Dear Future Host Family,

My name is Simone. I am a recent graduate of Columbia University in New York, where I studied Sociology and Photography. I grew up in Chicago as the oldest of four sisters. Being the “big sister” meant I was always helping, teaching, and creating games to entertain my siblings and their friends. These early experiences shaped me into someone who finds genuine joy in supporting and caring for children.

My father was Dutch, and his family still lives outside Amsterdam. Visting as a child, my multicultural upbringing fostered an early love for languages and an interest in the European way of life. At university, I decided to study German, inspired by sociologists I read like Max Weber and Georg Simmel. After two years of language courses I spent a semester abroad in Berlin. That semester completely changed me—I fell in love with the city’s creative energy and people's infdividuality, which reminded me of New York, but also its fascinating history. My German improved tremendously, and I discovered how much I enjoy speaking and practicing every day. Since then, I’ve dreamed of returning to Berlin, and this summer I finally came back, now taking a long holiday with a friend as we reside in Neukolln.

I hope to remain in Berlin for the next chapter of my life, and becoming an Au Pair feels like the perfect opportunity. I see it not only as a way to support a family by caring for their children, but also as a chance for me to deepen my understanding of German culture by truly becoming part of everyday family life.

I bring with me years of childcare and teaching experience. I’ve tutored children with Teach for America, taught English to young refugee women in Chicago, and, of course, cared for my own younger siblings and many children from our neighborhood. I’m energetic, responsible, and creative, and I love cooking, keeping a tidy home, and finding ways to make learning fun and engaging for kids. I’m also flexible and happy to speak German, English, or both with your children, always encouraging their curiosity.

More than anything, I would be honored to join your family—to share my enthusiasm and care and to learn from you through cultural exchange. I love teaching, I love children, and I have a very friendly, upbeat energy that I think would uplift any family I would live with. I am happy to help with chores around the house, am very clean, and love to cook. I hope to bring warmth, reliability, and a genuine love of children into your home, and in turn gain the experience of seeing life in Berlin through the eyes of a German family.