Pinay in Hong Kong

ENGLISH TUTOR. There have been many stories about Pinays who went to Hong Kong to work as domestic helpers but ended up teachers for the kids of the family who hired them. Such was the case of Minda (not her real name) who went to Hong Kong as DH but was later made to do tutorial work on two subjects, English and Geography the two primary school subjects she taught in Cebu as schoolteacher.

ADJUSTMENT. Knowing that Minda was a professional schoolteacher in the Phl, the employers (husband and wife are officers of a corporation in Kowloon) still “considered” her a domestic helper but adjusted her salary “accordingly.” That was Minda's working arrangement with her employer for 10 years or so until she decided to quit and return home to care for her sick mother (her father had died years ago).

AFFLUENT. Minda came home last January, not anymore as a DH struggling for a better life but as an “affluent OFW” because of a good fortune she had in Hong Kong.