support tourism and the government observatory on the mountain are transported up and down the mountain on the backs of the porters.  Foods, drinks, linens, cleaning supplies, alcohol, paper goods and all other items required to maintain and satisfy tourists and resident workers on the mountain are bundled up and hauled up the mountain on a trail that rises almost a mile from the valley to the mountain peaks.  Waste, garbage, and dirty linens are hauled down the mountain along the trails to the valley for disposition.

Food On Its Way to the Observatory

The porters to the government observation station on the mountain are apparently paid by the weight of the material that they haul up the mountain.  At the back of the large stone observation building, the porters deliver their goods and congregate as their cargo is carefully weighed and recorded in a ledger book.

Fresh Food Arriving at the Observatory

The Porter's Cargo Is Carefully Weighed and Recorded

As I walked along the trail with my 25 pound backpack of camera gear from the hotel over to the observatory and eventually a place that I called Sunset Point, I was often passed by porters bearing approximately 150 to 200 pound loads on their shoulders.  The combination of my exertions at the elevation, the steepness of the trail in places, the many steps along the way as well as watching the porters as they hustled along made me thirsty as well as tired.  I had brought along drinking water with me but it was as I was exhausted less than one-half the way to my destination.  I was apparently not the first tourist to be in that situation.  Along the trail there are some benches where you can "enjoy the scenery" and definitely catch your breadth and also as in my case wait to photograph the porters as they came upon you unaware of your presence.  As for your thirst; you have to eventually make your way to the observatory to find vendors selling water, juices, and soft drinks.  As for the porters ... they never rested and carried a small bottle of water on top of the concave bamboo pole upon which their cargo was suspended.

I made so inquiries regarding the porters and was told that they make two round trips a day.  Two round trips a day?  On a good day I think that I might make it up from the valley to the hotel but without an load.  These guys carry approximately 800 pounds of stuff up almost 1-1/2 miles and down 1-1/2 miles in elevation during a day - everyday.  I do not know what their total mileage for a day is but I find just the accumulation of elevation change to be impressive - definitely a great deal more work than I have ever done in any day with or without the cargo on their shoulders.


A Porter Approaches the Bei Hai Guest House with His Cargo



A Porter Prepares His Load for the Trek Down from Bei Hai Gust House

Most of the porters wore a distinctive yellow vest similar to the vests worn by motorbike taxi drivers in Thailand.  I suspect that like in Thailand the vest indicates that they belong to a labor organization, are licenced, or sanctioned by the government to perform their work.




Kitchen Supplies Arriving at the Bei Hai Guest House



Back Door Delivery of Beer, Soft Drinks, and Cooking Oil

Another surprising aspect of the porter operations on the yellow Mountain was the age of some of the porters.  Many of them were past middle age and were what I consider to be elderly.  I did not see any young men hauling goods on the mountain.

An Old Man of the Mountain

An Elderly Porter Delivers His Goods

A Busy Day On the Mountain

Observing people such as the mountain porters of Huangshan makes one appreciate their own choice and definitely the opportunities available to us to earn an easier living .  In witnessing their labor, I could not help but to respect them more and admire their abilities.

Never Too Busy or Too Tired to Not Smile

 The next time that I feel that I have it rough at my job or status in life, I will take a moment and reflect upon the trials and tribulations of the Huangshan mountain porters and then reconsider my situation.

Comprehensive Immigration Reform? - Up To Date - Part 3

In my August 14, 2010 blog entry, "Impressions - Dealing with Governments", I wrote about receiving USCIS Department of Homeland Security approval of my request, Form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative, for an immigration visa for my wife as well as the process for obtaining a Thai Police Certificate and a Brunei Police Certificate.  After our visit to Bangkok to apply for the two Police Certificates, we received the Thai Police Certificate in two weeks just as they promised.  It has been a month, so we are in the promised 1 to 2 month time frame stated by the Brunei Embassy.

Although the intensity of our efforts to obtain an Immigrant Visa have diminished somewhat while we await the required Police certificate from Brunei, we have not stopped all of our work to assemble the other required Package #3 documents to submit eventually to the American Consulate in Bangkok.

Per the required procedure, we need to submit the following documents to the American Consulate:

     1.    Copy of Passport - Duangchan (previously submitted to Dept of Homeland Security)
     2.    Copy of Birth Certificate - Duangchan (previously submitted to Dept of Homeland Security)
     3.    Copy of Birth Certificate - Duangchan - Certified English Translation (sent to DHS before)
     4.    Name Change Certificate - Duangchan (previously submitted to Dept of Homeland Security)
     5.    Name Change Certificate - Duangchan - Certified English Translation (sent to DHS before)
     6.    Marriage Certificate - Allen/Duangchan - (previously submitted to Dept of Homeland Security)

