Fabby, a Maid in Costa Rica

I have recently become quite friendly with my future mother-in-law's maid in Costa Rica.  Her name is Fabby (short for Fabiola) and she is 26 years old. She is actually from Nicaragua (as many maids in Costa Rica tend to be).  If you've read my post about Costa Ricans versus Nicaraguans, you know that many Nicaraguans are here illegally, and that they are doing the jobs that Costa Ricans themselves do not want to do.

Fabby is a very sweet, shy and soft-spoken individual (see her picture below).  She comes to clean my future mom-in-law's home on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and makes about $10 U.S. per day worked.  She cleans the home inside, takes care of raking the yard, washes the dogs, and does the laundry.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays she works in another home, where her duties also include ironing.

Fabby, has stated to me that she is glad to be able to work as a maid in Costa Rica. She tells me that in Nicaragua the economic situation is just not as good as it is here.  She and her husband (who works in a bakery), both hope to someday get their legal residency here in Costa Rica (they will be eligible to apply after 5 years here.  Alternatively, if they had a baby while living here, they will also be eligible to apply through the baby's automatic citizenship).

I admire Fabby's positive attitude and her trust in God.  She often talks to me about some of the hardships of her past and present life, including a mother who died when she was just one month old, a father that hated and abused her, her grandmother making her go beg neighbors for food and money, her husband being in two terrible car accidents, and now it appears that she may not be able to have children.  Yet, despite all that and more, Fabby passes her time singing praises out loud to her God and telling others about how good He has been with her.

Fabby aside for a moment - if you are looking for a maid in Costa Rica make sure you ask for references!  I heard a terrible story about an American man who recently hired some laborers to help him around his home here in Costa Rica, that ended up being robbed and killed by that same help.

If I ever feel the need to hire a maid in Costa Rica, I hope I can find someone as sweet and efficient as Fabby is.

Fabby, my future mother-in-law's maid in Costa Rica