Edison's Site

So, Daddy is in the US and Mommy starts interviewing Amah candidates on her own.
2 on Saturday, 3 on Sunday.

One was a no show. One was too chatty (would drive Daddy crazy.) One preferred not to have her meals with the family (me eating alone, if Mommy and Daddy were working late was not an option.) Another one Mommy thought would workout - except she had a mole with a half inch hair in it. Mommy knew that Daddy wouldn't be able to sit across the dinner table with her at ease, and I would be overly interested in it, asking over and over "What's that?" Mommy wouldn't want to subject anyone to that, but she was a good candidate.

Then Mommy met Ms. Gloria.
Ms. Gloria actually holds a degree in education with focus on children, worked 6 years with her previous employer and plays the Guitar on her free time.
On Sundays she attends church, participates in the church singing group (with her sister) which also sings to a nursing home every 3rd Sunday. Then sometimes, as part of the Filipino teacher's association, teach fellow Filipino's math and sciences. She's in Hong Kong to make money to put her other siblings through college in the Philippines. Her job as a teacher didn't make enough money in the Philippines. There was no point in Mommy interviewing more people anymore... Ms. Gloria was the one.

Ms. Gloria was also very happy to have met with Mommy as well, so they both wanted to start paper work. It was Sunday - papers were initiated on Monday, the next day. Ms. Gloria was so organized... Mommy was so impressed. (And Mommy doesn't get impressed that easily.)
I also got to meet Ms. Gloria that day, I liked her from the day I met her too.

As the paper work continues... Mommy and Ms. Gloria meet up once or twice along the way. Just thinking how Ms. Gloria is paying for school for her family, Mommy wondered who paid for Ms. Gloria's education... she had a scholarship.
That just made Mommy so happy, reinforcing she found a good and capable person to help take care of me. She was so worried before - but only because she loves me so, and won't trust just anyone to help take care of me. Mommy's standards are very high when it comes to her pumpkin... that's me.

Mommy and Daddy would always go back and forth over hiring someone to help take care of me. They say in Hong Kong everyone does it... In any case, Mommy only wanted help for after school as that was all we really needed, but realistically it is just too expensive or illegal to hire part-time help.

So between Daddy starting school in September, Typhoon season, both of them traveling and family potentially staying indefinitely... Mommy decided to give in to Daddy and hire full-time help. Daddy wanted to go through an agency and Mommy just arranged interviews on her own. At first, Mommy started interviewing her co-worker's Amahs (nickname for domestic helper in Hong Kong.) Then when her co-worker mentioned that she posted her Amahs on a web-site that Mommy could look at - Mommy then started to read about other potential candidates, and decided to just setup interviews.

That weekend, between Saturday and Sunday - Mommy interviewed 5 people. How she picked was based on if they worked in Hong Kong more than 2 years with same Employer (contracts are only 2 years long, so anyone with one employer more than 2 years should have good experience,) if there was an Employer reference as well and if they had a college level degree. Daddy's criteria was that he would be able to sit at the dinner table and have a normal conversation with them.
Interview questions were mainly what they do for their free time, do they eat with the family, what they are looking for in a family and why they are in Hong Kong. Free time was important, because Mommy and Daddy are low maintenance so they think - but whoever joined our family would have lots of free time since I am in school pretty much all day and plus I am such a good boy, well compared to most others.

Anyway, so the search begins...

KaoFu is leaving... I'm so sad.

So, Nai Nai's come to visit on Daddy's request to help since KaoFu is leaving... I'm happy to see Nai Nai, but I don't want KaoFu to leave.

The morning KaoFu has to leave, we have a fun playing with my Zoob toys. While KaoFu was here we never got a chance to play Legos (Mommy forgot to bring them out.)
But one day, KaoFu put my toy trains out while I was in school. So when I came home I had this wonderful surprise waiting for me. I was elated and had so much fun! My KaoFu loves me so!

After KaoFu left, Nai Nai would pick me up from school... but then when I would come home, I would be looking for my KaoFu. But, he's not on the top bunk bed sleeping anymore.
Before KaoFu left, when Ms. Autumn would ask where KaoFu was, I would usually say sleeping. And when I would ask KaoFu to come meet me at school during my lunch and naptimes, he always did when he could... It always made me so happy that he did.
He loves me so and... I miss and love him so.

But at least I know I'll see him again at Christmas!

One morning I was giving Daddy and Mommy a hard time over breakfast. I wouldn't eat my meal. I could tell Daddy was getting frustrated and then Mommy immediately took over... I still wasn't as cooperative, but at least I finished my cup of milk.
So I declare to Mommy - "I'm a good boy!"
She looks at me and says, "Well... kind of, but not really because you only drank your milk and didn't eat your french toast, plus you made Daddy sad for not eating breakfast."
I sit and think for a second, then get up and go to Daddy in the kitchen.
Daddy kneels down, I sit in his lap and tell him, "I'm sorry."
What a sweet boy, Mommy and Daddy think to themselves - how can we stay upset.

Another morning we were waiting for my school bus. Daddy went to get coffee. When he came back - I always like to press the little raised buttons on the drink covers. Daddy tells me this is hot and not to touch... but the urge is too strong. Mommy inadvertantly distracts Daddy to explain that I can read the character for cow's milk... and I go for the coffee cover... oops...
The coffee spills... there's a huge commotion.
Mommy's bag is wet, my bag is wet, everyone is looking... I get embarassed and hide grabbing hold of Mommy's leg.
Then... like a river meandering through mini-valleys, the coffee starts spreading and spreading. People start scattering to avoid the molten hot... coffee... come on! it was only coffee, boy people are overly sensitive. One lady was giving Mommy disapproving looks, and Mommy didn't care because there is no reason to get upset over spilt anything.
Anyway, Mommy wasn't upset at all... Daddy a little only because he lost his coffee.

The next day... when we were waiting at the bus stop, since it hadn't rain and the coffee wasn't washed away yet, we could see where and how far the coffee meandered. Mommy and Daddy never said anything to me directly about it... like chiding me or anything. But I went to my Daddy who was just sitting on the side and told him, "I'm sorry I spilled your coffee."
So you see, Mommy and Daddy didn't have to say anything to me, because I know what I did and admitted to it.