19 December, 2012

My Home Helper - Sophia


Sophia (not her real name) is my Cambodia house helper, aged 22 yrs old, she had gone through 3 months intensive English speaking course prior her trip to Malaysia, she has not more than 50 words of vocabulary, talking to her can be really exhausted and tiring, typical chicken and duck talks, beside talking, sign language and eventually getting help from on line translation.  

I sit with her every night to teach her English, she ‘graduated’ with a pass after 6 months of hardship.

In Cambodia, she stayed in stilt house minus electricity and water, generator was used for television which is the sole entertainment.  They washed clothes in the front river, get drinking water from the well. 

Bowl and bucket are used to create beautiful rhythm during raining days, 2 small rooms were built to cater for her family of 6, and countless animals were staying below the stilt house.  The animals will be mistaken rain when their owner is taking bath on top of them in the house. 

Breakfast is not a must, plain water is enough to run the day, lunch will have to depend if there is any left over rice from last dinner, plain rice with soya sauce is considered sumptuous for lunch. Dinner will be served with rice and ONE dish that consist of mix vegetable and meat.
Most of the neighborhoods are farmers, those owning a motorcycle is considered well to do. They don’t visit DIY shop, but instead they DIY most of their household things.      

Going to town needs 4 hours of rough drive in the dusty and muddy path, the visibility distance is less than 5 feet, thus, providing free natural face mask along the road.

In view of the above, it is of difference culture and background, yet we managed to live like a family.