2-CAMIE

Dear God,

It's been a month since I arrived in Los Angeles, and yet I feel like it's been an eternity, and this feeling of not being at home is getting worse day by day...

My homesickness is hellish.

I really want to return to my community, but I have embarked on a path where there is no going back, I know why I am here.

I can't get used to these modern clothes, to these vulgar ways of speaking, to the scandalous flirting of these young people who smoke, full of piercings at the University where I study. To the shocking simpering of young girls...

I do everything possible to stay away from these fishermen, although I am subject to incessant mockery, I believe that my cold gaze, my discretion and the precious tutelage of Reb allow me to be peaceful most of the time. At the start of the school year I was immediately classified as an insignificant person and I do everything to stay that way. By not going out outside of class, spending most of my time either in Reb and I's shared room, at work and often in the library sitting very close to the librarians to avoid attention in case... .because in addition to the goal of a new start in another community in Philadelphia, I also have to fulfill my part of the bargain and do what I have to do.

Although I no longer wear my Amish dresses at the insistence of Rebecca, my modern clothes are long dresses with sleeves and closed collars, some of which reach below the knee, at which time I wear stockings. Skirts and blouses look even more decent.

My hair always stays in a bun at the back of my neck or a low ponytail.

And stay away from this world of crazy young people even if I live there. It became my philosophy. Because although I had to leave my community and my father, I do not want to turn my back on my religion and my old way of life...

Let's hope that I will be able to find my place here, without losing my values.....

-Eyy Camie! I'm going to go to my father's this weekend. Do you mind being all alone? Or you can accompany me if you want?

I raised my head from my notebook and clutched my Bible in my hands to stare at the newcomer.

- No, it's okay you know. I'll just have to lock myself and put a chair against the door just in case. I smile, trying to be humorous.

Rebecca did not relax, however.

- Are you sure you don't want to come with me? She insists.

- No, I prefer not. I decide by diving back into my notebook.

- Good. She whispers before getting back into the shower.

Rebecca is a girl with a café-au-lait complexion and is the only girl I talk to. Although for a pastor's daughter, she dresses in an almost Gothic way. She remains decent in general terms and lives with one foot in the church and the other sometimes oscillating towards the secular world....

She is in her penultimate year of theology and watches over me closely.

I thank again the director who during the interview and after seeing my terrified face and my Amish dress with whom I hung out for a week, immediately understood that I was lost and totally lost, I sent this guardian angel.

Because Rebecca, she does not criticize me or judge my way of thinking, perhaps because she is a Christian herself....But around here she is really my point of reference and it is quite natural that 2 week after meeting her I made her my confidante and her arms my consolation and lullaby. But I didn't tell him everything either. because she remains a stranger, but I admit that her concern touches me a lot, especially since I never really had any friends.

I glanced at the clock against the back wall of the room, and jumped out of bed. My work time was already almost here...although the hotel I work in is not far from my work, I always advocate punctuality.

I quickly took my backpack, put on my shoes and rushed outside. my confidences in my diary will wait...

A man was standing and waiting patiently for the traffic light to turn green, discreetly and with a nonchalant gesture I parked next to him to follow his steps when he crossed the street. I wasn't too used to all these highway codes and after almost experiencing the taste of a car accident for the thirteenth time since I arrived in town, I told myself that I had to do better. that I don't cross the street alone, at least not until I understand how all this stuff works.

When the signal went green the man started crossing the street and I almost stuck to his back. He gave me a wary glance and as if nothing had happened I smiled at him while nodding politely.

Right in front was the large wrought iron barrier made of bars which housed behind it, the place where I worked almost 3 weeks ago.

The Lasliz Hotel was a large Victorian style building but modernly improved comprising only 8 floors. The space was large and sunny and very much like a vacation villa. I really liked this building because it was friendly and warm and classy.

I turned away from the large barrier and continued straight through the Service entrance.

An ebony-skinned man jealously guarded access, I took my badge out of my backpack and showed it to him while crossing the threshold of the much more sober door.

-Hi Gabe! I smile. What a beautiful morning isn’t it?

- Not as beautiful as you Miss Camie! He smiles while giving a little military salute. It makes you want to have a nice picnic, don’t you think?

I smile. Gabe's compliments were the only ones I accepted without complaint, he's really a nice guy, from what I know, he's an ex-naval soldier, and he had lost his wife and son. daughter in an attack in the barracks where he lived with his family.

Life seems not to have spared him but he seems to remain strong despite everything and is kind to everyone and with his big size, no one dares to upset him or upset the people who are his protégés.

And at the beginning of my service, it wasn't easy for me with my colleagues who seemed to hate me for some obscure reason! The few customers who didn't look at me in a healthy way. And above all, I was always scared and terrified of hitting the street after my shift when I was working in the evening.

But the kindness of this somewhat grumpy guard quickly put me at ease, he accompanied me every time I was on night duty and thanks to this valuable advice I get along pretty well with my colleagues now. .

- In fact, do you know why your colleagues don't approach you?

They found me behind the back door crying about the fact that I was having such a hard time fitting in and the way I was being treated which was the antithesis of my old life. In Pennsylvania, everyone loved and respected me and showed it to me! So it was really destabilizing my beginnings here.

