Pembantu in Seminyak Bali

One daily scene that occurs at my house, is Ana the pembantu sitting in the shade washing clothes. In years past, I used to deliver my laundry to a local family on Jl. Drupadi, who ran a small laundry. They were good, but not as good, or as affordable as having it done at home. A while ago she showed up wearing a pair of cut off camouflage pants, and Ika said, “Look Ibu Ana joining the army.”

Clothes are washing, dried on a large aluminium rack in the garden, then folded and put away. My part of the cycle is getting them dirty again. I pay Ana 500,000rp per month for 8 hours a day (minus 2 for lunch), 6 days a week. She’s a pretty nifty gardener too, the other day using a 12ft long bamboo pole, with a sharp tool tied to the end, in order to trim the dead branches from our trees.

In my experience, its best to hire a pembantu who doesn’t have more than one job. If they have their own transport and phone that is helpful too.