A Tale of Two Maids: Unveiling the Reality Behind Expatriate Domestic Help in Asia — Part Two

<p>Isa, originally from the Philippines, has worked for various families in Hong Kong, including both local and expatriate households. In her current job, she resides in a windowless storage room tucked away from the main living area. Despite the lack of a window, she finds the room more spacious and private than her previous accommodations with a local family. She enjoys her Sunday off, which she usually spends around the Central subway station, picnicking under the bridges with fellow maids from her home country.</p> <p>Isa has a passion for cooking. Her previous employer enrolled her in cooking classes to learn how to prepare Italian dishes. She is also skilled at baking Urar&oacute;, a traditional Filipino cookie, which her former employer loved so much that they would ask her to bake batches to take back to America to share with their family and enjoy during the Christmas holiday period. In her current role, Isa took the initiative to bake a cake for her employer&rsquo;s birthday, hoping to forge a deeper emotional connection. However, her employer prefers to maintain a strictly professional relationship and has no interest in celebrating birthdays together, either their own or Isa&rsquo;s.</p> <p><a href="https://medium.com/@yllynn.chen/tale-of-two-maids-unveiling-the-reality-behind-expatriate-domestic-help-in-asia-part-two-7f91141a91b0"><strong>Website</strong></a></p>