I remember what he said to me that day when I offered my help to Marianna, a maid to help her carry the sheets to the top floor and who almost insulted me by saying bad things to me. things that had reached me inside.

-It's because they feel inferior to you, because of the way you treat them and because of your religion. Without knowing it you behave in a racist way because they don't have the same religion as you, you think that these people are not going to be saved, you look at them with pity, you look at everything around you with pity! As if your presence here is a sacrilege, an error of circumstances...

- But no! I am Amish and...

- Oh yes ! I don't understand your religious way too well, but try to behave towards others as you do towards your fellow human beings. Even though you will look weird it's better than looking like a pushy person.

Although a little upset, I still followed his advice and a week and a half later, as he had predicted, my relationships with others became more accommodating, although I spoke little and did not get closer. too much of them and their common activity or chatter, I am nevertheless not an intruder. They ended up accepting my presence and my Mennonite faith and sometimes he even lets me talk to them about how my religion works and asks me questions.

- Yes, I think so too, the weather is not as beautiful like this every day. Finally I answer him with a laugh.

I took the large corridor which connects the service staff's relaxation room, the changing rooms, the toilets, the food depot, that of the shops and the large kitchen between them, and greeted the people who also passed along it before leaving. turn left to push the large door to the Cloakroom.

-Hello everybody! I exclaimed to everyone as I entered the locker room.

My colleagues responded to my greetings in the same tone. Some of them were getting dressed and others were putting on their maid uniforms to start their shift like me.

- You're late Camie. Hurry up and change before the housekeeper sees you without your uniform. Gemma asks me as she finishes folding her clothes in her locker.

I glanced at the clock in the Locker Room.

- Only 6 minutes. I whispered delighted,

And I, who thought I was going to arrive here more than 10 to 15 minutes late, I was quick, I can say. Even if just being late isn't really my cup of tea. Father said that the world belongs to the people who get up and do everything they have to do early.

- Late anyway! Insisted Gemma, who had heard me.

I blushed with shame and fluttered my eyes to chase away the tears that came there to respond to my embarrassment, then I whispered a weak “Sorry.”

Marianna, who had noticed my color change, rolled her eyes while taking off her t-shirt.

- A real Madeleine! She sighs.

I also tried not to pay too much attention to my colleagues in their underwear and went to my locker to get my work uniform.

If I got this job it's always thanks to my roommate, and I love it!

Because the job of a maid is totally similar to that of a housewife with a few differences.

Since I was little, I have loved ironing, cleaning, washing, cooking, and serving food...

Of course there are technologies like the machine that allows you to wash your clothes and the dishwasher... But that's not all that effective and some clothes deserve to be washed by hand as well as dishes that are too fragile to wash. in the dishwasher and as everyone hates these two tasks I often accomplish them with pleasure.

At the hotel there were 30 maids in total and our age was between 18 to 30/33 years old, the oldest are more in the kitchens. And I admit that we had a lot of work during our services.

- It seems that this morning, Geneva received a call to reserve a suite. Said one of my colleagues in an excited and secretive voice.

- Ah good? But that’s great! This person is surely a nouveau riche! Because I bet you that after being totally anchored in the world of society, he will only swear by 5-star hotels!

- No, but listen to the most intriguing part of the story....it seems that it's a celebrity who wants to book Said sequel over here.

- WHAT!!! Almost all the maids exclaimed in unison after hearing the news and drew attention to the interlocutor.

A lively discussion reignited in the locker room

After taking my uniform, I headed to the toilets to change while smiling. Reminds me of the good old days with my friends in Pennsylvania...

As I was about to open the toilet, the door opened first and Silver..."a girl my age but whom I don't like at all because she is disrespectful and lets herself be deduced by customers, sometimes more, much older than her then this a girl with vulgar language "...came out. Seeing my uniform in my hands she sneered.

- Well the little Saint! Can't you do like everyone else and change in the locker room instead of wasting time changing rooms to put on your grandmother's uniform? Plus you're more like Jojo, my girl, if you want I can help you shorten your skirt and give you a new haircut! And with mascara I can make your blue eyes look bigger!

She chewed gum noisily, opening her mouth wide where a bright, bloody red lipstick painted the edges...

- No thanks! I respond politely while trying to walk around her to get into the bathroom.

- Ehh wait! My dear, you don’t know what you’re missing by being so stuck! A hottie like you could be a hit with men if you made just a little effort! I bet you a hundred bucks you're a virgin!

The sound of chewing gum irritated my hearing and I was dying to describe to her what life was like in hell and that that's where she would go if she continued on this path. But I took it upon myself and gave her a little smile without warmth and walked around her to go back in, this time she didn't stop me and I heard her burst out laughing behind the door.

I sigh and whisper.

- Lord help her to find the right path. She's probably a nice girl deep down.

Then I locked myself in one of the cabins to quickly put on my uniform.

It was a jeanper dress in sky blue canvas with a flared bottom. Underneath a white long-sleeved shirt with blue stripes at the ends and the collar was in the shape of a circle.

A matching plastic apron was given to complete the ensemble with a pretty little white headdress which bore the hotel's effigy which was a dove with an olive branch between its beak.

After changing I went to the laundry room to start ironing the laundry of the guests who are staying on the entire second floor while 5 others imitated me for the other floors.