Migrant Journeys: NZ Taxi drivers tell their stories

By: Adrienne Jansen and Liz Grant
Location: NF 920 JAN
Genre: As real as you can get Kiwi stories

I loved this book. I loved how I could connect to a story of me sitting in a taxi from the airport to my destination- knowing that my driver had a story, a journey and wanting to ask, but never knowing if I should.
Still don't know after reading this book- if I should.
They get sick of the question " so where are you from?" But it seems such a good question to ask. But maybe the answers are to hard, to awkward or to personal.
Cambodia and the Killing Fields
Iraq and the war
Serbia and the genocide
Afghanistan as refugees!
These are the stories of our taxi drivers, talented, intelligent, qualified, hard working now kiwis that have hopes and dreams, for themselves but more drivenly- for their kids. Why are so many of them taxi drivers when they could be my doctor, or my accountant? What is NZ really like- what are traditional kiwis really like, especially boozed ones? Are we all hidden racists and is that divulged when the booze kicks in? Can we be proud as a nation of how we care for and nurture our immigrant populations? Are we truly good to them, do we care if we are?
I read, I thought, I mulled, and I was convicted!
Today I fly to Christchurch- I may need a taxi- what will our conversation be? How brave will we both be to share our journeys?
Great book, great stories and this to me is why we write!
Thanks!