April 2015

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34
LETTERS Readers’ thoughts and
comments about EL
April15
Email us at
Best Letter
We want to hear from you! Send us your thoughts on the magazine,
or on any subject under the sun. For highlighting the plight of
domestic helpers, Meghan Rivers wins a bottle of champagne.
Crying Shame
Results of the recent survey by HOME
(Humanitarian Organisation for Migration
Economics) on the mental health problems
suffered by domestic workers in Singapore are
a stark reminder of the miserable conditions
in which so many of these women are forced
to live. Almost a quarter of the 700 Filipino,
Indonesian and Myanmar women surveyed were
found to be suffering from depression, psychoticism or
other mental disorders.
Loneliness and homesickness are just two of the stressors. Some 73
percent reported restrictions like having their phones confiscated, or being
barred from talking to other maids; 74 percent had experienced restrictions
on their movements, like not being allowed to leave the house or being
locked up in the house or in a room. Fifty-one percent reported verbal
abuse; 35 percent economic abuse.
These are shocking statistics. Kudos to organisations such as HOME that
provide shelter for maids who run away from abusive employers. Surely,
though, much more could and should be done.
Meghan Rivers
Returning Reader
My family spent two all-too-short
years in Singapore from 2010
to 2012 before accepting a
three-year posting to London.
As thrilled as we are to be
back here, this time on a local
contract, I was just as excited to
see my first copy of Expat Living
in three years – just as fresh,
just as glossy, and still filled with
up-to-the minute information on
where to go and what to do.
Your March issue stories on
gorgeous homes in Malaysia
were food for thought: that
might just be a good option
for us in the future. My foodie
husband so enjoyed the feature
on Mexican food, and we both
drooled over the travel pages,
especially the Maldives article.
Luckily for us, some of the
good friends we made during
our first Singapore stint are still
here – and Expat Living is one
of them!
Marie Wessels
Ed: Nice to see your name
on the new subscribers’ list
– welcome back!
March2015 SINGAPORE
In the Bedroom
Building
HOW TO HAVE
A HEALTHY
PREGNANCY
GREEK ISLES
MAURITIUS
MUMBAI
OURMEXICAN
DININGGUIDE
Taco Time
Hiring Help
Escapes
INTERVIEWTIPS
&COOKING
SCHOOLS
AND RENOVATING
Rats!
I so enjoyed Rebecca Bisset’s hilarious story in
the March issue Editor’s Letter about her dog
getting stuck in the rat glue! While I felt sorry for
her young pet, as a dog lover myself, I couldn’t
stop laughing at the mental image of camouflage
Luke, and his enjoying the crunchy peanut butter.
Sabrenu Dutt
8
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atexpatliving.sg/coffeemorning
We have another rat in the kitchen. It
keeps eating the bananas and even ate
its way through a Tupperware to get to
some cupcakes! It’s annoying me and
has caused quite a bit of distress tomy
small fluffydogs.
A few weeks ago, we decided to use “rat glue”
to catch it. I know – it’s pretty cruel; but it’s safer
than poison. We put the glue on a piece of
cardboard with a bread crust on it and placed it
under a kitchen cabinet. A few days later, one of
my daughters’ friends let out a cry and said, “Oh,
look – the dog is stuck to a piece of cardboard!”
Luke,who isstillquiteyoungand fairlygreedy,was
indeed stuck in the rattrap.
As Islowlypulled itoffhim, Icouldsee thathismouthwasshutclosed,along
with one ear; and part of his neck fur had come off on the glue.What to do?
Wecleanedhim indishwashing liquid,whichdidn’thelpatall,and thenweset
him freewhilewewent to searchonline forabetter solution.
Heobviouslywentoff into thegarden to tryand rub itoffhimselfbecausewhen
hecamebackhe looked likeanaturecollage!We tookone lookat “Camouflage
Luke”andbegan rollingaround the floorcryingwith laughter.The internethad
suggestedwe use peanut butter (the oil in it helps dissolve the glue), butwe
only had crunchy peanut butter.Sowhile he quite enjoyed being smeared in
it,and licking itoffwherehecould,weagainwere rollingaroundat thesightof
himwithbitsofnuts stuck tohis fur. In the end, cookingoildid the trick. (Just
incase youeverget in toa similar situation, itgetschewinggumoutof things
too).Maybe I couldbecome thenextMarthaStewart?
A solution to the ratproblem is still yet tobe foundbutas I’mmovinghouse
now Iwill just lethimbe.And I’ll fill you inon thegorydetailsof themovenext
month!