Goodbyeee Ayi
I haven’t written much about our Ayi. That is because there hasn’t really been an awful lot to say. Before I came to Shanghai, I couldn’t really imagine a person arriving at 8.00am and leaving at 6.00pm (6 days a week) and spending the hours in between doing all our cleaning, cooking, gardening, washing and ironing. It was surprisingly easy to get used to not having to do any housework, but getting used to someone being constantly in the house was less easy.
We generally kept out of each other’s way, apart from when she had something important to say. This usually involved clothes, and was easily done - she simply brought me the relevant items to show me the latest damage she had caused. Our British clothes stood no chance against her washing methods. Given I have not come across one good quality Chinese-made item since I have been here, I have no idea how their own clothes don’t fall apart. She managed to shrink t-shirts and socks, turn white things pink, turn black things grey, burn holes at random, and bleach out entire patterns. Despite this, we were concerned for her welfare and her long working hours. Via a visitor who spoke Chinese and English, we told her that she could have two weeks off (paid) at Chinese New Year and could, if she had finished her work, go home before 6.00pm. By Chinese standards, this is generous beyond belief. However, she made the most of this by gradually shortening her working day to the point where she was routinely leaving at 4pm. One day, about a fortnight ago, our dragon landlady arrived at 4.30pm, and was horrified to discover the Ayi had already left. She went out to trample on the lawn to see if it had been watered (it hadn’t) and that, as far as the landlady was concerned, was that. The search for a new Ayi began, whether I liked it or not. While I felt extremely guilty (I did not really consider her washing misdemeanours to be sackable offences) I did think a new Ayi might be more suitable. According to my Shanghai Culture Shock book, the Ayi typically becomes a dear friend and part of the family, teaching us all Chinese and coming on holiday with us. I personally found that I had more of a rapport with the woman in the local bread shop, so I had to conclude that we had an Ayi that none of us were ever going to bond with.
Last week, the search ended, the landlady was satisfied, and on Sunday, we met our new Ayi. She is much younger, maybe mid-twenties, she seems very keen and very friendly, and has been working for a Chinese family for the last year. Apparently, although the salary we are to pay her is more than she currently earns, the money is not so important for her (nor apparently the working hours, as this Ayi starts at 7am, stays till 6pm and works half a day on Sunday too) – all she wants is to be treated kindly. The mind boggles.
And so today, the landlady arrived at 3pm, catching the current Ayi suitably unawares. She was ordered to hand over her bleach, scrubbing brush and keys, and was then duly escorted off the premises. Amy, our Estate Agent/Interpreter, assured me that people hired and fired Ayis all the time, it was no big deal. Maybe it wasn’t, but I still hid in the study throughout.
We generally kept out of each other’s way, apart from when she had something important to say. This usually involved clothes, and was easily done - she simply brought me the relevant items to show me the latest damage she had caused. Our British clothes stood no chance against her washing methods. Given I have not come across one good quality Chinese-made item since I have been here, I have no idea how their own clothes don’t fall apart. She managed to shrink t-shirts and socks, turn white things pink, turn black things grey, burn holes at random, and bleach out entire patterns. Despite this, we were concerned for her welfare and her long working hours. Via a visitor who spoke Chinese and English, we told her that she could have two weeks off (paid) at Chinese New Year and could, if she had finished her work, go home before 6.00pm. By Chinese standards, this is generous beyond belief. However, she made the most of this by gradually shortening her working day to the point where she was routinely leaving at 4pm. One day, about a fortnight ago, our dragon landlady arrived at 4.30pm, and was horrified to discover the Ayi had already left. She went out to trample on the lawn to see if it had been watered (it hadn’t) and that, as far as the landlady was concerned, was that. The search for a new Ayi began, whether I liked it or not. While I felt extremely guilty (I did not really consider her washing misdemeanours to be sackable offences) I did think a new Ayi might be more suitable. According to my Shanghai Culture Shock book, the Ayi typically becomes a dear friend and part of the family, teaching us all Chinese and coming on holiday with us. I personally found that I had more of a rapport with the woman in the local bread shop, so I had to conclude that we had an Ayi that none of us were ever going to bond with.
Last week, the search ended, the landlady was satisfied, and on Sunday, we met our new Ayi. She is much younger, maybe mid-twenties, she seems very keen and very friendly, and has been working for a Chinese family for the last year. Apparently, although the salary we are to pay her is more than she currently earns, the money is not so important for her (nor apparently the working hours, as this Ayi starts at 7am, stays till 6pm and works half a day on Sunday too) – all she wants is to be treated kindly. The mind boggles.
And so today, the landlady arrived at 3pm, catching the current Ayi suitably unawares. She was ordered to hand over her bleach, scrubbing brush and keys, and was then duly escorted off the premises. Amy, our Estate Agent/Interpreter, assured me that people hired and fired Ayis all the time, it was no big deal. Maybe it wasn’t, but I still hid in the study throughout.
posted by Linda at 11:30 PM
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