Simple tea

I'm house sitting for some friends this week and I have been struggling to adjust to the way they live. Not that they live horrible lives but they have a maid who cooks, cleans, does the shopping and the laundry. It's so hard for me to allow her to wait on me like that! The other day she was cleaning and I was in my room reading and she brings me some tea. I was so happy with the tea but I just felt so bad that she was out there working away and I was relaxing. They also have a driver, which I love and hate. I love that I can get around and I don't have to negotiate with and auto driver, but again with the guilt! He waits for me while I go work in the office and he waits for me while I sit and have coffee. He waits outside the house until 6:00 while I'm inside reading or having tea or watching a movie. Ahhhh! It's so hard! I get that this is the culture and this is their job. But it feels like their job is to help me be lazy and like I really need help with that! Today when Elango, the driver, and I got home I tried to tell him that he could leave early but he stayed. I couldn't just let him sit out there reading his book or whatever he had with nothing, so I figured out how to make South Indian tea and took him a cup. His face alone was worth it. He just smiled at me while I tried to explain that I hoped it was good because it was my first time making Indian tea like that. I walked back into the house and I was just grinning from ear to ear. It made me so happy to be able to serve him in some small way. Tea is no big thing really, but hospitality is and that means a lot to Indians. It was just a cup of tea, nothing much at all, but it gave me such joy to be able to give back. I know it sounds simple but it made my entire day. If I do nothing more here than make tea for my driver, it was all worth it.