I must be getting old already, I should say for not getting the new trend of the younger ones. I had a conversation with my new helper. She came from the province not really far from GenSan. She was narrating to me how hard the life they had. How her dad is just staying home most of the time instead of working. Her mom and her were the ones going around in the fields looking for wild veggies for them to sell to the market. Her dad a lot of times asked her mom for money for his cigarettes and load for cell phone.
I asked her does her mom give the money? She said she has to or else her and her mom will be beaten or will receives not so nice words. I said why don’t you guys go to the DSWD or something to seek help that your dad be put to jail or something. But typical the wife will just let it slide and forgives the husband and moves on. My helper said that’s the reason why she wants to work to help out her mom. She said that lots of times they don’t have food. They just had to get some sweet potatoes or just drink some water.
So now that she’s working, I could tell that she’s really wanting to help. She just doesn’t know what her priorities are. She told me that the first thing she wants to buy when getting paid would be a cell phone. I told her I’m not trying to push or interfere with your plans, don’t you think that first thing you should buy would be personal things and clothing? She’s using our older model cell phone here at the house anyway. She said she wants cell phone that have camera and music. Hmm, that puzzles me because we have radio also at the house too. Well, when she got her money she immediately bought a cell phone. Really I don’t really say much to our maids now. They can do whatever they want to do with their money. I heard today that her mom was asking money from her for their food. So I asked her what did she told her mom? She said that she told her mom that she already bought a cell phone and that she had no money now. I just said okay.
Cell phone is the priority
My helper keeps on telling us that she had disabled sister that her mom takes care of too. That’s why a few times they don’t have food on the tables especially if her mom didn’t go out and find veggies in the fields. Her dad doesn’t help out taking care of his disabled daughter. The mom doesn’t trust him on taking care with the disabled daughter because he will slap and hit her sometimes. She’s even teary eyed when talking to us about it, and I’m sucked to that sad story that I really wanted to help her out too. But hearing her priorities that really changed my mind now. I told her that I am willing to help out but that person that I am helping were so willing to help herself too. I even told her if she’s good and trying to improve herself that I will help her on her studies. I told her I don’t think she wants to be maid forever. I really want for her to succeed especially that she has a special sister to take care of. Bob and I are softies when it comes to special child. As you know we have one too.
I don’t mind my maids having cell phones but do the job first before texting and chatting. My previous maids listened to the FM radio stations with the Dear Abby kind of show. The DJ will give out cell phone number that those people wanting friends and one of the listeners was my maid. Gosh, they were so busy with their cell phones then. Even washing dishes using just one hand. Of course the dishes were not clean. Man they can’t concentrate on work anymore especially if you are not around in-front of them. It’s quite annoying that the simple job it takes forever for them to get finish. So I told my helpers I don’t mind you guys texting and talking to your family as long as works done properly. I even told them that if emergency come up their family can call or text me or my nieces anytime.
Have to really set rules for helpers. I had to let go of my other helper a few days ago. She doesn’t want to work. Every time I saw her she was just sitting around and let my other helper do the job. When she applied she told me that she knows how to cook local dishes, when she came here to work she doesn’t know any Filipino dishes. Sus, I’m not happy with her. We had to part ways with her. I could sense also that she will do what one of my maid did. Going out in the middle of the night bringing stuff that didn’t belong to them. Have to say goodbye before its too late. I’m more at peace now than when she’s her. As always I am really hoping for the best of the worker that we have here.
UPDATE: After only a few weeks of working, long enough to earn money to buy a cell phone, this maid quit.