• 什么样的华人在美国打保姆工

    华人保姆群中有不少人都是初来美国，没有专业的生存技能，但渴望赚钱养家；也有不少是先来给自己的子女带孩子，后来才当了专职保姆。

    “我一到美国就开始当保姆，40多岁奔50了，英语也学不来，车也不敢开，洗盘子也洗不动了，又没办法像男人那样去干体力活，保姆可能是最适合我的职业了。” 张阿姨坦率的告诉记者。为了已经开始在美国上中学的儿子，作为单身妈妈的张阿姨说，她恨不得能同时给两家或者三家当保姆。大纽约地区各处都有保姆职业介绍所，比如纽约法拉盛的王小姐职业介绍所，一到周末就很热闹，不少做保姆的人把这里当成自己的“娘家”，来这里和王小姐聊天。

    王小姐告诉记者，她们管这些打保姆工的人叫“阿姨”，因为她们大多数年龄都在40到60岁左右，有不少在国内受过良好教育，甚至做过医生，教师，公司职员，属于大陆所说的知识分子阶层。她们当中有只身来美淘金的，也有探亲来美短期停留的，还有不少是随着子女移民过来养老的，也有时间久了留不下又走不了就黑下来的，还有一些是甚至连房子都没有，专做住家保姆的，出于养家糊口、贴补家用、发挥余热和找寻生存门路等各种各样的原因，做起了保姆。王小姐说：“这些阿姨都挺不容易，尤其是都需要一段时间平衡自己的心态。她们当中什么情况都有。不过最近一段时间大陆签证一直非常难，所以保姆也不像以往那么好找，做保姆的很抢手，经常是供不应求。”

    What Kind of Chinese People Work as Nannies in the United States?

    Many Chinese nannies in the United States are recent immigrants who lack professional skills but are eager to earn money to support their families.  Others initially came to the US to care for their own children and later became full-time nannies.

    "I started working as a nanny as soon as I arrived in the US. I'm in my late 40s, almost 50, and I can't learn English, I'm afraid to drive, and I can't do physically demanding jobs like men. Being a nanny is probably the most suitable profession for me," Aunt Zhang frankly told the reporter. For the sake of her son, who has started middle school in the US, Aunt Zhang, a single mother, said she wishes she could work as a nanny for two or even three families at once. There are many nanny placement agencies throughout the Greater New York area, such as Ms. Wang's employment agency in Flushing, New York, which is very busy on weekends. Many nannies consider this place their "home away from home," coming here to chat with Ms. Wang.

    Ms. Wang told the reporter that they call these nannies "aunties" because most of them are between 40 and 60 years old. Many of them received a good education in China, even working as doctors, teachers, or office workers—belonging to what is considered the intellectual class in mainland China. Some came to the US alone to seek their fortune, others came for short-term visits to see relatives, and many immigrated with their children to retire. Some stayed longer than planned and became undocumented immigrants, and some don't even have their own homes and work as live-in nannies. For various reasons—supporting their families, supplementing household income, utilizing their skills, and finding a means of survival—they became nannies. Ms. Wang said, "These aunties have a tough time, especially needing time to adjust their mindset. They come from all sorts of backgrounds. However, recently, obtaining visas from mainland China has been very difficult, so nannies are not as easy to find as before; they are in high demand, often in short supply."

    因为这些华人保姆多数不会英语，会开车的也很少，所以基本上是在华人家庭做保姆。华人保姆的收入比美国家庭相对要低一些，不过一些住家保姆不仅解决了吃住的问题，更是现金交易不需纳税，所以她们每个月个人的开销不大，基本上都是净收入。据华埠人力中心介绍说，在纽约的行情是一个普通的保姆的收入基本在3 000美元到4200美元，4200到4500美元的一般是家里房间超过四居或者带两个小孩的。一些会开车，有身份，接送小孩上学，负责工作更多做得更久的管家级保姆有时会拿到4500--5000美元的薪水。

    现在在纽约，3200美元能请到一个熟练保姆已经是很不错的了，新泽西也已经在至少3000元以上。现在市场上低价位的已经比较难找，高价位的也得看雇主的需要。刚来美国的生手，连洗涤剂说明都看不懂也不会用，电炉烤炉就更闹不明白，尤其是没有经验的收入比较少。市场上来自马来西亚，广东，四川的保姆价钱比较高，因为她们菜做得好；现在美国的华人中盛行请月子保姆，因为白天黑天都要带孩子等，要比普通保姆高四百美元左右。

