Maid issues - Need your opinion pls!

Unfortunately ... my maid problem hasn't been resolved.

Just the other day I was speaking to Ai Ling and I asked her if the maid has said anything to her. Apparently, when Ling last checked with her whether she's still working for me after this month... she started her tearful drama again about being unsure... She treats us both like her daughters and she loves working for us but she still believes that she did not remember wrongly and as such feels that she is working for free this month....

I wasn't going to be left hanging so T and I discussed possibilities of finding a new maid. I had said that I would find a live-in maid for the next one. As I get bigger, it wld be better to find someone who's around all the time and who can cook for me (us). Also, we weren't planning on depending on a full time nanny (I want to be fully involved in taking care n bringing up my own kids) and it would be nice to have a live in maid who could help keep watch on the evenings that we decide to go out for dinner. Also, it will mean that the house wont be left empty when we go away on holidays and I dont have to worry about break-ins and whatever not.

Yesterday when T and I went to the supermarket, I saw on the notice board that a certain Geoff person was going to leave the country and wanted to help his maid find employment before he left. The maid would be available from 1st May and she has previous experience as a nanny!

It sounded almost perfect. Imagine...once I have a baby, this maid could serve as a nanny whenever I needed help.

Just this morning, I called her and spoke briefly to her. As I should have known, my night of anticipating and dreaming about life with this new maid was too good to be true.

Here's why:
Pros: She speaks very good English. Is currently working for 4 adult foreigners and has previous experience working with an Australian family. She can cook and clean and iron (Need to find out if she can cook Western food).

Cons: She's only 27 yrs old. Has no experience with dogs and is currently being paid USD$220 (that's double of what we are paying now! See how the foreigners spoil market here!).

Already I have sooo many concerns... She's really young. I would prefer an older lady with experience and who can "mother" me. Her youth will only make her turn into a friend which is a big No-No in employment principles. I don't want her to get too comfortable with us (she's used to working with foreigners and are familiar with them on a first-name basis). Most of all, I dont want her to get involved in my private life - will she open up to me? try on my clothes or things? Will she bring men or friends to the house when we are not around?

And as much as this sounds absurb... when I am a fat swaddling pregnant, will she seduce my husband?! Can I leave her at home with the husband when I go away to Singapore?
(my dear husband even had the decency to joke with me to ask her if part of her job scope involves willingness to sleep with the employer! Very funny T!)

On the one hand, it will be nice to find someone who speaks good English, who can help me with the baby next time but I'm not ready to become one of the priviledged foreigners who pay an absurb amount and are spoilt by having maids, nannies and drivers to do everything for them.

For now, I'm really enjoying the fact that we have someone who comes in for a few hours a day... and the rest of the time, I take the role of a domesticated housewife and the "hands on" lady of the house. But I'm sure things will and have to change SOON with the added responsibilities and it wont do me good being alone in a HUGE house with a baby, 2 dogs and no helping hands.

If you are reading this, I would love for you to share your opinion with me. I'm in a real dilemma...

- Should I pay this crazy amount and try out this new live in maid?
- Should I find ways to keep the current one (She speaks good English, is like a mother to me and takes initiative... plus I'm comfy with her although the problem will surface again later when I have the baby cos she can only come in a few hrs a day).
- Should I explore the possibility of a live in maid but look for a cheaper alternative?

Appreciate your comments and thoughts.
- of cos if the current maid decides to stay, then everything changes again.

PS: After this blog entry I called her again and found out that the 27 Yr old doesnt do live in... only work from Mon - Fri (8am - 2pm)! Thats absurb for the amount she's being paid... also... very weird since the notice wrote "LIVE IN". Anyways, the quest has just begin... I shall have to look for more alternatives now.