7 years... that is a long time!

 

I know that all the au pairs can agree when I say – time goes by really fast! When you first get to the USA, there is so much to do, learn, experience and adapt to that the months just keep passing by – once you realize that you are closer to going home than when you got to the USA and you can just wonder, where did all the time go? As they say, time goes by fast when you are having fun!

To me it still feels that I was an au pair yesterday, when in fact it has been over 7 years since I took the plane over the Atlantic and started this new journey all by myself. It has been 7 years since I took the plane and flew across the USA all the way to Salt Lake City in Utah, where my lovely host family was waiting for me. Now after 7 years, my host children are not so small anymore – in fact, the oldest one already has her own son, which means that I am actually “a grand-au pair” – and I just heard the other day that she is pregnant with baby number two, how crazy is that?

Even though it has been already 7 years, many of the things still feel like they were yesterday! I still remember how the streets looked, where everything was placed in the grocery store, what me and my au pair friends always ate at certain restaurants. I still get together every now and then with one of my friends from my au pair time as we happen to live in the same city… even after all these years we still have so much to laugh about from our time in the USA!

I could go on about all the great memories I have from my time in the USA! Right now I just want to tell to all of you future and current au pairs that enjoy every minute, make the everyday-life special and please remember that this experience will follow you for the rest of your life! Even now, after 7 years, I still think that this has been one of the best things that I have ever done. Go and do it!

 

Travel, explore, experience

“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.”  - Terry Pratchett

When talking to au pairs who are currently applying to become a Cultural Care au pair to the United States, almost all of them mention that one of the biggest reasons they want to become au pairs beyond the reason of wanting to experience USA and to take care of children is that they want to travel and see new places. Au pairs who have returned home often mention how one of the most favorite and memorable part of their time as au pairs in the USA was when they got to travel and see and experience so many different places.

I cannot agree more. I myself was an au pair in Salt Lake City, Utah, which I absolutely loved. During my time I got to travel a lot in the neighbouring states, and even see for example Georgia and travel to Cancun, Mexico! Every state in the USA has their own culture and all of them feel like their own countries. It is definitely true when they say that you learn and see so much when you travel - I truly felt it opened my eyes.

Me going as an au pair is really what got the travel bug to bite me. Ever since returning back home from the USA I have lived abroad and tried to travel whenever I get a chance. Travel opens the world to you - you get to experience new people, cultures, food, language, so much more! Do yourself a favour and go and travel and explore. How about starting it by going as an au pair?