     7.    Marriage Certificate - Allen/Duangchan - Certified English Translation (sent to DHS before)

     8.    Marriage Registration - Allen/Duangchan (previously submitted to Dept of Homeland Security)
     9.    Marriage Registration - Allen/Duangchan - Certified English Translation (sent to DHS before)
    10.   Divorce Decree - Allen/First Wife - (previously submitted to Dept of Homeland Security)
    11.   Divorce Decree - Allen/Second Wife - (previously submitted to Dept of Homeland Security)
    12.   Divorce Decree - Duang/First Husband - (previously submitted to Dept of Homeland Security)

    13.   Divorce Decree - Duang/ First Husband - Certified English Translation (sent to DHS before)
    14.   Application Form DS-230 "Application For Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration"
    15.   Two recent passport sized photographs
    16.   Form I-864 "Affidavit of Support"
    17.   Thai Police Certificate
    18.   Foreign Police Records
 
Interestingly of the 18 identified documents to be submitted to the Consular Section of the Embassy of the United States of America, 14 had been submitted to the Department of Homeland Security previously, reviewed, and approved by them.  I would have assumed that they would have made a copy of the documents for their files and sent the original package over to the Consular Section or at least notified the Consular Section that they were on file.  In this electronic age, I would have expected the DHS to electronically scan the documents and placed them in a database to be referred to by all US government agencies.  Here I go again - assuming things to be easier and more simple than they are.

Comprehensive Immigration Reform? What does it mean?   Well at least for me, when I speak or write about "Comprehensive Immigration Reform", I am in part referring to and advocating the greater sharing of information between US government agencies and a greater use of digital technology in the process.
One of the new required documents to be submitted is Form I-864 "Affidavit of Support".  "Affidavit of Support" sounds rather innocuous until you delve into the details.  Ah yes - the famous quote "The devil is in the details".  I assumed by its title "Affidavit of Support", that I would be signing a single piece of paper stating that I will support my wife and she would not have to obtain public assistance.  Hmmm - I don't remember signing anything like that for my first two wives.  OK, no matter, they were Americans and like the old saying "It's my ball, my bat, and my park.  If you want to play, you play by my rules" and  I want to play baseball.  Well once again my idealism and naivete have been demonstrated in assuming that the "Affidavit of Support" was an easy and simple document.

Instruction Package for Immigrant Visa Applicants (Packet 3) for "Evidence of Financial Support" states "Note for Petitioners who Reside Abroad:   In order to qualify as a sponsor, you must meet the domicile requirement.  This means that you must show that you have maintained a residence within the USA or taken steps to reestablish your residence in the USA. ...  "


It also requires submitting a copy of your last Federal Income Tax Return.  No problem, I can do that - all 45 pages of it.  The simple Form is rapidly becoming complicated.

Going to the Instructions for I-864, matters become more difficult and complicated.  The stated purpose of I-864, Affidavit of Support is for "... immigrants to show that they have adequate means of financial support and that they are not likely to become public charge. ... "  A sponsor of an immigrant must demonstrate that their income is at least 125% of the current Federal poverty line for their household size.  Hmm ... I have been retired for three years and do not have much "income".  However reading on further I discovered that assets can be used to qualify.  I have savings and retirement accounts accumulated from the years that I did work so it seems that we are back in business.  I will be required to submit documentation for each of the assets that I want to be considered in determining that I can support my wife in the USA.

Our yearly "income" is whatever I pull out of the bank.  Next year it will also include Social Security benefits.  I did some more research and I need 5 times the difference between my income ($0) and the 125% of the Federal poverty line for a family of two to be able to sponsor my wife.  As it turns out there is no financial problem for us.  This is great news for us, my relatives, and my friends.  I will not have to hit anyone up to help sponsor my wife to immigrate to the USA.  They would not have to agree that if she needed money to stay off of welfare that they would provide it.  Not sure that I would want to know how close my family or friends are to me regarding that type of request.  I know that I am making light of a very serious issue but I would also like to remind the readers, who have gotten this far, this financial sponsorship is required for all legal immigrants under the current process.  The uneducated legal immigrant farm worker sponsoring the legal immigration of his wife or children is subject to the same requirements and process as I am or you would be.

The instructions for Form I-864 delve deeper into the situation of an American citizen living abroad.

"15. Country of Domicile. ...If you are not currently living in the United States, you may meet the domicile requirement if you can submit evidence to establish that any of the following conditions apply:  B. You are living abroad temporarily  ...   C.  You intend in good faith to reestablish your domicile in the United States no later than the date of the intending immigrant's admission or adjustment of status. ... "  Personal circumstances should allow me to meet these additional requirements as long as I submit the required supporting additional documentation.

There are some difficulties encountered in writing a blog regarding Immigration to the United States.  The biggest difficulty is finding and understanding the truth.  Needless to say the issue of Immigration and Illegal Immigration is a complex and extremely emotional political as well as economic issue.  Both sides of the issues stake out their positions defiantly behind their mighty ramparts of alleged facts.  But as you delve into the sources and validity for these "facts" their basis is either missing or highly suspect.  I suppose there are several reasons for this.  Reasons include the desire to not let the facts or truth interfere with one's cause or argument, the illegalities involved, and the utmost need for discretion.

