I will never go hungry as an au pair!

Some call it the most important meal of the day, some just skip it and go straight to lunch but I must say, skipping breakfast is like staying home on Black Friday AND that would NEVER happen!

Breakfast, yes the meal I love the most and USA has all the options for each taste!

My host family, love them very much but I will never understand their breakfast routines --the mom never had time and ran out of the door before I had even started working, the dad, he usually just ate a granola bar (a energy bar) and a cup of hot chocolate, very strange to this day, but as long as it satisfied his belly right?

In my family back home we always have breakfast together so this was a BIG culture shock, I came to realize that this is something I can show them, something from my very ow culture - so I took on this project and decided to introduce my passion for breakfast to the four kids. I actually many times used the breakfast as a way to get them all out of their beds fast!

Many days I made them pancakes, waffles, hot cereal or bacon. Yes it took some time but what I really like about breakfast is not the fact the lovely food but the time to spend with the family together before the day starts.

I would often sit with the children when they were eating and ask them what their day would be like. My six-year-old girl would tell me about the boyfriends, it was always 5 different boys in her school at the same time.  I often was left feeling like my own dating game was kind of boring compared to hers!

My best tips for great places in the USA are:

• Crape Escape- Sacramento, CA
• I.H.O.P (International house of pancakes) Located all over the U.S.A!
• Starbucks for awesome coffee and great bagels
• Dennis Dining for cheap and great eggs
• Peeta bread café, really good sandwiches!

Enjoy your breakfast time!

I am a two-time grand-au pair now!

Every au pair has a little different view on how old children they want to work with as au pairs - and to tell the truth, I honestly think every age has it's own pros and cons. With younger children you get to witness many milestones and get to teach them a lot new things and be there to see their development. When I was an au pair for the second time I actually was taking care of a boy who had just turned 2 years, and it indeed was fun to see how he grew from a little toddler to a small boy.  During my first year as an au pair, my host family consisted of 4 children and the oldest one was a teenage girl. Many au pairs are a bit doubtful when it comes to being an au pair for teenagers, but I can very warmly recommend it -- you are often close in age and usually the responsibilities are a bit different when it comes to taking care of younger children. Often the relationship that gets built between you two will be more sisterly/brotherly and they will of course remember you in the future!

In the beginning of course it was hard - my host child was very attached to her previous au pair, and it took time for us to build a relationship. As there were 3 younger children in the family, I spent most of my time taking care of them and not too much with the teenager. Our one-on-one time was always in the afternoons when I picked her up from school and we would drive home. Slowly but surely these drives would become the part that both of us were looking most forward to during the day. That would be the time of the day we could gossip about boys, plan our next shopping trip, plan which movies to watch, talk about her school days and teachers and so much more. During my year as her au pair, we definitely grew and inseparable bond and we continued to stay in touch and keep that bond strong. The other children in the family well still fairly young after I left so I did stay in touch with them through the parents in the family but with the oldest child we kept in touch. Few years ago she reached out to me and told that she was expecting her first baby, and now she is currently expecting her second baby! I like to call myself now a "double-grand au pair"! Even though we do not keep in touch always that often, I am still happy to have become part of their lives and follow both my host-kid's (not that she is that much of a child anymore haha) and her family's life!

One of my absolute favorite part about going as an au pair definitely was the fact, that you create relationships that last for life.

To see my host family again- felt like yesterday

You say that your real friends and family will be there through everything. When I left the US after my time as an au pair, there were a lot of tears and mixed feelings. When leaving Sweden I knew my family and friends still would be there waiting when I got back. Leaving the US was not quite the same. I didn’t know if I would see them again and for sure not when I would see them again.

Now, almost five years later I went to visit them. I was worried. Would the children remember me (they had 3 au pairs after me and one who extended)? Would my host parents welcome me or would I be someone in the way of their Halloween? Did they really want me to come and stay with them in their house?

