Maid in Guachapelin...

This is what $4 dollars worth of maid service gets you in Costa Rica. This is an 8 hour day. It would be $6 dollars a day ($180 a month) if she lived-in and cooked for you. All maids are illegal Nicaraguans and they send 50% of their income ($90) home to their families. They will only walk to your house. My house is over 1 mile up in the hills from the nearest bus stop. People stage their homes with coins to see if the maids will steal them before they commit to employment and they are encouraged to not overpay their maids to keep the cost low. You are required by the government to pay time and a half during the month of December for Christmas and also pay $25 dollars a year in seguro social para illegal (social security for illegals). It really puts things into perspective when you relalize these people fled their country to Costa Rica for a "better life". Makes you wonder what their standard of living was there. As heartbreaking as it all sounds, I've employed Lorena, who starts tomorrow. This is her first job in Costa Rica. Her uncle is my Securty guard, Ramon. My insignificant financial contribution will literally make all the difference to her.

Cocina
Lavar y secar los platos
Barrer el piso
Limpiar el piso
Lavar el fregadero
Limpiar las ventanas

Cuarto de Lavado
Lavar ropa (que esta en la canasta de ropa)
Secar ropa
Planchar Camisas con Niagara (ponerlas en ganchos)
Barrer el piso
Limpiar el piso

Sala
Barrer el piso
Limpiar el piso
Limpiar las ventanas

Baño de arriba
Lavar el lavatorio
Lavar el inodoro
Barrer el piso
Limpiar el piso

Gradas
Barrer el piso
Limpiar el piso

Cuartos
Aspirar el piso
Lavar y secar las sabanas de las camas
Limpiar las ventanas

Baño principal
Lavar el lavatorio
Lavar la bañera
Lavar el inodoro
Barrer el piso
Limpiar el piso
Aspirar el closet