Why Everyone Should be an Au Pair
Money, Time, or Energy. Choose one.
I'm sure most of you have heard about that concept. Life is always a vicious rat race, everyone in an endless cycle of money and stress and career. If you're like me at all, you probably have the desire to escape it once in a while.
Old people retire. Young people take a gap year. One year in which you get to go and see the world and get the travel/adventure bug satisfied before you settle in to school, career, and "real life." Ask me later why my "gap year" has extended to "gap years."
Au pairing is a perfect opportunity for us quasi-retired young people wanting to get our own perspective on the world. Somehow, through au pairing, you get to have a pretty near-perfect balance of the money-time-energy paradox. Here's my reasoning:
1. Cultural exchange
You are never going to have a more authentic cultural exchange than you have when you live and work with a native family. No resorts or communities of expats or well-established travel programs will be able to give you the same experience. Not even simply buying a flat or a house and living in these communities will give you the same insider experience. By being an au pair you are experiencing the world the way the locals do: you're eating the same meals, following the same routines, shopping in the same places, all verbatim. Further, you're peeking into the personal lives of these foreign people. Moreso, you're living in the personal lives of these foreign people.
Although I can't say I've traveled the entire world and learned everything there is about travel, au pairing has beat every other cultural exchange I've had so far. And although I also can't say it's perfect or easy all the time, I wouldn't trade what I'm learning and experiencing by being an au pair for anything.
2. Money
I know not everyone is like me, but I also know a lot of you are; you're poor as dirt. Maybe even worse, maybe you're swimming in debt from the regular rigor that is just trying to get an education. Or maybe you're just on the cusp of beginning life and you only own an air mattress, a foldout table, and a pot (not speaking from experience or anything). Either way, money is tight and international travel seems way out of reach.
Au pairing is an opportunity that bridges that gap. By being an au pair, the world is at your fingertips. No matter your financial situation, your ethnic background, or sometimes even your visa issues. Although by no means will au paring ever make you rich, at least you aren't paying for it. In fact, you even get paid a little. Emphasis on a little. But it's enough. To me, the experience of international travel in itself is priceless. But getting a bit of a monthly budget doesn't hurt anyone either.
3. Work Experience
If our similarities continue and you're out in the world for the first time, you've probably come up against this situation: to get a job you need experience but you need a job to get experience. Ah, the problem with no solution. Instead of slaving over an unpaid internship, hoping your weekend volunteer hours will look promising, or that some random employer will just take a risk with you, I have a solution- become an au pair! Whoa, a whole year's worth of a paid job, with benefits, food, and housing. Plus, childcare is something that transitions easily to customer service, international positions, or even childcare anywhere else in the world (hint: nannying in the USA doesn't pay too badly).
You can just fist-bump me next time you see me as thanks.
4. Learn to speak another language/ brush up on your teaching skills
"The only way to learn to speak a foreign language is to be totally immersed in it."
-Jessica J. Wolfe
Just kidding. I didn't make that quote up. It's just something I've been told again and again. I could have quoted that from my parents, friends, or even university professors. But seriously, there's no better way to learn a language. More than that, if you pick your au pairing agency well, you might even get some classes thrown into the mix, which always makes everything go smoother. Working as an au pair you also have the specific advantage of working with children, who make great teachers. Despite the fact they make fun of you.
*Brief disclaimer* my situation is a little different; everyone in my host family speaks perfect English, and pretty much everyone in the Netherlands does as well. It makes learning harder. But still.
To add further, you get to be a teacher as well. If you ever want to further your career --think tutoring, Teaching English as a Second Language certifications, a bachelor's in teaching- au pairing is a great way to test the waters. There's no pressure or deadlines or anything. Just humans learning how to relate with each other. It's pretty great.
(Pro tip: a great, FREE, online language learning program if you're preparing for a trip and/or just learning a language: duolingo.com. Just do it, mate.)
5. Travel
Let me just be honest here: this point is my favorite. By being an au pair, not only are you traveling as part of your job, but also you have access to the entire world. I really struck gold with my host family, and I have a ton of time off. You know what that means? That means winter vacation in Italy.
It means weekend trips to Paris.
And Spring vacation in Germany, the Czech Republic, and Poland.