When my very best friend in the US came out from the car at the train station waiting for me, all of above worries disappeared. She drove me to what used to be my home for a year. When getting out of the car I saw a big banner above the front door (next to all Halloween decorations). It said “Welcome back Jenny”. It was made by the family and contained a lot of drawings, and for me; that meant everything.

The whole weekend was great. The children I got to know once again and my host parents and my friends, well, it felt like I was there yesterday. I can't even describe the feeling. It was not the same. It was a weird feeling. Many of my American friends is now out of college and no longer in the neighborhood, and the dog that I loved got sick a while ago and passed away. I felt sad I didn’t get to meet everyone, but it also made me feel so thankful. That I got to know all of them and how they have made me love my time as an au pair more than I could ever have realized.

 

Communication is the key to success

Before our au pairs leave to the USA we tell them that communication is the key to success. By that we mean that you need to speak up if you do not understand or agree with something, need help or support from you host family. Never assume that your host family knows how you are feeling or thinking. Your host family does not know you very well when you arrive, they do not know the family you grew up with and are not familiar with your home country or culture.  They have probably never been an au pair before themselves and do not know how it is to live and work at the same place.

You need to make them aware of if there something you are not comfortable with right away before it will become a problem. In the beginning it might not even be a problem but I promise you if you continue get frustrated about something it will grow into a bigger issue and at that point it might be too late to solve.

It is though very important to be open minded and flexible to make things work. You need to respect the family as they are and their rules when it comes to the house and the children.  When you have a family on your own you can make your rules and maybe you will do it as your host parents did or maybe not - that is really up to you later on in life.  If everything would be just like at home and with your natural family you would not have the opportunity to grow as a person and learn from the experience. Do not put so much energy on why they are doing things “wrong”: it is just different.  Is your way the only correct way? Put the most of energy on other things they do and remember there will never be a prefect host family. Each host family has advantages and disadvantages, just like you have yours.

So start communicate immediately with you host family even if you are afraid of awkward moment because when you have overcome that fear the next time will be so much easier. A good example how to open up for a conversation ;
1. Ask your host parents if they have time to sit down with you in the next few days.
2. When you are sitting down, tell them all the positive things you feel about them and everything you are thankful for.
3. Ask them if they have any feedback on you. Tell them you want to do a good job and want to improve your work.
4. Tell them how you feel.
5 Ask if there is some way we can meet half way when it comes to the “problem” or if they have any advice on how to solve this “problem.”
6. Listen and be open-minded and come to a solution you will try for a time.
7. Tell them that you are thankful they took their time and that you are happy we can have an open conversation about this.

Make sure you do not end up like these penguins - looking at different directions and not discussing!

Becoming a real family member to your host family while being an au pair

"When I first joined the program in 2012, my biggest dream was to travel across the United States and experience a whole new culture. I had been working with children and loved the joy they brought to my life, so I thought this was a great and affordable opportunity to get an experience I could carry with me for the rest of my life.    

 

I think most people dream about becoming a family member to their host family, but what is it really like? When are you a family member to them and how do you know it? I had no doubt about what they meant to me. It was scary that someone who was completely strangers to you less that a year back suddenly could mean the world to you. 

 

 I experienced three days as an au pair where my youngest girl was sick.  She felt terrible and only wanted to sleep and lay on the couch all day. This was the same girl who usually had more energy than a whole army – she did soccer, karate, gymnastics and softball but not these three days. I felt sick to my stomach and would have taken her illness on me if I could. Isn’t it crazy how you can feel sick when somebody you love feels bad? I felt what they felt. When my oldest girl did her gymnastics competitions and were on the balance beam doing flips, I would hold my breath until she was done and I knew she was safe. When they were happy I was happy and when they cried my heart could break into a million pieces. I felt loved and appreciated by these girls and by their parents too. When I picked them up from school and they came running into my arms. When they took my hand and begged me to never leave them. When I tugged them in at night and they would tell me secrets. When they had a family photo taken and wanted me to join in. 

