The Maid

The hardest thing for me to get used to while in the UAE is that typically your nationality determines the class you are in and the type of work that you will do. You typically see the Pakistanians driving taxis, the Indians as construction workers, and the Phillipino ladies as maids. The money to me doesn't seem like much but to them, they are able to get sponsored to come here, sign a 2-3 year contract to work and save money. Maybe they are played plenty compared to where they are coming from and what they would ave made if they stayed in their home countries.

Today I went with a friend who recently moved here to go to an agency to pick a maid to come live with her. She had two to choose from and has a 1 week trial period to see if she is the right fit. The maid will make $200/month and will work for 2 years before she can return to the Phillipines for vacation or to return home for good. The "owner" pays the agency and keeps her passport hidden away so she can't leave the country before her contract is up. The "owner" accepts the liability that if the maid runs, the "owner" will pay the agency a fine.

When we were leaving the agency, the man working htere turned to her and said "Be good, do as you are asked, and don't go outside."

The maid that was chosen speaks very little english. We asked her about her education and she said she stopped school in 6th grade. She is now 37. Her passport says that she entered the UAE in April. We assumed this meant that she has been returned after her weekly trial period. The "owner" asked her about this and she said that she was with a lady that would beat her so she escaped and went back to the agency. I'm told that it happens that they will not be treated well. At least I know now she is in a better home.

At the grocery stores and malls you often see a mom shopping with her children and a maid following behind with the bags. I recently read an article written by a maid about how much she enjoyed her job. It gave me a different perspective and not all of them are as unhappy as you think they would be. Most are treated like a member of the family (maybe like the step child though doing all the chores.)

It is all still a little strange to me. ..

Note: I used the term "owner" for lack of a better word. This isn't meant to offend but instead give a clear picture of what things are like here.