The Upsides of an Au Pair Adventure
Cultural exchange:
As an au pair, you have the opportunity to immerse yourself in a new culture, experience local traditions, and develop a deeper understanding of a different way of life. Stepping out of your comfort zone and temporarily leaving everything behind to venture out into the unknown is deeply rewarding and creates lasting memories. The experiences gained during your time as an au pair will open your eyes to parts of the world you were previously unfamiliar with, enriching your understanding of different ways of life.
Language Skills:
For those of you venturing out to a country to where the language you are unfamiliar with is spoken, just being in that environment will enhance your language proficiency, allowing you to pick up vocabulary and conversational skills more quickly than traditional classroom settings might.
Flexibility:
Working as an au pair differs significantly from a typical 9-to-5 job. You’ll enjoy a more flexible daily schedule that aligns with your host children’s routines. For example, a typical day for me looked like this…
7am-10am: Prepare breakfast, organize school snacks, clean the kitchen, take the oldest to school.
10:00am-3:00pm: Free Time to do whatever my heart desired
3pm-4:30pm: Pick up oldest child from school then practice reading with him, do their laundry.
5:30-7:00 pm: Help the kiddos clean their room and clean the kitchen after dinner.
7:00pm End of my workday ( Go party with the neighbors that live down the street 👀)
Living Expenses Covered:
As an au pair, you typically receive free room and board, along with meals provided by your host family. This arrangement significantly reduces your living costs compared to studying or living independently abroad, allowing you to save money during your stay.
Travel opportunities:
Some pro advice from your retired au pair here..
I would Highly suggest to take advantage of your time abroad and explore your host country, as well as any other surrounding regions on your days off. If you get lucky and your aupair family decides to go on a vacation there is a very high chance you will be invited to go along with them.
Finished already ? Then read below…
If you’ve gone through these five points and I still wasn’t able to convince you on your potential au pair adventure, perhaps I should write another article outlining even more compelling reasons to consider this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. There are numerous short-term and long-term benefits that make being an au pair an incredible experience worth pursuing!