 

They brought me on vacations, I got to celebrate holidays with them, which were different from mine since they were Jewish and I’m Christian. They let me speak and be a part of the prayer around the table and introduced me to their religion. They celebrated my birthday like my friends and family would have done. The house was open for my friends to visit. When I felt sick and my host parents where out of town, the grandparents would take me into their house and treat me like the grandchild, trying to make me feel better. The grandparents addressed their messages ‘’Love Nana’’ and when I went back to visit them this summer 2014, the family picked me up in the airport, we drove to the aunt and uncles house to celebrate Father’s day and the they would introduce me as ‘’This is Camilla and she is a part of our family’’. Before I left the United States to go back to Denmark, they gave me a necklace – a key with a heart melted into it. On the side I found a note saying ‘’you have the key to our hearts and our home’’. And that’s when I for sure knew it was mine home to. This was my family – my second family."

 

 

Why should you extend your au pair-time? Well, why not?

"Going as an au pair to the USA does not always need to be going away for 12 months - we hope you are well aware of the fact that if you are enjoying your time in the USA, it does not have to stop there - you can extend with 6, 9 or 12 months, and you can choose if you want to extend with your host family or if you want to find another host family - maybe in another part of USA?

Here you can read few examples from our au pairs who extended, why they decided to do it and why they think it was one of the best decisions they ever made!

"My best advice will be to just do it. Don't think to much about it, just jump into it and do it! It's most likely gonna be the year of your life, and you won't regret it! It can be scary to think that you have to be away from everything you know for that long, but times fly by. When I started looking for Au Pair opportunities I was looking at things that was 6 or 9 months, but then decided to go with Cultural Care, and I ended up being there for 21 months, and didn't want to go home again!"

- Majken

 

 

"I am currently in my 6-month extension. I had not considered extending until my host family asked me to. They needed me for 6 more months and I have thought through before saying yes. I have tried looking at the pros and the cons but I only had pros! I could still go back to college after I came back, I could enjoy San Francisco for 6 more months as we had just moved there, I could improve my English even more and also travel more, discover more. My family was the kindest possible so this was a no-brainer.

I really don’t regret my choice: I would have never been ready to leave after a year! It goes by way too fast. The extension has been an opportunity to bond even more with my host family and leaving them will be very hard. I think a year and a half was the perfect duration for me."

- Caroline

 

"Becoming an au pair had been obvious for a long time but it took me months to decide about the extension. Since I arrived, the days have been passing by and one morning, I got up and realized I have been here for 6 months and was crossing to the other half of the adventure.

To be honest, I was not ready to come back home. Not ready to leave my American bubble, my incredible host family, my little monsters and my friends from all over the world. The extension then became obvious too.

After talking with my host family, I have chosen a 6-month extension. It allowed me to make the dream last while letting me go back to college after.

The au pair adventure goes by extremely quickly -when you reach the middle, you ask yourself where the time has gone? The extension is a personal choice and I had to make sure it would not compromise my long-term projects but I really chose with my hear, chose to spend a few more months in the most incredible host family."

- Myriam

 

 

"The main reason why I chose to extend my year for another 12 months was because I had such a great time and I didn’t wanted to give that up. I loved the work with my host kids. I had a great and very unique time with my host family. I made so many new friends there and I just simply loved the ‘American way of life’.
I would advise every au pair out there, who is still thinking about extending to just do it.”
- Kathrin

Want to read more? Check our homepage!

Finland: http://culturalcare.fi/uutiset-ja-tarjoukset/au-pair-extendaus/
Sweden: http://culturalcare.se/nyheter-och-erbjudanden/forlanga-din-aupair-tid/
Denmark: http://culturalcare.dk/nyheder-og-tilbud/extend-aupair/

 

My host-family visiting

A couple of weeks ago I attended my host-family’s au pair reunion. After having hosted 11 au pairs, most of them from Sweden, it was time for them to come visit us.

They had organized a huge party with the former au pairs + all of our husbands and children. It ended up being a party of close to 40 people. I was their last au pair, and that was almost 10 years ago. So for some of the girls it had been several years, and our lives have of course changed a lot.

