...they(bro and SIL) have decided to change the helper. This was a decision made last Saturday to the agency, and they've decided to get an Indonesian this time round. After all nobody understood YK's english, so might as well get an Indonesian when dad and mom can speak malay.
The reasons of changing helper:
1) Communication
2) Can't work or lazy or stupid?
Communication
The agency told them that Burmese can read english and speak little english. They don't mind if she can speak little english, but nobody understands what the heck she is speaking. So what? Mom is supposed to spell out every word for her?? The first few days had us performing as pig, cow and some sign language. And we still received conflicting answers from her.
Mom asked her to cook rice and she didn't understand. Mom had to say "cook rice , R.I.C.E, rice." Then one day, she asked her to cook porridge, YK kept saying she don't know what's porridge (when she cooked porridge for herself the day before, and after mom had taught her how to cook it). Mom said "that day I teach you.. porridge, you cook to eat yesterday??" YK still didn't understand. Mom was lost for words coz' she don't even know how to spell 'porridge.' Yah! And I was thinking if I should pass them my Glenn Doman flashcards to translate for them.
Gave her clear instructions on not picking up the phone when someone's at home, they still got a marathon runner - running for the phone. And a few times, there were people calling the wrong number and she told mom the caller's asking for her. So it clearly shows how good her communication skills are.
Ask her to take something or do something, she gives you the blur look and repeat one word from the sentence you say. Then you repeat, the same response comes from her. By then, you'll be better off doing the job yourself. At Athena's party, mom told me I can instruct her to help. Wah........even the simple task of asking her to take something for me before the party was so difficult that I simply didn't want her to help me (she's only interfering me) at all. So during the party, she offered and stood in the middle of the hall and I felt like screaming "get the hell out of the place you're standing!" Of course I didn't, otherwise the MOM officials would have put me behind bars now. But at that time, I just felt like asking her to stand guard at the back door. It's not maid abuse, but you know when you have a party, sometimes you need help fast and she only hinders the process.
Can't work or lazy or stupid?
If she claimed that she can read but not listen well to english, then why she can't work with the schedule printed out for her?? She can even ask me (when I don't even stay there) "sister, what I do now?"
Me : What did Sir (brother) asked you to do today
YK : (shows me the schedule)
Me : (looked through the schedule; saw that ironing is not done)
Me : Iron the clothes
YK : (took the list from me and went out to do her own things)
So, does she know how to take instructions from us? I asked mom what she has been doing the whole day. "She only sweeps & mop the floor, and then she touch here and there - dunno what she's touching. After she wash the few clothes, she keep sticking her hand out of the window to touch & see if the clothes are dry. She waits and do nothing until the clothes are dry. Then teach her to cook, she don't ask question & don't jot it down in her notebook. Then she thinks she's lucky that I have to cook for her everyday, she stands there and do nothing. I ask her if she clean the windows, then she promptly drops whatever she's doing (if she's doing) and clean the windows. Dunno how to plan her timing well. I must keep telling her what to do, then she'll do. How to find the energy to keep telling her/keep watch over her?? And then I always find her standing in the toilet, scrapping her teeth with her fingers. Is she skiving by hiding in the toilet?"
It's not like they're abusing the helper by asking her to clean windows everyday or what. But I know how mom is feeling, especially when I got her 'cleanliness' traits and will keep the house clean. And cleaning house is not just sweeping & mopping, gotta clean alot of things around you. In other words, wherever you walk to there's endless jobs to do. But YK don't seem to find anything. Maybe she's blind.
And when I mention about her cleaning the floors only, I'm not bragging. Mom deliberately left tissues and cups on her table and she didn't even clear. Ask her to wash toilet, she really only wash that part of the toilet and don't even bother to tidy up the toilet or throw the rubbish bag away.
Then what made mom furious is that she can't take initiative. When mom was teaching her how to cook, she was slicing the ginger when father called. Mom picked up the phone, she came back to see her standing there and didn't even bother to help her slice the ginger. Then mom washed the vegetables, brother called. Again, she didn't even help.
The best thing is :-
Instructions were given to help prepare breakfast for Sir & mum (bro & SIL). Until now, 3rd week still never help to prepare. When SIL have no choice but to do it herself, she stands there and look. If she can't spread the butter on the bread, how is it she can do it for her own breakfast?
