You all know that movie called “The Help†right? If you don’t know it I suggest you see it because it’s one of the most powerful movies I’ve watched and if I was alive in those days I would have surely been that white girl. I’d be the one who’s more interested in knowing more about the lives of house staff behind the scenes, rather than focusing on living the high life. This blog post has been made possible because of heavy rains in Jamaica this past week and several of my own work days have been canceled. This has enabled me to chill out and see if I make a good villa staff member.
As I write this I’m sitting on a bed in a tiny room that’s part of staff quarters in an undisclosed upscale villa in Jamaica. Beside me in this room is a clothes dryer and across the hall is another room for staff, which has no windows, and a tiny bathroom in between us. These staff quarters are right off the kitchen where all the meals are prepared for guests of this villa. And might I add that all the work done by the staff of these swanky villas is done with nothing but smiles, despite the hours upon hours of sit-around time spent in these quarters because the “help†doesn’t really mingle in guest space.
I slept in this room last night and I’m lucky there are windows on each wall to provide a little breeze even though there’s a hot dryer running next to me. The other staff room has no windows and is a lot darker than mine. I suspect it’s hotter in there at night too.
There are 8 guests in this 4 bedroom villa for the next week and they’re a pretty lively bunch of young Americans who seem like they want to enjoy Jamaica to the fullest. One of their first requests when they arrived was ganja and they showed up with plenty of liquor for the night too. I met them briefly and then retreated to my “quarters†because the villa is theirs and it’s not appropriate for us to hang out in their space.
The chef prepared the guests’ first Jamaican meal which consisted of jerk chicken, rice and peas, salad and breadfruit. The meal was topped off with freshly made rum punch and a flaming rum and banana desert which looked amazing! The chef here has some serious talent in the food and drink mixing department. All the guests seemed overly impressed with the whole affair and very appreciative. They had a pretty great soiree at the dining table while we all sat in the back laughing at their rowdiness which increased with the amount of liquor consumed. It was funny.
The housekeeper is a great lady. She’s a single mom and makes the best heart-shaped towels with fresh cut flower displays that she set up in all the rooms. I’m always amazed at what they can do to make things pretty. I actually watched a different housekeeper the other day, make a towel into a swan and I think I’m going to try my own version based on the quick lesson I received lol.
Anyway, the guests partied until long into the night and I learned that it’s up to the staff to tend to all their needs, regardless of what time it all shuts down. I found out this morning that their duties continued long after I went to bed, after 10:30pm. They were on duty by about 7am that day getting the place set up nice for guest arrivals.
I’m only on day three of being part of “the help†here and I think I’m losing my mind with impatience already. Sitting in this back room doing nothing until a guest wants something would drive me crazy, there’s not even a TV back here, nor a source of music except for the one I brought in myself. The biggest bonus is leftover food though lol. But overall, they don’t have much down time; the housekeeper always has laundry to do in the daytime and the cook is on duty for at least breakfast and usually dinner. Most days the guests have been out in the daytime so cooking isn’t required.
With my new job of viewing and photographing villas around the island I’m seeing there are literally hundreds of upscale villas and each one has at LEAST 3 staff members, usually a gardener, a cook and a housekeeper. I can only hope their employers (who are mostly foreign owners) pay them well for all this service with a smile and lots of laughter. I have always wondered what the hospitality staff in Jamaica thinks of us foreigners who come here to live the high life and overindulge for a short time. Now that I’ve been part of a villa staff team I can see that there’s a lot of fun involved in their jobs because for the most part the guests have a lot of respect for what the staff does, and they show their gratitude accordingly. The guests in this villa want to take the chef back home to America with them LOL.
The best part of being in this back room with the staff is the teamwork. They all have their duties on lock and are VERY good at what they do. I’m rising at 6:30am and in the kitchen with them, sweeping up from the night before and ready to start a new day. They/we all work together to make sure things flow well and the guests are happy. The days run long and I feel ready for bed by about 7pm because 7pm feels like midnight on this job.
A concluding thought on this whole experience is that I truly believe villa staff can make or break a Jamaican villa experience. The staff here is beyond friendly, as are most that I’ve met along the way through this property inspection job I’m doing. It seems there’s a fine line between being fun and entertaining for the guests and knowing when to step back and let the people go about their business. I have a lot of respect for the work they’re doing because it’s their actions that are giving travelers their first impressions of this island.
