Today's weather: High = 22 Low = 12
Sunny
When I was a kid, my Mom used to say, "Don't think you can have a maid to clean up after yourself when you become an adult. You'll have to learn life skills yourself."
Little did she know I would end up living in Shanghai, hiring a maid, and speaking Mandarin.
One of the hallmarks of living in Shanghai during my first stint from 2001-04 was the "ayi", that is the local house maid who came regularly to clean, cook, wash clothes, and generally keep the place in order. Hiring domestic help is common for foreigners living in Shanghai. For those of us who can speak Chinese, and even those who can't, the ayi does far more than simply a job -- she effectively becomes like your mother, ready to dish out plenty of good advice and stern criticisms about eating habits, personal health, and watching out for your safety. These people can also bargain like nobody's business.
Indeed, all the ayis I've had have been an enormous help in terms of local knowledge. I weigh far more heavily what they have to say about survival in Shanghai than anyone else. For example, when they tell me to avoid the red colored taxis, then it's great advice. Similar to how I'm told that sleeping when exhausted and skipping dinner after a long day at work is not a good decision. Instead I should just go to bed earlier and eat regular meals, especially the meals they offer to cook.
The best advice came once about 3 years ago when I was living in the Gubei area on the weekends, and working out in the boonies -- a school called Sino Canada. I was so angry about some things at work and afraid the school wouldn't pay my salary. She basically told me to calm down and take time before making any irrational decisions. When I finally did get paid, the ayi was sure to get a major bonus.
Now, during my 3rd stint in Shanghai, I've finally decided to hire a 3rd ayi and she has been a real winner. The market price has gone up -- to around 20 RMB per hour. But if she keeps up her excellent work as she has done for the past couple of times, then I may consider paying her more. At any rate, I've been firing off emails left, right, and center to people I know and advertising her services. She is one of the rare types who works hard, goes beyond the call of duty, and does it all wth a smile.
When in China the key thing is to get recommendations from others, and to do everything privately through word of mouth. When a person does something really well, then his or her reputation spreads fast, and people know this is the one they go to. There is so much riffraff in China I wouldn't even know where to start. So then the exceptional people stand out and shine through private contacts. They end up getting so much work they have to turn down offers.
I would never recommend using an agency or referral service for ayis. Instead, do it privately. The same would apply for house rentals.
Sunny
When I was a kid, my Mom used to say, "Don't think you can have a maid to clean up after yourself when you become an adult. You'll have to learn life skills yourself."
Little did she know I would end up living in Shanghai, hiring a maid, and speaking Mandarin.
One of the hallmarks of living in Shanghai during my first stint from 2001-04 was the "ayi", that is the local house maid who came regularly to clean, cook, wash clothes, and generally keep the place in order. Hiring domestic help is common for foreigners living in Shanghai. For those of us who can speak Chinese, and even those who can't, the ayi does far more than simply a job -- she effectively becomes like your mother, ready to dish out plenty of good advice and stern criticisms about eating habits, personal health, and watching out for your safety. These people can also bargain like nobody's business.
Indeed, all the ayis I've had have been an enormous help in terms of local knowledge. I weigh far more heavily what they have to say about survival in Shanghai than anyone else. For example, when they tell me to avoid the red colored taxis, then it's great advice. Similar to how I'm told that sleeping when exhausted and skipping dinner after a long day at work is not a good decision. Instead I should just go to bed earlier and eat regular meals, especially the meals they offer to cook.
The best advice came once about 3 years ago when I was living in the Gubei area on the weekends, and working out in the boonies -- a school called Sino Canada. I was so angry about some things at work and afraid the school wouldn't pay my salary. She basically told me to calm down and take time before making any irrational decisions. When I finally did get paid, the ayi was sure to get a major bonus.
Now, during my 3rd stint in Shanghai, I've finally decided to hire a 3rd ayi and she has been a real winner. The market price has gone up -- to around 20 RMB per hour. But if she keeps up her excellent work as she has done for the past couple of times, then I may consider paying her more. At any rate, I've been firing off emails left, right, and center to people I know and advertising her services. She is one of the rare types who works hard, goes beyond the call of duty, and does it all wth a smile.
When in China the key thing is to get recommendations from others, and to do everything privately through word of mouth. When a person does something really well, then his or her reputation spreads fast, and people know this is the one they go to. There is so much riffraff in China I wouldn't even know where to start. So then the exceptional people stand out and shine through private contacts. They end up getting so much work they have to turn down offers.
I would never recommend using an agency or referral service for ayis. Instead, do it privately. The same would apply for house rentals.
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