Post-class Activities

The questionnaire about the new immigrant’s culture

We distributed the questionnaire about the new immigrants’ culture, and I found out that 4 people hope to promote the food from their hometown, and 9 people communicate with their family in their mother language. Most people do help when the new immigrants are bullied. In their opinion, the new immigrants’ advantages are they know more about different languages, and cultures. Their disadvantage is that they can't communicate with other people well. Most people are not interested in the new immigrants’ related activities.

From the questionnaires, we realized that many people did not really know about new immigrants and their hometown culture, so we decided to hold a “Multicultural fair.”Our goal is that we hope everyone can get along with the new immigrants and their children well.

The Lecture Series on Southeast Asian Culture

In order to know more about new immigrants in Taiwan, we went to Zhongping Road Story House for “The Lecture Series on Southeast Asian Culture three times.” Through those activities, we can know more about the real life of the new immigrants and migrant workers in Taiwan, and we realize how students can promote the hometown culture of the new immigrants at school.

2020-12/06(Sun)

Playing the board game, the ``Migrant Workers’ Life” in Zhongping Road Story House

We learn about the issues about Southeast Asia migrant workers.

The origin of the board game “1095 Literature and History Studio” is dedicated to promoting dialogue and exchanges between Taiwanese, foreign migrant workers and new residents. It changed the public's perception of these "immigrants". Recently, 1095 cooperated with Longteng Cultural Enterprise Co., Ltd. to launch an educational board game "Migrant Workers." People can experience the situation of Southeast Asian migrant workers in Taiwan through the board game.

How to play the board game

At the beginning, people can get a work sheet and pick a role. Then, they have to sign 20 names on the worksheet, and then they will decide the character's fate by throwing dice and drawing cards. Most of the cards drawn are negative conditions, such as overtime work, work injury, unpaid wages, mental breakdown, etc. The board game matches the various real-life situations faced by migrant workers in Taiwan. After the game, we watched some videos about the real situation of migrant workers in Taiwan.

Reflection after playing the board game

This board game brought us a deeper understanding about the experience of migrant workers in Taiwan. If migrant workers want a better working environment, they need to be lucky. They are unable to change their working environment at all. We hope that more people can face these problems and try to solve them so that these migrant workers can have a better life in Taiwan.

2020.12.20 （Sun）

Southeast Asian Culture Lecture • Hi! Lovely stranger:

In new immigrants’ shoes, realized how they feel about Taiwan

Interviewing New Immigrants from Thailand-Xuan Wen

Why to come to Taiwan: Through the help of the Agent. Advange: Easier to find job. Disadvantage: The agent makes money.

About their work

Interpreter Advange: Getting salary

Caregivers Advange: Getting salary Disadvantage: Originally, caregivers needed to take care of only one person, but later it became necessary to take care of the whole family, including cooking for all the family, and cleaning the house. Note: Among the 700,000 migrant workers in Taiwan, 250,000 are caregivers.

Examples of the conflicts between migrant workers and employers

Compensation: Sometimes migrant workers were injured because of work but did not receive corresponding compensation, and they were fired by their employers.　Not only did the employer fail to protect the rights and interests of the migrant workers, but they also caused the migrant workers to lose their jobs.

Case: Huang, Chun-he and Fan, Bo-chong is from Vietnam. They work in Taiwan,　but now,　Huang’s right hand was seriously wounded, and Fan, Bo-Chong lost his left hand.

Migrant workers run away: In order to maintain the policy of introducing “supplementary labor” for migrant workers, Taiwan has adopted a strict management system, which not only stipulates the conditions and number of migrant workers employed by employers, but also restricts the rights of migrant workers to freely change jobs. If the migrant worker leaves without the employer’s permission, after the employer declares to the relevant administrative agency, the migrant worker will be regarded as a “missing migrant worker” who may have “run away”, and lose his original job and be deported.

Case: Vietnamese missing migrant worker, Ruan, Guo-fei,　was misunderstood that he would drive a police car to run away on August 31st of 2019. He was shot nine times and killed by the police, but he could not actually drive at all.

Changes in the regulations for migrant workers to Taiwan

Before: New immigrants who came to Taiwan would be charged 150,000. If they needed help, they would be charged 3,000 every time

Now: Migrant workers pay less for it. (For example, the agent’s fee can’t be more than 1,800 per month in the first year. It can’t be more than 1,700 per month in the second year, and it can’t be more than 1,500 per month in the third year.)

2020.12.27 （Sun）
“New Immigrants of Southeast Asia in Taiwan: Getting to know Southeast Asian Culture in Taiwan through the interviews of New Immigrants from Vietnam and Myanmar in Taiwan”

Interviewing New Immigrants from Thailand
Hometown: Mae Sai (Northern Thailand, at the border with Myanmar)
Why to come to Taiwan: Life in my hometown is hard; my aunt is also in Taiwan.
Working environment: Making electronic parts in Banqiao
Conflict: Language barriers, Being squeezed out
Transformation: I met a good boss and a good teacher. I also worked very hard, so my Chinese has improved a lot
Current situation: Being an interpreter at the police station, Promoting food and culture, and taking interpretation courses
Reflection: I not only learned more about the local culture and food in Thailand, but also got a better understanding of the new immigrants. I also admired the lecturer’s problem-solving attitude.