And when mom's instructions to her to stay clear of the toilet in the mornings when everyone is rushing to go into the toilet, she has to go in and hoard the toilet. Mind you, it's not only once or twice but a couple of times. On the first 2 days or so, mom noticed she woke up and stood infront of the hotpot. I told her "maybe she's worshipping the hotpot?" Then when there's mayhem, fighting for toilet in the mornings - she had to join in the fun. And to think it's really hilarious for the 主人 to bang the door; asking her to come out.
I just don't understand why she likes to 'run in & join people'. On Sunday, bro and SIL left for church. They came back 3 hours later and their room is not cleaned; bed not made. And when they want to go in, she had to come with the broom wanting to sweep the floor. Crazy! She had such a long time to do it and she was idling away.
Sister's experience with her :
Saw her preparing to cook lunch, reminded her to bring the clothes hanging on the bamboo pole out to the living room before cooking.
As she was going out of the house, from a glance she saw her bringing the pole out in the open (when it's drizzling). Who in the sanest mind would bring the clothes out in the drizzle or rain. Speaking of which, mom says "alot of times she never bring in the clothes when it's raining."
And the funny comment from sister " she stand there, behind me like Sadako" sent me rolling on the floor in laughter.
Oh my! And she said her purpose was to study english here?! I mean, if you want to study.. you must do your work what!
Nobody could understand how YK works and how slow she works except mom who faces her everyday. Nobody believes her until they themselves experience it themselves some time later.
Dad knew how mad mom is over YK, and will tell her "don't think so much.. relax." Out of concern he calls her and ask "got kill anyone or not?" Today, I was at home when I overheard the same sentence from him. I asked "who kill who?" He laughed and said "your mom kill her." My respond thereafter,"Wah.... you so concerned about YK kena killed or not. I was scared if mom got murdered or not."
This entry says so much about her negative feedbacks, and you might think it's unfair to her. But really - she has no positive feedback so far. Which is why after putting everything on the scales, the negative weighed heavier. It tipped so badly that they simply had to change her away. I applaud their final decision.
Somehow the humanity side of us felt she's rather pitiful (and kept in the dark still until the new helper comes) to be sent out. Her ultimate fate is left pending, whether she gets sent back to Yangon depends on whether anyone wants her or not. But then again,they've given her chance and even asked my helper to help translate. Somehow she took their kindness for granted and didn't prove herself to them. I wonder how she'll react - break down and cry and ask for forgiveness??
Somehow, I thank God that he gave me a good helper - KZ. Everyone says I'm damn lucky to have found her. I hope she stays on, if not.... I may not be lucky another time round.
The reasons of changing helper:
1) Communication
2) Can't work or lazy or stupid?
Communication
The agency told them that Burmese can read english and speak little english. They don't mind if she can speak little english, but nobody understands what the heck she is speaking. So what? Mom is supposed to spell out every word for her?? The first few days had us performing as pig, cow and some sign language. And we still received conflicting answers from her.
Mom asked her to cook rice and she didn't understand. Mom had to say "cook rice , R.I.C.E, rice." Then one day, she asked her to cook porridge, YK kept saying she don't know what's porridge (when she cooked porridge for herself the day before, and after mom had taught her how to cook it). Mom said "that day I teach you.. porridge, you cook to eat yesterday??" YK still didn't understand. Mom was lost for words coz' she don't even know how to spell 'porridge.' Yah! And I was thinking if I should pass them my Glenn Doman flashcards to translate for them.
Gave her clear instructions on not picking up the phone when someone's at home, they still got a marathon runner - running for the phone. And a few times, there were people calling the wrong number and she told mom the caller's asking for her. So it clearly shows how good her communication skills are.
Ask her to take something or do something, she gives you the blur look and repeat one word from the sentence you say. Then you repeat, the same response comes from her. By then, you'll be better off doing the job yourself. At Athena's party, mom told me I can instruct her to help. Wah........even the simple task of asking her to take something for me before the party was so difficult that I simply didn't want her to help me (she's only interfering me) at all. So during the party, she offered and stood in the middle of the hall and I felt like screaming "get the hell out of the place you're standing!" Of course I didn't, otherwise the MOM officials would have put me behind bars now. But at that time, I just felt like asking her to stand guard at the back door. It's not maid abuse, but you know when you have a party, sometimes you need help fast and she only hinders the process.
Can't work or lazy or stupid?
If she claimed that she can read but not listen well to english, then why she can't work with the schedule printed out for her?? She can even ask me (when I don't even stay there) "sister, what I do now?"
