Description
The fifth episode of Keep Your Wings continues the exploration of Taiwan. This time, we delve into the world of work through my experience as a cook at a Belgian food stand. It's an opportunity to already see the flaws of my boss Dominique and to observe his way of operating.
Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.
Transcription
Hello everyone and thank you for joining me for this fifth episode of the Keep Your Wings podcast. This chapter is time to discuss the fascination of Taiwanese people with white foreigners. Photos, compliments and wide-eyed stares are my daily life at the Wapogood. It's an opportunity to talk to you about my job and the first issues that are starting to appear. Enjoy the episode Keep Your Wings, le podcast. Chapter 5 The Foreigner These almond-shaped eyes have been staring at me for several minutes. To despair of peepers, steel holders are headed. I wonder internally, what are they looking at with so much interest? I take a look at the liège waffle piling up on the counter. No, impossible. I observe my surroundings. Lucie is busy cutting a banana into slices, which she then places around a dab of whipped cream previously spread on a waffle. Pierre, for his part, is tackling the second cooking of the fries, to give them their crispy side. Some customers are approaching the booth, beyond which we have already been working for several days. Intrigued? They advance slowly. One of them take out his camera. The man, in his thirties, who I suspect is interested in waffles, asks Pauline, one of our Taiwanese colleagues, a somewhat special request.
He wants to take a photo of Lucy and you.
Pauline says to me, her eyes half-glued to her cell phone. Pardon? I reply.
Yes, a photo of you. You're foreigners. That attracts them. That's a pretty good sign. Maybe you will want to buy some waffles too.
I am completely stunned by this remark. Is my colleague trying to make me understand that my skin color is one of the reasons I was hired?
So, are you taking this photo?
She laughs. Embarrassed but determined to please the customer, Lucy and I awkwardly stand in the center of the booth and attempt a forced smile. I try to copy the Asians by making a V for victory with my fingers. A style effect which seems to have won over our photographer of the day, who thanks me with a thumbs up. But the latter didn't stop there, since he has to have his photo taken with Lucy. He insists saying that we are both very beautiful. After the photo shoot, I noticed even more easily the techniques of many agents who discreetly take pictures when they do not dare to ask. Technique number one. They ask their friend to stand right in front of me while I prepare a waffle or a cone of fries and move quickly. Technique number two. They take hold the selfie stick and try to get the best possible angle by pointing at me. Technique number three. It is mainly used by an older population. The frontal approach involves taking a photo before I spot the lens. Panicked when I stare at them, they decide to leave. However, they very often come back to the sides to take photos discreetly. Come on guys, I got you, stop. The feeling of being a wild animal, a tourist curiosity, amusing at first, quickly ends up tiring. What will these people say when they show their photos to their friends? Look, that's a beautiful building. That's us, in front of Tower 101. And that's a white guy. Yeah, there are some in Taiwan, I swear. However, this is not in their natural environment. Incredible, I imagine that some Asian must have those For Reign Your Stickers albums to show to their acquaintances. However, I must recognize that without this lunar intervention, time will pass even more slowly. Our expectations regarding working hours with a promising salary, for Taiwan, dare I remind you, are fading more and more. Dominique doesn't understand. The event isn't going very well. It must be said that he is hardly present. He often relegates his order to his right-hand man, Theo, another Belgian with whom I got to know. Very friendly and cheerful, he explained to me that he has worked under the leadership of Dominic for over a year, but at the moment, he no longer has the visa necessary for his work, which puts him in a somewhat delicate situation, but which does not prevent Dominic from putting him to work. He must be said that he has a lot of responsibilities. Both at the oven and at the He is a jack of all trades who does not mind working. Responsible for the creation of several recipes, notably those for Liège and Brussels waffles, he often goes back and forth between the central kitchen and the festival to prepare waffle dough. It is under his experience that he explained to me all the basics of the different machines, and above all how to avoid burning these sweet wonders that are Liège waffles. Pauline and he are quite close, having worked for many months, I think almost a year in total for Dominique. Lucie, Pierre and I form another trio, the new ones. Even if the contact between Lucy and Pierre does not seem the most cordial, the latter, wanting to do well, is a ball of energy that is sometimes very hard to channel. Very high volume of voice, absurd reactions, and concern of certain customers in the face of so much enthusiasm. One day, while I was taking the metro at the same time as him, I allowed myself to remark to him. You really need to stop being so stressed, Pierre. You need to channel yourself more. Otherwise, you risk making people uncomfortable. You know that.