    Because most of these Chinese nannies don't speak English and very few can drive, they primarily work for Chinese families. Their income is generally lower than that of nannies working for American families. However, some live-in nannies have their room and board covered, and since they are paid in cash, they don't have to pay taxes.  Therefore, their monthly expenses are low, and most of their income is net income. According to the Chinatown Human Resources Center, the going rate for a regular nanny in New York is between $3,000 and $4,200.  Nannies earning $4,200 to $4,500 typically work for families with more than four bedrooms or those with two children. Some nannies who can drive, have legal status, and provide additional services such as driving children to school and performing more extensive household duties, can earn $4,500 to $5,000.

    Currently in New York, finding a skilled nanny for $3,200 is considered a good deal, and in New Jersey, the rate is at least $3,000. Low-priced nannies are becoming harder to find, and higher-priced nannies depend on the employer's needs. Newcomers to the US who are inexperienced may not even understand how to use laundry detergent or kitchen appliances, and their income is generally lower. Nannies from Malaysia, Guangdong, and Sichuan command higher prices because they are known for their cooking skills.  Currently, hiring postpartum nannies is popular among Chinese families in the US, as they provide round-the-clock care for the baby, and their services cost about $400 more than regular nannies.

    保姆选择什么样的雇主

    保姆们对雇主也是挑来挑去的，这里面大多是要看双方是不是对路子。从来不讲自己大学毕业的一位女士说：“我从来不告诉他们我的学历，也不告诉他们我的画还拿过大奖，否则他们很可能让我教他们的小孩画画，费心费力费时间，最后可能还得不着好，工钱也不多一分。我希望我的雇主不要居高临下地看人，请保姆来是给他们帮忙的，但并不是让他们施舍同情心的，我干我的活拿我的钱，心安理得，没有必要看别人的脸色。”一些和中国大陆来的保姆打过交道的人说，大陆保姆一般文化层次比较高，但也最不容易心甘情愿地只做保姆。大陆出来的保姆更容易将人情化和职业化混为一谈，加上不同背景的人在美国做保姆是出于语言和生活上的无奈，所以很难平衡自己的位置。不像菲律宾保姆从小就做这些事情，所以很职业，有什么做错的地方马上道歉，觉得自己的职责没有尽到，而中国的保姆遇到同样的情况，往往会冒出怨言，在心里想：“昨天我们还像朋友一样在聊天，今天怎么换了这个态度对我。”

    鲜有华人保姆寻求法律保护

    这些华人阿姨有很多苦衷，因为身份、语言和举目无亲的现实状况，她们很多时候遇到了不公平的待遇也只能自己往肚子里咽苦水。虽然大多数华人家庭都比较友好，但也有拖延克扣工资，超时工作，甚至性骚扰等情况发生，有些苛刻的家庭连周末回家的电话都不允许保姆们自己打。身为母亲、妻子、女儿的她们也绝不会向家人诉说，她们中的大多数也都是抱着出卖劳力和实践来赚钱这样的规则，勤恳热心地工作。据职业介绍中心的人告诉记者，这些华人保姆“故事很多，苦乐自知，委屈不少，不愿诉说。”亚美法律援助处的律师KimerLing告诉记者，这个专门为亚洲人提供援助的中心很少收到华人保姆的诉讼，印度人的倒是不少。据他们所知，华人保姆的情况其实条件更为不好，但很少有人诉诸法律。其实她们是有很多权利受到保护的。除照顾小孩和老人及残障人士外，她们应该5天工作，周末休息，40至44个小时的一周工作时间，虽然在法律规定之外他们可以和雇主签订特殊一些的家政服务工作需要，但是可以先签好合同保留保护自己的权利。

    What Kind of Employers Do Nannies Choose?

