4 ms·

Your argument seems to have been that any domestic work requires a work visa. Is your argument now that if you do domestic work for a friend then it doesn't co

Your argument seems to have been that any domestic work requires a work visa. Is your argument now that if you do domestic work for a friend then it doesn't count as work? How well do you need to know someone before they are no longer a stranger? You seems to suggest that since "work was integral to her plan", then if work was not integral to her plan, for example, if she could afford to pay for a hotel every night, but wanted the experience of living with an American family, including helping with domestic chores, then you think that sort of unpaid domestic labor would be okay? I ask because I'm struggling to understand why you emphasize the nature of the work, when you seem to think that identical domestic work for other reasons is okay.

rahimnathwani 2y ago
I ask because I'm struggling to understand why you emphasize the nature of the work Perhaps that's because I'm not emphasizing the nature of the work? See my earlier comment at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43479178 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43479178: What is special about the nature of the work (domestic chores)? Would you see things differently if she were working as a barista or doing a bit of coding in return for accommodation? If so, why?
- eesmith 2y ago
  "she just did chores" is an expression that some sorts of domestic work is below a reasonable de minimis threshold. You seem to think there is no de minimis threshold. I can't tell if that's because it's specifically domestic work that makes you think that, which is why I gave an example of teaching you Python generators in exchange for a place to crash while I visit the US.
  - rahimnathwani 2y ago
    There are not many families who would let a stranger stay in their home in return for a 'de minimis' amount of work, whether that's teaching python generators or cleaning. It might take you two hours to teach me python generators. That's not enough to convince me to let a stranger stay at my place for a week.
    - eesmith 2y ago
      Umm, surely you've heard of exchange students, right? Foreign student comes, stays with a family for a semester or school year. Helps with the chores. We had exchange students in our school. There's also sites for people who want to host foreign visitors. https://justlikehome.com/become-a-host/ https://justlikehome.com/become-a-host/ > Our homestay program is designed exclusively for our international visitors. Hosting international visitors is the best way to experience the world without leaving your home! Hosting provides families with the unique opportunity to share their cultures and learn about different cultures, all while being in the comfort of their own homes. https://www.workaway.info/en/hosttype/family https://www.workaway.info/en/hosttype/family > With Workaway you can find 14136 local hosts and families for volunteering around the world. Low cost immersive travel without having to pay expensive agency fees. The entire idea of couchsurfing is that people will let strangers into their home. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CouchSurfing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CouchSurfing > The idea arose after Fenton found a cheap flight from Boston to Iceland but did not have lodging. Fenton hacked into a database of the University of Iceland and randomly e-mailed 1,500 students asking for a homestay. He received between 50 and 100 offers and chose to stay at the home of an Icelandic rhythm and blues singer. CouchSurfing is the real sharing economy, not the BS that Airbnb pushes. Don't look only to your own feelings to deny what other people clearly do.
      - rahimnathwani 2y ago
        There's also sites for people who want to host foreign visitors. https://justlikehome.com/become-a-host/ From that site: Your homestay participant pays Just Like Home for each four-week stay at the beginning of each cycle. The host family is paid for the four week stay at the end of the first week of the stay. If either party is not satisfied with the match, the host family must refund the unused portion of the homestay fee. With Workaway you can find 14136 local hosts and families for volunteering around the world. That site is for people who are willing to work for 16 to 20 hours per week. That is way beyond 'a few chores': Hosts generally are asked to provide accommodation and food in exchange for help from Workawayers of around 4-5 hours per day 5 days a week.

rahimnathwani 2y ago

I ask because I'm struggling to understand why you emphasize the nature of the work Perhaps that's because I'm not emphasizing the nature of the work? See my earlier comment at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43479178 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43479178: What is special about the nature of the work (domestic chores)? Would you see things differently if she were working as a barista or doing a bit of coding in return for accommodation? If so, why?

eesmith 2y ago
"she just did chores" is an expression that some sorts of domestic work is below a reasonable de minimis threshold. You seem to think there is no de minimis threshold. I can't tell if that's because it's specifically domestic work that makes you think that, which is why I gave an example of teaching you Python generators in exchange for a place to crash while I visit the US.
- rahimnathwani 2y ago
  There are not many families who would let a stranger stay in their home in return for a 'de minimis' amount of work, whether that's teaching python generators or cleaning. It might take you two hours to teach me python generators. That's not enough to convince me to let a stranger stay at my place for a week.
  - eesmith 2y ago
    Umm, surely you've heard of exchange students, right? Foreign student comes, stays with a family for a semester or school year. Helps with the chores. We had exchange students in our school. There's also sites for people who want to host foreign visitors. https://justlikehome.com/become-a-host/ https://justlikehome.com/become-a-host/ > Our homestay program is designed exclusively for our international visitors. Hosting international visitors is the best way to experience the world without leaving your home! Hosting provides families with the unique opportunity to share their cultures and learn about different cultures, all while being in the comfort of their own homes. https://www.workaway.info/en/hosttype/family https://www.workaway.info/en/hosttype/family > With Workaway you can find 14136 local hosts and families for volunteering around the world. Low cost immersive travel without having to pay expensive agency fees. The entire idea of couchsurfing is that people will let strangers into their home. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CouchSurfing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CouchSurfing > The idea arose after Fenton found a cheap flight from Boston to Iceland but did not have lodging. Fenton hacked into a database of the University of Iceland and randomly e-mailed 1,500 students asking for a homestay. He received between 50 and 100 offers and chose to stay at the home of an Icelandic rhythm and blues singer. CouchSurfing is the real sharing economy, not the BS that Airbnb pushes. Don't look only to your own feelings to deny what other people clearly do.
    - rahimnathwani 2y ago
      There's also sites for people who want to host foreign visitors. https://justlikehome.com/become-a-host/ From that site: Your homestay participant pays Just Like Home for each four-week stay at the beginning of each cycle. The host family is paid for the four week stay at the end of the first week of the stay. If either party is not satisfied with the match, the host family must refund the unused portion of the homestay fee. With Workaway you can find 14136 local hosts and families for volunteering around the world. That site is for people who are willing to work for 16 to 20 hours per week. That is way beyond 'a few chores': Hosts generally are asked to provide accommodation and food in exchange for help from Workawayers of around 4-5 hours per day 5 days a week.