Ah, do you think so?
He replies, somewhat surprised. I nod my head and give him some advice on how to act cooler and above all avoid annoying those around him. Pierre is a little embarrassed but realized that some of his approaches are not very successful with people.
I will try to apply myself.
He tells me with a smile, betraying his lack of confidence. The European food festival attracted many curious people, but few buyers. Just as I was beginning to find a certain routine, a first event disrupted our habits. Barely two days after my conversation with my colleague, Pierre was let go by Dominique. I received a message on October 31st on my line, the equivalent of WhatsApp. which is used by a large majority of Taiwanese.
Thanks for the tips. I will try to apply them next time.
He has told me that he wants to leave Taipei to look for another job. I can only wish him good luck and hope to see him again later. The days go by, accompanied by their share of disappointment. The event is a semi-failure. Nor'e's day, Dominic is absent almost all the time, it's interstellar boredom. Fortunately made up for by a discussion with my colleagues. Two new people arrive to help us, a boy and a girl named May. I get along pretty well with the first, with whom I talk about music, and a little less so with the other who knows me. In short, we work fewer hours and we have more days off than expected. I find myself with only 12 days of work out of the 17 expected, with a very variable average number of hours. Some days 9 hours of work, others barely 3.5 hours. We realize that Dominique is trying to save money by only bringing in the minimum required staff. However, he does not dare to say it concretely and finds indirect way. Oh, you guys, you need to rest, you need to think about yourself. Except that his grandmother's tips are mainly aimed at not overpaying us. Drawn by the preparation for his new restaurant in Taichung, Dominique communicates mainly using line messages at completely unusual times, between 3am and 6am. In addition, we learn that he does not pay overtime as he should. Indeed, and that's what I read. Since January 1, 2016, the legal working hours have been set for all employees at 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week. Overtime work during an ordinary working day must be paid at an increased rate of 33% for the first 2 hours and 66% from the third hour. This rule remains unchanged, as does the calculation of pay leave. That's why we can read on a French news site about Taiwan. My colleagues talk about hours being paid at the normal hourly rate, which is basically a violation of the law in this area. except that No one signed a contract. A wish of the boss. As the event gradually draws to a close, I receive a very strange phone call from Dominique.
Sebastian, are you already at the booth?
No, not yet. I'm waiting for the metro. Why?
You know, Taiwan is very small. There are a lot of people who talk shit. You shouldn't believe them. You, I trust you. I want to continue with you. And I have a lot of events coming up. And I'm going to need your help. You can't let me down on this one. You know how to operate this booth. And I want to give you more responsibilities.
I'm surprised. I didn't expect this statement. And at the same time, I wonder what he's talking about. I once again confirm my trust and my commitment, despite my few doubts, and go to my workplace. Behind the boot, Pauline is in the middle of a conversation on the phone. I notice that she has a crestfallen expression. Hey, are you doing well?
Ugh, I decided to stop working for Dominique. He's a liar and a crook. He owes me money for months and Theo it's the same. We finish the event and then we don't want to hear from him anymore.
Description
The fifth episode of Keep Your Wings continues the exploration of Taiwan. This time, we delve into the world of work through my experience as a cook at a Belgian food stand. It's an opportunity to already see the flaws of my boss Dominique and to observe his way of operating.
Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.
Transcription
Hello everyone and thank you for joining me for this fifth episode of the Keep Your Wings podcast. This chapter is time to discuss the fascination of Taiwanese people with white foreigners. Photos, compliments and wide-eyed stares are my daily life at the Wapogood. It's an opportunity to talk to you about my job and the first issues that are starting to appear. Enjoy the episode Keep Your Wings, le podcast. Chapter 5 The Foreigner These almond-shaped eyes have been staring at me for several minutes. To despair of peepers, steel holders are headed. I wonder internally, what are they looking at with so much interest? I take a look at the liège waffle piling up on the counter. No, impossible. I observe my surroundings. Lucie is busy cutting a banana into slices, which she then places around a dab of whipped cream previously spread on a waffle. Pierre, for his part, is tackling the second cooking of the fries, to give them their crispy side. Some customers are approaching the booth, beyond which we have already been working for several days. Intrigued? They advance slowly. One of them take out his camera. The man, in his thirties, who I suspect is interested in waffles, asks Pauline, one of our Taiwanese colleagues, a somewhat special request.
