Jul 16 2007
land of the free….and all that jazz
There were two songs suggested in the title-points if anyone can name them both. After working since the beginning of July, i took today off — for some rest, and decompression. The last two weeks–preceeding the Pakistani group’s arrival followed by the frenzy that has followed–has been wonderful, if a bit overwhelming. The intesnsity of this institute can be the cause of burnout if some rest isnt taken, and im hopeful to say that everyone is doing great. Like i said–i took today off, and spent some money on things i needed and a few things i wanted. The point of my post is really about money. Before everyone’s arrival, i did a quick search to see what the currency of Pakistan was, and what the current exchange rate was. The Pakistani Rupee is going for about 60 rupees for one dollar.
Americans migt not blink at this — keeping in mind that the United States is renoun for a strong economy, and is what some people describe using the World Systems Theory as a Core country, while Pakistan might be considered closer to Semi-Periphery. What is most interesting to my mind — after realizing that 60 Rupees make up 1 dollar — is cost of living. American Minimum Wage is currently set at $5.15 per hour. Meaning the least anyone can be paid in the united states for a job is that amount. For a 40 hour work week (which isnt garunteed anywhere…but we’ll use it for sake of conversation) meaning $206 per week before taxes. Depending on a lot of things, i suppose (im not an economist, im guessing) about thirty dollars will be taken out for taxes leaving (for round numbers) say… $170 dollars. Or 10,200 rupees. The person making minimum wage for the fifty two weeks a year will make $8,840 before taxes or…. 530,400rupees Economists (and others) offer up a different number to go by — that of Living Wage .
For this area in Northern New Hampshire living wage is something to the tune of $14 per hour. Meaning (here comes the math again) $560 per week before taxes….$29,120 per year or…. 33,600 ruppees a month…1,747,200 rupees a year. At this point, most readers are probably saying, “okay – what’s your point?” and this is the highlight (and reasoning) of this post: cost of living and difference in economies. In Pakistan, im told, a well-paid person working in the public sector might make as much at $300 a month – or 18,000 rupees (i wont do the rest of the math out…but you follow the idea) and this is considered a very good salary.
The second major difference (or perhaps difference in this area of the country rather than others) is manual labor. For people in this area–labor isnt cheap. Construction workers are paid well, given benefits, and it’s not a bad kind of job. Human labor in Pakistan is a different reality. From what ive been told, Maids, Cooks, Drivers, etc are common place. Some of the wealthier families might have had families serve them for generations. The going rate? 2,000 rupees a month or – $33 a month… To put things in some more perspective for me (and perhaps for the reader as well)…my job as a Community Advisor to the Pakistanis Educational Leadership Institute might be somewhere in the nighborhood of what said Maid makes in six years.
There is, of course, the difference in cost of items — things in Pakistan are cheaper than they are here — goods are significantly cheaper, and socially things are very different, but today – as i spent a fair amount by even American standards…i stop and think about the rest of the world.
Sincerely,
Sean
p.s. if somewhere along the lines ive missed something: miscalculated, misheard or understood — leave me a comment. This post is not intended to act as any sort of judgement of any political system or economic system so much as to show the perspective between the two and another revelation ive seen since joining the team.
