A Helping Hand

Across the globe in families in which both parents are working, hiring an extra pair of hands to help around the house is an essential part of life. Domestic workers, nannies, cleaning ladies, babysitters and daycare… Every country has them. But the way society views them differs depending where you go.

Because my family in particular has traveled quite significantly, I have had the good fortune to observe domestic work in a number of settings in different parts of the world. Before moving to Armenia, I lived in Dubai where most households had maids who lived in special rooms hidden away from guests. Their presence is complex. “If you are a maid in Lebanon, everyone sees you as inferior,” one Ethiopian domestic worker explained in a recent article in Al-Monitor highlighting prejudices toward domestic help in many parts of the world. It is customary for domestic workers in this part of the world to live with you, but at the same time, because of cultural stigmas, they feel they are not one of you, no matter how much you may try to engage them. Their wages are low and, depending on the generosity of each family, they either live well in that house, or terribly poor. They usually hail from another country, looking to make money they can send home. I myself struggled with this complex relationship with a person who I see as an equal human being and trust with the safety of my child.