He wants to take a photo of Lucy and you.
Pauline says to me, her eyes half-glued to her cell phone. Pardon? I reply.
Yes, a photo of you. You're foreigners. That attracts them. That's a pretty good sign. Maybe you will want to buy some waffles too.
I am completely stunned by this remark. Is my colleague trying to make me understand that my skin color is one of the reasons I was hired?
So, are you taking this photo?
She laughs. Embarrassed but determined to please the customer, Lucy and I awkwardly stand in the center of the booth and attempt a forced smile. I try to copy the Asians by making a V for victory with my fingers. A style effect which seems to have won over our photographer of the day, who thanks me with a thumbs up. But the latter didn't stop there, since he has to have his photo taken with Lucy. He insists saying that we are both very beautiful. After the photo shoot, I noticed even more easily the techniques of many agents who discreetly take pictures when they do not dare to ask. Technique number one. They ask their friend to stand right in front of me while I prepare a waffle or a cone of fries and move quickly. Technique number two. They take hold the selfie stick and try to get the best possible angle by pointing at me. Technique number three. It is mainly used by an older population. The frontal approach involves taking a photo before I spot the lens. Panicked when I stare at them, they decide to leave. However, they very often come back to the sides to take photos discreetly. Come on guys, I got you, stop. The feeling of being a wild animal, a tourist curiosity, amusing at first, quickly ends up tiring. What will these people say when they show their photos to their friends? Look, that's a beautiful building. That's us, in front of Tower 101. And that's a white guy. Yeah, there are some in Taiwan, I swear. However, this is not in their natural environment. Incredible, I imagine that some Asian must have those For Reign Your Stickers albums to show to their acquaintances. However, I must recognize that without this lunar intervention, time will pass even more slowly. Our expectations regarding working hours with a promising salary, for Taiwan, dare I remind you, are fading more and more. Dominique doesn't understand. The event isn't going very well. It must be said that he is hardly present. He often relegates his order to his right-hand man, Theo, another Belgian with whom I got to know. Very friendly and cheerful, he explained to me that he has worked under the leadership of Dominic for over a year, but at the moment, he no longer has the visa necessary for his work, which puts him in a somewhat delicate situation, but which does not prevent Dominic from putting him to work. He must be said that he has a lot of responsibilities. Both at the oven and at the He is a jack of all trades who does not mind working. Responsible for the creation of several recipes, notably those for Liège and Brussels waffles, he often goes back and forth between the central kitchen and the festival to prepare waffle dough. It is under his experience that he explained to me all the basics of the different machines, and above all how to avoid burning these sweet wonders that are Liège waffles. Pauline and he are quite close, having worked for many months, I think almost a year in total for Dominique. Lucie, Pierre and I form another trio, the new ones. Even if the contact between Lucy and Pierre does not seem the most cordial, the latter, wanting to do well, is a ball of energy that is sometimes very hard to channel. Very high volume of voice, absurd reactions, and concern of certain customers in the face of so much enthusiasm. One day, while I was taking the metro at the same time as him, I allowed myself to remark to him. You really need to stop being so stressed, Pierre. You need to channel yourself more. Otherwise, you risk making people uncomfortable. You know that.
Ah, do you think so?
He replies, somewhat surprised. I nod my head and give him some advice on how to act cooler and above all avoid annoying those around him. Pierre is a little embarrassed but realized that some of his approaches are not very successful with people.
I will try to apply myself.
He tells me with a smile, betraying his lack of confidence. The European food festival attracted many curious people, but few buyers. Just as I was beginning to find a certain routine, a first event disrupted our habits. Barely two days after my conversation with my colleague, Pierre was let go by Dominique. I received a message on October 31st on my line, the equivalent of WhatsApp. which is used by a large majority of Taiwanese.
Thanks for the tips. I will try to apply them next time.
