As I sit here, dreading another night shift, I'm reminded that things could be worse. Last week, I watched a program called Blood Sweat and Luxuries with a client. In this episode, six spoilt British young people travelled to Madagascar. They lived and worked with Sapphire miners. The young people struggled to keep up with the miners digging a mine without the use of machines - I would too. I was struck by how hard they worked, all for the equivalent of £1 per day.
What really hit me was the fact that these miners earned less for a full day's backbreaking work, risking their lives, than I did for the hour that I spent watching the program.
How can I complain about the physical 'side effects' of my work, when their situation is far worse?
One of the girls in the program challenged a Sapphire dealer about the low wage they receive for their work (when his was significantly more). He explained that people get paid for their knowledge, and that those who are better trained deserve a higher pay. I suppose it's a bit like that here in the UK too..
