A Youth in Ruins

At age of fifteen, I've begun to earn my own living

2017.11.01

A Youth Forced to Fend for Himself

This is a story of Tudou, a junior pesticide sprayer. There are so many juniors, like Tudou, who lack of family affection and social supports. They live among us and are relatively invisible. They have to fight against fate day after day.

At age of fifteen, Tudou's father and grandmother passed away respectively. Since then, Tudou needed to sustain himself. He had worked as a cementer, a vegetable harvest labor, and other heavy labor jobs.
The dolls he'd won at claw machines piles up in his room. They are the only ones who stay with him at night.
The ancestral house he lives in is empty and antiquated. An abandoned stove stands alone in the corner.

The Cost of Economic Oppression

Yunlin has the highest density of pesticide spray trucks in Taiwan, and all the sprayers are young people. After finishing spraying, sometimes they might experience burning feeling throughout whole bodies and feel vomiting. They would drink milk and be put up a drip to detoxify.

on-sound
Now I'm 17 years old.
Now I'm 17 years old.
I usually spray pesticides in 31-day months,
I usually spray pesticides in 31-day months,
- and harvest vegetables or do other heavy labors in 30-day months.
- and harvest vegetables or do other heavy labors in 30-day months.
I may be informed at 7pm on the previous day.
I may be informed at 7pm on the previous day.
Sometimes I need to get up at 4am or 5am.
Sometimes I need to get up at 4am or 5am.
Tudou eats only two meals a day, and breakfast is essential.
As he gets the pesticides provided by farmers, Tudou knows immediately the proper proportion of the ingredients and its toxicity.
The assistants need to take care of the pipelines. If the pipelines get entangled or broken, not only do they fail to finish their works, but also they have to pay for repair.
on-sound
The wind blows our way.
The wind blows our way.
We should walk backwards to avoid pesticides.
We should walk backwards to avoid pesticides.
But the sprayer master walked towards the wind and all the people, including himself, breathed pesticides.
But the sprayer master walked towards the wind and all the people, including himself, breathed pesticides.
In a second it rained,
In a second it rained,
- and shortly the sun was shining. We all got poisoned.
- and shortly the sun was shining. We all got poisoned.
I discarded the robe and couldn't stop vomiting along the way.
I discarded the robe and couldn't stop vomiting along the way.
Even for the most experienced masters, their lungs and bodies were infected with diffused pesticides after a full day's work.
After work, they need to clean pesticide tanks and trucks, as well as shower themselves.
on-sound
Each of the assistants earns thirty-five dollars for nine hundred and seventy square meters.
Each of the assistants earns thirty-five dollars for nine hundred and seventy square meters.
The masters get seventy dollars,
The masters get seventy dollars,
- and the pesticide company gains fifty dollars.
- and the pesticide company gains fifty dollars.
They get paid by cash. It's hard for them to make saving since they will spend all of their money as soon as they receive it.

Nobody is Home

As Tudou goes home, he is left alone. Friends are the only ones he can count on. They support each other in face of difficulties.

After work, Tudou used to hanging out with friends to eat, chat, and play claw machine.
Playing claw machine is Tudou's favorite pastime. As he grabs what he wants, he feels more fulfilled and relieved.
Tudou has become a well-known skilled clawer; however, it's the result of repeated money investing.
Once he's free, he must call friends to go out. He seldom stays home alone.
They will find a place to eat, drink, and chitchat with each other to kill time.
Tudou's friends will share whatever is steal and fun, and always hang out together.
on-sound copy
Back home, Tudou inclines to indulge in internet to either play mobile games or chat online.

Desire for His Own Home

Tudou entered into society too early and felt too tired. He no longer expects there to be the possibility of going back to school. Being alive is his daily task.

Though Tudou had performed well in school, he had no chance to continue his studies because of deteriorating family financial situation.
on-sound copy
I don't know. Maybe I can't get used to that kind of life any more.
I don't know. Maybe I can't get used to that kind of life any more.
I mean group living.
I mean group living.
Every day, you go to class on time and sit still in class.
Every day, you go to class on time and sit still in class.
But now I can't do that anymore.
But now I can't do that anymore.
I decide to go to work and try different jobs.
I decide to go to work and try different jobs.
No work, no pay.
No work, no pay.
If I don't have a job, who will care for me?
If I don't have a job, who will care for me?
Nobody is home.
Nobody is home.
I have neither parents nor elders.
I have neither parents nor elders.
I think it's good enough to get a job and have an ordinary life.
I think it's good enough to get a job and have an ordinary life.

Before the day the reportage was published, Tudou told us that he decided to quit the job of pesticide spray, and would find new ones more secure and safe.

Special Report: A Youth in Ruins
Credits
Photography
Chih-Wei YuYu-En Lin
Text
Sherry Lee Chih-Wei Yu
Translation
Karen Wu
Project Manager
Chen-Hua Chen
Design
Yu-Chen Huang
Developement
Chung-Jen Yu
Producer
Sherry Lee
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