The 3 host-children are obviously no longer children but young adults, older than most of the women and men that are currently traveling from the Nordic countries to become an au pair.

It was fantastic to meet them again, and even if we have kept in touch via Facebook, emails and post cards, it has been a few years since I visited them. I was nervous to meet them again, but was relieved to feel that there is still a bond. It made me proud to see how the girls have become independent, intelligent young women with both integrity and great social skills. They are just in the beginning of their careers and it warms my heart to see how successful they are.

After the big reunion my host-family spent a week in Sweden and spent time with each of the former au pairs, including me. I think it’s such a wonderful thing that they organized their trip and spent their valuable family vacation with visiting all the au pairs around Sweden.  They had even prepared personal gifts for each one of us.

I am so thankful for my time in their family, and to have that connection on the other side of the world. It’s also a pleasure to know that I get to help others get the same experience by working for Cultural Care Au Pair. When I say the au pair year changed my life – it’s really true. One thing leads to another, and I would not be where I am today, with the experiences I have gained over the years if I hadn’t been lucky enough to have the privilege to spend a year in their family.

/Victoria

Never judge a book by its cover so set aside expectations about your future host family!

Host families are as unique and different as we au pairs are. When I applied to be an au pair many moons ago, I had decided I would live with a typical American family. In my mind such a family consisted of two parents, 2-3 children, a dog and a pool. I had pictured myself living in NYC and to be honest I thought things would be like in the movies. Oh boy, did things turn out differently. I was matched with the Brown family and when I saw they were from a tiny town in Georgia, far away from everything, I was worried not to say the least. I actually called the Cultural Care Au Pair office to ask if they could release my match. What happened next I am eternally grateful for. She told me to talk to the family first and then decide whether to turn them down. My host mom e-mailed me explaining about their lives and daily routines. We would be moving from Georgia to Arlington in Virginia as she had a major career change. We decided to talk on the phone and the moment after the phone call I just knew this was going to be my new family. We kept in touch for weeks before my arrival and she even sent me pictures and guidebooks for Washington DC, my soon to be new home.

Furthermore, my host family was everything but typical. But then again what really is typical in the USA? It is a melting pot full of different people from all over the world. My host mom is a single mother by choice and her first son was conceived through sperm donation. She has since had a second adorable boy, who was adopted. My time with them was the most enriching and fun I could have had. Not only did I get to experience two very different states but I became part of their family.

My host mother is an U.S. Diplomat and moves around the world. Sure, I do not have a “typical” second home in the US anymore. However, home is not a place but people. I have gotten the opportunity to spend valuable time with them exploring Iceland, Morocco and Oman and I know I will visit them in many more places. This year we will meet in Hawaii and I cannot wait!

A tip from a former au pair to you future au pairs: remember to be open-minded and set aside expectations and stereotypes. It really does not matter at all, where you will live as long as you have a great host family, where you feel comfortable and at home. I know I have found mine! 

My favorite moment

Have you ever had a moment in your life, when you feel that nothing is impossible and everything just feels great? I have one of those moments from my time in the USA, that I remember as it was yesterday.

This was during a vacation I went to with my host family in 2010, we went to Oceans City, Maryland. It was a great vacation, where we both had time for mini golf and also a beautiful wedding and many days at the beach. We actually lived in a beach house, so we played every day at the beach, doing cartwheels and building forts of sand.

We were there for two weeks, and almost every morning, around 7 AM, I woke up and went for a run, before anyone else woke up. I ran down the beach all the way next to the boardwalk to the pier with all the carousels. And then I ran back. Only this feeling was great, watching the quiet fishermen standing barefoot in the low waves. One of those days though was to become my favorite moment.

I sat down, after my run, to catch my breath, looking out the ocean, thinking about nothing. There and then there came 7 dolphins jumping out the water, only a couple of meters out. I watched them and, remember thinking; this is so beautiful, I am so happy, nothing is impossible and I love my life.

I will forever remember this moment, and now, so will you.

/Jenny

Hello from Malin!

Happy Thursday!

