Lunch at 3 pm

Out of 8 years Ha (1971) working abroad, 3 years she did housemaid for a family in Taiwan and 5 years in Republic of Cyprus.

Her first difficult when working abroad is language barriers. Before each trip, she spent a short time studying language however it was not enough to improve her communication skills.

Ha proudly told she is a very hardworking and attentive person. So sometimes not understand exactly what the landlord says, she will guess the latter's saying based on context and her attitude.

The house is built by the money Ha earns from working abroad

“Even cooking, at first I had to watch the landlord to for imitation. Later, I cooked even better than her. Now though I’ve returned to Vietnam, I keep contact with the family in Cyprus.’’

When Ha came to Cyprus, she was the sixth servant of this family. The 5 previous people all gave up their jobs. Ha revealed, her secret is hardworking and attentive.

Besides language, different eating habits also afflict foreign workers.

In Taiwan, she ate rice because Vietnam and Taiwan has many similarities. As for the first time Cyprus, her stomach frequently cried.

“‘They eat 3 meals, but breakfast and dinner only eat a piece of toast, milk. Children of homeowners go to work from 8 am to 2 pm. At 3 pm, they had their second meal, the main meal. At home, I work in the field, sometimes 10-11 am, I have lunch, ”Ha recalls.

In the first year, she had to follow the host’s eating habits. In the second year, she offered to eat rice and was agreed immediately. From then every time she went to the market, she purchased a bag of rice. After being familiar with new food, she only ate rice twice a week.

Ha in a shared picture with the Cypriot landlady

She said that, despite the harsh weather, the summer is hot, the winter is snow, the economic and social life in Cyprus is very civilized and modern.

“What I like the most here is very clean roads. Every house has a lawn and a garden. Each house has only a small, beautiful gate, not high-closed gate like Vietnam. There are very few steals here, "said Ha.

There is one thing strange to her, that is people often throw away broken machinery and electrics instead of fixing them. Those things are dumped in landfills.

She shared, living in Cypriot family is quite comfortable, unlike in Taiwan. In Taiwan, there is a distinction between servants and landlords. It is different in Cyprus.

“They treat me very equally. Sometimes, my opinion affects to their decision”, said Ha.

In addition to the monthly salary, the landlord also facilitated Ha to work for her son’s family with extra payment.

Ha thinks she is lucky to work in this family. She knew that other laborers like her had to work harder, even if they worked more at the house of the host's children, they would not be paid more.

Ha emotionally recalls the time in Cyprus

During her five years in Cyprus, she was not only loved by her host family but also her neighbors.

When she came to Cyprus, there were only a dozen Vietnamese people. Just two years later, through mutual introduction, Vietnamese community here becomes bigger and bigger.

Ha said, she should not have returned to Vietnam if not for her husband's illness. From when she returned to Vietnam, she hasn't been comback.

Now, her small yard is full of colorful flower pots and ornamental plants. She said the interest in growing flowers is learnt from the life in Cyprus.

Ha Thuong