A day with Tirah, the housemaid<\/p>\n
Tirah, 30, is employed as a housemaid in a Central Jakarta
\nhome. A former housewife in her native Lampung, South Sumatra,
\nshe arrived in Jakarta eight months ago to earn some money after
\nher husband left for the capital and never returned. She's now
\nthe sole provider for her three children. Tirah spoke to The
\nJakarta Post's contributor William Furney.<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): \"Three of us get up at 3 a.m. to eat. The others
\nare Christian. We cook rice and vegetables and chat about this
\nand that. Then it's back to bed for a while. Just before 5 a.m.,
\nwe get up and wash and then pray for about 10 minutes. That's how
\nmy day begins during Ramadhan.<\/p>\n
The first thing I do is clean the house and afterwards go to
\nthe local market to buy chickens, vegetables, fish and other
\nthings for the family and also for us. The daily budget is
\nbetween Rp 50,000 and Rp 70,000. I've got lots of friends at the
\nmarket and we chat about cooking and how the various spices and
\nfoods can be used together.<\/p>\n
I get back to the house at about 9 a.m. and put the vegetables
\nin the refrigerator and wash the chickens. The people of the
\nhouse are Muslim, but some of them don't fast as they are quite
\nelderly. So I have to cook throughout the day, starting from 10
\na.m.<\/p>\n
Five people work and live here, including maids like me who
\nwash, clean and cook, a handyman, driver and a nursemaid, as
\nthere's a baby in the house. They're nice people and we get on
\nvery well. I've been working as a maid here for eight months now.
\nIt's my first job. I got married when I left school and was a
\nhousewife. My husband was a farm laborer in Lampung, and when I
\nwas five months pregnant with our third child, he said he wanted
\nto work in Jakarta. He told me he was going to Tanjung Priok
\n(North Jakarta) to find work and I haven't seen him since. I've
\nno idea where he is. He's from Java and I've written to his
\nparents asking if they know anything. But they haven't replied.
\nWe've been married for nine years now and I don't know what I'll
\ndo if he doesn't come home. I'm not angry with him, though. He
\nsaid he had to go find money because his salary on the farm in
\nLampung was very small, even though he has never sent any money
\nback to us. Our eldest child is 12 and is in junior high school;
\nthe youngest is four.<\/p>\n
So I had to find work to support the family. I heard about
\nthis job from a friend and asked my mother to take care of the
\nchildren. I was earning Rp 150,000 per month when I started here,
\nand now it's been increased to Rp 200,000. I get two days off per
\nmonth, but I've been home to Lampung twice. Ibu gave me a 10-day
\nbreak to see my children. She understands my situation.<\/p>\n
I'm really looking forward to Lebaran (Idul Fitri, the post-
\nfasting celebration scheduled for Dec. 27 and Dec. 28 this year).
\nI get a bonus of Rp 200,000 so I'll have Rp 400,000. Usually I
\ntake two buses to Merak (West Java), then the ferry to Sumatra
\nand another bus to Lampung. It's a terrible journey -- very long
\nand dangerous. The buses are always full of people and often it's
\nhard to find a seat. And there are many devious people who try to
\nsteal money or luggage from passengers. You have to be alert all
\nthe time; if not, something will be taken.<\/p>\n
I'm going home for Lebaran on Dec. 20 with a private travel
\nfirm. I've already ordered my ticket. It normally costs Rp 40,000
\nbut at this time of the year it's Rp 100,000, which is more
\nexpensive than the average fare of Rp 25,000 if I went by bus and
\nferry. There are just nine passengers in the minibus or Kijang
\nand it's direct from door to door. It's also much safer and more
\ncomfortable.<\/p>\n
I cook again in the afternoon. It's not that difficult to cook
\nand fast at the same time. I don't mind it. But I'm glad when the
\nevening comes and it's time to break the fast. I'll have a sweet
\nfruit drink, pray and then have the evening meal.<\/p>\n
There's not that much to do at night. We sit around in the
\nkitchen talking and watching TV. These days, the talk is about
\nthe holiday and what we've bought as presents for our families. I
\ngot some new clothes for the children in the local market.<\/p>\n
I never thought I'd work as a maid. But I don't mind it that
\nmuch. It'd be much nicer to live with my family in Lampung but
\nsomeone has to earn money to buy food. It's hard when I have to
\nleave home to come back to Jakarta. It's a sad time. I write to
\nthe children once a month to let them know how I am and to tell
\nthem to be good. I also write to my parents, hoping they are
\nstill healthy.<\/p>\n
Bedtime is about 10 p.m. I curl up thinking about Lebaran with
\nthe children and hoping my husband is there.\"<\/p>",
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