A Maid...A Mexico Must Have.

I think I am getting a maid.

Everyone has one. It's the thing to do!

In actuality, it hasn't been an easy decision, nor have we taken the thought lightly. And, I don't particularly want a maid.

But, what I want less is me down on my hands and knees cleaning 1,800 square feet of wood laminate flooring every week. I don't find that fun and enjoyable.

Right now, Mike does the floor cleaning. It has always been his chore. Wasn't a big deal in the U.S. We had very little flooring that wasn't carpet. And, the suburbs of Chicago aren't as dusty as Mexico. Dust and dirt are EVERYWHERE here, especially with my building still under construction.

With Mike working 70+ hours a week (or so it seems), he has had enough of his chore! Plus, all his co-workers tell him he needs a maid, and they smile at the mere thought of going home to their perfectly immaculate homes!

In Mexico, the options for a maid are abundant. You can have a live in maid...which we could do, as we have maids quarters upstairs, on the roof of our building. You can have a maid five days a week, that doesn't live in. Or you can do a few hours a day, as many days as you want.

I've gotten leads on two maids. One would only be available about 4 hours, one day a week. The other...I am not sure of her availability. I need to get someone to translate for me when I call her!

I personally like the idea of a maid once a week, for three or four hours to clean the bathrooms, the floors and the windows/glass walls. Beyond that, what do I need a maid for? I don't mind the laundry and dishes. We are picky eaters, so we don't need or want anyone to cook for us.

Mike likes the idea of having a less-busy maid. Someone who can work longer, if ever necessary.

For three or four hours a day, we would pay a maid less than $250 pesos or $21 USD. I can deal with that!

I'm not sure what I'll do while the maid is here...aside from feeling bad that I am too lazy to do the work myself!

But, I think we are going to pull the trigger and get a maid. It is part of the Mexico experience! Certainly once we go back to the U.S... I won't have a maid!

Talking to all the women at playgroup about their maids is interesting. Some maids take care of the children almost solely. Some maids aren't very interested in the kids, and veer more towards doing all the cooking and cleaning. Some maids eat with the family at night. Others will/do not. Some maids do all the grocery shopping, take the kids to the park, and take care of the dog(s). In Mexico, babysitters are VERY rare. That's what maids are for...or so we are told.

And, the maids are of a variety of ages. I have heard of one maid who is 16 years old. When I think of a sixteen year old, I think "why isn't she in school?". Here, her family needs her to work, to help pay for their home. So, she lives with and works for a family 6 days a week, then takes her paycheck home with her on her day off. School was never in the cards for her. The family she works for is doing her a favor by hiring her and giving her a good home to live in.

It is a different way of living and thinking here in Mexico.