Thank you very much for taking the time to read my blog and your lovely comment. When I first set the blog up I wanted to do just that, give an honest account of being an Au-Pair complete with pros and cons, but I feel it is impossible to do that without violating my host family's privacy. All I can really say is this, go into your Au-Pair experience with an open and realistic mind. There is no such thing as the perfect host family, just like there are no perfect people. There is always going to be something you dislike about them, and there is always going to be something they dislike about you, or every other person you will ever meet in your life time. Disliking something doesn't mean it is a bad match, however if you feel like something is really fundamentally wrong with the match, when you wake up everyday feeling miserable, or feel like you have to walk on egg shells when you're around them, do the hardest thing possible; talk to them. Chances are they are feeling the same way, and it might all be over with that conversation, they can tell you their expectations and you can decide if you can live up to them, or you can decide to end the match there and move on. It is much better to do that and retain some sort of friendship with the host family then to let it drag on for the whole year,as eventually you'll resent each other. The second thing I would say is keep your independence, living where you work it is very easy to disappear into the host families world and never meet new people or see the new place you are living in. Find other Au-Pairs in your area, there are usually Facebook groups for this. Find a hobby, London has a whole world of things you can do. What I would generally say is find something you enjoy doing that you can't do in your hometown/country, this helps with the homesickness. If you don't like clubbing, you can visit London's museums, as the entrance is free to all of them. Megabus/train is your friend, if you book in advance you can get busses and trains to most places in the UK for £1 from London Victoria.
Hi Hannah! Your blog is quite entertaining, and well written, even though you claim your English is getting worse.
ReplyDeleteI am starting as an au pair in London quite soon, so I would love to see a post of something like pro's and con's of being an au pair.
Also, it would be super cool, if you checked my own blog out - thank you.
Tons of hugs from Denmark
Kat
Hello Kat,
DeleteThank you very much for taking the time to read my blog and your lovely comment. When I first set the blog up I wanted to do just that, give an honest account of being an Au-Pair complete with pros and cons, but I feel it is impossible to do that without violating my host family's privacy.
All I can really say is this, go into your Au-Pair experience with an open and realistic mind. There is no such thing as the perfect host family, just like there are no perfect people. There is always going to be something you dislike about them, and there is always going to be something they dislike about you, or every other person you will ever meet in your life time. Disliking something doesn't mean it is a bad match, however if you feel like something is really fundamentally wrong with the match, when you wake up everyday feeling miserable, or feel like you have to walk on egg shells when you're around them, do the hardest thing possible; talk to them. Chances are they are feeling the same way, and it might all be over with that conversation, they can tell you their expectations and you can decide if you can live up to them, or you can decide to end the match there and move on. It is much better to do that and retain some sort of friendship with the host family then to let it drag on for the whole year,as eventually you'll resent each other.
The second thing I would say is keep your independence, living where you work it is very easy to disappear into the host families world and never meet new people or see the new place you are living in. Find other Au-Pairs in your area, there are usually Facebook groups for this. Find a hobby, London has a whole world of things you can do. What I would generally say is find something you enjoy doing that you can't do in your hometown/country, this helps with the homesickness. If you don't like clubbing, you can visit London's museums, as the entrance is free to all of them. Megabus/train is your friend, if you book in advance you can get busses and trains to most places in the UK for £1 from London Victoria.
Have fun! and good luck!
Hannah