May 24, 2010

taxi diary

Today I found an interesting blog. IT is a diary of a taxi driver's diary. The driver was a lecturer with PHD, and now is just an ordinary taxi driver.

I was curious about him, so I read his very first post. In the few first posts, I can sense his depression over sudden change of life status and worries of the impact to his family. But his determination to earn a life from driving a taxi, really deserve a salute. Social status of a taxi driver was thought to be at the lowest standard. This makes no one thought that he is actually highly educated.

No wonder my dad used to complain about people looking down on taxi drivers. Whenever someone looked down on my dad, my dad will boasted about his children. That will surely embarrassed that person. 

Being a taxi driver sure is not an easy job. Everyday they have to work under hot sun. Every working night, there will be the risk of being robbed or worse. When tired, can just sleep everywhere.

Among taxi driver, you can find various kind of people. During recession period, many graduates had even become taxi drivers.

However there is the advantage of becoming a taxi driver, you can get free course of tourism and languages.
Even illiterate can speak Englishy!

15 comments:

Caroline said...

No job deserve to be humiliated as long as it is a legal job. :)

Caroline said...

my parents also taught us not to look down at others, especially to our maid, we never make herself feel bad to work with us, we treating her as part of family members dy. :)

Same goes to taxi drivers, we need their service too. :) and they actually the one who play important role in tourism and hospitality line aye. =D

Willie a.k.a Reptoz said...

I have never looked down on people no matter what their professions are. We should respect all people.

Being a taxi driver is ain't easy. I salute them for their bravery to bring strangers around.

[SK] said...

wow, a PhD holder became a taxi driver.. kind of surprising.. but this is not uncommon, during bad times, i've even heard them being hawkers, just to earn a living supporting their families..

[SK] said...

actually i kind of salute them, because not many people will be willing to lower their status to dive into lower level job..

[SK] said...

i think the blog from this taxi driver with PhD must be very interesting.. so does he write on things he observed from his passengers everyday, then link the stories to principles of lives??

[SK] said...

awww, so your dad is (or was) a taxi driver?? glad that he is proud of you all, and proud of himself to have all the pride from his children.. :)

Garfield said...

there is a taxi driver in malaysia, who know 7 countries languages.

becoming a taxi driver is not something to be ashamed of anyway....
it is just that some of those taxi driver who are taking advantages from tourist, made taxi drivers have bad reputation.

having a paper qualification does not really make sure your carrier's stability.
having the skill of surviving is the one that can make sure your carrier's stability

Kelvin said...

He is popular in sg blogosphere, but not updating anymore i think...

Naomi said...

Caroline, yes, as long as it is legal. Everyone have dignity, even garbage collector have dignity. Your maid is very lucky then.Some people can be cruel to the maid, even when the maid is Malaysian and someone they know. Everyone have their role in the society. Try to imagine there are no garbage collector and cleaner.

Naomi said...

Reptoz, yes it is actually very dangerous to carry around strangers. In other countries, can noticed that they separate passenger seat and driver.

Naomi said...

Reptoz, yes it is actually very dangerous to carry around strangers. In other countries, can noticed that they separate passenger seat and driver.

Naomi said...

[SK], yeah for a living, no choice when no job. For family, have to lower status. If not, no food, hard to live. My dad is still. Yeah, his ambition was to send all of us to study in uni, and he did it.

Naomi said...

Garfiled, wow, 7 languages.
yeah, it is just the mindset. Bak pepatah, kerana nila setitik, rosak susu sebelangga.'
Paper qualification is just a paper, if not willing to work hard.

Naomi said...

Kelvin, oo is it? hahaha. I am always a bit slow in updating myself. having short antenna. thanks for your information.