A day with Tirah, the housemaid

Tirah, 30, is employed as a housemaid in a Central Jakarta home. A former housewife in her native Lampung, South Sumatra, she arrived in Jakarta eight months ago to earn some money after her husband left for the capital and never returned. She's now the sole provider for her three children. Tirah spoke to The Jakarta Post's contributor William Furney.

JAKARTA (JP): "Three of us get up at 3 a.m. to eat. The others are Christian. We cook rice and vegetables and chat about this and that. Then it's back to bed for a while. Just before 5 a.m., we get up and wash and then pray for about 10 minutes. That's how my day begins during Ramadhan.

The first thing I do is clean the house and afterwards go to the local market to buy chickens, vegetables, fish and other things for the family and also for us. The daily budget is between Rp 50,000 and Rp 70,000. I've got lots of friends at the market and we chat about cooking and how the various spices and foods can be used together.

I get back to the house at about 9 a.m. and put the vegetables in the refrigerator and wash the chickens. The people of the house are Muslim, but some of them don't fast as they are quite elderly. So I have to cook throughout the day, starting from 10 a.m.

Five people work and live here, including maids like me who wash, clean and cook, a handyman, driver and a nursemaid, as there's a baby in the house. They're nice people and we get on very well. I've been working as a maid here for eight months now. It's my first job. I got married when I left school and was a housewife. My husband was a farm laborer in Lampung, and when I was five months pregnant with our third child, he said he wanted to work in Jakarta. He told me he was going to Tanjung Priok (North Jakarta) to find work and I haven't seen him since. I've no idea where he is. He's from Java and I've written to his parents asking if they know anything. But they haven't replied. We've been married for nine years now and I don't know what I'll do if he doesn't come home. I'm not angry with him, though. He said he had to go find money because his salary on the farm in Lampung was very small, even though he has never sent any money back to us. Our eldest child is 12 and is in junior high school; the youngest is four.

So I had to find work to support the family. I heard about this job from a friend and asked my mother to take care of the children. I was earning Rp 150,000 per month when I started here, and now it's been increased to Rp 200,000. I get two days off per month, but I've been home to Lampung twice. Ibu gave me a 10-day break to see my children. She understands my situation.

I'm really looking forward to Lebaran (Idul Fitri, the post- fasting celebration scheduled for Dec. 27 and Dec. 28 this year). I get a bonus of Rp 200,000 so I'll have Rp 400,000. Usually I take two buses to Merak (West Java), then the ferry to Sumatra and another bus to Lampung. It's a terrible journey -- very long and dangerous. The buses are always full of people and often it's hard to find a seat. And there are many devious people who try to steal money or luggage from passengers. You have to be alert all the time; if not, something will be taken.

I'm going home for Lebaran on Dec. 20 with a private travel firm. I've already ordered my ticket. It normally costs Rp 40,000 but at this time of the year it's Rp 100,000, which is more expensive than the average fare of Rp 25,000 if I went by bus and ferry. There are just nine passengers in the minibus or Kijang and it's direct from door to door. It's also much safer and more comfortable.

I cook again in the afternoon. It's not that difficult to cook and fast at the same time. I don't mind it. But I'm glad when the evening comes and it's time to break the fast. I'll have a sweet fruit drink, pray and then have the evening meal.

There's not that much to do at night. We sit around in the kitchen talking and watching TV. These days, the talk is about the holiday and what we've bought as presents for our families. I got some new clothes for the children in the local market.

I never thought I'd work as a maid. But I don't mind it that much. It'd be much nicer to live with my family in Lampung but someone has to earn money to buy food. It's hard when I have to leave home to come back to Jakarta. It's a sad time. I write to the children once a month to let them know how I am and to tell them to be good. I also write to my parents, hoping they are still healthy.

Bedtime is about 10 p.m. I curl up thinking about Lebaran with the children and hoping my husband is there."