Folded Underwear

Anyone who knows me at all knows that cleanliness and tidiness are not my strong suits. I’m not lazy; I simply have other priorities that seem to always trump these tasks (volunteering, working out, reading, spending time with friends, church activities, etc). It helps that I’ve been blessed with the ability to overlook clutter, dirt and disorder! Before now, I’d never considered actually getting a maid because my mess never really bothered me and therefore my monetary priorities were elsewhere!

Now, everything has changed! Here in El Salvador, having a maid is pretty standard once you hit a certain income level. Despite the pay cut I took from an Iowa teaching salary, I “qualify” for a maid. In fact, it’s highly encouraged within the complejo, where I live, to get a maid for one day a week seeing as most of these maids have been employed at the complejo for many years and this is how they support their families. The cost is $12 for the day, and I would be made to feel guilty NOT to do it! Tough choice, right?!

At first, I didn’t really know what to expect or request. After a month, here is what I’ve learned:
*She does my laundry once a week (my standard everywhere else had been every 3 weeks).
*She folds it and puts it away…and FOLDS my underwear!!! (NEVER happened in my lifetime).
*She changes the sheets on my bed once a week (you don’t even want to know my life before).
*She tidies my bedroom.
*She cleans my bathroom once a week (yeah…)
*She does any dishes that are in the sink or on the counter (here, I’m pretty good because otherwise ants rule the house)
*She cooks and chops anything I leave out and request.

It’s a magical experience AND I get to feel good that I am helping support a Salvadoran family. Wow. My maid’s name is Mila, and she is fabulous! I already love her because she speaks Spanish to me in a way I can understand and seems to understand my eager but often muddled Spanish. She is very sweet, and I’m excited to get to know her more over time!