Domestic Helper

Domestic helpers, often termed as maids in Singapore, is pretty common is families of Singapore. I always sympathesize with them or even pity them. The kindof hardship they went through is far more extreme than many of the fortunate singaporeans could have imagined.

NS guys (including me) often complained that we only get to return home every weekends when we were serving our nation. Maids are so much worse off. They only get to return home after serving their 2 years contract, those that decided to stay in Singapore might not even get to see their family for the next 5, 6 years? Having to leave their family to search for better prospects in a foreigh land is certainly never a smooth sail. They are faced with so much uncertainties, uncertainties like not knowing how their future employers is like, uncertainties like not not knowing if they'll be short-changed by their agencies. Having to call someone who is not your mom 'mom' does require you to bury ya pride. Other than culture and cuisine differences, i think language barrier is the biggest problem among all. Very often, these maids (esp those from indonesia) are poorly educated and they could only speak their native language. Learning a whole new langage is never an overnight thing. Communication breakdowns will inevitably lead to frustration between them and the employers.

With the minimal wages they earned, not many could afford overseas calls. Some don't even have phones in their home.If they can call back, it's a form of luxury. No doubt it is the slowest, letter writing is probably the only mode of sending greetings back home to assure their parents they are doing ok, even if they are not. Just being born in the wrong country has translated many the things we took for granted into their luxuries, luxuries they can never lay their hands on, luxuries which they can only quietly wish for.

About a month ago, the maid that has served us for 4 years has decided to head home. Though sad, i believe it's a good thing for her. She has earned enough, it's time to reunite with her parents.

On the morning of departure, she was full of tears. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying. She missed my niece the most. I can't bear such sights. The only form of consolation i can offer is to give her some of our family photos and photos i had taken of her. Choosing to shoot at ubin that morning over sending her off at airport with my parents is probably a wise choice.

She should be adjusting her life well in Indonesia now. With the money earned, let's hope she can lead a better life and never have to go through the same kind of hardship again.

Her eyes swollen from crying on the day of departure. Camera is often used as a tool to record joy in life. Here i'm using it to record sorrows in life.

One of those nights which she sat quietly by the bed side, writing letters back home.