270 Days of Two Balinese Girls

By Ershisan

Night draws its curtain over Dazhi Road in Wuhan.

Lights are lit. In restaurants,steam rises from hot pots and the windows fog. Pedestrians walk fast, echoed by the track sounds of the light rail above their heads.

At 7 pm, Ayu and Minie get ready for their busiest time of the day. It is when customers start to come.

4339 km away, their hometown of Bali, known as the “island of heaven,” is in its rainy season,with an average temperature of 27 degrees C.

They have been in Wuhan now for 9 months. In these 9 months,their 110 sqm Spa located in an apartment building summarizes the life of these two girls’ abroad.

The whole company consists of Ayu and Minie, the two masseuses, a receptionist, and a dog named Diandian. Maybe because the Spa is located inside a building, the boss doesn’t bother to promote the business, and it is running just OK.

Ayu and Minie are typical of the Indonesian ethnicity. Their eyes sink deep and are close to each other, and their skin is yellowish brown. At first glance, Chinese people would immediately know they are from Southeast Asia.

The dark blue uniforms are quite washed but still neat and decent. They wear simple makeup and have warm smiles.

Ayu in Indonesian means beauty. Looking bourgeoisie but bohemian inside, Ayu is 37 years old and single. Minie is 38 years old and has a happy family. Her daughter is in high school. Minie has an air of peaceful joy, as if troubles are always thousands of miles away from her.

Apart from the receptionist they see every day, they don’t really have any other friends and they don’t speak a single Chinese word. Their life far away from home repeats itself nearly every day in Wuhan.

Burning incense and praying are of the utmost importance every morning for them. Bali is inhabited predominantly by Hindus. As pious believers,praying is as important as eating and sleeping. Religion is deeply rooted in their blood.

Ayu (left) and Minie (right)

故乡在4339公里之外，武汉大智路上，两个巴厘岛姑娘和她们的270个日夜 。

夜幕降临武汉大智路。

鳞次栉比的灯火如约而至，路边火锅店里氤氲缭绕，玻璃上都是白茫茫的雾气。行人伴着头顶呼啸而过的轻轨哐当声，步履匆匆。

晚上7点，Ayu和Minie迎来一天中最繁忙的时刻，客人们纷至沓来。

而距离她们4339公里，有着“天堂之岛”美称的故乡巴厘岛，此时正是潮湿闷热的雨季，平均气温27度。

这是Ayu和Minie离开故乡来到武汉的第九个月。

过去的九个月，这家隐于公寓楼内，不足110平米的Spa（水疗）馆几乎囊括她们在异国全部的生活。

Ayu、Minie两位技师，加上一位前台小姑娘和一只名叫点点的小狗，便构成全部的人员。也许因为是楼中店，老板无意宣传的缘故，Spa馆的生意一直不温不火。

Ayu和Minie有着典型的印尼人面孔。深深的眼窝配上沉重的双眼皮，眼距较近，黄黑皮肤。乍一看便会暗自猜测她们是南洋人。

深蓝的工作服领口已经洗得有些旧，但仍是齐齐整整，看上去干净体面。淡妆的脸上也总是一抹和煦的笑意。

Ayu在印尼语里被赋予“美丽”的期许。外表布尔乔亚、内心波西米亚的Ayu今年37岁，还没有结婚。Minie38岁，有一个美满的家庭，女儿正读高中，身上总散发着一种平和的气质，烦恼似乎离她几万公里。

除了朝夕相处的前台小姑娘，她们没有结识新朋友，更不会说中文。她俩远离故土在武汉的生活，也近乎雷同的一成不变。

焚香、祈祷是她们每天清晨的头等大事。巴厘岛原住民大都信奉印度教。作为虔诚的教徒，祈祷仪式几乎和吃饭睡觉一般深刻流淌在她们血液之中。

祈祷完毕，便是早饭时间，前台小姑娘给她们带来热干面。天下主食是一家。习惯于各种米饭当早餐的巴厘岛住民，适应起热干面来也顺风顺水。

每日例行的清扫完房间后，时针指向11点。

巧手的Minie会准备两人份的午餐，一般是一份清淡的蔬菜，两个水煮蛋和白米饭，两个人刚刚好。

工作日的下午常常没有客人。Ayu和Minie会用淘宝购物来打发时间。下午四点准时送到的两杯奶茶是难得的美好茶歇一刻。

工作中有时也难免遇到些小麻烦，比如偶尔遇到形容猥琐的中年男人，眼神油腻，举止轻浮。

最让Ayu和Minie费解的，莫过于中国客人的“手机依赖症”。哪怕在享受按摩的时候，双手仍然紧攥着手机一刻不闲。在她们的观念里，按摩的时候应该放松，去感受施加在身体上的力道，沉浸在舒缓的音乐和香氛里， 而不是分出一部分自己去沦为手机的奴仆。

工作之外，她们还有出乎意料的奇特放松方式，看电影《熊出没》。闲暇的时候她们也会跟店里的小狗“点点”玩一会儿。

晚上十点后是Ayu和Minie最期待的时刻，是雷打不动的和家人的通话时间。哪怕只是短信，或是微信视频聊天，都可以让她们心花灿烂，在异乡的漫长一天才不那么难熬。意犹未尽的通话结束后，收拾妥当，两人就在店里打地铺睡下。

一日加上一日，此时加上彼时，就是一世了。以后的事情她们是不太想的，从前也是。明天又是和今天别无二致的一天。

遇到难得的休息日里，步行逛街是她们一周中固定的节目。

遗憾的是由于语言不通，过去的270个日日夜夜，偌大的武汉，她们仅仅步行去过江汉路，打的去过一次菱角湖万达。哪怕离她们仅有2.1公里的江滩，也从未涉足。

Minie告诉我，旅游业盛行的巴厘岛上几乎没有公共交通。只有小摩托车和出租车。90%巴厘岛人会最终选择出外打工，散落在故乡外的其他地方。

After praying, it’s breakfast time. The receptionist will bring them noodles. Balinese usually have rice for breakfast and it didn’t take them too long to get used to eating noodles for a change.

