Read more from Maurice Carlos Ruffin’s fiction piece, “John Henry on Canal Street” from our new print issue, Stranger’s Guide: The World at Work here: strangersguide.com/articles/…

‘Aw man!’ Kenan bangs the dashboard. There’s no way he can go home if this keeps up. Sameena wouldn’t shame him for being empty-handed. He’s hard enough on himself. If he has to stay up till dawn, that’s what he’ll do. Same as he has for the past week.”

It’s a hefty fee. And while Kenan feels slightly dirty to be so excited about making $100, that doesn’t stop his hand from flying to the ‘accept’ button. He can call it a night after a ride like that. But he’s not fast enough and the fare disappears.

Kenan would go to bed shivering and wake up in a sweat, the heavy white dog draped across his legs, a furry, dopey comforter. How he misses that mutt. Now, Kenan’s phone flickers and chimes. Another ride request. Despite himself, his eyes always zip straight to the dollar amount.

“Kenan’s life used to be different, easier. As an executive for the state’s largest hospital system, the money once slipped into his bank account like his fluffy childhood St. Bernard, Baron.

Explore the new guide, available now!

See photos and read selections from our new print issue, Stranger’s Guide: Work here: strangersguide.com/issue/wor… Subscribe to Stranger’s Guide to explore other themes and places such as Colonialism, Lagos, Tehran and more, through local storytelling that fosters global citizenship.

We also feature personal reflections on daily work from around the globe: a funeral reciter in Iran, a train conductor in Ukraine, an American Marine in Afghanistan and a bodyguard in Atlanta. Plus, an exclusive new piece of fiction by Maurice Carlos Ruffin.

The time we spend working is time spent serving, agonizing, creating, thinking and toiling. In the 22nd volume of Stranger’s Guide, you’ll find stunning photo essays from Nigeria, China, Venezuela, and New York—all exploring the theme of work and labor.

See photos from Taiwo Aina-Adeokun’s photo essay, “Game of Confidence” from our new print issue, Stranger’s Guide: The World at Work here: strangersguide.com/articles/…

The professional athlete is one such case." Taiwo Aina-Adeokun’s photo series, “Game of Confidence” showcases female boxers in Lagos, Nigeria—women who inhabit a sport still strongly associated with masculinity and physical dominance.

“Certain professions have traditionally been deemed unsuitable for women based on cultural expectations of femininity. Across Nigeria, where gender has long dictated the boundaries of possibility, women are stepping into roles historically reserved for men.

Photographer Vladimir Marcano documents a day in Martinez’s life behind the wheel of one of these aging giants.” See more photos from Vladimir Marcano’s photo essay “The Buses of Caracas” from our new print issue, Stranger’s Guide: The World at Work here: strangersguide.com/articles/…

Cipriano Martinez has been a bus driver for 30 years. He lives by himself in a rented room in Catia and eats most of his meals from a food stand near the garage before or after work. Every day, from 6am to 6pm, he drives a 1973 bus along the Magallanes de Catia-Chacaito route.

“The transportation system in Caracas, Venezuela is as anachronistic as it is resilient. Many buses in daily operation are 50 to 60 years old, and are primarily used by the city’s poorest residents, as the metro does not reach many low-income areas.

See more photos from Qiana Mestrich’s photo essay, “Women of Color in 9 to 5 America” from our new print issue, Stranger’s Guide: The World at Work here: strangersguide.com/articles/…

"For her, life in New York City as a Central American immigrant was feasible, promising and mostly exciting. At that time New York still resembled the glittery “big town” she’d seen in movies. The following photo essay draws on two series inspired by my mother’s life at work."

"I looked at the images and pored over every detail of this bygone era, wondering what it might be like if the movie 9 to 5 were remade with women of color? Originally from Panama, my mother migrated to New York City to pursue her dream of a new, American life."

“A few years ago I discovered a collection of vintage photos of my mother as a 'white-collar' office worker in New York City in the late 1960s."

Explore the new guide, available now here: strangersguide.com/issue/wor…