Me : What did Sir (brother) asked you to do today
YK : (shows me the schedule)
Me : (looked through the schedule; saw that ironing is not done)
Me : Iron the clothes
YK : (took the list from me and went out to do her own things)
So, does she know how to take instructions from us? I asked mom what she has been doing the whole day. "She only sweeps & mop the floor, and then she touch here and there - dunno what she's touching. After she wash the few clothes, she keep sticking her hand out of the window to touch & see if the clothes are dry. She waits and do nothing until the clothes are dry. Then teach her to cook, she don't ask question & don't jot it down in her notebook. Then she thinks she's lucky that I have to cook for her everyday, she stands there and do nothing. I ask her if she clean the windows, then she promptly drops whatever she's doing (if she's doing) and clean the windows. Dunno how to plan her timing well. I must keep telling her what to do, then she'll do. How to find the energy to keep telling her/keep watch over her?? And then I always find her standing in the toilet, scrapping her teeth with her fingers. Is she skiving by hiding in the toilet?"
It's not like they're abusing the helper by asking her to clean windows everyday or what. But I know how mom is feeling, especially when I got her 'cleanliness' traits and will keep the house clean. And cleaning house is not just sweeping & mopping, gotta clean alot of things around you. In other words, wherever you walk to there's endless jobs to do. But YK don't seem to find anything. Maybe she's blind.
And when I mention about her cleaning the floors only, I'm not bragging. Mom deliberately left tissues and cups on her table and she didn't even clear. Ask her to wash toilet, she really only wash that part of the toilet and don't even bother to tidy up the toilet or throw the rubbish bag away.
Then what made mom furious is that she can't take initiative. When mom was teaching her how to cook, she was slicing the ginger when father called. Mom picked up the phone, she came back to see her standing there and didn't even bother to help her slice the ginger. Then mom washed the vegetables, brother called. Again, she didn't even help.
The best thing is :-
Instructions were given to help prepare breakfast for Sir & mum (bro & SIL). Until now, 3rd week still never help to prepare. When SIL have no choice but to do it herself, she stands there and look. If she can't spread the butter on the bread, how is it she can do it for her own breakfast?
And when mom's instructions to her to stay clear of the toilet in the mornings when everyone is rushing to go into the toilet, she has to go in and hoard the toilet. Mind you, it's not only once or twice but a couple of times. On the first 2 days or so, mom noticed she woke up and stood infront of the hotpot. I told her "maybe she's worshipping the hotpot?" Then when there's mayhem, fighting for toilet in the mornings - she had to join in the fun. And to think it's really hilarious for the 主人 to bang the door; asking her to come out.
I just don't understand why she likes to 'run in & join people'. On Sunday, bro and SIL left for church. They came back 3 hours later and their room is not cleaned; bed not made. And when they want to go in, she had to come with the broom wanting to sweep the floor. Crazy! She had such a long time to do it and she was idling away.
Sister's experience with her :
Saw her preparing to cook lunch, reminded her to bring the clothes hanging on the bamboo pole out to the living room before cooking.
As she was going out of the house, from a glance she saw her bringing the pole out in the open (when it's drizzling). Who in the sanest mind would bring the clothes out in the drizzle or rain. Speaking of which, mom says "alot of times she never bring in the clothes when it's raining."
And the funny comment from sister " she stand there, behind me like Sadako" sent me rolling on the floor in laughter.
Oh my! And she said her purpose was to study english here?! I mean, if you want to study.. you must do your work what!
Nobody could understand how YK works and how slow she works except mom who faces her everyday. Nobody believes her until they themselves experience it themselves some time later.
Dad knew how mad mom is over YK, and will tell her "don't think so much.. relax." Out of concern he calls her and ask "got kill anyone or not?" Today, I was at home when I overheard the same sentence from him. I asked "who kill who?" He laughed and said "your mom kill her." My respond thereafter,"Wah.... you so concerned about YK kena killed or not. I was scared if mom got murdered or not."
This entry says so much about her negative feedbacks, and you might think it's unfair to her. But really - she has no positive feedback so far. Which is why after putting everything on the scales, the negative weighed heavier. It tipped so badly that they simply had to change her away. I applaud their final decision.
Somehow the humanity side of us felt she's rather pitiful (and kept in the dark still until the new helper comes) to be sent out. Her ultimate fate is left pending, whether she gets sent back to Yangon depends on whether anyone wants her or not. But then again,they've given her chance and even asked my helper to help translate. Somehow she took their kindness for granted and didn't prove herself to them. I wonder how she'll react - break down and cry and ask for forgiveness??
Somehow, I thank God that he gave me a good helper - KZ. Everyone says I'm damn lucky to have found her. I hope she stays on, if not.... I may not be lucky another time round.
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