As a routine, they have the room tidy and prepared by 11 am.

Minie will prepare lunch for the two of them, which usually contains a vegetable, two boiled eggs, and rice—just enough for them.

On weekday afternoons, the Spa is often not busy. Ayu and Minie shop online to kill time. At 4 pm, they have their afternoon break. Milk tea is delivered on time and they cherish their moments of rest.

Troubles, of course, happen at work. Occasionally, despicable men will check them out with filthy looks and frivolities.

But what Ayu and Minie can’t understand most is Chinese customers’ addiction to their mobile phones. Even during a massage, they have their phones in their hands and never stop using them. In their view,massage is for relaxation and to feel the pressure on the body while surrounded by soothing music and aromas.

When they are not working,they have an extraordinary way to relax. They watchBoonie Bears,they’re favorite show. Other times, they play with the dog Diandian.

The time Ayu and Minie most look forward to is after 10 pm—family time. They call, text, or video call their families every day. It is the happiest time for them and it is comforting after spending a long day in a foreign country. It’s not easy to hang up,as they have too much to talk about. But when they are finished,they shower, make their beds on the floor, and go to sleep.

Days go by. Life passes through their fingers. They don’t think too far ahead—to them, tomorrow is another day just like today.

On their days off during the week, their favorite activity is going shopping in the city center.They regret that due to the language barrier, in the 270 days they have spent in the large city of Wuhan, they had only walked to Jianghan Road or took a taxi to the Lingjiaohu Wanda Shopping Mall. They haven’t even gone to the river bank, which is only 2.1 km away from them.

Minie told me that on the busy,touristy island of Bali, there is almost no public transportation.Only scooters and taxies are available. 90% of Balinese choose to leave their hometown and find jobs elsewhere.

To get out is the only way to improve their future.

This is also why they paid about RMB 6,000 to study in the most prestigious spa school in Indonesia—Royal Heritage Spa.They learned anatomy and spa skills, earned their certifications,and found jobs overseas.

China wasn’t their first destination. In almost 16 years,they have worked in Turkey,Russia, and many other European and Middle Eastern countries.

Spending a long time in other countries taught them to be moderate. They maintain moderate friendliness and curiosity towards other people.Although far away from home, at least they make a decent living.This offers them more dignity and freedom than ever.

Ayu and Minie ran into this opportunity working in China by chance. Their now-employer was travelling in Indonesia in search of masseuses and happened to meet them. With a curiosity about China, they left their jobs in Eastern Europe, where they’d spent 4 years, and came to Wuhan through an agent.

It was as if switching a channel on the TV to them. Wuhan has a completely different view compared to Bali. It is much busier and more crowded. In the crowds, Ayu and Minie feel like they are invisible. This makes them feel comfortable and safe.

The most unforgettable experience for them was their first hot pot dinner their boss treated them to. The strong and familiar spicy taste brought them straight back to their home 4000 km away.

Ayu said that was the best dinner she has had in Wuhan.

As time goes on towards December, the Spa’s operation is coming to an end. They have a long way to go, but it doesn’t matter for them, as moving around is a part of their lives.

(Translation: Zhang Lei. Photos:Santa and the interviewees)

出路，出路。走出去才有路。

这也是为什么她们在全印尼最权威的Royal Heritage Spa学校，缴纳大约6000元人民币学习人体解剖学和Spa技巧，考取专业认证后，出国工作的原因。

中国并非她们的第一站。近十六年的工作经历里，她们的脚步遍布土耳其，俄罗斯还有欧洲和中东数个国家。

长时间异国他乡的漂泊，已经让她们褪变得清脆，饱满，对人群保持着适度的热情与好奇。虽然离开了家，但至少有一笔不菲的收入，这使她们比以往任何时候都能获得自尊，也更自由。

Ayu和Minie的中国打工之旅，源于岛上的一次偶然碰面。前去旅游的武汉雇主需要spa技师 ，又正好遇到她们。怀抱着对中国的好奇，没再返回工作4年的东欧，Ayu和Minie通过中介，来到武汉。

好像视网膜切换了频道，这里的颜色和画风和巴厘岛区别很大，更纷繁，更热闹。在这样的人群里，Ayu和Minie感觉到自己完全隐匿其中了，不仅体积小，外观也基本没太多特色。这种隐匿感让他们感到舒服，安全。

最令她们难忘的是初到武汉，老板请吃的一顿火锅。那个生猛而熟悉的辣味，直接把她们拉回到4000多公里外的故乡。

Ayu说那是她在武汉吃的最惬意的一顿饭。

随着12月过半，Spa馆的营业时间已经进入了倒计时。她俩还有更长的路要走。不过没关系，在她们看来，道路就是生活。

（图/santa及受访者）