Au Pair experience

    1.- The process to become an Au Pair

     First, the origin of the word "Au Pair" comes from the French term to refer as an "equal to" or "as part of" not above and not under. Becoming an Au Pair means to be a member of a family and so to shared responsabilities of childcare and housechores. Anyone between the ages 17 to 26 (some countries run til' 30) can be an Au pair in almost any part of the world by joining the cultural educational exchange program with a official agency. 

Quick safe note: Always look for the secured icon on top left of the e-address and verify that the company is real and important; Agencies will never asked to deposit money on personal accounts. It will always be to the registered company.

Some links of agencies I know:  

• For the U.S.A  The au pair program | Cultural Care Au Pair I work with this agency.
• For the U.S.A  AuPairCare | The Best Au Pair Agency for Live-In Childcare and Au Pair in America | World’s most trusted child care
• For Europe Become an au pair in Europe - AuPairWorld         

They may be other agencies but I have heard first-hand from the above mentioned. 

    Second, the process beggins with the application format on the offical page as potential candidate and a brochedure with all the inforamtion will be send by email. Then a lot of communication back and forward with the requirements and interviews to get ready the profile.

The Cultural Care embassadors were so diligent and clear about every step. A minimun knowledge of the laguague is required A2 or B1 conversational since the interviews are going to be held in English with host- families.The payments are almost in the middle to last step, the agency will asked to come into the office in-person or set several previous videocalls to confirm everything is moving forward.  

    Third, after visa approval getting ready to travel happend so fast. The most longer waiting time is the interviews with different prospects and it really is important to match with the family you see yourself would like to meet and shared day by day because they become a part of the life for a whole year.  It seems to me that the whole application fee on dollars is close to $1,200.00 plus another expenses ( $200 to prep for first week, passport cost is separated, cori and background cleareance is separated, and pictures,copies, etc.). It can be up to near $2000.00 max. The process can take from 1 month up to 7 months. Depending on how much time and effort the candidated put on the application.

                                  Every group of Au Pairs is special and unforgettable!

   

    2.-The living experience

Personally, each single expirience depends on how good and comfortable the match feels. As far as each side kept honest and accountable then shoud not be any issues. Gladly the LCC's exists and they are the mediator agents that support families and Au Pairs with their expertise. As a young adult we want to go explore the wonders of a new country, exciment is around every corner or trip. 

There are only two huge responsanilities as an Au Pair: 

1.- Child safety  2.- Take the classes to complete the credits. 

Extra points to be a role model for children.

As an Au Pair, after metting those 2 main responsabilites, the rest is for to planning road trips and hang out with other Au Pairs or meet new people from the area. The city I was living as an Au Pair is really cosmopolitan and met people from all over the world!. Some people I met online and some people I met bumping into a common place or during road trips. 

I was living in a telenovela "soap opera," because the whole year was full of stories coming from everywhere. I wish someone could write a compilation of stories and make a series or movies about the Au Pair Life. There are stories about Au Pairs that thought using the program to make money, as an official job instead of an educational exchange. We all know that Au Pairs just make enough to pay for school credit required and some entretaiment. If coming to make money then resolves into not much of road trips, or exploring places. Anyways, the stories were great, sad, unvelibable, funny, heartbroken and so on. 

I believe that Au Pairs deserves a better regulatory complaiance in every state not just some of them in the USA. A lower wage shall be a right to all the Au Pairs. Some are working more than full-time 45hrs. with several number of kids and extra household shores. 

There is on the other hand, Au Pairs working part-time 20 to 25 hours. with a healthy life-balance and relationship with the host family. It is highly important to have communication with the agents LCC's that will look for the Au Pair's well-being as well as the host-family. 

Must to address topics while being an Au Pair in the U.S.A :

• Health insurance coverage and how to used the health plan (walk step by step). Unfortunatley, going to doctor's can be letal if not knowing how to used a health plan. Most of Au Pairs are on age for wisdom thooth extration. Why there is health insurance but not dental insurance for this? Why is most are females, any related issue with the uteros that is not pegnancy is exempt and not coreved? Well, good thing young healthy Au Pairs don't get sick at all. 
• Schedule work hours, time off, sick days, and vacation. Au Pairs still have a life as a member of the family and for mental sanity shall not be accountable to remain flexible and on call on days off. It is an equal sharing childcare but the Au Pair is never a parent. Remember that children cannot be left with the Au Pair for more than 10 hrs. and is unlawfull to left a kid more than 24 hrs with the Au Pair. Have to be reported to the LCC. 

Apologies, I was carry on by the must to adress topics but they really have to be adressed for a better cultural exchanged program and not be confused with a work program. Become an Au Pair let me experience what is like having children with me and understand the important role we have in society when touching lifes. I was able to understand better the family dynamics, improved English as a second lenguage, let me to developed a complex thought process. 

Becoming an Au Pair provided the oportunity to get better on administration of wealth, elaborate to further on social skills and soft skills, encouraged the mind to reach new horizons and see our own potential. I loved the bittersweet expirience of the Au Pair Life.

      Niagara Falls road trip, 2018.

Thai Temple celebration, 2018. 

365 days of living in another country and getting exposed to cultural diversity is fantastic!  Breaking stereotypes, redefining ourselves and what we stand for in life. 

There has been way more trips, adventures and stories than ever imagined. 

Note: Yes, the money earned weekly is enough to pay for trips and entretaiment activities as on student budget. Sometimes families will take the Au Pair on family vacation.

   

3.-The goodbye, closing cycle 

   Oh gosh!! not a forever goodbye but a stage that comes to an end. What we learned over the full year or two years if taking the extention as I did. Is a blast whatever we experience is full of really strong emotions because is not easy to pack for a trip that last 365 days or 730 days. What it feels like is: too much going on in a short period of time that back home seems calm, not a rushing excitement place to explore with diverse culture. However, the person going back will never be the same person that one day left to an unkwon adventure. 

The gains as an Au Pair are:

• Quick critical thinking
• A second or third family overseas to come back an visit
• Long-lasting friendships
• Plenty of anecdotes for life
• Knowledge about child development and become self-aware
• Become accountable 
• Stand up for oneself and others

Never easy, some Au Pairs find love, some find heaven, some leave because is not what they needed, some build good networking, some like me stay to study.