So I have started working on my little bead/jewelry business now. I have hired 2 girls, and already have 2 other girls that work for me. I am training them and we are already looking for more people. The workshop better be done very soon....because for now we are working in my house....which is getting smaller and smaller.
Olivia is our "Live-in" maid, she is from near where my husband was born in Guerrero, Mexico. We basically "have" to have a "live-in", because when I leave and go shopping or to the states for a visit someone has to stay to take care of the animals and watch the house. As long as someone is in the house no one will try and rob it. It is nice having someone 24/7 that you can trust. She is very helpful and eager. She is 23 years old, never been out of her hometown and very happy that she can now make beads. She has now spent approx 20 hours on the torch so far. She can now make a round bead with decent bead holes. She is very excited. She works in the house all day long, cooking, washing our clothes, giving Gidget (the boston terrier) bathes and feeding the 4 pets we have and in the afternoon she makes beads. She has to want this pretty badly in order to work all day plus do this on the side.
Berenice is 17 years old. She has a hair lip, sometimes it is hard to understand her when she speaks, but she is very bright. She was given a special recognition at her high school from President Fox when she graduated. I became aware of her when I presented her with this certificate. I knew she had alot to share. I always had her in the back of my mind as someone who I could somehow help. Her family is very poor and the opportunities here in Cuauchichinola are far and few between. She was working in the fields of Basil, cutting basil and planting basil. Hunched over all day long in the sun, from 6am until 8pm at night for approx $90.00 US a week, 6 days a week. In order for her to quit work I had to pay her at least what she was making at her old job. I pay her at this moment $100.00 US. She is now making beads and in two weeks she has performed what I did in a couple of months. So she is talented. I plan on using her beads for finished pieces mostly.
Maria Lourdes or Lulu started working here as well. She has a degree from a tech school as a Secretary. She could not find work here in this town. In order for her to work she would have to travel daily pretty far away, and that is costly. I hired her to take pictures of my beads and create my listings. She has a limited English but she does has some. I think it will work out ok. Lulu is 21 years old.
Abdulia is married, she is in her 30's. She wants to learn too. She comes to my house to help Olivia or "Oli" out with the extra housework. The house to me is not that big, but I guess it is when it comes to cleaning. Loads of dust (since we live on a Ranch), and of course we have to keep the Scorpion's down, they will multiply if we don't keep up with it. Abdulia comes 3 to 5 days when she can, and only half days. Anyway she is excited about learning how.
Things are working out ok. So far.
Books: I just got done with Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. It is a Vampire book. It was a fun read. I would like to get the next one, but it will be a while until I get back to the states. It is a tame story, no sex, only kissing. It would be an exciting book for a teenager, but I too enjoyed it.
Right now I am reading "Running with Scissors" by Augusten Burroughs, It is an interesting read. Makes me remember the dumb things we did as a child and laugh at how stupid we were sometimes and how smart too. I will let you all know what I think once I am done. I am 1/2 done now....