Ireen (18 / Ms. ), Dutch, Student - High School living in Netherlands looking for Au Pair & Nanny job in France, Portugal & Spain for 6-12 Months

Last updated: march 2024

Dear host family,

I am very excited to have the opportunity to introduce myself to you. My name is Ireen, and I am a 17-year-old girl (soon to be 18) from a small town in the Netherlands. I live with my parents and younger brother.
I will graduate high school this (early) summer, after which I will take a gap year and I am trying to find a lovely host family that searches a au pair for 6+ months, starting anywhere from mid-august 2024. I am open to going to almost any country, but I would prefer it not to be Belgium, Luxembourg, or Germany, since these are close to the Netherlands, and I would prefer to explore somewhere new and different.

As I just mentioned, I am currently in my last year of high school, studying at the VWO level, which is the highest level of education in the Netherlands. I also participate in bilingual education, which means that I have a good command of English. I earned my FCE certificate at the age of 14 and my CAE certificate when I was 15. Additionally, I am proficient in French and have some knowledge of German. After high school and my gap year, I plan to study business administration at the university level.

When it comes to leisure, I enjoy a lot of things. Firstly, I am definitely an outdoorsy person. I love spending time in nature and going for runs and walks. I also love to ice skate. I started speed skating at the age of 6 and I have started figure skating 6 months ago. Furthermore, I enjoy being creative and doing things such as painting and scrapbooking.

I can say that I sincerely enjoy spending time with children; I love to do crafts with my niece and nephew, play games with children (for example at birthday parties) and care for and look after children (I have some babysitting experience). I also enjoy traveling and experiencing new cultures. My ultimate goal is to work internationally and explore the world. In terms of my personality, I would describe myself as positive, kind, creative, open-minded, honest, down-to-earth, and ambitious. I am serious when need be, but I also have a fun-loving side.

Now to touch base on a few things that are important to me when it comes to the upbringing of children. Firstly, I believe in promoting a healthy balance between screen time and outdoor activities. It's essential for their development to spend time exploring nature and engaging in physical play. Additionally, I value fostering a somewhat healthy lifestyle, encouraging nutritious eating habits and regular exercise. When it comes to discipline, I have no problem with clear boundaries, but I'm not a fan of spanking or using negative language. I believe in positive reinforcement and constructive communication to guide their behavior.

I could write on for a long time, but I am going to end this introduction here. I would be happy to speak with you and get to know each other better!

Kind regards,

Ireen