He has told me that he wants to leave Taipei to look for another job. I can only wish him good luck and hope to see him again later. The days go by, accompanied by their share of disappointment. The event is a semi-failure. Nor'e's day, Dominic is absent almost all the time, it's interstellar boredom. Fortunately made up for by a discussion with my colleagues. Two new people arrive to help us, a boy and a girl named May. I get along pretty well with the first, with whom I talk about music, and a little less so with the other who knows me. In short, we work fewer hours and we have more days off than expected. I find myself with only 12 days of work out of the 17 expected, with a very variable average number of hours. Some days 9 hours of work, others barely 3.5 hours. We realize that Dominique is trying to save money by only bringing in the minimum required staff. However, he does not dare to say it concretely and finds indirect way. Oh, you guys, you need to rest, you need to think about yourself. Except that his grandmother's tips are mainly aimed at not overpaying us. Drawn by the preparation for his new restaurant in Taichung, Dominique communicates mainly using line messages at completely unusual times, between 3am and 6am. In addition, we learn that he does not pay overtime as he should. Indeed, and that's what I read. Since January 1, 2016, the legal working hours have been set for all employees at 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week. Overtime work during an ordinary working day must be paid at an increased rate of 33% for the first 2 hours and 66% from the third hour. This rule remains unchanged, as does the calculation of pay leave. That's why we can read on a French news site about Taiwan. My colleagues talk about hours being paid at the normal hourly rate, which is basically a violation of the law in this area. except that No one signed a contract. A wish of the boss. As the event gradually draws to a close, I receive a very strange phone call from Dominique.
Sebastian, are you already at the booth?
No, not yet. I'm waiting for the metro. Why?
You know, Taiwan is very small. There are a lot of people who talk shit. You shouldn't believe them. You, I trust you. I want to continue with you. And I have a lot of events coming up. And I'm going to need your help. You can't let me down on this one. You know how to operate this booth. And I want to give you more responsibilities.
I'm surprised. I didn't expect this statement. And at the same time, I wonder what he's talking about. I once again confirm my trust and my commitment, despite my few doubts, and go to my workplace. Behind the boot, Pauline is in the middle of a conversation on the phone. I notice that she has a crestfallen expression. Hey, are you doing well?
Ugh, I decided to stop working for Dominique. He's a liar and a crook. He owes me money for months and Theo it's the same. We finish the event and then we don't want to hear from him anymore.
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Description
The fifth episode of Keep Your Wings continues the exploration of Taiwan. This time, we delve into the world of work through my experience as a cook at a Belgian food stand. It's an opportunity to already see the flaws of my boss Dominique and to observe his way of operating.
Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.
Transcription
Hello everyone and thank you for joining me for this fifth episode of the Keep Your Wings podcast. This chapter is time to discuss the fascination of Taiwanese people with white foreigners. Photos, compliments and wide-eyed stares are my daily life at the Wapogood. It's an opportunity to talk to you about my job and the first issues that are starting to appear. Enjoy the episode Keep Your Wings, le podcast. Chapter 5 The Foreigner These almond-shaped eyes have been staring at me for several minutes. To despair of peepers, steel holders are headed. I wonder internally, what are they looking at with so much interest? I take a look at the liège waffle piling up on the counter. No, impossible. I observe my surroundings. Lucie is busy cutting a banana into slices, which she then places around a dab of whipped cream previously spread on a waffle. Pierre, for his part, is tackling the second cooking of the fries, to give them their crispy side. Some customers are approaching the booth, beyond which we have already been working for several days. Intrigued? They advance slowly. One of them take out his camera. The man, in his thirties, who I suspect is interested in waffles, asks Pauline, one of our Taiwanese colleagues, a somewhat special request.
He wants to take a photo of Lucy and you.
Pauline says to me, her eyes half-glued to her cell phone. Pardon? I reply.
Yes, a photo of you. You're foreigners. That attracts them. That's a pretty good sign. Maybe you will want to buy some waffles too.
I am completely stunned by this remark. Is my colleague trying to make me understand that my skin color is one of the reasons I was hired?
So, are you taking this photo?
