Since moving to Oaxaca, we have had Dolores come and clean the house. Every Monday and Tuesday mornings, she would arrive and hours later the house was dusted and clean, smelling like Fabuloso and joyfully fresh.
Over the last 5+ years, she has become my friend. She looks after my family and I care for hers. I was the kids` godmother of their graduation (its a thing here), and once per year we do something together as a big family. We have driven to the end of the road in the mountains to meet her sister and her sister`s family. We went to see the movie Coco together. We`ve brought the kids to Hierve el Agua and to Apoala. I went with her to get her dogs and cats sterilized. I`ve met her ducks and she has brought me bananas from her tree.
A little while after the various phases of quarantine were implemented, we decided that Dolores should likely not come to work but we would still pay her.`We felt like there was too much exposure as her husband was traveling on public transportation every day.
Today she came to pick up two weeks pay. She had been to the municipality to see about getting additional help and shared with us that her husband waited in line to register for some work the city was offering. Evidently they were looking for people to paint curbs and do other manual tasks. 3 hours per day for 10 days, $4000 pesos. As you can imagine the lines at both places were long, with lots of people trying to get what they could, what little was available. She shared that her eldest daughter asked her if they would survive. Yes, Dolores assured her, we will survive. Perhaps changed, perhaps scythed.
As we chatted outside at a safe distance, I looked at her face mask which was a lovely bright cotton. she said she had started to make masks for her and the family and her neighbours. She is keeping busy. I miss her more than I realized.
And I cleaned the living room on my own. Ugh.
Over the last 5+ years, she has become my friend. She looks after my family and I care for hers. I was the kids` godmother of their graduation (its a thing here), and once per year we do something together as a big family. We have driven to the end of the road in the mountains to meet her sister and her sister`s family. We went to see the movie Coco together. We`ve brought the kids to Hierve el Agua and to Apoala. I went with her to get her dogs and cats sterilized. I`ve met her ducks and she has brought me bananas from her tree.
Today she came to pick up two weeks pay. She had been to the municipality to see about getting additional help and shared with us that her husband waited in line to register for some work the city was offering. Evidently they were looking for people to paint curbs and do other manual tasks. 3 hours per day for 10 days, $4000 pesos. As you can imagine the lines at both places were long, with lots of people trying to get what they could, what little was available. She shared that her eldest daughter asked her if they would survive. Yes, Dolores assured her, we will survive. Perhaps changed, perhaps scythed.
As we chatted outside at a safe distance, I looked at her face mask which was a lovely bright cotton. she said she had started to make masks for her and the family and her neighbours. She is keeping busy. I miss her more than I realized.
And I cleaned the living room on my own. Ugh.
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1 comment:
Tanya, what a beautiful post . It brought tears to my eyes! The poor people of Oaxaca during Covid 19. So resilient and always creative , hardworking and willing to do what is necessary for their families to survive! You are the one of the best friends anyone could have!! ❤❤❤🙏
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