2020/12/27(Sun)
Interviewing Enzo, the volunteer from Dreamers Fly On Sky.

Our question: The purpose of the lecture

Enzo's reply: Proposal to win funds from Hetai Charity Dreamers, and hope that the activities organized by Dreamers Fly On Sky will let everyone know more about Southeast Asian culture.
Our question: Why to pick this topic

Enzo's reply: I hope that everyone knows the hometown culture of new immigrants and migrant workers.

Our question: The advantages

Enzo's reply: I think it helps. Many immigrants love Taiwan just like us.

Our question: The difficulties encountered by Dreamers Fly On Sky

Enzo's reply: Not many people participated in the event.

Our question: What is the most meaningful thing

Enzo's reply: Those who participated in the event interacted with the lecturer seriously. I found that someone really wanted to understand this topic.

Our question: Any changes about the opinions on the new immigrants before and after the event

Enzo's reply: Before the event, I had learned about the issues related to the new residents. After the event, I had the opportunity to hear different voices and contact friends in Southeast Asia. These activities help new immigrants through activities to get to know more people. At the same time, more people want to know Southeast Asian culture and help new immigrants and migrant workers. When migrant workers come to Taiwan in the future, people in Taiwan will be friendlier. The new immigrants feel very fulfilled when more people like their hometown culture. I will read related information before. Actually, Zhongli has changed a lot. The number of new immigrants has increased dramatically. When this issue wasn’t popular yet, people thought the new immigrants and migrant workers were “different." Most people were unfriendly to them because of the stereotypes owing to the news and their jobs. These are the reasons why our investigations and actual actions were taken.

Our question: Why to set up Dreamers Fly On Sky

Enzo's reply: We want to contribute to society, think about what we can do, and actually do it.

Interviewing the new immigrants in the school

Seventh Graders-Alan

Vietnam

1. Many Vietnamese believe “Being cursed if people don’t give money”

2. I want to recommend coconut water to Taiwanese. I think coconut water in Vietnam is sweet.

3. People in Taiwan are indifferent because of their addiction to cell phones.

Mother

1.Working in Taiwan for five years

2. My mother is happy because my grandma encouraged her to go to Taiwan.

How to learn Chinese

1.Not good at Chinese in the beginning, but learning a little after coming to Taiwan

2.Consulting the hostess with fellow countrymen. 　

3.Learning Chinese at extension school.

The fight with her mother in law

Language barrier

Grandmother

Having prejudice against new immigrants.

Myself

1 Coming to Taiwan when I was a few months old

2 Staying at grandma’s house in Vietnam during summer vacation

3 Communicating in Vietnamese

4. Living in Longchuan province

5 I want to be an interpreter.

Ninth Graders-Amy

Language (In Taiwan)

Amy’s mom communicated with others with sign language, English and google translation. Now Amy communicates with others in Chinese.

Food (In Taiwan)

Stinky tofu and fried oyster are impressive to Amy.

Life (In Taiwan)

Amy was bullied because her skin is darker. Because some Taiwanese had negative opinions about new immigrants, Amy's mom had a difficult life in Taiwan at first.

Culture (In Taiwan)

Amy thinks that Taiwanese are friendly, and thinks the scenery in Taiwan is beautiful. The food in Taiwan is delicious.

Expectation in the future

Amy wants to run a drink shop in Indonesia in the future because the price of a cup of milk tea is more than 100 NT dollars in Indonesia.

Experience

Amy's mom came to Taiwan because of the civil war in Indonesia. Amy's grandparents sent money to Amy's mother and brothers and sisters. Amy’s family is harmonious. They go back to get along with their grandfather and grandmother a few months a year.

Ninth Graders-Betty

Food (In Taiwan)

My mother does not like the taste of stinky tofu and milk tea

Language (In Taiwan)

None

Life (In Taiwan)

None

Work Place

Changing jobs two years a time either in Taiwan and Vietnam.

Job

An interpreter or diplomat

Ninth Graders-Cindy

Conflicts in Taiwan

None

Expectation in the future

Cindy thinks that dyeing is a potential industry　because many people have this kind of demand.　Cindy think she can bring the technology to Vietnam because the skill from Taiwan is better.

Promoting the culture of new immigrants

A.12/25 School Fair

We promoted snacks from Southeast Asian countries and taught students to speak a few words in different languages at the school fair. I think this is such a meaningful activity that allows students to experience diverse cultures in a relaxing and happy way!

B. Multicultural Fair

We also have a Multicultural fair and promote the new immigrant’s culture at school with games, invite Enzo and the lecturer from Maesai to our school and have a speech. Then we can bridge the gap between our schoolmates and the related resources outside our school, and encourage our friends to join the activities about the new immigrants.