Feelings of being back

It has been four years since I moved out of the house and away from my  host family on the other side of the Atlantic. The family I used to be an au pair for is big – six people, three cats, two snakes, fish tank and a dog who I still hold very near and dear.

The family and I became very close and I try to go back to visit them as often as I can, but it had been almost two years ago since I saw them last.  Before I left the last time the youngest of the four children was shorter than my shoulders. Now, two years later, both younger children are well over a head taller than me. For the first time I could no longer tell my host mom Karen that I will take the “small kids” (referring to both their size and their age) for ice cream.

 In the time since I last saw them, the kids had swapped their favorite Mountain Dew soft drink for coffee and traded riding Ripsticks for cars. The funny thing is that despite all these changes, seeing my family again was as if no time passed. We picked up right where we left off. The sweet greeting extended to the always happy but now also much older dog. The black Labrador had a matching set of white gray hair to the white beard around his mouth.

As soon as I walk up the driveway I know it’s only seconds until I have my American family back in my arms. That feeling of having a second family makes me feel so rich, having a family that loves me, open up their house and who welcomes me to stay there as long as I want.

I feel truly blessed to have found my second family in the USA.

Homesickness - an unwanted visitor for an au pair

 

Homesickness - something that every au pair comes across to sooner or later. Homesickness is something, that you do not have to be ashamed over- it is perfectly normal that everyone faces ups and downs - what makes an au pair a successful au pair is how one handles homesickness! We thought it would be helpful to gather some thoughts and tips about homesickness here. If you have anything you would like to be sharing from your own experiences

All of us at the Stockholm office have experience from living abroad, far from our family and friends and everything familiar - we have been au pairs, exchange students, worked abroad and traveled extensively - we have all been at the very same spot as you!

Homesickness is a very sneaky friend - it sneaks upon to you during the moments when you definitely need it! Being an au pair is a very exciting adventure that brings also a lot of new things within - but also the new surroundings, new language, new people and new job can make it hard to adapt right away!

I could go on and write on and on about homesickess, but instead of focusing on that matter, I thought it would be better to just give you few concrete tips on how to tackle homesickness.

- BE BUSY! We always say that a busy and social au pair is happy au pair! I know that especially in the beginning it will take some time to find your way around, and talk about being tired - new language, new routines, so much to learn - but trust me, I have been there, and it is worth it! Make sure to connect with au pairs in your area, if possible even before you arrive so that you will have your own "circles" when you get there! Remember - you are not likely to feel better if you stay in your room by yourself - don't be alone!

- EXPLORE! You have taken a big step towards this adventure, and make sure to take the most out of this experience! Especially in the beginning you might feel tired and overwhelmed - but try your best to explore your surroundings. It does not always have to be a big adventure, sometimes it could be just getting a cup of coffee at the nearby Starbucks.

- HOMESICKNESS LETTER! Write yourself a so-called homesickness letter - write it when you are most excited about this experience and opportunity. Maybe you can list some of the things that you are most looking forward to doing and experiencing? Think how fun it is when you can cross of things from your bucket list along your experience?

Extra tip: Who to contact? It might feel that when you are down it would be natural to reach out to people at home - but actually, my best tip is not necessarily call home directly, it will just make you miss home more. How about going out for a bike ride with your host kid or going shopping with the au pair in next town? Soon you will see that you have a two homes - one here and one on the other side of the globe.

Homesickness can be tough sometimes, but remember, that you are not alone - we are here for you if you need any help. Do you have any ideas? Share your tips as well!