408. Why should Anna care about the Filipino domestic workers?
Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore
"You will have to devote 30 minutes a day to writing and revising the Pet Care and Health book," I asked my veterinary assistant Anna into my consultation room to remind her for another time to focus.
I could have become a nagger. "Small amounts of time spent will add up to the completion of the book. The book content is around 80% done but there needed revision to make it relevant to the reader. The reader is the Filipino domestic worker, your country women who would benefit from getting Singaporean advices on pet care."
"Click,click,click,click..." sounds from Anna's ball point pen resonated in the still air as she sat on the yellow chair across the consultation table and holding the draft book with many notes not updated.
I would not know whether she was de-stressing herself or angry. She would click her ball point sometimes, in the middle of consultations. Just a few clicks. Unconscious clicks?
"And why should you bother to help the Filipino domestic workers?" I asked her.
Anna was silent.
"You are privilleged to graduate from the veterinary university," I said. "Not anybody can become a veterinarian or graduate. The Filipino maids all over the world and in Singapore work long hours. They start work from 5 a.m and are fortunate to complete their work at midnight in many cases. Earning much less than you to send home money for the family..."
I guess Anna would think: "So what?". She always had a sweet smile. And never lost her temper. Writing is a lot of hard brain work. Lots of revision. Lots of reading to do. I borrowed at least 100 magazines and dog books from the library for her to read. It could be overwhelming for a new graduate.
"I know the new young vet who has just joined the practice is not interested in helping to write this book. I don't expect him to help out. He is from a very rich family. Born with a silver spoon. So I don't expect him to empathise with the frustrations of the Filipino maid entrusted with a new puppy that suffers from diarrhoea and coughing or skin disease.
"In your draft, you advised 'Consult the vet...'. But many Singapore dog owners do not want to consult the vet to save on costs. The maid has to resolve the problems like the common diarrhoea and the book will guide her how to do it.
"With this book, they gain pet care and health knowledge. To show prospective employers with pets that they really know how to handle puppy handling and health situations in Singapore. To get better pay and be employable. To help feed their children in the Philippines and give their children money to go to the university. To better the lives by sacrifice in living in a foreign country for years...
Anna pursed her lips. Grin and bear the nagging? I did not know what she was thinking about my lectures. She had graduated and must have thought no more lectures and writing projects finally. Just enjoy handling the puppies and dogs. Not sitting down to research and write and write.
"After all, I am not asking you to write love stories which will sell like hot cakes. This project is money-losing unlike sensational love stories. It is my community service. So far, 2 other Filipino assistants had resigned without doing much.
"You write non-fiction on a subject you have had been trained for the last 5 years. In writing for the Filipino maids, you learn a lot too because you read various author's views on puppy care, training and health matters." I droned on and on.
It was like speaking to a wall. The book needed revisions. Anna had stopped revising. Writing is a lot of revisions and frustrations if the book is to be good enough and worth reading. But she did not know.
"Half an hour a day would be needed. After the English version is written, it can then be in Tagalog and sold at affordable prices to the Filipino maids.
"But if there is no perseverance and time devoted to writing, no good book would be produced. Your country women would not be educated in Singaporean pet care and health. Some puppies would not be properly cared for and some would die due to the lack of knowledge entrusted on the maids to care for them.
Would altruism appeal to the young Anna? Would puppy welfare motivate Anna to write? Only time will tell.
"You will have to devote 30 minutes a day to writing and revising the Pet Care and Health book," I asked my veterinary assistant Anna into my consultation room to remind her for another time to focus.
I could have become a nagger. "Small amounts of time spent will add up to the completion of the book. The book content is around 80% done but there needed revision to make it relevant to the reader. The reader is the Filipino domestic worker, your country women who would benefit from getting Singaporean advices on pet care."
"Click,click,click,click..." sounds from Anna's ball point pen resonated in the still air as she sat on the yellow chair across the consultation table and holding the draft book with many notes not updated.
I would not know whether she was de-stressing herself or angry. She would click her ball point sometimes, in the middle of consultations. Just a few clicks. Unconscious clicks?
"And why should you bother to help the Filipino domestic workers?" I asked her.
Anna was silent.
"You are privilleged to graduate from the veterinary university," I said. "Not anybody can become a veterinarian or graduate. The Filipino maids all over the world and in Singapore work long hours. They start work from 5 a.m and are fortunate to complete their work at midnight in many cases. Earning much less than you to send home money for the family..."
I guess Anna would think: "So what?". She always had a sweet smile. And never lost her temper. Writing is a lot of hard brain work. Lots of revision. Lots of reading to do. I borrowed at least 100 magazines and dog books from the library for her to read. It could be overwhelming for a new graduate.
"I know the new young vet who has just joined the practice is not interested in helping to write this book. I don't expect him to help out. He is from a very rich family. Born with a silver spoon. So I don't expect him to empathise with the frustrations of the Filipino maid entrusted with a new puppy that suffers from diarrhoea and coughing or skin disease.
"In your draft, you advised 'Consult the vet...'. But many Singapore dog owners do not want to consult the vet to save on costs. The maid has to resolve the problems like the common diarrhoea and the book will guide her how to do it.
"With this book, they gain pet care and health knowledge. To show prospective employers with pets that they really know how to handle puppy handling and health situations in Singapore. To get better pay and be employable. To help feed their children in the Philippines and give their children money to go to the university. To better the lives by sacrifice in living in a foreign country for years...
Anna pursed her lips. Grin and bear the nagging? I did not know what she was thinking about my lectures. She had graduated and must have thought no more lectures and writing projects finally. Just enjoy handling the puppies and dogs. Not sitting down to research and write and write.
"After all, I am not asking you to write love stories which will sell like hot cakes. This project is money-losing unlike sensational love stories. It is my community service. So far, 2 other Filipino assistants had resigned without doing much.
"You write non-fiction on a subject you have had been trained for the last 5 years. In writing for the Filipino maids, you learn a lot too because you read various author's views on puppy care, training and health matters." I droned on and on.
It was like speaking to a wall. The book needed revisions. Anna had stopped revising. Writing is a lot of revisions and frustrations if the book is to be good enough and worth reading. But she did not know.
"Half an hour a day would be needed. After the English version is written, it can then be in Tagalog and sold at affordable prices to the Filipino maids.
"But if there is no perseverance and time devoted to writing, no good book would be produced. Your country women would not be educated in Singaporean pet care and health. Some puppies would not be properly cared for and some would die due to the lack of knowledge entrusted on the maids to care for them.
Would altruism appeal to the young Anna? Would puppy welfare motivate Anna to write? Only time will tell.
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