Sounds like we have found our Foreign Domestic Worker (aka FDW - our Helper). She's accepted our verbal offer. Tomorrow we get to fill out the paperwork with the Agency. She should be available to come live with us by the end of October.

We didn't get "Mary Poppins." Seriously, when I was reviewing resumes, one of the Helpers reference letters referred to her, and I quote, as a "modern day Mary Poppins." Mary Poppins was my first pick, but it sounds like she had lots of offers, and her salary was a bit higher than we'd been planning on spending too. Our second pick sounds like a great fit for us and I am so relieved. I'm tired of spending every Sunday interviewing with Ms.C.

We ended up using a different agency this time - G & A Services. Here all the Employers did interview in a large room, but it was much calmer and more organized than the other place we had been going. G&A also sent me the Helper Resumes in advance and had me screen them at home. I was sent 14 resumes and I asked to interview 8 of them. I knew who my top 2 were and I only interviewed from the other 6, while waiting for my top 2 to be free for my interview.

My original top 2 were in fact the 2 I invited back to the house for Home Tours. I wish I had gone with G & A originally. I feel like it would have saved me so much time. At this point I would definitely recommend them.

Jonathan has finished the mandatory Employers Course. It took an hour or two online. It highlighted that fact that Helpers new to Singapore sometimes come from rural villages and may be unfamiliar with running water, modern appliances, and navigating a big city. It highlighted the importance of safety and shared things like how to wash the outside of windows when you're on the 20th floor and how to hang the washing on laundry poles without falling out the window. It also talked about how to treat your Helper and shared sad cases where Employers have been convicted of abusing their Helpers. We are getting a Transfer Helper, someone who's already working in Singapore.

Our new Helper has worked in Singapore for almost 20 years, so I'm certain she knows more about things here than us.

Now to fill out my paperwork, buy furniture for the Helper's room and clean all non-kitchen things (e.g., paperwork, art supplies, the calendar) out of our kitchen.