in the hands of others

there is something slightly unnerving about entrusting your children to someone who you don't know, have just met, and speaks a different language than you and your children. but what can you do? this was our position last week when we were introduced to Biba, a possible candidate for watching Rian and Myles while we are at French class.

She had come recommended through friends that employ her sister. But there is no such thing as resumes, references or background checks, at least not on paper. Everything is simply done by word of mouth. we needed to find someone to watch them and we had no other options. we left one of our cell phones with the speed dial ready for the other, kissed and hugged them and waved goodbye as they marched off to the playground with Biba.

I know in the states this would be unheard of but "thats just the way it is done here." We ended up being gone much longer than anticipated that first time and when our cell rang I immediately snatched it up thinking thats it, something terrible has happened. When I heard Rian's voice on the other end, saying "i dropped my hello kitty camera and can't get it to work," relief was instant. She also informed me that she had picked up the phone seen a j and a b and figured that was Jason Brooks number (the friend we were with) and pushed the call button.

After that I was pretty confident that if our children needed to get a hold of us Rian could figure it out.

The second time Biba arrived at our door to watch them, they ran to her with open arms. I guess that speaks more than a paper that has some credentials on it.