PhD thesis final - Royal Holloway, University of London

Chapter 4- Home, domesticity and belongingIf I do not tell her what she should do or give her instructions, she does not know how todo it or just does nothing. So, I have to tell her every detail about doing chores, such asseparating underwear from the socks when doing laundry, the way to sweep and mop thefloor and also what to cook…something like that. I just do not understand why they do notknow about these things. Moreover, I also have to keep an eye on her when she is doingher work; otherwise, she does everything very carelessly, you know, da lu ren 25is verypassive and lazy.Accordingly, the quasi-parent and child relationship implies that A Yi’s practices andactions not only have to be under their Taiwanese master/mistress‘s supervision, butalso fit into their expectations and imagination of home. Besides, the Chinese domesticworkers‘ activities, with special regard to the use of space and their performance withinthe household, are also regulated in order to ensure Taiwanese expatriates‘ family livesare undisturbed. A Yi’s structured housework routines of which their work time andspatial movement in the house are regulated and restrained manifest this, as myobservation illustrates:A Yi comes twice a day; the early shift starts from six o‘clock to eight o‘clock and theafternoon shift is from four to six pm. What she has to do in the morning is doing laundry(some has to be done by hand), drying clothes, making breakfast, feeding two boys andpreparing them for school, tiding up rooms, kitchen and other public areas. It is quite a lotand I never see her taking a rest, it is not allowed, of course. Besides, I find that the A Yihas her own rhythms and finishes her chores in order. She always starts with doing laundryand ends with tidying the kitchen. Her movement in the house is thus very easy to figureout as it seems to be structured. Besides, she normally won‘t stay in a space too long and25 Meaning the Mainlander.159