Mary (27), neozelandés/a, Estudiante actualmente en Francia quiere ser Au Pair & Niñera en Dinamarca, Francia, Mónaco, Noruega & Chequia

I have been an au pair four times now. First in England for a baby girl 6-20 months old, then Canada for 2 boys aged 3-4 and 6-7, in Switzerland caring for a baby girl from her birth to 1 year old, and now in Luxembourg for 1 girl 10 years old and 2 boys 9 and 3 years old. I am also the proud Aunt to 2 young nephews and 1 niece so I have particular experience with babies/toddlers.

I am comfortable in all areas of baby care (feeding, dressing, changing nappies, bath time, putting down for naps, play etc).

For older children my duties have included school/kindergarten drop off and pick up, making school lunches and family dinners, helping with homework, supervising play dates, building legos, crafts/drawing/reading together, taking to swimming lessons and getting everyone out the door on time in the mornings!

I have had wonderful experiences working as an au pair and want to continue it while I am still studying as it has so far been working out perfectly!

I think au pairing fits well with my personality. I am naturally a tidy/organised type person, so the housekeeping side of things comes easily to me (eg, cleaning, cooking, organising and generally keeping on top of things).

And of course, I enjoy working with children! It can certainly be challenging at times, but it is also extremely rewarding. Kids develop and learn so fast, and it is always a joy to watch them grow and thrive. There is a sense of pride in knowing I was able to help with that. And of course, they can also be pretty fun and entertaining!

And from a practical perspective, I am able to travel, learn and experience different cultures/ways of life without worrying about finding a place to live after I arrive and wondering if I’ll need to buy basic things like kitchen utensils or towels… It is also quite a different thing to live with a family in another country than it is to visit by myself as a tourist for a couple of weeks.

And there is something to learn from everyone! Every family I’ve stayed with has a different way of doing things, but I’ve picked up little habits and tricks from each that have made their way into my own life, so I’m always curious what things will stick with me next!


******
A bit about me:

I would describe myself as an easygoing, steady type person. I enjoy knitting, going to museums, watching a film, doing yoga, getting lunch with friends, going out for a walk and lots of reading! I like music and can play the piano. I am a bit on the quiet side, but I like to get out and explore new places. I prefer to have a few close friends than a large group.

I like cooking and baking and think I can humbly say I’m pretty good by now! So of course I am comfortable to cook meals for the whole family and if you have some recipes or tips I would love to learn!

Currently I am studying part time online from a New Zealand University towards a BA in Linguistics and Japanese. All my studying is online, so I can organise it in my own time and it allows me to be quite flexible with my hours.

Of course, I am a native English speaker! I also know a little Japanese, Danish, French and German (at different levels). I am soon to begin French lessons in Luxembourg, so I hope to improve my skills here!

I am studying linguistics so I have a big interest in languages and would love the opportunity to build on my language skills or learn something new!

I am fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

I am a vegetarian, however I do eat fish (so, pescatarian....). If I am cooking meals for the family I have no problem with cooking meat dishes, but I can’t promise the results!!

I am also comfortable with pets, having had many kinds while growing up.