How Do Your Treat Your Maid?

It's that talk again on how foreign maids are treated in S'pore, splashing across the local papers. I don't have a maid in S'pore but I employed 4 while I was in Indonesia about 9 years ago.

The first maid was recommended by a neighbour. It's always easy to find maids in Indonesia. They are usually from the village. This first maid, she's about 18 years old. She was quite, hardly speaks. Anyway, I was speaking broken Bahasa Indonesia, so communication was sometimes through sign language or dictionary. She had her own room and personal space. I would do the shopping for food and would tell her what to cook for lunch/dinner. What was cooked, she would had a share, that means, what we ate, she's eating the same. Don't you think she's lucky? Most employer would only buy instant noodles and vegetables for them. I allowed her to cook what she wants to eat for breakfast, which usually would be bread. She didn't like it so I bought eggs for her to go with her noodles. When I told my husband collegue, he told me I was too kind to give her the luxury, especially the egg. To me, it's important to fed her well inorder she can carry her daily chore well. A hungry person is also an angry and emotional person. I don't want to be a victim, probably murder by my maid for so call ill treating her. A few cases of this happened. Sometimes, no matter how well you treat a person, that person may not appreciate. That's what happened to her. One fine day, she told me that she need to go out to develop a film. I allowed her an off-day on Saturday on alternate week. Well, she was out on Sat. and the next day, she was telling she needed to go out again. She showed me a roll of film, so I agreed since the shop is just about 5 mins walk from the house. She was wearing a long sleeve blouse and a long skirt when she left the house. I waited an hour, 2 hours and she did not come back. I told husband when he woke up and since we had arrangements to meet up some friends at the golf club, we left. The maid had no keys to the house (never allow them to hold any keys) and if she came back, she would have to wait till we come back which is in the evening. Throughout the whole day at the club, I was worrying if she would be sitting outside the gate waiting for us to return, the poor girl would be under the hot sun. When we reached home, no sight of her. Immediately my husband told me if she were to come back the next day or the next few days, do not allow her into the house, I wouls have to call him in the office. We waited for 2 days and no news of her. We were worried if she had met an accident or sometime happened. So we informed the person who recommended her to us. Then on Friday night, a couple came in a motobike and said the maid was with them. She was not feeling well and stayed at their place. This couple claimed they were her "kaka" ("kaka" means sister and it also means some sort of relative and they always call each other using this word). My husband told them that it's our responsibility to take care of her if she is sick and they should have took her back to us on that day she left. The couple could not really explain and we took them to take her back when she's feeling better. Two days later, she came back with the couple in the evening. I had a discussion with my husband that I would not take her back as she had no intentions to work with us. It was later that I found out how she fooled me with her words. I was surprised that she was wearing another set of clothes. That means when she left the house that day, she had wore another set of clothes under the long blouse/skirt. Well, that really fooled me too. I asked her to pack her things and we gave her an additional month's pay. The couple was begging us to take her back but we had to shut our doors. I found out from a friend the meaning of "tidak usa" which the maid always use whenever I told her to do something and the meaning was "not necessary." I don't check on her if she did her chore! So you see, this was how she repay me for the kindness we gave. I was a little disappointed and I told my husband I don't think I would want another maid. In Indonesia, the weather is so dry, the dust is really a problem. I used to mop the floor twice and the water in the pail is always black. Here you mop and within a few minutes, you'll feel the powdery dust on your feet. You need to keep the place clean, you'll have to employ maids in Indonesia. Their salary is low so most big household would employ at least two. After a month, I was so back strained that I had to ask for help again, employ another maid.... tbc

Where have the wind gone?

