All yours blog: The au pair topic

Today's topic is really close to my heart: Life as an au pair. I've worked as an au pair in the Netherlands before, and it's in my further plans, too, to continue it. I just love it! But why? Scroll down and I'll tell you.;)

I was always the type of girl, who said, ok this summer I'll really get a job, to save some money. But somehow I always postponed the whole thing some much, that at the end nothing came out of it.
Anyway, standin right in front my university years, I realized, that I really need to lift my butt and do something! And I was like ok, but what should I do...? I've seen some opportunities at home too, but non of them catched my attention. Because who wants to work all summer long in McDonald's or burn in the sun, while givin flyers to people on the street? Then I saw on one of my friends facebook page, that she is working as an au pair. At that time, I didn't really know, what that means, so I looked it up on the internet. I knew it immediately, that this could be the right job for me!:)

What do you need to do as an au pair?
A lot of people don't really know, what is an au pair's responsibility. I guess, this is because we don't really have a specific "working schedule". Of course, the main task is to take care of the kids, but everything else depends on the family. They can ask you, to help to clean, cook, or to help around the animals. It's really just a matter of agreement.

Au pairs are not simply a babysitter or a servant, but as one you will become part of the family (normally). If nothing else, it is because you live in their home. Of course, this will require some flexibility, but I think of it as something useful. You'll get to know yourself and your personal limits much better. ... aaand as a plus, a whole new world opens for you: new culture, new people.

I also want to be an au pair! How?
There are several ways to start with , whichever you prefer. You can go through an agency , it is a safer way of things. This generally works the following way: the family pays to the agency, so your salary'll be likely a bit less, but I do not think it's such a significant amount. Here is a formal contract, so it means you are legally there. I don't know exactly what happens, if you don't like the family,... I guess it also different from agency to agency, but I'm not sure.
Another method, that I've used is the internet, of course. Most au pairs are quite familiar with the webpage www.aupairworld.net. You can registrate here, type in your personal datas and what you are looking for and then you are good to seek. If you find a nice family, just throw them a message, and let's hope you get a positive response. If so, the next step is usually a skype interview. That's pretty handy, because you can see if you really understand each other with the family, and you can make sure, that it wasn't a fake profile. In my opinion, the site is pretty reliable. If there's a chance of a fake profile, they will send you an e-mail, that you need to break all your contacts with the family, because they might be not real/dangerous.I think it's quite correct.
There's another online way. Let's just take an advantage of the opportunities offered by Facebook. :) Just type in the search area the word au pair and after that the name of the country or city (ot both) and voilá, a couple of groups will pop up. It is important to look for a group, otherwise a bunch of agencies will show up, or it even brings out some random pages. Usually they are closed groups, but they let everybody in, do not worry. :) Then you tell in the goup a couple of words about who you are, where you come from and what you want, and they will most likely help. Also families often write there that they are looking for a new au pair.

Although I didn't start my career at the easiest way, I wouldn't change a minute of it ... At first, I was planning to go to Canada. I was talking to a very nice family, but I wasn't allowed into the country ... The next day, I was a bit broken, but rather eager to find a new family. So I was lucky enough to live five weeks with a sweet Dutch family. I was really lucky to find not only one, but two totally nice families! I'm planning to return to Canada this summer, so let's hope I'll be more succesful this time. :)

Ps on the old blog I had a post, where've I told in detail what had happened in Canada, I'll post it later to you guys, I just need to translate it first.At the end I show you some pictures about the good "old" times in the Netherlands.:)

If you were already an au pair, or if you could be one, in which country or city would you go?
Have a nice day! =)