Wanted: Foreigner for Hire

Text by Lena Gidwani Translation by Emma Xu Illustration by Liu Tian

Wanted: Foreigner for Hire

Text by Lena Gidwani Translation by Emma Xu Illustration by Liu Tian

COLUMNIST'S PROFILELena Gidwani is a resident of Guangzhou for 13 years, selfconfessed networker, magazine editor and an avid writer.Lena Gidwani，网络工作者、杂志编辑、作家，在广州居住13年。

l'm going to let you in on a little secret. Well, maybe not a secret, more like a well-kept, surreptitious truth.

Way back in the day when we didn't have iPhones or WeChat, l used to be a television anchor. Not just any TV anchor, but the foreign, female face of the nowdefunct Guangzhou English Channel. Back in the day, it wasn't exactly a common profession, and l take pride in admitting that at one stage, l enjoyed some level of celebrity status and even signed an autograph or ten. At the height of the Channel's popularity, l had constant offers to open factories, emcee events or just turn up and mingle, in return for cash, designer clothes and even jewellery. See, l had long brown hair, looked a little more exotic than your regular Jane, and of course, l spoke perfectly neutral English, a rare commodity back then. l never said yes though, for any work outside of the Channel was a clear breach of contract, and l knew better.

Fast forward a decade and a bit, and well, things are a little different. Barely anyone l know watches local TV these days, almost everyone speaks English and foreigners can be seen dime a dozen in various industries and professions that run the gamut, from Guilin to Guangzhou. And the honest truth? l will admit that l've now put on a teensy bit of weight after having two children, and we all know that the camera adds ten pounds.

So when l came across US fi lmmaker and director David Borenstein's award-winning documentary, aptly titled 'Dream Empire', l was gripped, enthralled to say the least. Focusing on the highly lucrative business of engaging foreigners to pose as celebrities, VlPs, employees or business partner to attract real estate buyers, boost sales or just mingle, Borenstein touches on a topic that unearths what we all know so well; the use of foreigner star power to make a sale, rake in quick cash and well, save face. These days it tends to occur more discreetly in small third and fourth-tier cities or small towns where mostly only locals can be seen and foreigners are still considered a rarity. Truth be told, the fi lm stuck a chord, taking me back to my youth where 'rent a foreigner' jobs such as these were highly commonplace, even in the big cities. And absurd as this phenomenon may sound now, the documentary chronicles one of the most critical issues of our time that we are all too aware of but afraid to ask; is this an idiosyncrasy that is unique to China, or a sign of history repeating itself?

l'll leave you to ponder upon this age-old question, whilst l reminisce about what may have been had l taken up their many offers to just be a foreign face in a country that has embraced me like no other……

出租洋面孔

最近，纪录片《梦想帝国》突然火了。这让我想起一段往事。

在没有智能手机的年代，我曾当过广州英语频道的主持人。那时，我站在台上，骄傲感油然而生，享受着名人般的待遇。节目最红火时，我接到源源不断的高报酬兼职邀约。一头棕色长发为我增添了异域风情，一口纯正英语更让我脱颖而出。但我不想违约，从没答应。

十年前，一切变了。会说英语不再稀奇，各行各业的外国人也如雨后春笋。

《梦想帝国》聚焦暴利的外国人雇佣行业，曝光了在华外籍人士周知的秘密。片中的外国雇员扮作名人、合作方吸引房地产买家、拉动销售。如今，三、四线城市重蹈覆辙，那里的外国人仍然罕有。我产生了强烈共鸣，仿佛回到那段“出租洋人”在大城市里随处可见的时光。《梦想帝国》记录的讽刺主题，我们心知肚明，却缺乏刨根问底的勇气。这难道只是中国的特色，抑或是历史的重复？

大家不妨沉下心想想。我也不禁自问，若当初接受兼职邀约，在这宽厚待我的国度出卖了洋人面孔，会如何？