This post is about my maid and it's a long post.
When I was given the maids biodata to select, I noticed 2 sisters. I shall code them.
700 - Older of the sister, fatter and very dark. Eldest of 7 girls
699 - Younger, skinnier - lighter in weight, pleasant looking.. 2nd of 7 girls.
I chose 699 but the agent told me to take 700 instead. Ok, I thought, who would know better than the agent ? When I picked my maid, 700 from the agency, I met 699. She has such pleasant disposition, and can even speak a smatter of Cantonese. I looked at 700, my maid, she looks 10kg heavier than in her biodata photo and always sulking.
I felt cheated, why did I listen to the agent ? Why ? Why ? Why ? I should have trusted my instincts. 699 can speak Cantonese and so much easier for Amber and her nanny. Nanny asked why I chose 700 ? I thought since she is the eldest of 7 girls, she must have experience in taking care of her younger sisters and would make a better maid. Right ?
Wrong !
Nanny said again : Do you think she'll like kids ? When she has to share everything with her 6 other siblings ? Not enough to eat ? Not enough to share ? See children also she 'pengsan'.
True also wor... Ended up with 700 till today and we know she's hopeless with kids. I wouldn't leave Amber alone with her at home, not even for a moment , so you can imagine.
Sometimes, I talk to 700 and ask about her family. Her father is a womanizer, probably trying to find a woman to bear him a son ! She is the eldest and the darkest in the family (she is really nescafe kau kosong !) and her parents are biased towards her due to her skin color. How unfair I thought, and I told her you are dark because of your genes ! Genetics ! genes ! Your grandparents could be dark skinned like you too ! Who issit to blame for your skin color ? Your parents lah ! Go back and talk to your parents about genetics !
Going back to 699, I am glad I did not end up with her because :
- she has changed employer 3 times
- Quit on her last employer, apparently having medical issues, heart pain - cannot work !
- now, wants to borrow money from 700 to go home. , living in the agent's quarters, no money, no job. She called home and the father had asked her to borrow money from 700 !
- I would lost more money if i took 699 and she left after few months.
I always thought I had a lousier deal until all these crap about 699 surfaced.
Going back to 700, although I am not on excellent terms with her and she always drive me up the wall, I am still compassionate towards her predicament. Her family is always calling her for money. I am her pocket minder, trying to find all sorts of excuse not to send money back. The reasons are always trivial - need to repair roof lah.. repair this, repair that, neverending repairs. It's like the house is suddenly in verge of collapsing and hungry for repair money the moment she left for M'sia.
As for the recent case with 699, I did not hesitate further to pass another months salary to the agent so 699 could go home fast but not without lecturing 700 :
Your house can have a broken roof
Your house can have a broken gate
but when you always send money back :
You will have no or little money
You don't want to get married ? Better have money in hand !(she tells me she doesn't want to get married)
You go back with money, your village will greet you with smiles.
No money, you watch out !
No man will want you!
She came to her senses and agreed with me. I know of many cases where families of maids are always calling to ask them to send money back. They are afraid the employer will not pay them, but what do the family do ? 99.999% will spend the money and the poor maids, slaught for 2 years overseas goes back with almost nothing !
No money, no man ! Call me bad but I'm only protecting her interest.
