Maids

There's been lots of stories in the newspapers about the pros and cons of hiring maids from Indonesia. Allow me my 2 cents worth in my own blog!

I once had a lived in maid from Indonesia. She lasted one and a half months before we sent her home. I'd like to say that my family were the angels and she was not but I have to be fair. She came to us because a church friend of ours who had had her for 3 years were migrating to Australia. Our friend approached us and assured us that she was a very good worker and would be a blessing to our family. At that time, my hubby's job was getting demanding and he had to travel every week. So we thought, why not, since she's trained, we could do with some help, seemed like a win-win situation.

The only thing the maid asked for was a day off which we granted but with condition; she was to stay with one of our friends, who's also Indonesian on her days off so that our friend could keep an eye on her. She was only 21 at that time and still highly impressionable, we felt.

Things went smoothly and although we found her work less than satisfactory, I didn't make a fuss as I felt there was plenty of time to teach her my ways and preferences. The paperwork with the immigration department took about a month and when all the papers were cleared, she dropped a bombshell and announced that she has a boyfriend and they have been dating secretly for more than a year under my friend's nose! She went on to ask permission to see him as it was impossible for them to meet now that she's working for me.

It took another week for us to reverse the paperwork and when the day came we told her she was to spend Raya in her kampung and to pack straightaway as the agent was coming to get her. When she found out she won't be coming back, she went berserk. At the agent's house she begged to be released and wanted to elope with her boyfriend. She didn't sleep the whole night and was driven to the airport first thing in the morning. Her boyfriend even had the cheek to call me up to ask me her whereabouts.

The mental anguish and emotional turmoil that both the maid and I went through was indescribable. Both sides felt wronged and betrayed. But I had to think of the safety of my family and our property. It would have been suicidal if we had allowed her to stay. There was no recourse but to send her back.

So would I have another maid in the future? Well, never say never, but I seriously doubt we will get another one from Indonesia. For now, I'd stick to my part time cleaners that come in once a week. But if I had the money, I'd engage a Filipino maid. Any thoughts?