tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491088023973371313.post384674883800934027..comments2023-10-29T21:14:24.325+08:00Comments on SHE in China: What 'having an ayi' does to you...Jonna Wibeliushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08954672453008704738noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491088023973371313.post-49051553316898543472009-02-07T23:33:00.000+08:002009-02-07T23:33:00.000+08:00I want your ayi! Because now I'm the ayi in the ho...I want your ayi! Because now I'm the ayi in the house!!!hippohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12837829149344108911noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491088023973371313.post-47650061160084047442009-02-07T02:04:00.000+08:002009-02-07T02:04:00.000+08:00I had an ayi while I lived in China. At first I fe...I had an ayi while I lived in China. At first I felt guilty, but after two years I got over it. She would try to find things to do if I did not have enough for her to do. I usually did do some of my laundry and picked up after myself a bit on the days that she came. <BR/><BR/>I also enjoyed the two hour massages and usually wore a iPod ;-). The foot and back were one of my favorites.MaryAnn Clearyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18276955674738154597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491088023973371313.post-38358445458994677382009-02-06T16:21:00.000+08:002009-02-06T16:21:00.000+08:00Our family has had a housekeeper for the past five...Our family has had a housekeeper for the past five years, ever since we left Stockholm to work overseas. First there was Natalya in Azerbaijan, now Subin in Qatar. How do we keep grounded? By spending summers at our summerhouse in Sweden...washing our own dishes, doing our own laundry, cleaning our own house! It's a great reality check for both of us and our 11-year-old son...and at the end of each summer, we appreciate our housekeeper so much more. We are getting prepared for a move to Suzhou in August and will be looking for an ayi of our own...so if you hear of an ayi looking for a new family, Joanna, let us know...Lauralynn Stefureakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00712493261366185191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491088023973371313.post-6330302691429392992009-02-06T12:40:00.000+08:002009-02-06T12:40:00.000+08:00Don't let yourself rely on ayi.That's too bad!Don't let yourself rely on ayi.<BR/>That's too bad!Jasonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10399724006663142977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491088023973371313.post-87055694674871855432009-02-06T11:58:00.000+08:002009-02-06T11:58:00.000+08:00It's thoughtprovoking and gets us another chance t...It's thoughtprovoking and gets us another chance to think about the topic further.<BR/><BR/>Probably, we need to care for those people more humanistically and with our action who work for us while we pay them.David Wanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09693704799924735797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491088023973371313.post-9985493185628819982009-02-06T09:13:00.000+08:002009-02-06T09:13:00.000+08:00Your blog is great. It makes me want to travel ri...Your blog is great. It makes me want to travel right now.andtheniknew.blogspot.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08052797498920785282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491088023973371313.post-89910976873738276342009-02-06T05:16:00.000+08:002009-02-06T05:16:00.000+08:00Hmmmm I definitely have ayi-envy and hope you'll b...Hmmmm I definitely have ayi-envy and hope you'll be posting a pic of your squeaky clean cupboards once your ayi is back and on the job--love reading your blog and will be checking back often:-)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09600365870806305125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491088023973371313.post-80520121887679409722009-02-06T04:02:00.000+08:002009-02-06T04:02:00.000+08:00This reminds me so much of growing up. In my house...This reminds me so much of growing up. In my house my Mom did it all. My brother, my Dad and I were so lazy and my poor Mom was left to do everything around the house for all of us. Although now when I go home to visit she insists that I do nothing while she STILL does it all!Whitneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09910121945370744663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491088023973371313.post-18371064063615382512009-02-06T02:14:00.000+08:002009-02-06T02:14:00.000+08:00My mother always referred to her grandfather as Ay...My mother always referred to her grandfather as Ayi. I thought it was his name, but one day she told me it meant "nursemaid" and that her cousin always called him that because grandpa said to him one day after doing everything for him, "You must think I am your Ayi" Apparently the little boy liked the sound of it and everyone started calling grandpa William Ayi from then on. That was back in 1910.REGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09141872868930003563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491088023973371313.post-13459246110625613192009-02-06T02:12:00.000+08:002009-02-06T02:12:00.000+08:00Well my mom makes me do chores at home... Though m...Well my mom makes me do chores at home... Though my real grandmother helps sometimes (I let her)binggebahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16595307682705761512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491088023973371313.post-68721305152679053952009-02-06T01:13:00.000+08:002009-02-06T01:13:00.000+08:00Wow, I never heard tell of such a thing. This was...Wow, I never heard tell of such a thing. This was an interesting blog. I have never had the privilege<BR/>of traveling outside of the United States of America, but I can relate. For example, my Father and Mother have always raised us to take care of ourselves and be independent, to help out others and to help with the household chores and I feel that for that we are now strong, individual people who treat human beings with respect.<BR/><BR/>However, my Mother's friends' daughter was spoiled and raised by a made because her parents were always working and now she thinks that she is above everyone.