She laughs. Embarrassed but determined to please the customer, Lucy and I awkwardly stand in the center of the booth and attempt a forced smile. I try to copy the Asians by making a V for victory with my fingers. A style effect which seems to have won over our photographer of the day, who thanks me with a thumbs up. But the latter didn't stop there, since he has to have his photo taken with Lucy. He insists saying that we are both very beautiful. After the photo shoot, I noticed even more easily the techniques of many agents who discreetly take pictures when they do not dare to ask. Technique number one. They ask their friend to stand right in front of me while I prepare a waffle or a cone of fries and move quickly. Technique number two. They take hold the selfie stick and try to get the best possible angle by pointing at me. Technique number three. It is mainly used by an older population. The frontal approach involves taking a photo before I spot the lens. Panicked when I stare at them, they decide to leave. However, they very often come back to the sides to take photos discreetly. Come on guys, I got you, stop. The feeling of being a wild animal, a tourist curiosity, amusing at first, quickly ends up tiring. What will these people say when they show their photos to their friends? Look, that's a beautiful building. That's us, in front of Tower 101. And that's a white guy. Yeah, there are some in Taiwan, I swear. However, this is not in their natural environment. Incredible, I imagine that some Asian must have those For Reign Your Stickers albums to show to their acquaintances. However, I must recognize that without this lunar intervention, time will pass even more slowly. Our expectations regarding working hours with a promising salary, for Taiwan, dare I remind you, are fading more and more. Dominique doesn't understand. The event isn't going very well. It must be said that he is hardly present. He often relegates his order to his right-hand man, Theo, another Belgian with whom I got to know. Very friendly and cheerful, he explained to me that he has worked under the leadership of Dominic for over a year, but at the moment, he no longer has the visa necessary for his work, which puts him in a somewhat delicate situation, but which does not prevent Dominic from putting him to work. He must be said that he has a lot of responsibilities. Both at the oven and at the He is a jack of all trades who does not mind working. Responsible for the creation of several recipes, notably those for Liège and Brussels waffles, he often goes back and forth between the central kitchen and the festival to prepare waffle dough. It is under his experience that he explained to me all the basics of the different machines, and above all how to avoid burning these sweet wonders that are Liège waffles. Pauline and he are quite close, having worked for many months, I think almost a year in total for Dominique. Lucie, Pierre and I form another trio, the new ones. Even if the contact between Lucy and Pierre does not seem the most cordial, the latter, wanting to do well, is a ball of energy that is sometimes very hard to channel. Very high volume of voice, absurd reactions, and concern of certain customers in the face of so much enthusiasm. One day, while I was taking the metro at the same time as him, I allowed myself to remark to him. You really need to stop being so stressed, Pierre. You need to channel yourself more. Otherwise, you risk making people uncomfortable. You know that.
Ah, do you think so?
He replies, somewhat surprised. I nod my head and give him some advice on how to act cooler and above all avoid annoying those around him. Pierre is a little embarrassed but realized that some of his approaches are not very successful with people.
I will try to apply myself.
He tells me with a smile, betraying his lack of confidence. The European food festival attracted many curious people, but few buyers. Just as I was beginning to find a certain routine, a first event disrupted our habits. Barely two days after my conversation with my colleague, Pierre was let go by Dominique. I received a message on October 31st on my line, the equivalent of WhatsApp. which is used by a large majority of Taiwanese.
Thanks for the tips. I will try to apply them next time.
He has told me that he wants to leave Taipei to look for another job. I can only wish him good luck and hope to see him again later. The days go by, accompanied by their share of disappointment. The event is a semi-failure. Nor'e's day, Dominic is absent almost all the time, it's interstellar boredom. Fortunately made up for by a discussion with my colleagues. Two new people arrive to help us, a boy and a girl named May. I get along pretty well with the first, with whom I talk about music, and a little less so with the other who knows me. In short, we work fewer hours and we have more days off than expected. I find myself with only 12 days of work out of the 17 expected, with a very variable average number of hours. Some days 9 hours of work, others barely 3.5 hours. We realize that Dominique is trying to save money by only bringing in the minimum required staff. However, he does not dare to say it concretely and finds indirect way. Oh, you guys, you need to rest, you need to think about yourself. Except that his grandmother's tips are mainly aimed at not overpaying us. Drawn by the preparation for his new restaurant in Taichung, Dominique communicates mainly using line messages at completely unusual times, between 3am and 6am. In addition, we learn that he does not pay overtime as he should. Indeed, and that's what I read. Since January 1, 2016, the legal working hours have been set for all employees at 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week. Overtime work during an ordinary working day must be paid at an increased rate of 33% for the first 2 hours and 66% from the third hour. This rule remains unchanged, as does the calculation of pay leave. That's why we can read on a French news site about Taiwan. My colleagues talk about hours being paid at the normal hourly rate, which is basically a violation of the law in this area. except that No one signed a contract. A wish of the boss. As the event gradually draws to a close, I receive a very strange phone call from Dominique.
