What You Need to Know About Finding (and Keeping) an Ayi

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For many expats one of the perks of living in China is being able to afford full-time domestic help, and one of the first Chinese words that many newcomers pick up is ‘ayi’. Ayi basically means ‘aunty’ but is a very flexible word, which can be used to address any older female stranger or new acquaintance, or to address a female service worker, in this case, your nanny/housekeeper/domestic worker.

In the US, the average cost of a full-time live-out domestic worker is about RMB 5,400 a week. That’s no small sum, which is why being able to afford full-time help is such a luxury. In Beijing, however, it’s surprisingly affordable, and you can usually hire a full-time ayi for under RMB 10,000 a month. As well as taking care of the mundane household chores, leaving you to explore the city with the family and enjoy your time in Beijing, your ayi can become a deeply cherished, important part of your family. Here’s how to find the perfect ayi.

Finding and Interviewing an Ayi

The process for finding an ayi can be a bit tedious if you don’t know where to start. Fortunately, fellow expats are generally more than happy to share their ayi agency contacts and references for their favorite ayis. If you’re not comfortable asking others for references, a quick visit to our sister publication’s website’s classified section www.thebeijinger.com can be a great place to start looking and give you an idea of how much you’re looking at spending for full-time help. Alternatively, the next time you visit your local grocery store, stop by the bulletin board around the checkout area. Many ayis are specifically looking to work with expat families and will put up flyers in markets like April Gourmet and Jenny Lou’s.

Then, when you’re ready to interview, don’t be shy about asking lots of questions. For some of us this part can get a bit uncomfortable, but it’s better to get all the hard, and personal questions out of the way rather than find out that you’re not comparable later on.

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Here are some useful discussion topics and questions to get you started:

1. Does ayi speak English? If so, how well? Always confirm their language level rather than accepting a simple yes or no.

2. Has she worked with foreign families before? If so, where were they from? Sometimes agencies will classify all foreigners together without taking into consideration cultural differences.

3. Is she certified in CPR or first aid?

4. Be specific about what her duties are. Never assume that just because you’ve had an ayi who voluntarily cooked for the family, all ayis will.

5. How old were the kids she’s cared for before?

6. Will she work on weekends? If she’s not living with you, will she need to leave work on time each day or will she be ok with sometimes staying a bit late?

7. If you have pets, does she have experience working for a family with pets or does she have any allergies?

8. Is she trustworthy? Was she recommended by someone you know? If not, can she provide you with a copy of her ID card and health check certificate?

9. If you’re planning on hiring a live-in ayi, ask her specifically about what she’s expecting her living situation to be.

Setting up Your Family, and Ayi, for Success

Even when you’ve found your perfect ayi, welcoming a total stranger into your home when there may also be a large language barrier to contend with, is not always easy. We’re all used to our own way of living, and teaching all the small nuances of how you like to run your home to a new person is a challenge. Even something as simple as cooking your favorite meal can present difficulties, as your ayi most likely didn’t grow up cooking with the same ingredients and appliances as you did.Luckily, as expat mom Rebecca Archer previously shared on our website www.beijing-kids.com, there are ways of getting around the language and cultural barriers to help the house run smoothly. Here are our top tips:

1. Have an ‘I don’t know where this goes’ box that your ayi can place items in. Empty it every few days, and if the same item keeps appearing in the box, then you can show your ayi where the item belongs.

2. When your children are close together in age and/or the same gender, it can be hard for your ayi to figure out whose clothes are whose. Expat moms have found the ‘dot system’ to be a lifesaver. Draw one dot on the clothing label of your firstborn, two dots for the second child, and so on. Then, when the item of clothing gets passed down to the next child, just add another dot. This is a huge help to your ayi who can look at the number of dots and know instantly whose item of clothing it is.

3. Put photos on toy storage boxes and also on the children’s clothing drawers, so that your ayi (and kids) can ensure that toys go into the correct box, and that trousers, shirts, and sleepwear are also put into their correct place.

4. If you don’t write Chinese, create images of the tasks you want to be accomplished that day and stick them to the fridge so your ayi has a clear idea of the tasks she needs to do.

5. If you have digital technology that resets whenever the power plug is pulled out, mark it with a ‘Don’t unplug me’ sticker to save you having to restore all the settings each time ayi does the vacuuming.

6. When you travel over the holidays, you will probably continue to pay your ayi her full salary so that she remains with you after you return. Leave her a list, or create a photo book of jobs for her to do while you are away. If she usually does the grocery shopping for you, you can also leave her a list of things to buy before you return, so that your family comes home to a fully stocked fridge.

Handy Resources:

Beijing Ayi Services

www.BeijingAyiService.com

[e-mail]

Tel: [phone]

Nanny Beijing

www.nannybeijing.com

[e-mail]

Tel: [phone]

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PHotos: Tara Gillan, Unsplash 

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