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Why are Nicaraguans so afraid of ironing?
Submitted by Alonso on Tue, 2009/03/10 - 23:11.
I'm a Chilean guy living in Nicaragua and am looking for a housekeeper. All the housekeepers that I've interviewed tell me that they don't iron clothes. First they tell me that it's too time consuming, and I respond that cleaning my house only takes 3 hours a day maximum. Then then they tell me that once they start to iron, they can't do any other work, including opening the refrigerator or washing dishes because they'll get injured...blah blah blah. Every excuse in the book. I don't get it?
Can someone familiar with Nicaraguan culture please explain why ironing is such a big deal?
You need a specialist
My wife (a Nica) tells me that doing anything after ironing will cause severe arthritis. Most dangerous are the opening of the fridge and doing dishes. After ironing, the day's work is basically done. Telenovelas from then on. Rather than expect a housekeeper to iron, the best bet is to hire an ironing specialist (which are rather common).
Chilian
may be your pay is not worth the efford, money talks my friend, it's not about the culture, it comes down to "is it worthy?" good luck Chaq
Different from my experience
I don't iron and don't want my clothes ironed. But, Ana irons. Her mother irons. Margarita, my 10 year old niece, irons. A maid I had wanted to iron and I told her I didn't want anything ironed.
Ana and I were working on the inside of our new house today. It will be off-grid. She asked me "will I still be able to iron?"
I think you just need to do a bit more shopping.
Really?
My Nicaraguan partner irons more than I do: he irons all his clothes, even jeans! So does all his family. When I was there for my wedding, the housekeeper at the hotel ironed my dress for me, for no charge. So I haven't run into this yet.
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"Life is what happens while we're busy making other plans." - Pablo Neruda / John Lennon
Hot iron!
Part of this may have something to to with the "hot & cold" fallacy. How many days a week is she there? Surely she doesn't need to iron every day. Have one day just for ironing. Pura Nica, Bobby PS... my maid asked me if I wanted her to iron some shirts. Go figure. But then she is Miskito.
Ironed?
Per the women interviewed: are the clothes they are wearing at that the time of the interview, ironed? If so, wouldn't that be a good topic of conversation (for you, maybe not for them!)?
best labor agreement on the planet
It is true there are very few things a woman can safely do after ironing. One of them is watch telenovellas, the risk takers are even willing to turn the TV on and some will even change channels
You can find some that will iron.
My agreement with my maid is I empty the change out of my pockets into her change jar. Even my pillow cases and tee shirts get ironed. She is a true gem.
I had an old gal
knock on my door last week asking if I had some ironing to do?
Usually the door knockers have a more intimate task in mind to earn a few cords.
Old gal knocking.......
Are ya sure she just didn't want to get your wrinkles out for a few cords. LOL
Pura Nica, Bobby
i.ve run into this to
(fear of ironing, or opening the door of the refri afterwards,.
Some of it may be tied to an endless list of "beliefs" that at first sound intriguing, like Chinese traditional medicine, but end up making no sense. Or it may be tied to the widespread allergies and asthma here.
Keep looking, somebody will be tough enough or desperate enough to iron for you.
addiction to telenovelas is a separate problem, which can be done while ironing!!!
¨Pata de Perro¨