Story
Growing pains
2016 國家地理攝影 銀獎
陣痛期
2015夏天，我身處在巨大的鐵皮烤箱內，悶濕炙熱的環境、超長的工時、低廉的工資，對於身處在相對優渥背景長大的我來說，這裡的一切都是那麼的不可理喻。
隨著時間流動，高溫與吵雜所帶來生理上的不適逐漸蔓延全身，思緒也開始打結。混亂中，望著眼前這群與自己並無二樣的人們，時間彷彿被定格了。
我試問自己：「為何他們所面對的人生與我有如此大的落差？」
With average temperature stays above 38 degree celsius in summer, the work environment here can be excruciatingly humid and steamy.
Families and the love one are often at the other end of the line during the break time, which is extremely valuable to Myanmar‘s labor force.
In Myanmar, 89% of the population practice Buddhism, Buddha's teaching is rooted in their everyday lives.
Images of Buddha were interspersed among the factory, perhaps the peaceful gaze showed from Buddha's eyes was the salvation that hard life people had long been yearning for.
Most of the male population are crazy about football and good at it. During the 15 minutes break time, some gathered to play football, a wicker replica with the size less than two-third of regular football.
In Myanmar, each worker works at least 12 hours a day and earns the monthly income of merely 90 US dollars.
The factory produces approximately 30,000 pairs of cloths a day. All are shipped to Germany for sale.
The cost of a coat made by the workers is more than their monthly salary.
End-of-shift bell rang, workers swiftly leaves the factory. They pass me, like ghosts.
Deep into the night, workers cram the bus like a can of sardines. The end of a typical day.
如同2、30年前工廠林立的台灣，到80年代中期撤資轉戰中國大陸；直至近來蔡英文總統提出的新南進政策，東協各國也陸續地敞開了大門，用豐沛和低廉的人力換取經濟成長。緬甸雖不同於鄰近的越南、泰國，擁有穩定的政局和外資，但這波社會轉型的浪潮並無分別心，也將緬甸捲入了全球化的大洋中。
在資本體制的巨輪運作下，用最少的成本來達到最高的經濟效益，使得富商大賈們紛紛尋找如過往非洲大陸般的處女地來開發（剝削），時至今日雖已不同以往的蠻橫暴力，但本質上的巧取豪奪仍是不變的手段。
或許外資這雙手的介入，是推動開發中國家經濟的一劑強心針，先進國家的外資注入，沸騰了經濟的發展，但縱觀歷史的脈絡，這層主從關係的弱勢方，必須得忍辱負重的熬過這必要之惡的成長痛，才得以有機會翻身。
彼時台灣的環境與緬甸現況有幾分雷同，但承賴在長輩福蔭下的我，此時卻能癱坐在沙發上敲打鍵盤，整理著一年多前的緬甸之旅，父執輩所撐起的台灣奇蹟或許也是緬甸未來的縮影吧。
我想此時此刻工廠裡的那些人們仍在賣力的工作，而這份揮灑血汗的努力，無不是為了更好的明天。或許相信這些種種的不公，只是社會成長轉型的陣痛期，也是為了下一代更好的未來所肩起的擔子，就可以更淡然地正視他們辛勤的身影了。