Comments
14 responses to ““The Help” – Jamaican Style”
Great post Kristi! I am almost finished reading ” The Help” and will watch the movie when I’m done. I agree about the hard working staff In JA, always a smile and always sincere and happy. Like yourself I am single hard working girl, even though i was at at resort, at a friends wedding, I felt so privilaged to be there and being “served” was not something i am used to or frankly would not want again. After getting off the resort and meeting those wonderfully friendly and hard working folks on the own ground is what I crave on my next visit. I most definately gained much respect for the staff at the resorts understanding that when they get home from work their day just begins as like us there is always work waiting at home, yet they make your day so incredible with their warm smiles!
Thanks for reading it Vera! I wanted to go so much more in depth but at the same time I just want to respect these people for what they do and not exploit it. I’ve toured SO MANY villas with my job and each of the staff are all so awesome! At this particular villa, I’ve totally chilled with the housekeeper because she’s the only female on staff and it’s nice to have some girl power LOL.
Hi Kristi, interesting peek behind the scenes. Like you, I don’t think I could stand sitting in a back room waiting for a guest to want something done.
If I had internet back there I would have been okay doing my other job at the same time. But it was a lot of “hurry up and wait” going on lol. Mind you, the cook was busy ALL the time. But I’m no chef so it was best I stay the hell out the kitchen hahaha.
Hi I stumbled across your blog & you seem very well travelled throughout Jamaica. I’m due to fly into Jamaica in few weeks & just wanted to ask if could recommend any cheap guesthouses in Ocho Rios. I read your blog on Mahoe Villa (who I’ll be calling tomorrow) I’m basically after anything in that price range that’s decent. Thanks
Nice! Didn’t read anything in it that made the original owners look bad though. Maximum kudos to you for bringing to the fore the “invisible people” that make coming to Jamrock worth it.
PS
You need a PERMANENT position in the Ministry of Tourism!
I find it hard to believe you were made to block/delete that post. There is nothing offensive in there from any angle that I could see. In FACT, what i saw was an inside view into the hard work that goes into making a nice guest house for vacationers to enjoy. I think it serves as a reminder to not take for granted the people who take CARE of you while on vacation in smaller guest houses and resorts and to, perhaps, show a LOT more appreciation for their time and friendly service. If not for those behind the scenes, very few vacations would be as relaxing as they are for foreigners when they travel. A nice eye opener for a lot of people I think.
I watched “The Help” and I agree. I think i would be that white girl also, if i lived in that time lol
Exactly Heather. I actually wasn’t made to block it either, I did that in an effort to keep the job.
I think that your “ex-employer” is simple minded and has no idea who you are. It’s ridiculous. They also must think people like “us” – people that appreciate the beauty and realism that Jamaica has to offer – are uneducated and judgemental.
This post was giving nothing but Kudos to people that work so hard; people that we admire and make us humble.
Your ex-employer can shove it………seriously! ***** I HOPE THEY READ MY COMMENT.
LOOOOOOOOOL Jamie!! You sound more heated than I am! I love your support, trust me. 🙂
Kristi, I am so glad I stumbled upon you. What you are doing is awesome. I am a Jamaican who enjoys the nativee and tourist experience in terms of hotel hospitality. It does hurt my heart because I know these people work hard and they do it from their hearts. They are glad to be there at the hotels and resorts but when their lives are hard and the pay barely covers the cost of living. But, they serve with a smile and even though they may not read your post, God bless you for showing a lot of the unknown which is a part of the Jamaican experience. I plan on meeting up with you soon.
Diamond, thank you so much for that comment. It means a lot to me especially coming from a Jamaican because it makes me feel validated in what I’m doing. Would love to link up if our timing can match!
Yeah they’re amazing folks who work jobs like those but its unfortunately the normalcy here for them to underpay them severely despite the long hours. That’s why usually the select locals to work in places like that, we tend to do longer hours than other countries and the pay even if we do the same work tends to be way less. Its unfair but not the tourists fault its really the employers. And because they can pay like that and get away with it is what attracts them to the island frequently.
Thank you for your comments Allison. And yes, I agree that so many are underpaid for what they are required to do.