My name is Sara, I am 19 years old and I come from the North-East of Italy.
Being an Au Pair has always been a wish of mine and now I can say that I have fulfilled it.
In September 2022, I realized that it was not the right time for university and I needed some time off. My dream is to work with children, so such an experience would only make me grow and spur me on. Having studied languages in high school, I was very passionate about
French and wanted to keep it active, so my destination couldn't help but be France. I joined AuPair.com to search for my future host family.
I had the opportunity to get in touch with many Host Families. With each of them,
I organized a Whatsapp meeting, which was essential to get a good understanding of the
family's requirements, to get to know each other, and also to give you a first impression of the family. But how do you choose the "right family"? It is simple, you feel it inside.
You have to trust your own feelings and emotions. I had a special interest and curiosity that led me to choose them.
My Host Family lives in a large house in the countryside in the Jura department in Burgundy,
France. Peace and nature are the two keywords to describe the place.
The family has a 4-year-old boy and an almost 2-year-old girl with whom I only spoke French, but sometimes taught them words in Italian or English (with the parents' permission).
My schedule as an Au Pair
My life as an Au Pair consisted of waking up the children around 7 a.m., preparing and eating breakfast with them, getting them changed, and taking them to the kindergarten. After that, I had free time until 3:45 p.m., when I would leave to pick up the children. In the morning, as agreed with the parents, I would
clean and tidy the children's rooms and the playroom, do the children's laundry, and help keep the house tidy. The rest of the time I spent on myself, doing sports and personal activities such as reading and studying for my future goals.
When the children and I returned home in the afternoon, we would usually find the Host Dad already there, but I would stay and play with them until the Host Mom returned (around 6:00/6:30). On Wednesdays, schools are closed in France: the boy would go to the garderie, a kind of center where he would do activities together with other children; while the girl would stay at the kindergarten until noon and then I would pick her up and take care of her (we would play together and I would have to take her nap).
I was their first Au Pair and I have to admit that there was no shortage of difficulties in the beginning. The children were too young to understand the concept of "new family member", so I tried as much as possible to approach them as an older sister. It was difficult for the older child to accept me into the family, but with time and parental help it got better. With the youngest child, it was hard for the first few weeks, but then endless love broke out. With each passing day, our bond grew stronger and stronger. Sometimes I felt like a big sister, sometimes like a second mother. I could talk about her for hours.
Tips for future Au Pairs
Contact several families,
always make video calls to get a good understanding of what is required. Ask about the
room, bathroom, etc., interests in certain activities (e.g.
sports), if there is a possibility to take
language lessons, and days off. Also ask for some information about the
monthly salary.
Don't beat yourself up at the first difficulty, don't be afraid if it seems difficult to build a relationship with the children. You are there for them, so you will grow with them and get to know them better. Also, remember that the parents are there for you too, so if you have problems talk to them, they will know how to help you.
Personal considerations
My stay was supposed to be 5 months, from January to early June, as I had other plans for the summer and a college test in September. Unfortunately, due to some health issues of my own, I had to anticipate my return by a month. It hurt a lot because I had become so attached to the Host Family, especially the children. I learned so much in those (few) months away from my Italian family. I worked a lot on myself for various personal reasons, and that was one of my main goals of this experience. I learned that I can do very well on my own. I learned to be independent. I learned to appreciate small things. I learned to enjoy the little moments with the right people, the ones that make you smile. Those smiles you find in two little children that turn your life upside down. Those smiles that give you the strength to carry on.
Through this experience, I realized that children are my path. I am glad I got on that plane in January and it is a choice I would make a hundred times over.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart to my Host Family who became my second family.
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