The Asian ladies that work in nail salons

[Charlieandthechocolatecake]

Please forgive my ignorance. Please!

I had a pedicure today (for the first time in 5 years!)

I was thinking whilst i was there that the majority of that staff in salons I have been to are Asian women. Some of them young.

I've also noticed that in my experience, their English is limited.

I'd like to know if anybody knows if these women are here specifically to do that job?

Or are they here for education? A better future?

I ask because I have never had my nails done by an Asian woman that can speak fluent English.

I had my nails done by a lovely young woman today...i know this is a career choice for many that have a passion for it. But is it for these women in particular or do they hope to gain an education here and an alternative career? If like to think so.

I go to a Vietnamese run salon in my home town (small, NW England). The older lady speaks little English but enough to tell you she's been on holiday etc. The younger chap (her brother I think) is studying computing at a local college and his English is accented but not bad. And the little girl is in a local primary school so obviously is as good as the other kids!
I popped into one in London recently too. Cash only but all the younger staff spoke good English with an accent. It's expensive to take cards.

(People will also ask me how many thousands of dollars of benefits does my government give me. I have to explain how it really works and that you have enough to live on, but you're not going to be living in a palace. It's hard for people to understand that the reality of living in a place like the UK is much different from what they may see on TV.*

I know you are seeking from a good deal of personal experience Hello but think the problem with what you've just said is one of relativity. We might not think living on benefits or doing a minimum wage job with benefits top ups and getting HB for a very modest house equates to living the life of Riley and living in a palace, but for many people from developing countries who would love the chance to live and work in the UK it absolutely does.

Until you've spend time in some Asian and African countries and seen how incredibly hard ordinary non-privileged people have to work to accumulate very very little, you can't possibly begin to imagine what their idea of 'a palace' and 'an easy life' might look like.

LaLegue but hellokitty lives in Vietnam. Are you telling her you know better than her about the conditions her own neighbours are living in?

Really interesting reading this thread. I've long wondered about a nail bar and a eyebrow bar next to each in my nearest large shopping centre. I'd like to go but no idea how to verify they aren't dodgy

Lalegue, I understand. Even very basic things count so much. I just try and explain though That things aren't how they may appear.

There is no visa that would legitimately allow these people to work full time in a nail bar. As previous posters have mentioned some may be here on student visas which allow them to work part time (although there are a lot of dodgy colleges which the Home Office are trying to crack down on). They could also legitimately be here on other visas e.g. if their spouse had a work permit, they would also be allowed to live here and work.

OP and some of you saying that you wouldnt work there (on people's feet) is similar to some of these Asian women working in low skilled/low paid job as they'd rather do it than staying at home asking for unemployment benefit when you are completely well. I come from Asia and in most Asian countries there isnt any type of benefit(or/and we consider asking for benefit is similar to begging and we mostly dont like it and prefer to do all kind of low paid jobs to earn our living. I was born in a capital and my parents earn well and I was lucky with everything in my childhood path. Very often my parents tell me stories where there are mothers who work 20hours a day seven day a week tobring up her children and her children did their best to help out and to do well in their education and life. Its a great motivation for the poor to do their best in their education and finding better jobs to escape rather than here many relying on the benefit and sitting in front of the tivi with a big crisp ag and a cyder all day.

In the UK at the moment, but have lived there for the majority of the past 10 years and go there frequently as we have ongoing projects there.

No I did acknowledge that she speaks from a position of knowledge, but as someone who has also travelled a reasonable bit in Asia and who lives outside of the UK right now, I've seen how 'ordinary people' from Asia and Africa (not the professional or moneyed middle classes) live, and there is no comparison. The UK offers a very easy life relatively speaking. We take an awful lot for granted in the UK and have really quite high expectations and standards when it comes to space and accommodation.

In the case of migrant workers who are in the UK temporarily, even if the living accommodation could be argued to be worse, the money they are earning to send home makes up for it. It's a temporary downside of having an opportunity to make much better money than they could at home.

Also, not sure Hellokitty but you mention 'dollars from the government' not British pounds. It might just be a turn of phrase as the dollar seems to be the universal currency of choice, but are you British or American? Have you lived in the UK? Because admittedly the two are very different kettles of fish in terms of how easy it is to live well with the help of government welfare.

I have spent six months there over the past year, plus then in the Philippines, and soon will be in Rwanda I know very well what it's like to be a person with a disability in one of these places.

Lalegue, I work in a really really rural area in central Vietnam, there are maybe 10 foreigners in the province and the rest are doing you XO clearance landmine clearance, I can't get dictation To put the correct thing. I don't really see many ex patriots and I live with my colleagues family or in a very local guesthouse. It's my own charity so very small and have a little funding for what we do. I have gotten to see both worlds though, more of Vietnam though since I have worked there since I was only 23.

Dollars are universal!

There's a fairly large nail bar in my town, (I've never been - can't afford a manicure!), which is staffed by young ladies who speak little or no English. Every 2 - 3 months like clockwork the Home Office turn up in a van, the women leap up and run for it, (leaving bemused customers in their wake), a few are taken in, the rest escape. The nail bar closes for around 48 hours, then reopens with a few new ladies to replace the ones taken away. Nothing else ever seems to be done. I've got acquaintances who go there, but I wouldn't go near the place - having just written a lengthy uni paper on human trafficking, I have no doubt whatsoever as to the situation there.

It's one of the key industries for people trafficking.

Have you been watching Sisters, OP?

I don't know if you can see this clearly, I was asked to speak at international day of people with disabilities in the southern Philippines last December. That's the city mayor and the head of the blind association For Cagayan de oro. It was an honor, but I had to speak in front of 1000 people and was crying. Before I spoke

There's a lot of trafficking.

But Tippi Hedren from The Birds is the reason there are a lot of legit Vietnamese nail salons in the States.

NotISaidTheWalrus Thu 25-May-17 01:44:15
What is your AIBU?

Is it, "aibu to sound a bit racist"?

Do you not even feel a little bit embarrassed? It's people like you that make other people scared to open their mouth.

Nope. Did you not read the OP?

Wow Hello it sounds like you have a very full and fascinating life and doing such challenging and worthwhile work in the face of quite considerable personal adversity, what an inspiration you are!

NotISaidTheWalrus

You absolutely should be embarrassed. You're disgusting, I can't stand people like you.

My local nail salon was raided and closed down about a month ago. All the staff were illegal immigrants. And yes they use very dodgy products. If you want a cheap beauty treatments best to go to your local college.

People who don't like people being characterised in slightly racist ways? Ok, your choice.

Well said Lemonnaise I hate it when people try to shut down perfectly reasonable questions and discussion by throwing flimsy accusations of racism around.

NotISaidTheWalrus perhaps you'd like to enlighten us on what you issue is specifically with what was said in the OP?

Lemonnaise I would ignore the poster. Not worth it imo.

I guess one way to gauge what's going on in these places would be to sit there having your feet done and start taking photos of the workers and the person behind the desk and saying ''don't worry, just instagramming/facebooking it!'' and see how panicked they look.

Where I live quite a few have been raided in terms of money laundering, people trafficking and non nationals without proper visas.