A few nights ago, I was sitting in the hall writing Jin Jin's blog. Through the windows, came the nice cooling breeze, blowing quite strongly. The feeling was good. Immediately, came the subject about life. I felt contented with what I have currently. I wouldn't know if I would feel differently next. I questioned "the wind." Why does this special wind gives me that feeling. When you are angry, didn't someone would say "cool it." Have you ever have the same feeling as me? At the seaside, the breeze would blow away all the problems/frustration that may have accumulated some days/weeks/years ago, at least for a while. Don't we all like to be at a place where there is wind/breeze blowing and the feeling is always good. If you are standing at the top of a mountain, don't you feel good with the wind blowing at your face/hair while you take in the breathe taking view in front of you. You are lost at that moment, forgetting all the true facts of life. Who doesn't like the gentle breeze during a hot day or even when we are preparing meals in the kitchen. It's hot facing the stove/oven, or running around doing our errands(not shopping ok). Isn't it wonderful what the wind can do? It can give you a good feeling or it can also destroy your life. Destroy your life, like Hurrican Katherina.... Which would you choose? I prefer to have my wind gentle, giving some breathing space from the daily chore. Thank you WIND!

Inspiration

I just went to our family friend blog www.taipingcoffee.blogspot.com and his latest posting is a poem which I enjoyed very much. He is really a good writer. I recommend you to visit him often to see his articles. He is a school mate of my husband while they were studying in Canada donkey years ago.

I'm watching America Idol and writing this at the same time (multi-task). Looking at these young singers with some powerful voice, why can our Singapore Idol stand on par? Those who watched our last show may noticed that most does not have the power/feeling to sing. They all sing with the same tone (can they be from the same singing school, I guess so). No true feelings and worse of all, good voice were voted off and good looking ones were kept until the last 3/4 contestant left. Anyway why bother if they can sing, as long as they look good on TV, there's always a chance to become famous and possible sign-on by TV Media or be spokesman for some branded product. This is one way of getting rich and famous easily without having a university degree to make a good living. So what's the in-thing now. Join all kinds of talent shows over the Chinese TV media and be seen. Hopefully that helps in securing a better life without going for further studies. Entry age for most of these shows are from secondary/jc group, so while study hard. Isn't it a better choice than to look at the books instead of enjoying the fame/money. Talk to the teenagers and see what's their view. For sure 90% will go for fame given the choice.

I managed to go into my other website: www.wowbloghead.blogspot.com which is dedicated to my little maltese name: Jin Jin. I only have 1 beautiful picture of her in a poka dot dress which I bought for her 2 years ago and she wore it during the Chinese New Year. Isn't she beautiful? She has lots of stories to tell and also more pictures to show once all downloads from the digital camera is done.

My girlfriend in New Zealand had reminded me about my blog so I have to write something to show her. Of course things of interest and happenings around S'pore so she can keep in touch with us. Also my personal thoughts about daily issues. But before I start I want to let other people know that this site is not talking about shopping, eating and holidaying. It's about how a housewife view her status at home and in the society. On channel 8, if I'm not mistaken there's this show called HDB TAITAI, which talks about latest fashion and good buys around town. Well this is not majority of us HDB tai2 are living each day. There's more to it and I will write soon. Talk about writing, it has to have that "feeling" to write the subject well.

Tremors from Indonesia

For the 1st time, today, I felt the earthquake tremors at home. At about 1150+am I was sitting at my work desk and my husband was about a metre away from me. We both heard the lion dance drum from the ground floor and at the same time felt the movement of the chairs we were sitting on. We both look at each other without speaking and thought that could the drums vibration from the lion dance be so strong that the ground shoke (we lived on the 7th floor). The tremors was quite strong and the next thing came to my mind was earthquake in Indonesia. I told my husband and he taught so too and at the same time I look at the fish tank. Saw the water moving and it lasted about 6secs. Immediately, I asked my husband to switch the TV to channel news asia. After about 3/4 mins, it was announced that many areas in S'pore felt the tremors and it was caused by the earthquake in Indonesia, Padang area.


My husband looked out of the window during that period but do not see any unusual movement around (no one rushing downstairs..). Anyway, I don't feel unsafe as I know our buildings in S'pore are quite strong but if the tremors is really strong till the water in the fishtank splashes around, then I will leave home and go downstairs.