Sunday, November 23, 2008

Working As Filipino Maids In Foreign Lands

By Alice Sy

Whenever you go to Hong Kong, try to visit Statue Square. The place does not only offer a relaxing scenery, it also serves as a place where hundreds of Filipino maids flock there to meet, to chat, and to share their lives during their day offs.

In England, maids from the Philippines can find jobs in houses of the wealthy. They are hired by royalties, businessmen, and many others belonging to the upper class in society. It is not also difficult for these maids to look for house jobs in Italy and France. In Greece, families who can afford the services of a maid from the Philippines are considered rich.

Their exodus abroad may also be linked to their growing popularity, especially in terms of being hard working, dedicated and loyal. Among their other traits well-liked and desired of by their foreign employers are their being hospitable and honest.

Foremost, Filipinos are highlighted by their loyalty and dedication to their employees. Since they are thousands of miles away from their families, they have no one to channel their emotions and longing for their children. That is why Filipino helprs are so endeared to their employers that they treat them as their family. In return, their boss also reciprocates them and treats them also as part of their family. So, don't wonder if your balikbayan relative gets home quiet emotional or carrying photo albums with pictures of her employee. Yes, they value family much and to a Filipino, her employees are also her family.

Filipino helpers, whether a college graduate or not, are observed to be naturally intelligent and resourceful. They can pick up instructions without further questions. They, too, work hard without supervision. The word workaholic is indeed, due to a Filipino. She'll simply work and work and will only stop if said so by her boss. At times, they can also be feisty. They would even argue with their employer about a certain problem. They also know how to find a way and get out from every trial.

One advantage that Filipino servants abroad possess is her fluency in English, thanks to the American colonizers. Compared to Mexicans, Chinese and other nationalities, Filipinos have deeper vocabulary in English and can comprehend better with their employers.

In the same way, their employers regard them as belonging to their family as well. For many women, this is one way of compensating their yearning for their own children and family members left at home. Because of this habit, it is quite common to see maids from abroad bringing with them albums upon albums of their employers.

Wherever they are, Filipino maids working abroad give dignity to their mother country, the Philippines. However, they should not be tagged merely as servants who do dirty jobs. Instead, they should be regarded with much admiration and appreciation for their extreme dedication, loyalty, and sincerity, as well as for all the sacrifices they have to endure while working miles away from home.

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