Sebastian, are you already at the booth?
No, not yet. I'm waiting for the metro. Why?
You know, Taiwan is very small. There are a lot of people who talk shit. You shouldn't believe them. You, I trust you. I want to continue with you. And I have a lot of events coming up. And I'm going to need your help. You can't let me down on this one. You know how to operate this booth. And I want to give you more responsibilities.
I'm surprised. I didn't expect this statement. And at the same time, I wonder what he's talking about. I once again confirm my trust and my commitment, despite my few doubts, and go to my workplace. Behind the boot, Pauline is in the middle of a conversation on the phone. I notice that she has a crestfallen expression. Hey, are you doing well?
Ugh, I decided to stop working for Dominique. He's a liar and a crook. He owes me money for months and Theo it's the same. We finish the event and then we don't want to hear from him anymore.
Description
The fifth episode of Keep Your Wings continues the exploration of Taiwan. This time, we delve into the world of work through my experience as a cook at a Belgian food stand. It's an opportunity to already see the flaws of my boss Dominique and to observe his way of operating.
Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.
Transcription
Hello everyone and thank you for joining me for this fifth episode of the Keep Your Wings podcast. This chapter is time to discuss the fascination of Taiwanese people with white foreigners. Photos, compliments and wide-eyed stares are my daily life at the Wapogood. It's an opportunity to talk to you about my job and the first issues that are starting to appear. Enjoy the episode Keep Your Wings, le podcast. Chapter 5 The Foreigner These almond-shaped eyes have been staring at me for several minutes. To despair of peepers, steel holders are headed. I wonder internally, what are they looking at with so much interest? I take a look at the liège waffle piling up on the counter. No, impossible. I observe my surroundings. Lucie is busy cutting a banana into slices, which she then places around a dab of whipped cream previously spread on a waffle. Pierre, for his part, is tackling the second cooking of the fries, to give them their crispy side. Some customers are approaching the booth, beyond which we have already been working for several days. Intrigued? They advance slowly. One of them take out his camera. The man, in his thirties, who I suspect is interested in waffles, asks Pauline, one of our Taiwanese colleagues, a somewhat special request.
He wants to take a photo of Lucy and you.
Pauline says to me, her eyes half-glued to her cell phone. Pardon? I reply.
Yes, a photo of you. You're foreigners. That attracts them. That's a pretty good sign. Maybe you will want to buy some waffles too.
I am completely stunned by this remark. Is my colleague trying to make me understand that my skin color is one of the reasons I was hired?
So, are you taking this photo?
She laughs. Embarrassed but determined to please the customer, Lucy and I awkwardly stand in the center of the booth and attempt a forced smile. I try to copy the Asians by making a V for victory with my fingers. A style effect which seems to have won over our photographer of the day, who thanks me with a thumbs up. But the latter didn't stop there, since he has to have his photo taken with Lucy. He insists saying that we are both very beautiful. After the photo shoot, I noticed even more easily the techniques of many agents who discreetly take pictures when they do not dare to ask. Technique number one. They ask their friend to stand right in front of me while I prepare a waffle or a cone of fries and move quickly. Technique number two. They take hold the selfie stick and try to get the best possible angle by pointing at me. Technique number three. It is mainly used by an older population. The frontal approach involves taking a photo before I spot the lens. Panicked when I stare at them, they decide to leave. However, they very often come back to the sides to take photos discreetly. Come on guys, I got you, stop. The feeling of being a wild animal, a tourist curiosity, amusing at first, quickly ends up tiring. What will these people say when they show their photos to their friends? Look, that's a beautiful building. That's us, in front of Tower 101. And that's a white guy. Yeah, there are some in Taiwan, I swear. However, this is not in their natural environment. Incredible, I imagine that some Asian must have those For Reign Your Stickers albums to show to their acquaintances. However, I must recognize that without this lunar intervention, time will pass even more slowly. Our expectations regarding working hours with a promising salary, for Taiwan, dare I remind you, are fading more and more. Dominique doesn't understand. The event isn't going very well. It must be said that he is hardly present. He often relegates his order to his right-hand man, Theo, another Belgian with whom I got to know. Very friendly and cheerful, he explained to me that he has worked under the leadership of Dominic for over a year, but at the moment, he no longer has the visa necessary for his work, which puts him in a somewhat delicate situation, but which does not prevent Dominic from putting him to work. He must be said that he has a lot of responsibilities. Both at the oven and at the He is a jack of all trades who does not mind working. Responsible for the creation of several recipes, notably those for Liège and Brussels waffles, he often goes back and forth between the central kitchen and the festival to prepare waffle dough. It is under his experience that he explained to me all the basics of the different machines, and above all how to avoid burning these sweet wonders that are Liège waffles. Pauline and he are quite close, having worked for many months, I think almost a year in total for Dominique. Lucie, Pierre and I form another trio, the new ones. Even if the contact between Lucy and Pierre does not seem the most cordial, the latter, wanting to do well, is a ball of energy that is sometimes very hard to channel. Very high volume of voice, absurd reactions, and concern of certain customers in the face of so much enthusiasm. One day, while I was taking the metro at the same time as him, I allowed myself to remark to him. You really need to stop being so stressed, Pierre. You need to channel yourself more. Otherwise, you risk making people uncomfortable. You know that.