Why would an illegal immigrant admit that they were illegal?  Why would an illegal immigrant disclose how much they were paid for the work that they perform?  Why would an individual or company freely admit that they employ illegals?  Why would an individual or company freely or truthfully disclose how much they pay their illegal employees in wages and benefits?

Given the lack of hard and verifiable data, people fall back on antidotes, tribal knowledge and urban myths.  These are all useful in making one's point in an argument but not helpful in either identifying or quantifying the extent of a problem.

For this blog, I wanted to include some information on how much money an illegal immigrant makes in the USA today for performing farm field work. I did not find any information during my Google research that was current or that I felt was verifiable.  I have decided to use the country legal minimum wages as listed in Wikipedia.  For currency conversions I used http://www.xe.com/.  At least I can cite a source and the information may not necessarily reflect the truth regarding actual wages received but should provide a consistent basis for evaluating the economic motivation for immigration and more importantly illegal immigration.

Ironically, 400 Thai workers were recently discovered in the United States being victimized by a large worker recruitment company.  I have written that a farm laborer here in Isaan makes 150 baht a day ($4.87 a day). This amounts to $0.61 per hour for unskilled farm labor.  According to Wikipedia the minimum wage for Thailand is from 148 to 203 baht a day so their data is consistent with my personal knowledge.  Acordding to Wikipedia the legal minimum wage in Mexico is 57 pesos a day or an equivalent of $0.56 an hour.  According to Wikipedia the federal minimum wage in the USA is $7.25 an hour.

I read an article on the Internet, http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/02/illegal_immigration_and_low_wa.html that had to do with janitors in Los Angeles. The unionized janitors were allegedly making $12 an hour with benefits and over a two year period were replaced by subcontractors paying roaming crews of Mexicans and El Salvadorian laborers making $3.35 an hour.  I don't know what years this involved.  I don't know if the Mexican and El Salvadorian laborers received benefits although I suspect that they did not.  I do not know if the subcontractors paid Social Security Old Age taxes, Social Security Medicare Taxes, with held Federal Income Taxes, State Income Taxes, and State Unemployment Insurance Taxes from the wages of the Mexican and El Salvadorian laborers but ... once again I assume that they did not.

If this occurred today, the Mexican laborers would be making 6 times the amount of money that they could earn in Mexico assuming they could find a job there.

For the Thai laborer, in the same situation, they would also be earning far more than they could back in their home country - 5.5 times more.  Benefits?  Thai minimum wage workers do not get benefits - no medical insurance, no paid holidays, no paid vacation, no retirement plan, no unemployment benefits, no profit sharing, no bonus.  I suspect the same is true for Mexican and El Salvadorian laborers. Housing?  Thai workers when they are away from home, such as a large construction site or factory site build their own housing out of packaging materials, construction debris, and low cost materials.  The same is true in Vietnam.  They need a hose with water to drink, cook, and wash and for food they need rice.  They live off the land by foraging plants, fruit and fish. Pit toilets are not a problem or an issue for them. They pool their living resources so they are able to live and to be content on a wage far below that of an American worker.  The point is that they are accustomed to a much lower standard of living.  A similar standard or living and to be able to make 6 times the amount of money that they can back home is a great motivator as well as temptation to leave their home countries.

How many of us, given the opportunity to make 6 times, and I am talking 6 times after taxes, what we make today while maintaining a very similar lifestyle would or could ignore the opportunity to work in another country?  What if you already had some family members or friends over in that country who could help you out?

How long would you have to work over there at 6 times your current wage tax free to be able to get out of debt?  Pay for your children's college education?  To be able to retire early?  Pay off your mortgage?  Buy the dream home that you always wanted but thought that you could never have?  Perhaps to be able to buy a vacation home or maybe two?  What about paying for your daughter's dream wedding? To be able to travel anywhere you like whenever you want for as long as you want without financial concerns once you stopped working?  How long would you need to work in that country to fulfill your or your family's dreams?
I don't know about your answer but I know mine.  I did.  I went and worked in other countries for 50% more rather than 600% more than I could make in the USA.  I would do it all over again too.  If I were to change one thing it would be to have started sooner in my life.

I am not, at this time, condoning or condemning anyone or their actions regarding legal or illegal immigration to the USA.  As I have stated before, I am sharing with the reader our personal experiences involving the current process for legal immigration to the USA.

In sharing our experiences I hope to educate the reader as to what the current process actually is and what is involved in that process. Given that information the reader can identify what they believe are the problems with the current system, perhaps understand why the problems exist, and hopefully be able to work with the proper authorities for solutions.  Only then will we hopefully have an understanding and definition of "Comprehensive Immigration Reform".