Best AuPair Guide

Au Pairs are in demand virtually everywhere. If English is your mother tongue, you may be in especially high demand in certain areas, as there are many families who want their children to learn English from a native speaker. There is a bit of a catch to this, but nothing to worry about. Some families prefer American English, while many Anglophiles will only hire someone from England who speaks what they would consider “proper English”. It all depends on the family and if they have a preference, and some don’t really care where the au pair is from, as long as their kids learn English of some sort.

Where ever you are from, you will be able to find a family to work for. You may even have to decide between multiple families, which is a good problem to have. There is an ongoing need of dependable, hard working young people to take care of children. Many families in search of au pairs look long and hard for the right person, and it tends to be more difficult for them than it is the au pair looking for a job.

Deciding where to go shouldn’t be all that difficult. Most American au pairs work in Europe, but many find employment in Asia, South America, and even the Middle East as well. Australia and New Zealand have also become popular au pair destinations, so the possibilities really are limitless. One thing to consider is the location and what there is to do in the area where you will be working. Some places are great for vacation, but not for full-time living. Others may not sound all that thrilling (say, a small town somewhere in the country), but may have perks that other places don’t. It all depends on what you’re suited for. The main thing is to do plenty of research on your destination ahead of time, and, if possible, talk with people who have been there.

Working as an au pair might sound a little better than it actually is. As you know, everything in French usually does. While it is a great way to live in another country inexpensively, it isn’t for everyone. There can be a lot of hard work involved, and living in sometimes close quarters with another family isn’t every person’s idea of fun.

But don’t let the idea of hard work and life with strangers scare you away. Working as an au pair can be very rewarding - besides the practical knowledge you gain, you may end up with a second family somewhere else in the world, and friendships that might end up lasting a lifetime. How many jobs offer these perks?

Since professional qualifications aren’t required for au pair positions, it’s fairly simple to find a job. Most families like au pairs to have at least some experience with children, but for most, attitude and trustworthiness are more important than years of experience with kids. If you are someone who is willing to work with a good attitude, is honest, and is open to new things (because in new surroundings almost everything will be new to some extent), you are probably a good candidate. One more thing - liking children helps, but is not a requirement. You don’t have to be the most kid-friendly person around, but you do need to be able to get along well with children, at least for a few hours a day.

An Au Pair is a girl (or guy) who lives with and works for a family, usually in a foreign country. The primary task of an au pair is to take care of the family’s child or children, but some housework is also usually involved. In exchange for an au pair’s work, a host family covers basic living expenses (including room and board, health insurance, and at least some transportation costs) as well as monthly spending money. Host families are also supposed to treat the au pair as one of the family, including them on outings and vacations, and generally making sure that they are doing well in their new surroundings.

Most au pairs work abroad to experience life in another country without the cost and responsibility of full-time work or living expenses. Many are looking to take a break in between high school and college, or between college and starting a career. Some work as au pairs to become fluent in their target country’s language, while others are there simply to play for a year or so before having to return to “the real world”. Some (like me) take on the au pair title to do a little of all of those things.

For any young person short on funds but big on adventure, working as an au pair is the perfect way to see some of the world. At the most, your investment will be a plane ticket and (hopefully) some money to keep on hand, and some au pairs are lucky enough to find families who will foot the bill for their flights. While there can be quite a lot of work involved, there is also plenty of play, and the au pair experience can be one of a kind, impacting you for life. Au pairs have the opportunity to move beyond the tourist version of travel to see and taste a country as a local.