Ah, do you think so?
He replies, somewhat surprised. I nod my head and give him some advice on how to act cooler and above all avoid annoying those around him. Pierre is a little embarrassed but realized that some of his approaches are not very successful with people.
I will try to apply myself.
He tells me with a smile, betraying his lack of confidence. The European food festival attracted many curious people, but few buyers. Just as I was beginning to find a certain routine, a first event disrupted our habits. Barely two days after my conversation with my colleague, Pierre was let go by Dominique. I received a message on October 31st on my line, the equivalent of WhatsApp. which is used by a large majority of Taiwanese.
Thanks for the tips. I will try to apply them next time.
He has told me that he wants to leave Taipei to look for another job. I can only wish him good luck and hope to see him again later. The days go by, accompanied by their share of disappointment. The event is a semi-failure. Nor'e's day, Dominic is absent almost all the time, it's interstellar boredom. Fortunately made up for by a discussion with my colleagues. Two new people arrive to help us, a boy and a girl named May. I get along pretty well with the first, with whom I talk about music, and a little less so with the other who knows me. In short, we work fewer hours and we have more days off than expected. I find myself with only 12 days of work out of the 17 expected, with a very variable average number of hours. Some days 9 hours of work, others barely 3.5 hours. We realize that Dominique is trying to save money by only bringing in the minimum required staff. However, he does not dare to say it concretely and finds indirect way. Oh, you guys, you need to rest, you need to think about yourself. Except that his grandmother's tips are mainly aimed at not overpaying us. Drawn by the preparation for his new restaurant in Taichung, Dominique communicates mainly using line messages at completely unusual times, between 3am and 6am. In addition, we learn that he does not pay overtime as he should. Indeed, and that's what I read. Since January 1, 2016, the legal working hours have been set for all employees at 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week. Overtime work during an ordinary working day must be paid at an increased rate of 33% for the first 2 hours and 66% from the third hour. This rule remains unchanged, as does the calculation of pay leave. That's why we can read on a French news site about Taiwan. My colleagues talk about hours being paid at the normal hourly rate, which is basically a violation of the law in this area. except that No one signed a contract. A wish of the boss. As the event gradually draws to a close, I receive a very strange phone call from Dominique.
Sebastian, are you already at the booth?
No, not yet. I'm waiting for the metro. Why?
You know, Taiwan is very small. There are a lot of people who talk shit. You shouldn't believe them. You, I trust you. I want to continue with you. And I have a lot of events coming up. And I'm going to need your help. You can't let me down on this one. You know how to operate this booth. And I want to give you more responsibilities.
I'm surprised. I didn't expect this statement. And at the same time, I wonder what he's talking about. I once again confirm my trust and my commitment, despite my few doubts, and go to my workplace. Behind the boot, Pauline is in the middle of a conversation on the phone. I notice that she has a crestfallen expression. Hey, are you doing well?
Ugh, I decided to stop working for Dominique. He's a liar and a crook. He owes me money for months and Theo it's the same. We finish the event and then we don't want to hear from him anymore.
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