In which I surrender
On Monday I received a call from an American friend of mine. She told me that she had hired a part-time maid for me. The woman would be at my house the next morning. She also told me it was too late to say no, and she would pay for it if I wouldn't.
For a moment, I really considered saying no, I didn't need a maid. I was actually feeling a little resentful, because I've been so proud of not giving in to the expat lifestyle (you know, the maid, the nanny, the cook, the driver). Hadn't we been doing fine all along without a maid? However, the truth was and is that right now I could really use some sort of help. With Randy already living in Beijing, I am totally on my own here. Five-week-old babies need to be fed and held a lot, and many household tasks fall by the wayside. True Ambrose confession: We've been eating lunch at Starbucks most days because I can't even get it together to have bread and peanut butter and some sort of fruit or veggie on the side in the house at the same time.
So I accepted the ayi my friend found for me, only for a few hours in the morning a few times a week. It was wonderful that my friend thought of me and my needs even when I am too stubborn to consider them myself.
The maid showed up this morning, and I must admit it was awesome. She folded my laundry, straightend up, dusted, mopped the living room, and wiped down a lot of surfaces. Myles showed her how to use the vacuum cleaner; she couldn't believe that such a machine existed. Tomorrow she tackles bathrooms and the kitchen. All this gets down while I focus on Brigid and Myles. That is, when he isn't following the ayi around to tell her where things go or how I like to do things myself.
Of course, I am justifying to myself that this is only a temporary arrangement until we move to Beijing, and I will have to go back to the unpampered life once we get there. But for now, I think I will just be thankful to have this help when I really need it, to have friends that consider my needs, and to have the extra time to enjoy Myles and Brigid.
For a moment, I really considered saying no, I didn't need a maid. I was actually feeling a little resentful, because I've been so proud of not giving in to the expat lifestyle (you know, the maid, the nanny, the cook, the driver). Hadn't we been doing fine all along without a maid? However, the truth was and is that right now I could really use some sort of help. With Randy already living in Beijing, I am totally on my own here. Five-week-old babies need to be fed and held a lot, and many household tasks fall by the wayside. True Ambrose confession: We've been eating lunch at Starbucks most days because I can't even get it together to have bread and peanut butter and some sort of fruit or veggie on the side in the house at the same time.
So I accepted the ayi my friend found for me, only for a few hours in the morning a few times a week. It was wonderful that my friend thought of me and my needs even when I am too stubborn to consider them myself.
The maid showed up this morning, and I must admit it was awesome. She folded my laundry, straightend up, dusted, mopped the living room, and wiped down a lot of surfaces. Myles showed her how to use the vacuum cleaner; she couldn't believe that such a machine existed. Tomorrow she tackles bathrooms and the kitchen. All this gets down while I focus on Brigid and Myles. That is, when he isn't following the ayi around to tell her where things go or how I like to do things myself.
Of course, I am justifying to myself that this is only a temporary arrangement until we move to Beijing, and I will have to go back to the unpampered life once we get there. But for now, I think I will just be thankful to have this help when I really need it, to have friends that consider my needs, and to have the extra time to enjoy Myles and Brigid.
Comments
When do you move to Beijing?
God Bless You and that maid!!!!
And as for giving a poor person a job....that is hysterical. I think I need to go to the foreign women's club weekly coffee gabfest and see how many of them have one or more domestic helpers and nannies because they like the idea of giving poor people jobs. Puhlease.
If you're serious in commenting on one's ascestisim or lack thereof, or making snide comments from your snarled perception of her lifestyle, step up and post your name... begin a real dialogue... If you were interested in an honest discussion, you wouldn't have posted anonymously!! just an example of your cowardice.
You'll be able to enjoythe first weeks with your baby a lot more if you're not stressing about the fact that she times her growth spurts for the very times you NEED to be cleaning! =)