5.23.2009

ayi-ahhhh!

note how the baby is white and the ayi is not

i don't know if i will ever get used to the idea of ayi's. apparently everyone and their mother has at least one. they are essentially very underpaid nannies or maids. they can range from cleaning your house once a week to taking care of your kids while you're at work to cooking for your family to living with your family 24/7. they can be found in people's home and businesses. they get about 15 kuai an hour and are probably just grateful to have a job. and these expats certainly keep them employed. my coworker said some of them completely raise the kids while the parents work too much or go travelling or their mothers go shopping. some expats parents don't lift a finger at all! i said it's like having 2 moms. i wonder who the kid feels more attached to. you could probably write a dissertation on maternal attachment about this. at my new special ed school, we have 2 ayi's who not only cook, clean, and slice your watermelons, they also serve as teacher aides. talk about multi tasking! i have yet to see a male ayi. but then, wouldn't they be called su-su's?

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