Sojourners in Macau: blurring binaries of home/away and work/leisure

Abstract

Since the theoretical lens of lifestyle mobilities was introduced, there has been a growing interest in the role of mobility in weakening rigid binaries such as home/away and work/leisure. This article draws on this theoretical perspective to explore how sojourners in Macau blur spatial and temporal binaries in their adaptation to their new and temporary situation. Individual thematic interviews with 17 sojourners were conducted, revealing their choice of lifestyle as regards home/away and work/leisure patterns. Theoretically, the study demonstrates how once distinct spheres of social life such as ‘home, ‘away’, ‘work’, and ‘leisure’ are now highly integrated. Sojourners keep a sense of being ‘at home’ through upholding their habitual routine; simultaneously, they feel ‘away from home’ by partly adopting a local lifestyle and exploiting the sightseeing and tourism opportunities. Yet long working hours can highly restrict leisure and in particular tourism activities. Empirically, this study documents different types of lifestyles among Macau sojourners ranging from selective mobilisation of the local resources into a lifestyle attuned to their new temporary circumstances to almost exclusive concentration on work and cultural indifference to the new environment and the opportunities it offers.