Life on the Farm

  I remember reading an article in one of the Beijing expat magazines.  This article was about an elderly couple that were making a living in Beijing collecting scrap paper for recycling.  They had previously been farmers in the countryside and now earned about 600 yuan/month (about $70 at the time).  This means that they were living in Beijing on 20 yuan/day.  That they could support two people on this amount is just astonishing.

  I was further surprised when they apparently told the reporter that they loved living in Beijing.  They said it was so easy and they had free time and could even choose to take days off.  This all left me wondering,"What must life have been like in the countryside to make you love living in Beijing on 20 yuan per day (for two people!)?"  In my time in Beijing, I kept thinking about this couple and it reminded of how lucky I am and how little it really takes to keep yourself truly happy.

  This came to mind recently when I read an article about the falling value of recyclable materials in China.  Apparently, the prices have tanked with the economic downturn.  I wonder how this couple is doing.  I hope they have managed to find another source of revenue or somehow continue their life.  I know that they were enjoying their 600 yuan lifestyle but I'm pretty sure there wasn't much leeway in their income.