04 May 3 Au Pair Testimonials: Great Decisions, Lifelong Friends & Culture Shock
The Best Decision I Ever Made
Verena, 19 years old
Taking a gap year to be an au pair in Paris is the best decision I have ever made. Though I originally imagined this year to be a lot different than it has turned out. I have had less time to travel than I wanted but I have found that for the first time in my life I don’t want to leave the city I live in, even if just for a day. This is all due to my host family who I love working for, the help of Susan and Sylvie, my friends and other au pairs, who supported me when I was feeling homesick.
I am thoroughly enjoying my schedule of working, studying French and exploring the city. It is an experience I would recommend to anyone looking to delve into a new culture and lifestyle.
Making Lifelong Friends
Caitlin, 19 years old
The last seven and a half months I’ve spent here in Paris as an au pair have been pretty unforgettable. I’ve made some lifelong friends, improved my French language skills immensely and also discovered my autonomy from living in a different city. Living in Paris has been very inspiring as well, and although it’s a cosmopolitan city with it’s advantages and disadvantages, it often feels like a small village to me.
I was lucky enough to be placed with a lovely French family who have been very supportive over the last months, they have welcomed me into their home and generously shared their life me. I know in years to come I will won’t forget them! That said, being an au pair is a job like any other, it will seem like hard work at times and it requires a lot responsibility and maturity. However it has enabled me to live in one of the most amazing cities in the world, and for that I will be eternally grateful.
Overcoming Culture Shock to Discover the Treasures
Kim, 24 years old
Being an au pair has been an experience I could not have foreseen. It began with the feeling of exhilaration. I went into this process with high hopes and good intentions. The opportunity to be able to infiltrate a culture in the best possible circumstance seemed like something I could not pass up. When I was matched with my family and got introduced to the host family’s child, I felt that everything was going to be perfect.
Upon my arrival in Paris, I was still riding that euphoric high. My family was hospitable and my child was incredibly sweet. I was naive to think this experience wouldn’t come with its challenges. The frustration and fatigue that comes from learning a new language exhausted me. I had hit a plateau and I couldn’t stop the feelings of inadequacy from creeping in. When you experience culture shock sometimes you learn that you must blend into a new world that is moving with or without you.
But slowly, I shed away that person I was all those months ago. Those French R’s trapped in my throat now flowed with ease. I learned not to fret over the little things. I’ve learned to adapt and to speak up for myself. Most of all, I admire all of what my family has done to have me here. Slowly the cultural gaps between us began to close and those little moments when our worlds merged are the moments I treasure most.
The lessons I’ve learned as an au pair are ones I’ll always keep with me. It taught me a lot about myself and even then, it asked me to dig a little deeper. It will amaze you at all the things you’re capable of when you have no other choice. This year so far hasn’t been entirely rose colored bliss, but it has been a learning curve more valuable than just a transatlantic plane ticket.