Thursday 14 August 2008

Midnight Thursday

I am in my room here at my hotel, they upgraded me to a suite after I complained about some noise.......really nice room.

I haven't done very much over the past few days as I haven't been feeling very well, mostly just spent most of my day in bed, the food/heat are not working too well with my body and the pills that I'm taking for HBP make me feel really unwell.

I am flying to Manila in the morning, I catch the 10.20am and arrive at 11.35am. I'm hoping to fly to Hong Kong the next day (Saturday) but most flights are fully booked at this minute online. I will visit the travel agent in Manila tomorrow to see if I can get a flight then.

I know 3 girls that have just moved to Hong Kong, 2 have degrees and one was near to finishing her time at teacher training college.... and why are they leaving the Phils..... to work in Hong Kong as a domestic helper....... DH's there get about 23,000 pesos (£250) per month while teachers get about 8,000 (£90) per month here. Doctors here do the same thing, they take up jobs in the US and the UK as nurses because the pay is so much better.

It's a bit like slavery IMO, you need to go through a broker, they do all the paperwork and find you the job. But you don't know where or who you will be working for until you get there, all you get to know is the salary and that you will have one day off per week, for doing this for you they get your first 5 months salary of a 2 year contract !!! Your employee decides how many hours you work, what tasks you will do, where you will sleep, if you are allowed out in the evening, if you can use YOUR own phone in the day time or at any time in their home.

One of the girls has to share a room with her employers 11 year old daughter, this means even when she is "off" duty she will still have to be there at night for the daughter.

But as they tell me and we all understand..... needs must !!

Anyway I guess that is the way of the world... some have and some don't...... but we in the UK and elsewhere are so lucky to have been born in a first world country.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Gerard,

Sorry to hear that you're not feeling well, I dont know what to suggest regarding your HBP. Do you think they are slowing you down and feeling sluggish. The idea of Bp pills is to slow you down so that the blood flows slower.
Take care with all this flying as it can upset your system and that could cause probems for your BP.

Are you going to Hong Kong to meet up with your friend? Hope you enjoy it if you manage to get a flight.

Its very sad that these young girls have to take DH jobs to earn a bit of money, you would think their country needs doctors and teachers and would pay them a decent salary. Think of the brain power leaving the phils !!!!!!!

Take care
Speak to you soon
LOL

Anne xxxx

gerry said...

Hi Anne, it's just that the pills make me feel unwell.

I was hoping to go to Hong Kong this weekend but decided not to because of ill I felt. I will see how I am in the morning.

Yes it is sad but it's life here, even the police only earn about £120 per month thats why they make up their salary with bribes. I read the papers here every day, you would be totally shocked if you knew how many policemen actually commit the crimes. Every day there is another officer convicted of murder or robbery... honestly it's amazing.