As a Ukrainian in Portugal went to work.
Ukrainian journalist Alina Mysechko worked tirelessly to learn all about the life of Ukrainian “guest workers” in Portugal.
The impressions and experiences she shared in the “Paragraph!”.
About work in Lisbon
Just five days Alina Mysechko tried to imagine seven of the most affordable for Ukrainians professions and earned 300 euros.
“According to official data, Portugal employs 75 thousand Ukrainians. If you add to this amount, illegal “guest workers”, will be released about 250 thousand, – says Alina. – Most often men without knowledge of the language arranged in a car service to catch the fish or repair the apartment. And the most popular among Ukrainian women cleaning houses. Therefore, the working life in Lisbon I started with cleaning floors. The day cleaned 10 entrances! And physically it was very difficult. But I found a plus in the profession is architecture and design, because to remove I had a very beautiful house in marble, the “smart” with state of the art systems.”
For a day’s work Alina received 25 euros (710 UAH). Although for similar work in new York a few months ago, earned just $ 10 (270 UAH).
Most of the work “zarobitchany” found in Ukraine, on the Internet. So, for example, she came across the vacancy of a tuk tuk driver. The customer was looking for girls who can spend sightseeing tours in Lisbon, while tuk-tuk and telling tourists about the attractions.
“This was the most fun! I had to quickly learn to drive a tuk-tuk, remember the route and tourist information – recalls Mysechko. – I was giving a tour, not knowing the city! But met a fun Australian guys who left me tips! However, in the end I earned only 18 euros (510 UAH) – 25% of the received for tour money. The rest is given to the employer.”
The most unexpected work is found Alina in the Lisbon bar. The girl came back to do the quiz – the quiz “What? Where? When?”. But already the place was that the organizers took a new anchor who can speak Portuguese. And Alina went behind the bar – making coffee and pouring Beers.
But the most unusual job was waiting for Mysechko… cork factory. You ever wonder where wine corks? Portugal is one of the largest factories to produce them. And made from the bark of cork trees, which are grown in special fields. From employees of such production the highest salaries in Portugal. And to get there is very difficult.
“The factory I worked in the lab: we measured the diameter of the tubes, looking for defects. And ended up with 40 euros (1136 UAH) over a 10-hour shift, – says Alina. – And yet I learned a lot of interesting things. For example, the thicker the tube, the better its quality. The cheapest tube is made of granules, their factory sells for 2 cents, and a thick tube of solid wood – 2 Euro apiece”.
And in Port
Work in Lisbon Aline Mysechko was not enough. And she decided to try their luck in the Port – town on the ocean. It was there that came up with the port, it is not surprising that the city is famous for wine cellars and wine festivals.
“Of course I could not miss the opportunity to work in an exclusive tasting cellar, which served presidents and Prime Ministers. Imagine this: there is stored 4 million liters of wine! And the cost of some bottles is 200 thousand hryvnia – says Mysechko. – I was there for one tasting and learned that 10% are Ukrainians. We just diligently and smiling, and the customers like it when beautiful people tell them about the fault”.
However, in the tasting room Alina’t earned anything – everything is strictly to get paid, you need to work 8-hour shift. But at a wine festival where Mysechko worked as an assistant sommelier, she got as many as 40 euros (1136 UAH) and the respect of colleagues. Alina so professionally told me about the wine that it even tried to lure competitors.
Porto – a city of beaches and surfers. The journalist managed to work in a surf shop and even did the washing wetsuits. For a change got 20 euros (568 UAH).
“Portugal is not a country where you need to go for the money. If in the same Brussels, the minimum salary is 1500 Euro (UAH 34080), here is just 570 euros (UAH 16200). And average earnings “guest workers” – 900 Euro (25560 UAH). But life in Portugal is very bright and interesting, the people are fun and colorful, the weather is beautiful, – says Alina. – I think that the ideal option is to buy tickets for low-cost 17 Euro and take a trip down to Portugal, to, for example, to study there to surf. A parallel to earn money, in order to recapture the costs of the trip.”
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