The couple promptly apologized, but the discussion didn't end there. Bagoong, another forum member, attempted a sober defense of his countrymen: "Working as a maid does not equate to being uneducated. Most of our compatriots abroad working as nurses and nannies in Asia, Europe, and Middle East are highly educated. They are tertiary qualified graduates who are forced to leave as there are no jobs for them in the country. I guess that the connotation of a 'maid' as a second-class citizen remains in our psyche."





mine:

i have this opportunity to justify the paragraph above, when one time i was on my way to a resto in hong kong side when i accidentally bumped into a familiar face--

wooah!- she was my classmate in the pre-medical subject.
i couldn't remember her name but it prompted me to greet her.

What are you doing here?!!?

the reply-

cleaning toilets-

she was a certified dentist in the philippines--

to be continued...

comments are welcome-<br><br>Post edited by: linsi, at: 2007/07/27 20:01

a contradiction?

The couple promptly apologized, but the discussion didn't end there. Bagoong, another forum member, attempted a sober defense of his countrymen: &quot;Working as a maid does not equate to being uneducated. Most of our compatriots abroad working as nurses and nannies in Asia, Europe, and Middle East are highly educated. They are tertiary qualified graduates who are forced to leave as there are no jobs for them in the country. I guess that the connotation of a 'maid' as a second-class citizen remains in our psyche.&quot;




The earliest employers of Filipina domestic workers in hong kong as noted were mainly foreigners living in the colony.These employers considered filipina's english-language skills an advantage.

Higher levels of education did not conflict with european ideas about the proper status of domestic workers.

Most westerners were familiar with the idea of au pairs from the same socio economic class as employer, or nannies who are to some extent considered professional in their own right
(Gathorney-Hardy-1972)



But for the chinese employers with a cultural tradition of segregated and hierarchical servant-master relations the expectation is significally different-

From the standpoint of employers and employment agency staff the ideal worker is not a professional or the social equal of her employer. She takes her employer's supriority for granted.

Education like wealth or financial independence, is antithetical to chinese ideas about domestic servitude and can seem threatening to employers-.

Education is a traditional chinese means of attaining political power and prestige. to a woman employer with little education or one who views her education as validating her recent upward mobility of an educated worker..

the downward mobility of an educated worker can seem to undercut her self-image and put primary cultural values
into question..


NOW I KNOW-why many domestic workers i've talked to
seem to be timid because hong kong is discouraging professionals now and would rather accept domestic workers from the provinces- with lower educational attainment-




<br><br>Post edited by: linsi, at: 2007/07/27 22:50

Hi linsi,

maybe the outrage is out of place.

Danish or Europeans actually thinks that Australia is the best source of nannies in European countries (particularly in Britain).

The post seems to be founded on the premise that another best source of nannies is the Philippines.

Its just that the board (where he posted his ad), is not for Agents for Nannies or not even for nannies...

^_^

on the other note, in the past I also feel insulted every time Singaporeans talk lowly about their nannies..

they actually call them helpers not nannies..and I would agree with some of your observations..

that indeed Hong Kongers might prefer Chinese (from mainland China) helpers thatn Filipinos due to language barriers..

and that Both Singapore and Hong Kong (asian countries) are one of the world's highest importers of domestic help..because of British influence..

they associate having domestic help as socially more elite..than having none and having to do their chores like their Western middle income counterparts..

in the Western world,,only the rich can afford to hire domestic help..but not in Singapore or Hong Kong ^_^

When I was in France the nannies where from ex-French Africa and the janitors from Portugal

hi gaoefi,

thanks for the perspective, i guess whether Asian or Western culture we always have certain cliche's

for example in America, the nannies and manual laborers (gardeners) are mostly Mexicans..

but there are also professional Mexicans and even celebrities like Jennifer Lopez.

Philippines also have Hollywood celebrities like the guy from Black Eyed Peas and also the protagonist of Juce Bigolo..well they are not as famous as Jennifer Lopez though..

not sure if anyone heard about Lea Salonga of Les Misrables and Miss Saigon(she is a Filipina). She is an international stage artist and proud to be Filipino.

Hello all,

Good topic!

... and great insights you all have...


... hhmmm ... a nation of Nannies...??..

as long as we don't lose our pride as a nation and a race... i have no problem with it...


&quot;AKO AY PILIPINO, AND DUGO AY MAHARLIKA&quot;