Maid Day! Maid Day!

Today is maid day. This is good because it gets our house real clean for only about ten or twelve bucks. It is bad because I am always slightly uncomfortable with Maria (not her real name) flitting about and sweeping under my feet. That's because I'm totally unable to understand anything she says and vice versa, a) because I don't speak Spanish, and b) because she speaks a mile a minute. For an outsider to Spanish it might sound like I know some Spanish but it's only when we stick to the script. The script (as it sounds to me) and the translation are almost invariably as follows:
8:30 AM
Maria: Senor John, BlalalalalalalalalaCadaBlalalalala Translation: Mr. Johnny, I'm ready to go to Cada (the grocery store) Can you give me the money.
Johnny: Si (handing over BsF 70.00) Sufficiente? Translation: Yes. Is this enough?
Maria: Si. BlalalalalalalaLlavesLalalalala Translation: Yes. May I have the apartment key.
Jonnny: Si
Maria: Ciao
9:30 AM (A while after she arrives back from the grocery store)
Maria: Senor John, BlalalalalalalalalalalaLlaves? Translation: Mr. Johnny, did I remember to give back your keys?
Johnny: Uhhh, Si
10:00 AM
Maria: Senor John, BlalalalalalaComerAqui o la escuela con Senora Cati? Translation: Mr. Johnny, are you going to eat here or at the school with Mrs. Catherine?
Johnny: Si, aqui. Translation: Yes, here.
12:15 PM
Maria: Senor John, BlalalalalalaComidaLalalalala. Translation: Mr. Johnny, your lunch is ready.
Johnny: Oh, Si (Johnny eats lunch on balcony. Maria eats hers on the bar in the kitchen.)
12:35 PM
Johnny: Gracias! Es muy delicioso comida. Translation: Thank you. It very delicious food.
Maria: Tee heh Translation: Tee heh.
2:30 PM
Maria: Senor John, Blalalalalalalalalalalalalalalala. Translation: Mr. Johnny, I'm done and ready to go.
Johnny: Oh OK, (handing over BsF 50.00.) Hasta Viernes. Translation: See you Friday
Maria: BlalalalalalalalHuevesLalalalalaTeehehCiao. Translation: See you Thursday. Can't you ever get your days straight?! Tee heh. Bye
Johnny: Ciao Translation: Bye

That part is easy. The tough part is when we go off script, which is a couple of times per day. Today she asked me if she could bring her camera on Thursday for me to upload some pictures to my computer. I don't know why; I didn't know how to ask. She also wanted to know if she could take a shower before she went home because she had spilled some cooking oil on herself. That led to some considerable charades and confused communication. I won't even go there.

I know very little about this woman except she is a 26 year old Colombian, has a husband, a 4 year old son, and lives in La Guaira an hour's bus ride away near the airport. How does she make it on a two hour round trip to work for people for BsF 50 per day? Does her husband have a job? Does she live in one of the tiny clay brick huts, without window glass, clinging to a hillside in some dangerous barrio with poor or non-existant plumbing like so many of the poor people here? I'm poignantly aware that she is about the same age as my own daughter. Does she have aspirations for a better life? Is she happy to anticipate being a domestic for the rest of her life? What chances for a better life does her son have? I'd like to invite her to lunch with me on the balcony and tell me these things but of course I'd never understand a word she said. I found out today she likes coffee. I'm going to brew an extra cup in our pot each Tuesday and Thursday before she comes.