“Welc(g)ome，welc(g)ome！”

家人们寒暄稍歇，一女适时地从厨房探出头来致意，欢迎我们的到来。我猜，这位就是家里的特殊家人---菲佣了吧。

早就听说过，菲佣是世界家政知名品牌。她们有文化、懂英语，素有“世界上最专业的保姆”之美誉。请个菲佣看孩子，是高雅和地位的象征。她们善良淳朴、耐心勤快、开朗乐观 、善解人意、安分守己、恭顺服从、甘居人下，知足常乐，总是面带微笑，开口便称“主人”、“主母”和“老板”，很能适应陌生环境、融入异域文化（350年西班牙统治和50年美国文化洗脑的结果）。

在香港，近20万菲佣的管理非常规范，合同期为两至三年，大多与主人相处融洽，被视为家人，期满自动续约。

菲佣在本国地位很高。430多万（人口的十分之一）菲佣是“国家英雄”，每年汇款回国超80亿美元，占GDP的5.6% 以上。每年圣诞节在首都机场享受红地毯快速通道，总统都曾亲临接机。

有人建议我国打开国门，引入菲佣。从费用来说，比国内保姆便宜，又有英语的优势，孩子在母语的语言环境中习得英语，省去多少经费、时间和精力啊！

儿媳妇介绍，她叫Catherine，我们可以叫她Cathy。

一见面，“健妇”这个词跳入脑海。她30左右年纪，圆圆的脸，大大的眼睛，厚厚的嘴唇，五短的身材， 典型的东南亚女子。 接人待物，敦厚得体而又落落大方。

从交谈中了解到，她家住菲律宾农村，有一个7岁的女儿，由于疫情到现在不能上学，由丈夫带着。 她很爱女儿， 每天都可以和她视频，买了好多书给她寄回去，很贵的。

有一天她突然告诉我们，与丈夫和女儿失联了---一场罕见的台风袭击家乡，她家房塌了！在我们的安慰下，她没有惊慌失色哭天抹泪（也许是当着我们的面）。几经周折，终于从父母那里得知， 父女平安，只是破财免灾。儿媳连忙掏钱，让她赶紧寄回去修房子。

她读过大学，英语专业转家政服务专业，能弹琴、会唱歌、懂心理学。不但是称职的月嫂（孩子一到她怀里就不哭了，令我百思不得其解，好不妒忌），而且作为孙女的钢琴、绘画、网球陪练，样样拿得起放得下， 果然是科班出生。

儿媳分工：她主管夜班带小孙子。晚八点半小睡一会儿，11点带到清晨。我们接班后，她便去睡到10点，开始洗衣物、做清洁，照顾小孙子，并负责接送孙女上下学，陪她赶赴各种培训班；我主管一日三餐，买菜购物，教育孙女。

她月薪5000港币，加班另算，每月还有数额不等的奖金，是马尼拉的十倍多（出去参加聚会所带食物也是主母给钱）。每周日休假一天。香港法律规定，保姆每周必须有24小时的假期，加班要给加班费。上一个保姆，一家人中午出去吃了个饭，让她多带了一个小时的孩子，竟然对儿媳要求罚款一千，否则上告！

菲佣吃饭时不上桌，总是主母将菜装好一盘放在厨房。她带着孩子让家人先吃，有人替手后，便趴在洗衣机上风卷残云，吃完就干活，把餐桌炊具收拾得干干净净。

虽然儿媳每次装盘都是尽量多给肉蛋等好菜，并叮嘱我工人辛苦不易，多做荤菜，我还是觉得主仆分得那么清，有违我的平等观念。只要儿媳不在，每每让她上桌和我们平起平坐。

她懂得感恩戴德，对儿媳毕恭毕敬，一口一个“Yes，Ma'am！” 而且超越主仆关系，常就育儿和家务提出建议。做事主动。 婴儿的哭嚎就是冲锋号---只要我搞不掂，无论她是否在补觉，立即出阁帮我救火，而不是时限到了就躲进小屋成一统，那怕外面洪水滔天。

