Myrna Padilla: The other side of outsourcing

Bring up the word “outsourcing” and you’ll usually hear gripes and grumbles about the increasing number of jobs outsourced to countries including China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Indonesia. In the current narrative of the economy, rarely is this seen as a “good” thing. But like everything else, there are two sides to be heard.

Myrna Padilla has experienced life on both ends of the spectrum. Born and raised in the small fishing village on the island of Bohol in the Philippines, she is no stranger to a hard life. As a child, she spent her days under the scorching heat, diving for fish and seaweed to sell and feed her family. Even then, she often went to bed hungry. During one venture into Manila, she was lured by a predator, and was subsequently abducted. She spent the next year working twelve-hour days, seven days a week for no pay and no days off.

Swapping Ego for Empathy

Imagine the scene of Atlanta’s gridlocked highways a few weeks back during the snowstorm. This is the usual Shanghai — congested and charmingly manic. Then picture the opening credits of The Walking Dead. The sight of an empty Hongqiao Railway Station was comparably eerie. I usually find myself strategically meandering past throngs of tourists and businesspeople, and jostling for a position at the ticket booth. This time, however, it was the week of Chinese New Years — a catalyst for the largest annual human migration in the world. Shanghai and its people were taking a well-deserved breather.