Getting insight into the Au Pair world with my Au Pair Friends

This post is also available in: Spanish

Before beginning a new adventure, be it a new job or moving to a new country, there are a lot of unanswered questions and keen thoughts going through your mind. This is a new experience and you are opening yourself for the unknown by going to study or work abroad. Well done – this is a huge achievement on its own.

I decided to ask an Au Pair friend a few questions to understand their experiences and how they felt during their Au Pair Program.  Below are the questions I asked, and the answers my friend gave me.

How does it feel living in someone else’s house?

“Its very different than living at home. You’re literally living in the place and with people you work for. Its sort of shocking at the beginning because everything is new,new noises at home, new voices, new food and ambiance. Even privacy changes. We definitely feel more vulnerable being out of our comfort zone and that makes us change over the experience of being an Au Pair.” I agree with these statements. Everything is new and different. It will take a few weeks before you begin to get familiar with your new surroundings.  But keep in mind that your new family are welcoming you into their home . They want you to feel comfortable and experience the Cultural Exchange, so ask as many questions as you need.

Was it easy to make friends?

“It was easy for me since I got in touch online with a girl from the same city where I am from around two or three months before arriving. Once id arrived, I started to make friends in school during my English classes which was challenging but also beneficial as I had to speak in English all the time.”

Do you usually go out with other Au Pairs and how did you meet them?

“I used to have a group of Au Pair friends and all of them were Spanish speakers. They were my closest friends here and I met them through other friends. We used to go out often to downtown, local bars, nightclubs. Doing these things helped me to make local friends.”  Having  a balance between Au Pair friends  and local friends is good as your Au Pair friends can relate to your experience whilst your local friends provide you with opportunities to experience the  ‘American Culture’

What does your typical day look like?

“My typical day as an Au Pair started at 6.45am to wake the kids up and get them ready for school. I would make breakfast and pack their lunches when they were getting changed. I dropped them to school and went back to the home to do laundry and tidy the kids common areas. until 8.45am. Then I went to my classes from 9 – 1 and after I would work out. At 2.45pm I would pick the kids up from school. Once at home I got them some snacks while they were doing their homework. Depending on what day it was, we would go to dance, soccer, tennis, gymnastics or doctors appointments. I started to make dinner around 6.30pm so the kids would be eating no later than 7.30pm as they needed to be in bed by 8.30pm. Then I was off schedule until the next morning.”

 

On a recent road trip, I was the designated driver with two other Au pairs. We were discussing and sharing our experiences. A topic that came up was about having contact with your new family before you arrive. We all agreed that it is important to begin building a relationship prior to arrival. This can be done through emails, Skype or both. Ask your family how they are and how are the kids. Tell them about yourself and what you have been up to. Ask the family can you speak with their current or previous Au Pairs. They can give you plenty of tips and advice about cluster meetings, the location and the ‘go-to’ spots.

Remember, it is okay to be nervous. Reach out to your Local Coordinator before you arrive. Ask them to put you in touch with Au Pairs in your cluster. This means you will have began to establish relationships before arriving. And if you have any questions, regarding the program, going abroad or what to expect, do not hesitate to get in touch with me via in the comment section or on my other social media 🙂