Maid For You

TASK 1: Finding Job

TASK 1: Finding Job

Hello Philippines! Bakit ang init-init mo?

It was already two in the afternoon pero mainit pa rin at ang daming tao kanina sa airport dahil may artista raw. A famous Filipino male actor blah blah. Anyway, I was roaming around Manila after I went out of the airport with no place to stay and nowhere to go.

Philippines is the only place I knew by heart (aside from US). Both of my parents were Filipino, half-Filipino to be exact, and every other year we stay here for vacation. I'm also proud to say that I knew how to speak Filipino. It's because Dad did not stop speaking the language. My brother and I kinda adapted it —

Anyway, this was the only place where I can hide from my parents. And yup, I ran away.

Pumunta ako sa bansang 'to nang hindi nag-iisip. I admit, I'm being impulsive with my decisions sometimes.

Kaya eto, hindi ko na naman alam ang gagawin. Ngayon, may apat akong problema:

First, I can't go to my relatives. Isusumbong nila ako.

Second, I can't check-in in a hotel. It will cost me big time and I need to save as much as I can in order to survive.

Next, I can't use my credit cards here. Baka mahuli ako.

Another reason, where can I find work? I've finished Social Studies and Business Management in University of Washington but using that as a background for my applications will only make it easier for my parents to track me.

The only solution that I could think of is to find a nearby motel or any cheap place where I could rest for the time being. Ang sakit na kasi ang ulo ko kakaisip kung anong trabaho ang puwede kong pagkakitaan. Hindi naman ako puwedeng maging tubero o construction worker. Maybe waitress? Or—

Natigilan ako. Humangin kasi ng pagkalakas-lakas.

Hila-hila ko ang dalawang suitcases ko, nagmadali akong naglakad papasok sa isang mall. Mahangin talaga. Kung ano-ano pa yung lumilipad— Woah!

Yamot na tinanggal ko ang papel na tumakip sa mukha ko. "You piece of s**t! I mean paper!" I stopped and read what was written in the paper.

WANTED: Yaya/ All around maid

Pinagmasdan kong mabuti ang papel. Naalala ko tuloy ang nanny ko.

Tapos yung maid naman...

Nah! Di ako pwede d'yan. I have my own maid in my apartment so I really don't know how to clean.

I started strolling inside the mall hoping for a vacant position as a waitress. Kaso lang they where asking for resume, medical certificate, SSS (what?), pag-ibig (is that love?), 1x1 picture and NBI clearance.

Mukhang walang pag-asa. I can't reveal that I'm American citizen.

Think, think, think! Yes! I need to go to what they called Recto to forge my documents. I rember my cousins brought me here before to forge an ID so I could party with them.

Pumara ako ng taxi papuntang Recto. After three hours may SSS ID na ako, may Pag-ibig at NBI clearance. Pinabago ko rin yung birth certificate ko kaya ngayon parang totoong Filipino citizen na ako. Thanks to Recto!

Bumalik ako sa mall na pinag-aplayan ko. At ang mga walang hiya! Wala naman pala silang vacant na trabaho pinahirapan pa ako.

Hila-hila ang dalawa kong suitcases, naglakad ako papalabas ng mall. I don't really know this place. It's full of small KTV bars. Lights were blinking into different colors. Men were starting to pick girls that are waiting outside the bars.

"Hey Miss." May lumapit sa aking lalaki. Siguro nasa-thirties na. "Pwede ka bang ma-table?"

"Excuse me?" Tanong ko ng nakakunot ang noo. What's 'ma-table'?

"Wow! English spokening dollar. Pang foreigner ka ba?"

"Huh?"

"Okay lang yan miss. Malaki naman akong mag tip."

Nagulat ako ng inakbayan niya ako. What the heck is he doing?!

Hinawakan ko yung kamay nya na nakasukbit sa balikat ko. Mahigpit na hinawakan ko yun sabay pilipit at inikot sa may likuran niya.

"ARAY!"

"'Wag mo nga akong hawakan! At 'wag na 'wag mo akong pagkakamalang call girl, pick-up girl, p********e or anything that related to being a SLUT because I'm not!" Isang suntok sa sikmura bago ako tuluyang umalis hila-hila yung dalawa kong suitcases.

Ano ba yan? Ang beauty ko ba pang call girl lang? Tss!

Sobrang pagod ko na. No choice kundi patulan ang motel na nakikita ko na. Dali-dali akong nagpunta doon habang hila-hila yung dalawa kong suitcase.

Ipinakita niya ang room sa akin. Pwede na kaya I'll accept it. It's less cossy than a hotel. Biruin mong P100 per hour lang. It's around $2.5! Ang mura.

"GIVE IT TO ME BABE! YEAH, SAY MY NAME!"

Nagulat ako sa narinig. Saan ba nangagaling yun?

"Ahhh!"

Lumapit ako sa wall.

"Ahh!"

Idinikit ko yung tenga ko.

"Say my name babe! c*m with me!"

"Ahh! OH George! George! Ah! Ah! Oh! George!"

Eww! How can I sleep with that s*x noise?

Umupo ako sa kama. I felt dissapointed. Kaya pala $ 2.5 lang. Hay... gutom na rin ako! I looked for the motels menu. On the side table I saw a paper and a box. Naintriga ako sa box, kaya dumukot ako ng laman.

"Condom?" Natawa naman ako. Kakaiba talaga ang concept ng mga Filipino sa motel. This place should be a place to stay for a short time while traveling. Motel means motor hotel. You can place your motor or car in the garage while you can rest inside a room but here in the Philipines, Motel is like a s*x hotel.

Hinintay ko na lang na mapagod yung dalawa doon sa kabilang room. Naligo na muna ako, kumain at nagligpit ng gamit. Nakita ko na naman yung paper.

WANTED: yaya/ all around maid

Urgent hiring. Call: 09XXXXXXXXX and look for Maj.

Desperate measures. I need work. This is the best I can have right now.

I dialed the number. It rang for three to six times then I heard a man's voice. "Gabing gabi na! Sino ba 'to?"

Umasimang mukha ko. Ang sungit naman ng sumagot. "Is this Maj?"

"Ako nga. Bakit?"

"I saw this fl—" Bakit ba ako nag e-English? Baka hindi ako pagkamalang maid or yaya or something that will think that I have a capacity to work as a maid.

I watched a Filipino drama series on TFC... it's... Be Careful with My Heart? Yeah, I guess that's it. The lead actress plays as a maid.

The drama played inside my head.

"Hello? May kausap pa ba ako?"

I woke up from my reverie. "Yes... ay! Opo! Ahh... Sir. May nakita po kasi akong flyer na naghahap daw po kayo ng maid?"

"Ahhh...that? Oh thank goodness. Kala ko wala na talaga akong mahahanap. Ite-text ko yung address sayo bukas. May interview ka sa akin."

"O-okay po."

"Good. Bukas na tayo mag-usap. Good night." Pinutol niya ang tawag ko.

Wow! Magkakatrabaho na ba ako?