她干活那叫一个麻利！小孙女把玩具弄得满地都是，一片狼藉、无处下脚。她一来，三下五除二，转眼就收拾得井井有条。

她做得一手好菜。同样的食材，我就做不出那个味。她做的红烧肉香糯软Q，她做的青菜翠绿爽口，还经常指导我提高厨艺。

她反应之敏捷，让我瞋目结舌：有天晚上，小孙女上网课犯困，眼睛都快睁不开了。我没办法了，总不能”头悬梁、锥刺股“吧？那可犯法哟！黔驴技穷，便求助于她。她眼球骨碌一转，顺手拿起一颗葡萄，去皮、去籽、入口一系列动作，秒成: 小姑娘一个激灵，立马清醒了！

孙女一口流利地道的英语，得益于她语言环境的沉浸濡染和专业的教学诱导。她俩之间自然的英语交流，既有日常的吃喝拉撒，更有睡前绘声绘色的故事朗读和讨论，天文地理，人妖仙界......乃至哲学定义（世界上最灵的催眠药！）---小的穷追不舍、连环提问，大的百问不倒、见招拆招，从容忽悠，不在话下。但从我专业的角度看，完全符合克拉申的输入假说，提供的是rich comprehensible imput "I+1"---恰到好处的语言习得条件。

儿子曾经告诉我，保姆怎么样，一看孩子与她的关系便知。小孙女与她形同母女，经常粘着她，趴在耳边说悄悄话，还不时地投入她的怀抱耍娇。小丫头对她言听计从、令行禁止---她严肃起来，那气场、那架势，不啻于女皇！ 

她是快乐的，这从她哼着小曲干活、与小孙女嘻嘻哈哈、打打闹闹看得出来。她逗孙的欢歌“婴”语，流淌自内心的充盈；她那憨厚的哑然失笑，是这凡尘俗世的天籁之音。

香港的房子寸土寸金。85平米月租3万，隔成4室1厅2卫，她住的“豪宅”仅能放一张窄床，像绿皮火车上的卧铺，而且高高架起---下面好放东西呀。但从里面飘出的《欢乐颂》歌声，让我们宽慰---在那个自由的王国、小小的天地里， 她如鱼得水。

乐天知命，有福。

家有良仆，有幸！

                                                                                            Cathy

“Welcome，welcome！”

When the family exchang of pleasantries came to a pause, a woman timely popped out of the kitchen to greet us. This must be the special family member---the Filipino servant, I guessed.

I have long heard that the Filipino servant is a world famous brand of domestic economics. They are well-educated, English-speaking, and are known as "the most professional nanny in the world". A Filipino servant in a family is a symbol of elegance and status. They are kind, honest, patient, hard-working, cheerful, considerate, obedient, always address you as "master" or "boss",  easily adapting to alien environment and foreign culture (result of 350 years of Spanish rule and 50 years of American culture brainwashing).

In Hong Kong, the management of nearly 200,000 Filipino servants is very standardized. The contract period is normally two to three years. Most of them get along well with their masters and are regarded as family members, so the contracts are usually renewed automatically. 

Philippine servants claim a high status in their own country. More than 4.3 million (1/10 of the population) of Filipino servants are held as "national heroes" who remit more than 8 billion US dollars every year, accounting for more than 5.6% of GDP. Every Christmastime, the home-visitors enjoy red carpet express at the Capital airport, even the president sometimes would come to meet them.

Some people have suggested that inland China open its doors for Filipino servants. In terms of cost, they are cheaper than domestic nannies, and their English would provide children with native English language environment, saving so much parental trouble, as well as their money and time, beside social resourses!

 “This is Catheren.” My daughter-in-law made an introduction. “You can call her Cathy.”

She is about 30 years old, round-faced, big-eyed, with thick lips, healthy and tidy, a typical Southeast Asian woman.

I learned later that she is from the rural Philippines and has a 7-year-old lovely daughter, who still has to  stay with her husband at home, due to the epidemic. She loves her very much, videos with her every day, and had bought her lots of books, costing a fortune.