In 2009, I moved abroad to become an au pair in the USA and took care of three wonderful children (5, 7 and 9 years old). I started off my year as an au pair in Los Angeles, and after 10 amazing months together with my host family I had an opportunity to move with my host family across the USA to Cape Cod, approximately two hours outside of Boston, Massachusetts. When working as an au pair you really get the chance of exploring and living in the American culture, which is such an amazing part of our au pair program! Luckily, I had the chance to experience both the American culture on the West Coast as well as on the East Coast.

 

 

I have always loved spending time with children and when working as an au pair I truly got the opportunity to work with children full-time. Besides loving to work with children I learned a lot during my time as an au pair. I quickly realized that there was no day like the other when working as an au pair. Typical day at work with my host children usually took place in the playground, at the soccer field, baseball field, at the beach or just hang around at home doing homework or playing together.

During the last two years I have been working as a recruitment leader in Jönköping and Skövde region in Sweden (meaning that Malin is responsible for holding information meetings of our program as well as interviewing au pairs). Today, I’m currently one of the summer staff at the Stockholm office, if you call in and we get a chance to talk, don’t hesitate to ask any further questions about my time as an au pair. I love inspiring others to become an au pair in the USA since I believe it is one of the greatest things I have accomplished so far.

 

 

In the end of July I will be visiting my host family for the second time after my return back to Sweden, I’m super excited to see them again!

I hope you get a chance to look further into working as an au pair in the USA & I wish you an amazing rest of the summer!

Best wishes,

Malin

Top 8 reasons on why to become an au pair!

I decided to list out few reasons why I think becoming an au pair is basically the most awesome thing ever! Do you feel there is anything else that should be added to the list?

1. Become fluent in English
While being an au pair in the USA you will be using English in your every-day communication - with your host family, with your host children, with your new friends and even when visiting the local grocery story! Before you notice, you will be dreaming in English. Being fluent in English will definitely help you in your future in your studies or with your future profession!

2. International experience
Being an au pair in the USA is the best kind of international experience that you can have! Many employers appericiate when an applicant has experience from abroad, and it will definitely make you stand out! Being an au pair means also that you are fluent in English, you are organized and work hard! Many of our au pairs want to work with children in the future, as teachers for example, and while being an au pair you receive a lot of experience from being full-time with children, and you will be able to see from their side how they grow and learn new things!

3. New friends - from all over the world
Cultural Care Au Pair has offices in over 20 countries all over the world and we have au pairs travel to USA weekly who are about to start the same adventure as you! Meeting new people starts already at our au pair training school!

4. New family
While being an au pair in the USA you will become an irreplacable part of your host family. You will be living under the same roof and live the everyday life together. You will spend many great moments with your host family - including for example many American holidays such as Thanksgiving! You will also be there for many moments with the children - maybe their first steps or their first day of school! After your time as an au pair in the USA you will have two families - one back at home and one in the USA.

5. Travel in the USA
Every au pair has two weeks of paid vacation as well as also an additional month to be spent traveling in the USA after you have finished your time as an au pair. These times are great to spend exploring other parts in the USA as well! Maybe you will be taking roadtrips to the neighbouring states with your new au pair friends during weekends? Maybe you will take a long weekend and visit some friends in another state who you met during your first week at the training school? Make sure to explore what Manhattan looks from the top of the Empire State Building, if Chicago is as windy as they say, what it feels to drive through the Golden Gate or to swim with dolphins in Florida?

6. Cultural exchange
One of the main points of our au pair program is cultural exchange - you will become part of the American everyday life and through that learn about the local culture. You will maybe experience your first Halloween or your first Thanksgiving, you will get to experience if Americans are as social as they are rumoured to be and if everything really is bigger in USA as they say? Since this is about cultural EXCHANGE you get to also bring in your culture - what are you going to be telling about your home country and your culture? Maybe during Christmas your family will not be only eating American Christmas foods?

