Trabajadora

We got a new cleaning lady yesterday. I don't know what happened to our other second cleaning lady, but one day she went to visit her family and the next she was no longer here ever. When I ask about her people avoid answering, so it's probably a sticky situation. Either way, she's not talking crap about my laundry or offering to paint my fingernails anymore, and a new nicer version has arrived.

I can already tell this lady is great. She has the worst campo-Spanish I've heard, but she still tries to have actual conversations with me. That's nice. Most other people float around me telling people I don't understand any Spanish. That's a lie, but I'm going to let it slide. (When I do finally learn Spanish and the day comes when I pretend I don't speak English, is that wrong to do?)

I started thinking about her life. She's from another campo, so she sleeps here. She will work for 15 says and then go home for like three ish. As in every other weekend she will go home. She has a spouse and a 16 year old child. The son is in Santiago right now for summer vacation. She has had other jobs like this one in the past. One for the past four years. I couldn't help but wonder what kind of life that would be. To live most of your time away from our family and the people you love. The people you are basically working for.

Then I realized that was exactly what I was doing and I had to laugh. I mean come on. I am spending two years working in a country and I have two vacation days a month and two R&R days a month. Now, grant it, I do have friends here, but I'm sure she will have friends too. I plan on being friends with her... She's funny.

So, the cleaning lady at my house is basically a Peace Corps volunteer, but she probably makes more money than I do.