More Curiousity from the Maid
Posted on June 9, 2009 - Filed Under Guatemala, Simple Life | 10 Comments
This morning, Irving headed into town with Dorian to get the numbers for his motorcycle and everything sorted so he’s legal to ride. Leaving me alone with a ton of writing assignments and Dante. The maid appeared shortly and she’s in a particularly talkative mood this morning. She tentatively asked me about my family and if any of them lived in Antigua. I explained that they were still in Canada, something she found very hard to fathom . . . her entire family, including extended members are here in San Juan, with a few “renegades” living in Antigua or nearby towns.
We were talking and she said, “Your mother must be very, very sad that you have gone so far away.” I said that she was, but we talked frequently. “Do you call her?” She asked. I told her that we talk via the internet, it’s the same as making a phone call, but we write.
Then she asked about my work, when I lived in Antigua. We took a look at the few photos I have of my family, as well as some of when Irving and I first met. “Oh, you were very thin before . . . I expect having children made you fat, huh?” (I should note here that telling people they are fat in Guatemala is not considered an insult for some reason. Still makes me squirm though, even though it is very true!)
We then discussed how I had taught English in Antigua before and then the talk moved to what I do now. She’s really having a hard time understanding what I work on, so I told her it was like the articles she reads in the newspaper, I do that . . . but for a lot of different publications. That seemed to make more sense to her and she thought it sounded rather interesting to be a writer. She was still confused about how they pay me, asking if I had to drive to where my bosses were to pick up the money . . . I think that’s what she thinks I do when I manage to leave the house.
I did learn some things as well about her. Number one, that she has 2 sisters and 3 brothers. Number two, she has no concept of banking, her experience appears to be entirely based on cash. Number three, she doesn’t have much of a grasp of geography, she thought Canada was a very large city just north of us, or perhaps in the US. And finally, she has absolutely NO understanding of English. When I told her my middle name was Blue (we were discussing the oddities of English names), she didn’t pick up that it was a color, though the majority of Guatemalans know at least some numbers and colors in English. Which indicates to me that she may not have even reached fourth grade in school, as Irving previously assumed. I think working here is really going to change her views of the world!
Comments
10 Responses to “More Curiousity from the Maid”
Talk to Me, People!
New reader
I had heard that “fat” is not an insult in some areas! Interesting how one word can carry such offense in one language.
In some places where there is a good deal of poverty skinny connotes “poorly fed” and fat is not a bad thing.
I am not surprised that your maid has no concept of banking. In the U.S. where I live, about 9% of the population is “unbanked” in urban Mexico City 76% and one can imagine it is much higher in rural areas. I’ve no idea what the percentage of people is in Guatemala who do not use banks however my guess would be the majority of the population.
(Didn’t find great #’s for Canada but one source suggests that estimates are from 3-5% of Canadians are unbanked with the #’s being higher in low-income communities, norther territories, and another source suggested: first peoples.)
Many from developed nations take for granted our luxuries… like banks, like electricity and running water (that you can drink from the tap), like running barefoot safely for fun… not because you have no shoes or choice, even appliances. Our last maid grew up in a one-room grass hut on a beach … they kept their food in a pot tied to the ceiling to keep the cats out. Whereas our smaller family has a regular freezer/fridge as well as a full upright deep-freeze. I like my ’stuff’, but I’ve had my eyes opened long ago. Now when we have someone come work for us, I do not assume anything. I teach about my home.. rather than leaving it to them to figure out or be scared of. Still, our last maid took nearly 3 years to lose her fear of dusting near the computers!
I know people here don´t all have the same knowledge, but it did surprise me that she thought Canada was a city, though I suppose it makes sense. Most people know about the US because everyone goes there to work, but Canada isn´t as common! It´s definitely interesting to see where the maid is coming from, but it also makes me sad. Kids growing up without education have virtually no future. I look at my kids and they have the world open to them, yet just across the street there is a family with kids the same age who will probably just be laborers in a field and never be able to do anything else even if they wanted to.
Interesting statistics. I suppose I just assume that people will know that banks accept money, but I probably shouldn´t assume anything!
Yup, when I worked in the bar in Antigua, the cooks were always feeding me stuff because I was “too thin”. Then when I left for a few months and came back, they exclaimed over how fat I was (I´d put on maybe 15 lbs) and were quite excited and pleased! I never got over the feeling that it´s an insult, but it really is cultural conditioning!
Genesis, having kids made me fat too. Before I married my wife, I was 6′1″ and 170lbs. Now I’m 6′1″ and 230lbs. What more proof does one need?
I think I gained a little more than you did, Mark . . . definitely more per kid!
I have come to accept “Gordito Mio” as a term of endearment from my Wife. However, it is sometimes difficult for her to remember that not everyone here in the US (especially my daughters) will feel the same way about being called fat. What a shame that we, in the first world, have been conditioned to believe that fat is not acceptable. Being fat myself, I like this a lot about Guatemalan people.
Geography outside of Central America is apparently not an important subject in Guatemalan schools. No concept at all of the largeness of other countries with states, counties/provinces and cities, it must all be very confusing. Yet, La Capital is Guatemala City in the province of Guatemala and the country is Guatemala. There are how many different cities named San Antonio de ___ or San Juan de ____? This is too confusing even for me.
The reluctance to accept banking is the result of so many banks in the past closing and the executives running off to Miami to live la vida buena with other peoples money. It’s no wonder that banking is not widely understood and accepted. Buy property use cash and don’t go near a bank.
Interesting points, John. I don’t know that I will ever get used to the fat thing.
As for geography, it seems that if the country is not an important part of the World Cup, it doesn’t register. lol