This was all over the news last night. Wang Xue-feng, a former DPP lawmaker whom I still remember from 6 or 7 years ago, is now collecting recyclable trash with her husband to make a living. She graduated from NTU with a law degree and went on to get a graduate degree from Cornell before entering Taiwan politics and was considered a rising star in the DPP. But last night on TV she looked aged with her gray hair and crow’s-feet, a stark contrast to the youthful vibrant image she projected during her glorious days in the legislature just a few years ago. It’s quite a harrowing tale. It seems career politicians in Taiwan have one of the least stable jobs. Very sad.
NTU and grad degree from Cornell and all she can do is this? Surely there must be something out there for her?
No, I don’t believe much of that media broadcast, sensationalism.
When asked about why her hair had some grey she said that was fine as she is older and she thinks it suits her. She was quite happy in her replies. She has crow feet because she is 40 something, big deal. My wife mentioned that she had had a brain tumour removed too. Perhaps she cannot take a job now because cancer drugs can affect your brain performance let alone surgery. Plus not easy to get a job when you are sick anywhere let alone Taiwan.
My impression from the interview was she was quite happy in her new life…Taiwanese TV!
I agree. If that’s the best she can do with an NTU law degree and a graduate degree from Cornell, she must have issues such as alcoholism, mental illness, etc., or she just likes scavenging for a living. Otherwise, there surely must be much easier/better paying jobs available for someone of her apparent qualifications. It seems to be more a story about one woman down on her luck than a reflection on the general economy.
Or maybe this is just a rare case of a lawyer getting a conscience and realizing that collecting recycleable rubbish is of far greater use to society? 
Sorry, I had to.
Would not surprise me at all if it’s some kind of political publicity stunt.
Supposedly the one one my block has two cars and pulls in 100k a month.
Guys, on camera, she insisted that she was a volunteer. She had a small business for a while, selling goat meat dishes, but eventually had to close. Her Grandma says she is having a hard time economically but it is her recycling.
She is not orquestrating this “publicity stunt”. You know which side teh press is taking, and it is not hers.
And about her crowfeet and stuff, recently they had an special about the cost of plastic surgery and Botox treatments for current lawmakers… It takes $$$ to look young, but mostly, these guys do it for PR. She’s no longer a legislator, she’s no longer in the spotlight, no need to avoid aging gracefully and naturally -especially, since cancer puts things like vanity into perspective.
The 婆婆 mentioned in the story is her mother-in-law, not her grandma. 
The one I have says po-po only. 
Anyways, la venerable anciana (respected elder) says that it is her stuff, and she states she is angry with the press. (the older lady, not teh younger one)