Beijia GeB次元官网网址檚 work duties change on an hourly basis.
The Kingston, Ont., resident might be chatting with Chinese students about their secrets and challenges, or helping someone pack a suitcase, or baking cakes with a senior citizen.
B次元官网网址淚f you are alone on your birthday but still want someone to sing birthday songs or take photos for you, I am here for you. If you are sick and need company, I am here for you,B次元官网网址� read GeB次元官网网址檚 ads in Chinese on social media.
Ge, 38, is part of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 companionship industry that is growing among the Chinese diaspora.
Dozens of people are offering rent-a-friend services on Xiaohongshu, a social media platform also known as Little Red Book or ChinaB次元官网网址檚 Instagram, in cities including Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto.
Sociologists and other experts suggest the phenomenon of paid companionship is due in part to a sense of isolation among some new immigrants.
Ge charges about $20 an hour. SheB次元官网网址檚 not a professional therapist, but sheB次元官网网址檚 surprised how easily clients open up and share their vulnerabilities with her.
B次元官网网址淥ne of the students felt helpless since her parents forced her to pursue a major she hates, she didnB次元官网网址檛 do well at school and she felt scared to let her parents know about her struggles,B次元官网网址� said Ge in an interview in Mandarin.
She added that some conversations with her clients left very emotional.
B次元官网网址淐ompanionship can help people vent out their negative thoughts and release stress, and they donB次元官网网址檛 need to worry about being judged since I am a stranger,B次元官网网址� said Ge, B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just like writing in a diary.B次元官网网址�
Qian Liu, an assistant professor in the department of sociology at the University of Calgary, said the companionship economy has been an emerging trend in China, associated with isolation and loneliness in its cities, as well as social stigmas attached to mental health in East Asia.
Liu said Chinese immigrants B次元官网网址渉eavily relyB次元官网网址� on Chinese social media for information, so itB次元官网网址檚 not surprising the same social phenomenon is emerging in diaspora communities.
Liu said B次元官网网址渓oneliness, isolation, and the lack of a sense of belongingB次元官网网址� are key issues in her research with Chinese-speaking immigrants.
But other factors could be high living costs in Canadian cities, encouraging Chinese immigrants to get creative about making money, while some may see it B次元官网网址渁s a way to be connected with their communities.B次元官网网址�
Zed Zhipeng Gao, an assistant professor of psychology at the American University of Paris, said most people who use companionship services are new immigrants who donB次元官网网址檛 have an existing social network in Canada, and linguistic or cultural barriers can make their lives difficult.
Gao, who lived in Toronto for two years and Vancouver for 12,said in Asian culture, seeking counselling for mental health was associated with social stigma. Companionship services could be filling the gap, he said.
B次元官网网址楢 SENSE OF EMPTINESSB次元官网网址�
Carolina Hu, 37, from Richmond, B.C., has been providing companionship services for several months.
She says sheB次元官网网址檚 frequently hired by Chinese-speaking newcomers to explore Richmond and Vancouver to get a taste of living in Canada.
Most recently, she has been hired as a shopping buddy.
Hu, who charges about $40 per hour, said newcomers can feel hesitant about exploring their cities due to the language barrier, and companionship services B次元官网网址渉elp them have a smooth transition to the local society.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淢any newcomers didnB次元官网网址檛 know where to find their community, but spending time with them to walk around their neighborhood and share my immigration journey with them can bring them a sense of belonging and comfort,B次元官网网址� Hu said in Mandarin.
The mother of two sons said she loves her part-time job because of it is a flexible schedule.