7. Study in the USA
One of the requirements of your J1 au pair visa is that you have to take minimum of six credits (72 hours) at a local university. Have you always wanted to study photography? Maybe you want to learn the basics of Spanish? Maybe you want to really see if marketing is something you might be studying after your time as an au pair? Remember, that your host family will pay up to $500 towards your studies. Studying at a local university is a great way to meet local people as well as experience the American university life!

8. Learn more about yourself and become more independent!
Going as an au pair for many of our au pairs is the first time that they move away from home - and for even more it is the first time they will be living abroad! While being an au pair you will become more independent and often grow up to become more social. After your time as an au pair you will absolutely have easier time to make decisions, take risks and I can guarantee - you have learned so much more about yourself!

Do not forget to share your own thoughts as well! Make this adventure to happen NOW!

Greetings from Adelina!

Adelina currently works as a recruitment leader in Sweden - she is the one who meets and interviews our au pairs, holds information meetings and supports you during the application process along with our office - she has also been an au pair in the USA, and agreed to answer to few of our questions about being an au pair! Thank you so much Adelina!

What about the au pair program interested you?
I have always loved playing and working with kids. America has also been a country that I was interested of. Being able to work with kids and at the same time explore the country and experience the American culture was what made me apply and fulfill the program.

How did you choose your host family or how did you know they were the right match for you?
I talked to my host family over Skype many times just to be sure I got all my questions answered. And also so that my host family could be sure they wanted me to work for them. When I felt that I was confident talking to them and also that I could talk to them if I would have any kind of problem, that was when I was sure I wanted to choose them as my host family. The relationship I had with my host family was really good. They were like my second family. I was always included for the family activities, celebration of any holiday and vacations. I felt like home.

Who would you recommend the au pair program to and why?
I would recommend the au pair program to anyone who absolutely loves kids and likes to explore a new country and at the same time experience a different culture.

Who will you stay in touch with now that you have returned to your home county?
I still keep touch with my host family. I get pictures of the kids, we Skype/send videos to each other. I am invited to go and visit anytime I like.

I still keep touch with my American friends. I also keep touch with my au pair friends. My best friend from there is from Germany, I plan to visit her in her home country as soon as possible!

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!

I'm so happy I extended!

Hi all current and future au pairs!

When you first start to think about traveling as an au pair, one year might seems like a long time, but as most of the au pairs say, it goes by so quickly! I often say that it's only one month of of each, like one January, one February, one March etc, and with the USA and all their holidays and seasons, you would want to experience everything. Luckily, if you feel than one year just isn't enough, you have the opportunity to extend - an au pair experience doesn't to be 12 months, it can be 18, 21 or even 24 months! I'm so happy that my au pair experience was 22 awesome months!

The reason I extended wasn't just that I enjoyed my time as an au pair in my host family (I extended with the same family, but you also have the possibility to exchange with another family) - I wanted to explore more of the USA, and the longer you stay the more time you've got to travel, meet new people and to explore new places. I was living in NYC with my host family and it took me about a year to find my favorite spots in the Big Apple. During my second year I really took the advantage of having one weekend per month just to travel - you get pretty far in the USA with just a bus ride! Me and my friends were able to visit Boston, Washington D.C and Philadelphia, and we did even few longer trips to places like to Miami and Las Vegas. The best thing about extending was of course, to get to know my host family even more, and see the development my host kids did during two years - being part of that is something I truly cherish.

I hope that everyone that becomes an au pair will consider the opportunity to extend, it was one of my best decisions ever!

Best regards,

Madeleine

If you want to read more experiences about extending, you can read it here:
Finland: http://culturalcare.fi/uutiset-ja-tarjoukset/au-pair-extendaus/
Sweden: http://culturalcare.se/nyheter-och-erbjudanden/forlanga-din-aupair-tid/
Denmark: http://culturalcare.dk/nyheder-og-tilbud/extend-aupair/
Estonia: http://culturalcare.ee/uudised-ja-pakkumised/au-pair-kaks-aasta/

 

 

 

 

Happy Mother's Day!

