Xiao Fei, 20; Hunan province, China

[MarrickG]

HUNAN is a rice-growing province in China. My family are rice farmers and life is very hard because we don't earn a lot of money.

When I finished my basic schooling, my parents told me to look for a job because they could not afford to further my education. I tried working at a factory but the hours were long and the pay was low.

I had a boyfriend who also worked in the same factory and he didn't earn much either. I broke up with him after discovering that he was cheating on me. I met several friends and was curious at the amount of cash they had, because we all came from the same background.

They took me out for a day and I felt self-conscious because I was wearing ordinary clothes while they were in stylish branded clothes.

I asked them what they did for a living. They didn't want to tell me at first, but it turned out that they had worked in Malaysia for a month and earned as much as RM10,000 before returning to China.

I asked them to tell me more and was shocked when they said they worked as prostitutes. But they seemed at ease with themselves despite sleeping with men for money.

I was disgusted at first, but it slowly faded as I thought about the low pay at the factory.

Last year, I came to Malaysia with those friends. After getting a one-month social visit visa, I looked for a place to stay while my friends made arrangements for me to work at a karaoke outlet as a guest relations officer.

It was awkward in the beginning. I did not know what to do. But it became easier as I learned to converse with my customers -- and the art of bargaining.

Unlike my friends, I am quite choosy about who I go to bed with. I have the luxury of choosing who I fancy, and I earn between RM300 (S$124) and RM500 (S$206) a night, not including tips and commission I receive from the karaoke outlet.

When my visa expired, I had earned nearly RM9,000 and decided to go back to China. I gave some money to my parents and went on a shopping binge. It was heavenly to be able to buy whatever I liked without having to think about the price. I bought clothes and bags for myself and presents for my parents.

The second time I came to Malaysia, I obtained a visa for a longer stay. This time, I was fortunate to be booked by a customer who provided a place for me to stay and gave me an allowance of RM2,000 a month.

The relationship lasted about six months. But life went on as usual for me after that. I'm only interested in the money. I will not be 20 years old forever.

-New Straits Times