B次元官网网址淢any immigrants feel a sense of emptiness after moving to a new country, and they feel very lonely,B次元官网网址� said Hu, B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 also difficult for them to share struggles with their old friends back in their hometown.B次元官网网址�
Liu said this was another factor in the appeal of paid companionship B次元官网网址� some immigrants feel reluctant to complain to family and friends in home countries who think they are B次元官网网址渉aving great lives in Canada.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚n a sense, this could be about saving face,B次元官网网址� said Liu, B次元官网网址淚n other words, it does not necessarily mean that they trust strangers more than close friends and family members.B次元官网网址�
Sharing secrets and struggles with people outside their network may not have as much impact on their everyday lives and reputations, said Liu.
David Li, 24, is new to the companionship industry. Unlike Ge and Hu, he offers only one service B次元官网网址� Li accompanies people on hikes.
B次元官网网址淧ersonal introduction: I am a Leo man, I am five-feet and 10-inches tall and my weight is 85 kilograms. I hold a field leader hike certification, and I have been to Golden Ears, Tricouni Peak, Mount MacFarlane, and many other famous hiking spots in B.C.,B次元官网网址� his social media ads read.
He offers to help carry a backpack during hikes, but B次元官网网址減lease donB次元官网网址檛 make it ridiculously heavy.B次元官网网址�
Li, from Richmond, B.C., has a full-time job with a company that builds medical gas pipeline systems. In his spare time, he charges about $400 for eight hours of hiking.
He wants to be more than just a paid guide though. Li said he wants to find friends to explore nature.
B次元官网网址淚 believe going on a hike with like-minded people is good for mental health,B次元官网网址� Li said in an interview in Mandarin. B次元官网网址淚f clients feel a bit emotional and lonely, I hope they can feel more uplifted through my company.B次元官网网址�
As the companionship industry grows, safety issues and other concerns are emerging.
Ge said she only accepts female clients for security reasons, while Hu said she only welcomes female and family clients. Both avoid going out at night.
Li said many B次元官网网址渟cammersB次元官网网址� had reached out to him via his ads.
One person who spoke to The Canadian Press about their companionship services declined to be named B次元官网网址� because they worried about being flagged by the Canada Revenue Agency for being paid under the table.
Gao, at American University, said he could see the B次元官网网址渧ersatileB次元官网网址� companionship industry meets many diverse needs, but he worries about the safety of those who offer the services.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a labour issue, thereB次元官网网址檚 a legal issue, thereB次元官网网址檚 taxation, thereB次元官网网址檚 work safety,B次元官网网址� said Gao.
He said companionship services canB次元官网网址檛 solve societal problems with loneliness, and ideally the government would provide more supportive programs for immigrants, such as launching more associations and clubs.
Liu agreed, saying her ongoing research had found many Mandarin-speaking immigrants in Alberta went to a church to find people who shared cultural roots with them B次元官网网址� sometimes B次元官网网址渘ot for religious purposes but for a sense of community and support.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭he thing about going to church is that there is very limited support for Chinese immigrants, especially newcomers, in Canadian society in general.B次元官网网址� said Liu, B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 why they must find support and sense of belonging that way.B次元官网网址�
Ge said that among all the types of companionship she offered, the most enjoyable was spending time with seniors, since B次元官网网址渋tB次元官网网址檚 so easy to make them smileB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址渢hey always speak simple words of wisdom.B次元官网网址�
Mostly, sheB次元官网网址檚 paid by their relatives.
B次元官网网址淚 have also accompanied some seniors to go to their dentistsB次元官网网址� appointments since their children are busy and the seniors donB次元官网网址檛 speak English,B次元官网网址� said Ge.
But often Ge simply listens to their stories about their lives, or neighbourhood gossip. Sometimes they just watch TV together.
Ge has racked up hundreds of hours of paid companionship with strangers since launching her business in March.
But soon sheB次元官网网址檒l be putting it on hold to head back to China, to spend more time with her own 83-year-old grandmother. They already spend hours on video calls every day, but time together in person is different, said Ge.
B次元官网网址淪ometimes you settle down in a place for someone you care about. For me, the most important person in the world is my grandmother, and now I just want to spend time with her,B次元官网网址� said Ge.
