domestication irritation

Culturally, i have been brought up to not make my bed, not wash my coffee cup, not do my own laundry, and not do any such tasks. This doesn't mean they don't get done, someone is hired to clean up after me, and all those like me. Domestic help, such a controversy.

I despise the idea of a stranger living in my home. But then again i am not going to clean up after myself. I don't stay that out of being a spoiled brat, but I'm admitting that i am not used to it, and i don't intend to start now.

Domestic help can be such a hassle though. There are so many issues involved, as i have recently learned, it is not at all as easy at it seems.

Trust is number one. You are forced to consult your gut feeling of whether or not this total stranger is 'safe' to have in your home. My imagination runs wild with stories of workers choking their employers in their sleep. I start to think about any valuables i have laying around. It becomes an annoying conspiracy theory where i am defending myself and my family from a culprit that does not exist, yet.

Looking at the other side though, i imagine how the new domestic employee might feel. A usually young, usually non-native speaker, alone in a home full of and owned by strangers. I would not switch places with her. She has no idea what is expected of her, how she should act, what the talk is about, or even where the glasses are.

It is difficult for both sides. Sometimes relationships blossom and last for years while others end within the hour. But at the beginning it is always stressful. We have been trained to feel lost and helpless without domestic help. Strangely, i have found it is a whole lot easier to work with people in the office than it is in the home.