<BR/><BR/>"You are no better or worse than anyone else in life, but no one will be as good as you."Christinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06587878659383143782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491088023973371313.post-60646007924516703702009-02-06T00:03:00.000+08:002009-02-06T00:03:00.000+08:00I jealous with you...... but i happy for you too.....I jealous with you...... but i happy for you too....Zata Timehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00908689355866064966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491088023973371313.post-68928645502188923872009-02-05T23:16:00.000+08:002009-02-05T23:16:00.000+08:00I'm jealous.We have a cleaning service come in twi...I'm jealous.<BR/><BR/>We have a cleaning service come in twice a month. 2 people, about 1.5 hours each time. <BR/><BR/>We pay about $160 (US) for this. Pricey, but it helps free up some valuable spare time. I get up at 5:15 AM and get home from work about 5 PM (commute time and day care drop off/pick up add substantial time). I don't feel like scrubbing toilets when I get home.<BR/><BR/>My wife and I do maintain a good level ot cleanliness between cleanings, though.Kosmohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03915243497722411178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491088023973371313.post-81907871477293109102009-02-05T22:58:00.000+08:002009-02-05T22:58:00.000+08:00It's nice to be spoiled and easy to find excuses! ...It's nice to be spoiled and easy to find excuses! I do the excuses game all the time. I'll get it done eventually though.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778054413371087920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491088023973371313.post-37471400464659942312009-02-05T22:22:00.000+08:002009-02-05T22:22:00.000+08:00This comment has been removed by the author.Jasonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10399724006663142977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491088023973371313.post-25295374244546195112009-02-05T20:40:00.000+08:002009-02-05T20:40:00.000+08:00I think we all deserve to be a little spoiled now ...I think we all deserve to be a little spoiled now and then. I'm sure if you move some where else, you will miss your ayi, but adapt to the change.Jewelshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05893540249055609385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491088023973371313.post-32484358414022243232009-02-05T19:29:00.000+08:002009-02-05T19:29:00.000+08:00Lol.Its funny what people do to appear cleaner tha...Lol.Its funny what people do to appear cleaner than they are. Your experience with your ayi is funny. Actually, its practically normal to have an ayi (or just house help) in Nigeria. And yes, it makes everyone lazy. But if you're married, guys usually insist you cook dinner if nothing else.<BR/><BR/>They've also been many instances of husbands cheating with house helps. Mmmm...Adiyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14979816575908889345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491088023973371313.post-81056029495480939222009-02-05T18:38:00.000+08:002009-02-05T18:38:00.000+08:00Nice post. My ayi had a tough time with my 12-day ...Nice post. My ayi had a tough time with my 12-day accumulation of dust, laundry and dishes too. But it being still Chinese New Year, I gave her the token red packet haha.The Other Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07539122755834784560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491088023973371313.post-47348944509817603152009-02-05T15:18:00.000+08:002009-02-05T15:18:00.000+08:00I was shanghi... i love your weblogI was shanghi... i love your weblogAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269728723042729827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491088023973371313.post-6145140347935337182009-02-05T14:43:00.000+08:002009-02-05T14:43:00.000+08:00wah! because i live in australia, we don't have an...wah! because i live in australia, we don't have any 'ayi' here, but nobody employs any ayi where my relatives are, which is in Hong Kong, Guangzhou or beijing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491088023973371313.post-13325239651563236202009-02-05T14:42:00.000+08:002009-02-05T14:42:00.000+08:00Hi Jonna, We used to encounter that kind of guilt ...Hi Jonna, <BR/>We used to encounter that kind of guilt whenever we leave dirty dishes in the sink to wait for our "ayi". We don't call her that, we call her "pangyaw" which means "friend" in cantonese. Our pangyaw is like a family and has been with us since 1996. We love her. And you know what? whenever we ask her to take a day-off or a vacation, she will always decline worrying that nobody will take care of us. See how kind-hearted she is? We are deeply touched and now I have a problem. We might be migrating to Canada within 4 months and I do not want to leave her. But of course it's not possible, right? so now I am looking for good people out there who could employ her when we leave. God I love that woman and I would definitely miss her so much.. She's a very dear person.. If you are near Shenzhen maybe you could employ her? Or your friend here? <BR/><BR/>Thanks from Loida or 2L3B'sLoida of the 2L3B'shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13021591376131650627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491088023973371313.post-76732193698175287472009-02-05T14:41:00.000+08:002009-02-05T14:41:00.000+08:00Lucky you. I am jealous. I want one ayi too :-))Lucky you. I am jealous. I want one ayi too :-))Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491088023973371313.post-84426704897134226062009-02-05T14:19:00.000+08:002009-02-05T14:19:00.000+08:00Just Breathe -nope. No tipping in China is the gen...Just Breathe -nope. No tipping in China is the general rule! (and I LOOOOOVE it!) We always give her a 'hong bao' (a bonus that u put in a red envelope) on Chinese national holidays like the CNY or the national day in October.Jonna Wibeliushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08954672453008704738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491088023973371313.post-970744800520702009-02-05T14:16:00.000+08:002009-02-05T14:16:00.000+08:00Love your blog! Geez, I would love an "ayi" even f...Love your blog! <BR/>Geez, I would love an "ayi" even for a day. . .<BR/>Are you required to tip your "ayi" as well?JustBreathehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09144035601605307811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491088023973371313.post-66885912613009674782009-02-05T13:58:00.000+08:002009-02-05T13:58:00.000+08:00Hi, I like reading your blog. It's very interestin...Hi, <BR/>I like reading your blog. It's very interesting to know Chinese daily life from your experiences.<BR/><BR/>In my language "ayi" is "bibi" (aunt in English). Yes, I agree that having an ayi doesn't mean she has to do everythings for us.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com