'We should appreciate maids more'
People around the world have just commemorated Human Rights Day on Dec. 10, with distinguished persons being recognized for their work to promote and uphold the basic rights of people -- something that often puts them on the opposite side of the fence from those in power. However, the basic rights of the weak and defenseless are overlooked most of the time. The Jakarta Post asked some city residents about how they appreciate their house maids.
Neni Anggoro, 38, is a housewife. She lives in Cengkareng, West Jakarta, with her husband and three-year-old son:
Before the Idul Fitri holiday, I used to forget how comfortable it is to have maids doing all the work around the house. I often got angry with them when they did something wrong.
I finally realized that my maids are priceless after they went back to their village for two weeks to celebrate the holiday, and as a result I had to do the household chores myself for two weeks. Then I knew how tough it was to be a maid.
I think we should appreciate maids more than we do as they actually help us a lot in running our homes. I'm now trying to be more patient with them by not getting angry so often when they make mistakes.
Sandra, 30, is a manager with a firm headquartered on Jl. Sudirman in Central Jakarta. She lives in Lippo Karawaci, Tangerang, with her husband:
I have two maids in my house and I leave everything up to them as I work five days a week and leave the house at 8 a.m. I don't get back home until around 7 p.m.
So, I don't know much about what's going on in my house. All I know is that when I leave the house, it's clean, and when I come home, it's clean and the food's there. So, I'm pretty much satisfied with what my maids do.
I rarely get angry or yell at them because I know that I cannot do the house work and I need them to do it for me. Anyway, who am I to say that my maids have made mistakes?
Besides, if they didn't make mistakes, that is, if they were educated, they wouldn't be maids. They'd be employers, instead.
-- The Jakarta Post