Au Pair USA – I am very lucky with my host family. My host parents are rely nice.

Stat i USA: California
Antal barn: 3, two girls one boy
Åldrar: 4,6 and 8
Har varit i USA i (månader): soon 3 month

What were your reasons for applying as an au pair?
I wanted to see more of the world I wanted a adventure at the same time as I wanted to work and I have always loved children, so being an au pair was an obvious chose.

Tell us about your host family:
I am very lucky with my host family. My host parents are rely nice. The dad is chill and funny, and I know I can go to my host mom for advice and she knows what to say. My host kids are just amazing they are all full with love (this whole family is).
The boy how is the oldest (8) always talk to me about Avatar (a TV-show) and he tells me about all the different skills and power the characters have and I always stand there like a question mark but I love to hear it. He always melts my heart when he come up to me and says ”kram” in Swedish and his arms open and he want a hug. The oldest girl is 6 years old and loves to have right and she will let you know if you are doing something wrong. But her hugs are the
warmest and she always come with a random ”I love you” and you can’t help it, but to smile. The youngest girl is the one I have to put some extra time in to
because she is only 4. She is still learning the social norms and what is okay and not. But tell me a four year old that is not like that. But she has the tendency to crack you up with her random comments and hers ”what’s up dhug!?” I love my host kids!

Describe the area you live in:
I love the area I live in it is 20 minutes form San Francisco and 20 minutes to Berkeley. It is easy to go to different places because the public transport system here is rely good. The people here are them self and there is no judgment. And I am not complaining over the weather. Its fogy in the morning and
hot during the day. And the winters are supposed to be mild. I don’t know one Swedish person that would complain over that.

What does a typical day look like?
A typical day looks like this:
7.30 I take over from the mom make the kids lunch and get them to school. Some days I wake them up at 7.00
9.00 am-2.00 pm free time
2.00pm start to pick the kids up and take them to activities help them with homework give them snack.
Around 6.00-7.00 pm the mom come home and takes over, we eat dinner together and then I meet friends or I just relax.

What do/did or are you planning to study and why did or will you choose the course?
I haven’t signed up jet but I’m thinking of o photo course at a local community college. And a psychology course at Berkeley university

Tell us about any traveling you have done or are planning to do:
I have not traveled yet although I would like to is to go to Hawaii at ester, and areas around the cost.

What have you gained during the year?
Well my year isn’t even close to an end. But I have still learned so much. Especially about myself, I have grown as a person and I am calmer then I was before I came here. I have also learned how to adapt to another culture. I will have gained so much when this year is ended, friends family but most of all an experience for life.

What has been the best experience so far?
Swimming with dolphins. It was such as a amazing experience, so surreal. It has been a dream of my sense I was a child so I’m so happy I could experience that.

How have you been spending you pocket money?
It is kind of hard not to spend the. But it is enough to save if you want to do that. I put away the money from the week before so some weeks its $70 and some it’s only $10. But its still enough money that I can save up for a trip. But I usually spend it on cloth going out for dinner and then we have that amount of money you have no idea where it went.

What do/did you find most challenging about being an au pair?
Being consisted with all the rules. The first month was rely hard because you were waking in a bubble and was constantly tired with all the new expressions and have to talk English all the time. But now it is easier, especially when the kids know where they have you. That was also hard in the beginning the kids was trying you at the same time as the culture chock and all the new expressions. It was I overload for the brain, and I had more than one melt down the first
weeks. But then I woke up one day and it all was just fine. That was the weirdest but most welcomed feeling I ever had.

Write a short message to girls thinking about joining Skandinaviska Institutet / Au Pair in America:
Before I joined this organization I did some searching on all of the different au pair agencies and I find this one to fit me the best. Because of what I read on blogs etc. They were also very helpful during the whole application process, which made it easier. This organization seemed to care about both the au pair and the family. And so far I haven’t been proved otherwise. I feel safe with this organization; I have had several mails checking in on me to see how I have it. And that shows that they care. I would recommend Au pair in America in a heartbeat!