“A mother is a person who, seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.” — Tenneva Jordan

This coming Sunday Mother’s Day will be celebrated all around the world in several countries. For many of us the older you get, the more you start realizing and appreciating your mom – and also once you move away from your mom, you realize her value more and more! While being an au pair, many of us build a great relationship also with our host moms as well. With Mother’s Day just around the corner, we wanted to dedicate this blog post to wonderful mothers and host mothers that we have and tell why they are the best! I asked a bit around the office what we think, and here are our results – please do not forget to share your own with us as well!

My mom is the best because…

• She always seems to know what I need -  I don’t even have to say anything and she knows 
• Hearing her voice always feels like coming home, no matter where in the world I am
• She is always there for me & everyone else around her
• She is loving, fun, caring and just a wonderful person
• She always want the best for me and my family – and is willing to over & above to make sure we receive it
• She is very patient and never judges anyone
• She is always there to support me, even though, there are many times she might have disagreed from what I think is best. I love my mom!
• She is always there for me!
• She is always very supportive

My host mom is the best because (or maybe even a host grandma!)…

• She took care of me like her real daughter
• She always made sure I felt home, did not feel lost or homesick and she really made me feel like part of the family
• She has a great sense of humor
• During my year as an au pair my host mom really took me in. I have so many laughs and jokes that I still carry with me. She made me feel like I was a family member.
• She is big inspiration for me and wonderful mother!
• She always shows her appericiation for people around her

Let's show some extra love for Mothers all around the world this weekend!

Learning from your host family...

I was an au pair in Livingston, New Jersey from August 2012 to August 2013. Today I live in Denmark, I started studying and I am working part-time as a recruitment-leader for Cultural Care Au Pair. I did find some great friends doing my au pair-year. I have made some friends who I am sure will last for a life time. I met friends from all over the world – it is amazing.

What surprised me the most, was the great relationship I got to my host family and especially the children. I have never thought that I would get so close with somebody in a year.

I could tell you about a ton of experiences I have had which just made my year, but I came to the conclusion that there’s simply too many. I will therefore tell you about what my host family and my host children meant to me during my year and what they mean to me today – 8 months since I left the United States.

I love my girls like they are my sisters. They were 7 and 10 years old at the time I was with them and you can’t imagine how much you can actually learn from children that young. I would have sleepovers with them, go with them to the movies, take them to the pool and nobody could make me laugh like the two of them. They would tell me about their religion which is different from mine, teach me how to do a front handspring and they would (believe it or not) burp louder than a grown up. They would tell me how much they loved me, even though I don’t like cheese, which they did find very strange.

I am amazed how two children have had such a great influence on my life. I often wonder how children in that age can be that smart, caring and open minded like my girls are. But I think I have found the answer: their parents.

My host parents are one of the most amazing people I have ever met. They would take me on vacations and out for dinner. I would celebrate different holidays with them and they did support me like my own parents would have done. They must have been the most understanding people I have ever met. They did always try to understand me even though they might not agree with me. The house was always a place where I could take my friends and I loved bringing friends home, because my host parents always were extremely nice to everybody and very helpful whenever we needed it.
One day, I hope to become like my host mom. She just had an ability to make me feel comfortable. She would respect me like an adult and trust me with her children. She would support me, when I applied for college in Denmark, hug me when I was sad and take me to the beach with her friends. She would go with me to the gym, advice and guide me when I was lost and cook dinner for my family when they came to visit. Today I would not only call her my host mom, but also my friend.

This summer, 2014, I am going to work at a summer camp, Camp Taconic, as a swimming instructor. My two girls are attending the camp and it was my host mom, who recommended me to the camp. I am very excited to spend my summer in America and finally see my family again – because that’s what they are – my second family. I keep in touch by Viber, Skype and Facetime.

I would recommend everybody who has an interest in children, cultural exchange and travelling to apply as an au pair. It was an experience that taught me more about myself and other people than I would have ever imagined. I have matured and become more independent. I think I have developed as a person and I definitely have my host family to thank for. They have inspired me to be open towards challenges, people and whatever life brings.