Saturday was the day Ika was due to tell Wayan, my pembantu, that her days were over. Wayan has been my pembantu (helper) for over a year and after Ika's arrival there has always been an uneasy relationship between them. This is heightened by the fact that Ika is from Java and Wayan in from Bali. Ika has asked me many times to get rid of Wayan and hire someone else, including her brother.
Wayan comes around 3 times a week, for 2-3 hours, cleans the place and leaves. For a single guy it was perfect, I could have a party, leave the next morning and by afternoon the house was tidy. I didn't want someone hanging around all day either.
Ika on the other hand, thinks Wayan is lazy and should be doing all kinds of tasks including washing, ironing and shopping. Yesterday she interviewed another lady (from Java) who will replace Wayan. They have agreed the tasks and the time to be spent. The only thing left to do is tell Wayan. I don't know how Indonesians go about firing people but in the west it courtesy to give them some notice (This doesn't apply to crap places like Mcdonalds or the sports club I worked at in Oregon where they'd just spit it out at the end of a person's shift). As I type, Wayan is cleaning and chirping away merrily, totally unaware that Ika is going to drop the bomb. I feel bad and it all came around fast, Wayan didn't do anything wrong and she is out the door.
Oh well, it Ika's party and she can deal with the consequences.
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G’Day Nick,
That’s sad because the one and only time I met Wayan, I liked her very much. Very pleasant to talk to and a delightful lady.
I just hope Ika dismisses her in a nice way and not ‘you are fired’ or ‘your number is up honey’!.
But, like you said mate, it’s Ika’s call and she will have to brunt the consequences and definitely not you.
There is strong resentment between the Balinese and the folks from Java.
A bule spent over $20,000 US building a house with a Balinese family out on the bukit.
A year later he brought home a bride from Java and was told never to return to the property again.
It goes both ways !
Your wife wants you to fire the hired help and then hire her family members as replacements? Do I smell a fish?
A difficult situation that one.If you hire the family members they will surely hang around more.
As for poor wayan maybe you could give her a work
reference to help her find another job.
Wayan’s last day was yesterday and it all went well, she was still smiling at the end.
A friend on mine said it could be jealously. He told me that he has a shop with several female staff. He also has a beautiful girlfriend. The girlfriend is jealous of one girl at the shop, not the pretty ones, but the most plain one. The reason is because she is friendly. Wayan is very friendly and Ika has said to me before “You don’t want to fire her do you, because you really love her”
Its common in Indonesia that when you get a new girlfriend she either goes though your phone and deletes all the other womens names, or at least questions you on them (who is this? ).
G’Day Nick,
Pleased to read all went well. but you are right, it could be a touch of jealousy.
Candika does the same to me re the female names on my handphone. I generally get “What has she done for you?’.
I tend to agree with Friskodude regarding hiring family members. Could get a little TOO familiar!.
Even ‘responsive’!
G’Day Nick,
Actually it’s ‘unresponsive’!. I wouldn’t have minded getting her number in my Hp because I think she is a honey, but, she has a boyfriend..AAhhh. Barrie dips out!.
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