    Nannies are also selective about their employers, and it mostly comes down to whether the two parties are a good match. One woman, who never mentions her college degree, said, "I never tell them about my education or that my paintings have won awards. Otherwise, they might ask me to teach their children how to paint, which would be time-consuming and exhausting, and I wouldn't even get paid extra. I hope my employers don't look down on me. I'm here to help them, but not to receive their pity. I do my job and get paid for it; I have a clear conscience and don't need to worry about what others think."  Some people who have dealt with nannies from mainland China say that these nannies generally have a higher level of education, but they are also the least likely to be content with just being a nanny. Nannies from mainland China are more likely to confuse personal relationships with professional ones, and because many of them work as nannies in the US due to language and life circumstances, it's difficult for them to find a balance. Unlike Filipino nannies who have been doing this kind of work since childhood and are very professional, immediately apologizing for any mistakes and feeling responsible for not fulfilling their duties, Chinese nannies often complain in similar situations, thinking, "We were chatting like friends yesterday, why are they treating me this way today?"

    Few Chinese Nannies Seek Legal Protection

    These Chinese nannies have many difficulties. Due to their immigration status, language barriers, and lack of family support, they often have to endure unfair treatment in silence. Although most Chinese families are friendly, there are also cases of delayed or withheld wages, overtime work, and even sexual harassment. Some demanding families don't even allow nannies to make phone calls home on weekends. As mothers, wives, and daughters, they would never tell their families about their struggles. Most of them work diligently and enthusiastically, following the principle of earning money through hard work and practical skills. According to people at a job placement center, these Chinese nannies "have many stories, both joys and sorrows, and many grievances, but they are unwilling to talk about them." Kimer Ling, a lawyer at the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, told reporters that this center, which provides assistance to Asians, rarely receives lawsuits from Chinese nannies, although they receive many from Indian nannies. According to what they know, the situation for Chinese nannies is actually even worse, but few people resort to legal action. In fact, they have many rights that are protected by law. Besides caring for children, the elderly, and people with disabilities, they should work five days a week, have weekends off, and work 40 to 44 hours a week. Although they can sign special agreements with their employers regarding domestic service needs outside of legal regulations, they can protect their rights by signing a contract beforehand.

    这些华人保姆的心愿究竟是什么呢？“我不说你可能也猜到了，我要供儿子上大学！”单身妈妈张阿姨从儿子上小学就来到了美国，找了很多工作都没成功，但是后来当起了保姆竟也攒下了些钱，现在儿子上了中学成绩还不错，她说哪怕再干上5年到10年把儿子的大学供完，自己这辈子就不干保姆了。”“虽说人在屋檐下，不过我在美国做保姆挣两年的钱，就可以给我爸妈在国内买上一套房子，我知足。”现在还差两个月就能存满这笔钱的李阿姨说起自己的宏伟计划就高兴，她盘算着可以给自己也买上套房子后再挣上两年钱就回家，“回去我也雇个保姆！”职业介绍所的王小姐告诉记者，“其实在美国打磨过的人都很现实，她们这些阿姨有的是为了帮孩子供房，有的是为了赚钱寄回家，还有很多就是为了现实的生活，有的老人干脆是图个乐子发挥余热，不过也有有家不能回的辛酸故事。”她说这些在美国放下架子做阿姨的女人们，大多都脚踏实地，因为他们每个人心里都有自己的一个愿望。

    What are the aspirations of these Chinese nannies? "You might have guessed it," says single mother Aunt Zhang, "I want to put my son through college!" Aunt Zhang came to the United States when her son was in elementary school, and after trying many jobs without success, she became a nanny and managed to save some money. Now her son is in middle school and doing well academically. She says that even if she has to work for another 5 to 10 years to pay for her son's college education, she'll be happy to do it, and then she'll quit being a nanny. "Although I'm working under someone else's roof, the money I earn as a nanny in the US in two years is enough to buy my parents a house back home. I'm content." Aunt Li, who is just two months away from saving enough money for her goal, happily talks about her grand plan. She's planning to buy herself a house and then work for another two years before going home. "When I go back, I'll hire a nanny myself!" Ms. Wang from the employment agency told the reporter, "In fact, people who have worked in the US are very realistic. Some of these nannies are working to help their children buy houses, some are earning money to send home, and many are simply working for a better life. Some elderly people are just doing it for enjoyment and to stay active, but there are also heartbreaking stories of those who can't return home." She says that these women who have put aside their pride to work as nannies in the US are mostly down-to-earth, because each of them has a dream in their heart.