Maids in Indonesia.

Some of friends said Indonesia was a paradise for middle class wives. Virtually all middle class households have (house) maids, even two or three maids. How is it possible ? Well, cheap labor. Typically they are paid around $50 to $70 a month. They stay in the house, sleeping mattress is optional, and they work from 6 am until the rest of the family to go bed. They eat from leftover and being asked to do all kinds of chores around the house such as cleaning, cooking, washing cloths, and baby sitting. It is tough job yet they are like invisible, meaning people don't pay much attention.

Their duties are not limited to chores around the house, they also go to wherever they are asked to. For example, they may go out of town with the family to help out with all kind of things. I saw maids in churches too. I have never seen a sunday nursery, instead they bring their own maids. Moms with little babies carry their babies into a separate room in the sanctuary. The room is in the back of the sanctuary with big glass window and the sound is piped into the room. It allows those moms to follow the service without disturbing others with their crying babies. I often made a joke that the room looked like a Penalty Box in ice hockey.

There are countries that allow maids from Indonesia to work there such as Singapore, Malaysia, and countries in Middle East. Many of those maids have to leave their families, it is especially hard for those with children.

Unfortunately the unemployment rate in Indonesia is high, so many poor people are scrambling just to put food on the table. You feel sorry for those maids but the alternative (without a job) is gloomy. Many people are so poor beyond what Americans can fathom. When I grew up I was poor enough not being able to go to college right after high school but fortunate enough to be not as poor as those people.