Mrs Elawadi - the Stepford wife

Today is the start of the Spring Cleaning Week in preparation for Chinese New Year.

I woke up early and waited for the maid to arrive. As soon as she came... I was like, "Chop chop. Let's get down to business". We started on the ground floor... at the living room. I took down everything from every surface and we started cleaning and polishing away. Everything from the shelves, cupboards were taken down and given a good cleaning before being placed back to its original place.

I even took the opportunity to disinfect all the door knobs and light switches.

After we were done with the living room, we proceeded to clean the maid's room and dining room respectively.

One of the best things about being with Tarek is that I learned to do all the things I would never really have done as a Singaporean woman growing up or as a married Singaporean wife. These days... most people rely on their mothers or maids to take care of things and aren't as hands on. I can even proudly claim that I can cook and clean better than a lot of my peers, some of my own cousins and aunties ... and even my own mother!

I learnt that you can never really try to supervise or teach someone without first knowing how to do it yourself. I was put to the task of learning how to clean and polish the house when I first came to Vietnam - which cleaning liquid for which surface etc.

In truth, the only way to gain an employee's respect is to actually get involved and set an example. Show her how it's to be done... or how you want it to be done. Don't just stand there and point your finger.

(also because my husband and his mother are very hands on people and are fanatics at cleanliness).

This applies to every aspect of business as well. A good manager/employer is one who leads by example. Sometimes I think that a manager needs to work himself up from every department to know what each employee's role in the company involves. In that way, he will then be able to lead better.

Yes, I agree that most people, even the maids, have their own system, own way of cleaning but it is always good to get involved once in a year (in my case, during spring clean for CNY and every now and then when she starts getting un-motivated). Rather than always cleaning with a wet cloth only ... I took the liberty to show her how to use the cleaning liquids and gave her encouragement by doing it with her.

I admit also that I am a neat freak. I want the house clean all the time. On the days that the maid can't come in, I would take over. Friends who stayed with us or came over for house parties will realise I am always cleaning up after them ... emptying ash trays, throwing empty cans and bottles, washing up used utensils and cups, mopping the floor etc. I have been asked to relax (mostly by T) and do it after cos it will stress up the guests.

When I went with Elsie to Ho Tram, she commented on how I like everything to be in place and how I would keep arranging the sheets and making the bed ... even when we were checking out.

I also noticed one weird obsession. I can't sleep if the duvet is not arranged properly. Sometimes Tarek will kick or pull on his side... And as long as I am aware that it is not neatly arranged, I have to wake up, even if it's in the middle of the night, walk over to his side of the bed and put the cover down properly before going back to sleep.

Anyways, I'm really happy with the progress. Will cover as much as we can today and slowly scrub the house down over the week!

PS: Just because I married an Ang Moh doesn't make me a tai-tai.

PS: Doesnt mean also that I am cleaning and cooking everyday. I'm still not the perfect wife and nowhere near being a real Stepford wife!