One day, she suddenly came to tell us that she had lost contact with her husband and daughter---a rare typhoon had hit her hometown and her house might have collapsed! Under our comfort, she did not panic, nor shed tears (perhaps in front of us), and finally learned from her parents, that they only suffered property loss, her husband and daughter were safe and sound. My daughter-in-law hurriedly gave her some money to send back for house repair.

She is a college graduate, majoring first in English language, then domestic service, well equipped with  knowledge of psychology and necessery skills, can play piano as well as  sing and  dance. Not only competent in child-care (I’m always puzzled and even jealous of her for calming down the crying baby so soon), but also skillful as my granddaughter's partner in piano, painting and tennis exercises, deserving the name of a class-born.

According to job allocation of my daughter-in-law, she is in charge of the night shift with my little grandson, and daily care including the little girl's schooling and extra-curricular training classes. I am to serve three meals a day, buying food and educating my granddaughter when she is home.

She usually takes a nap from 8:30 pm to 11 pm, and then takes care of the noisy baby until next morning, when we take over. Then she goes to sleep until 10 am, followed by laundry, cleaning and care-taking of the baby. 

Her monthly salary is HK $5000, gets paid for overtime, and gets a monthly amount of bonus. She would take one day off every Sunday. Hong Kong law stipulates that nannies must have 24-hourholiday a week, plus overtime pay, or they can sue you! Last nanny, a young girl, asked for a fine of $1000, just for one hour extra of babysitting when the family went out for lunch at noon, forgetting that she had so many fully paid holidays when the family travel out!

Filipino servants don’t eat on the same table with the family. The master always puts a dish in the kitchenfor her to eat there. She usually takes care of the baby to let the family eat first. When someone takes over the baby from her hand, she goes to eat by the washing machine,  and do dish washing after the meal.

My daughter-in-law always puts lots of good dishes on her plate, and instructs that I should cook more meat dishes for her, for she needs to be energetic for her hard work.The separation of master and servant table-manner convention goes against my concept of equality. So as long as my daughter-in-law is not there, I often ask her to eat with ussharing the table.

She was respectful to my daughter-in-law, always saying "Yes, Ma'am!" But their relationship has surpassed master and servant, for she feels free to make advice on parenting and housework, and takes  initiatives in her work, rather than hiding in the room when job is done. 

She is quick in her work! The little girl usually makes a mess filling the floor with scattering toys. There she came, in a twinkling of an eye, everything is in its place.

Her nimbleness amazed me: one night, my little granddaughter was sleepy in her online class,I was exhausted in my way out, and turned to her. She turned, picked up a grape, peeling, picking out the seeds, and feeding it to her mouth---all this process is done in hardly a second, and the little girl was instantly awake!

She is good at cooking. I have the same ingredients,but can never make the same flavor.Her braised pork is so fragrant, glutinous, softly Q, and her vegetables green and yummy. She also guides me in improving my cooking skills.

My son once told me a simple way to judge a nanny--- just by observing how close the child is to her. We see the little girl sticks to her like her mother, often whispers to her ear, or fools around in her arms. Yet, when she is serious, the little girl is so obedient.

Thanks to her, My granddaughter's fluent English is due to the immersive language environment and professional guidance she provides. The English communication between her is not only daily eating and drinking, but also bedtime story telling，reading and discussion，which includes high and low，in and out, even some philosophical concepts (best sleeping pill ever!) ---a perfect "rich comprehensible imput I+1" Model suggested by Krashon the linguist.

She is happy, which can be seen from her humming in her work, hearted laughs with my granddaughter, and her funny songs in baby language, which can only flow from a joyful heart.

Housing in Hong Kong is very expensive. $30,000 monthly rent for only 85 square meters, which is divided into 4 rooms, 1 hall and 2 toilets. Her room is so small that almost only allows a narrow bed, like the sleeper on the green train, and it is elevated- - -so that you can put things below. But her song of Ode to Joy flow out the room gives us some comfort--- in that free little kingdom, she was like fish in sea water.

Blessed is she, for being content.

Blessed are we, for having her in our house!

                                                                                                                                                         Bernard xiaoxi in Hongkong

                                                                                                                                                          2021.12.31 midnight

(A translation specially for her as a new year gift.)