At this point in my life, it's a dream come true. Granted, I don't get to go shopping and eating food from local grocery stores happens more than eating out, but I'll take it like I can. My wanderlust seems endless, and by being here and working as an au pair, my wanderlust is also endlessly satisfied.
6. Making international connections
I've mentioned it before, but one of the best parts about travel is connecting. Connecting to people, to places and cultures and times. Travel is all about connecting to the world around you in a deep and significant way. By living as an au pair, you automatically become apart of an international family that can become a connection for many years to come. Further, through travel you are plunged into the world of au pairs from countries around the world, expats, backpackers, and everything in-between. Honestly, this is one of the best parts about traveling for me so far. The stories you hear, the people you meet, and the experiences you share. They aren't always great, but I'll treasure them forever.
7. Being an au pair is pretty darn fun
Although not everyone has a naturally-gifted and extremely charismatic childcare background, au pairing is still a pretty great solution. Being an au pair is a lot like being an older sister-- plus or minus a few extra duties. Your work involves trips to the ice-cream parlor and amusement park. Movies nights with popcorn. Games of cards and tag and soccer. Despite still having to do laundry, clean, and make food every once in a while I can guarantee the work of an au pair is much, MUCH better than a lot of starting jobs.
That said, au pairing isn't for everyone. Learning to live with another family is hard work, especially with a foreign family. Not only that, but also childcare has many, many challenges. Just like any job, to do well takes hard work, determination, and creativity. If I had just one piece of advice for all of you it would be to BE PICKY when you're choosing a host family. I looked into three host families before I made my final decision. I know it's stressful and easy to think that once you get offered one position, you'll never be offered another, but believe me-- it's worth the extra few days of time and effort to get a fantastic host family. Make yourself a list of deal-breakers to ask during the interview, and if they break more than a few, don't commit. Talk directly to their previous au pairs. Talk with the children. Ask about parenting philosophies, problems they've had with previous au pairs and how they've worked through the problems. Ask for an address and look them up on google maps, ask for pictures of your room and living circumstances. Au pairing is ultimately an exchange program, which means the exchange goes both ways. Don't underestimate yourself and your worth as a live-in help for a young family.
If you can't tell, I'm a big fan of au paring. It's probably been one of the best experiences of my life so far, and I'm sure I will always look back on this year with a ton of love. My host family is incredible, and I am so happy to have an insider's look into the Dutch way of life.
Also, if you've been keeping up on my adventures through facebook or instagram, you'll have noticed I've been up to quite some traveling these past weeks. Hopefully, in a few hours, you'll be able to look at all my pictures from these trips on my website, http://jessicajwolfe.com/. Soon, I promise!
If you have specific questions about au pairing, international travel, or anything else, please feel free to message me. You can do that using my website, facebook, or even by commenting down below. I can even send the specific list of questions I asked potential host families during my interview process.
Last but not least, I wanted to point out the very best part of all:
I'm sure most of you have heard about that concept. Life is always a vicious rat race, everyone in an endless cycle of money and stress and career. If you're like me at all, you probably have the desire to escape it once in a while.
 |
| Little hint: my solution includes scenes like this. It's awesome. |
Old people retire. Young people take a gap year. One year in which you get to go and see the world and get the travel/adventure bug satisfied before you settle in to school, career, and "real life." Ask me later why my "gap year" has extended to "gap years."
Au pairing is a perfect opportunity for us quasi-retired young people wanting to get our own perspective on the world. Somehow, through au pairing, you get to have a pretty near-perfect balance of the money-time-energy paradox. Here's my reasoning:
1. Cultural exchange
You are never going to have a more authentic cultural exchange than you have when you live and work with a native family. No resorts or communities of expats or well-established travel programs will be able to give you the same experience. Not even simply buying a flat or a house and living in these communities will give you the same insider experience. By being an au pair you are experiencing the world the way the locals do: you're eating the same meals, following the same routines, shopping in the same places, all verbatim. Further, you're peeking into the personal lives of these foreign people. Moreso, you're living in the personal lives of these foreign people.
 |
| Easter lunch with the extended family on the father's side |
2. Money
I know not everyone is like me, but I also know a lot of you are; you're poor as dirt. Maybe even worse, maybe you're swimming in debt from the regular rigor that is just trying to get an education. Or maybe you're just on the cusp of beginning life and you only own an air mattress, a foldout table, and a pot (not speaking from experience or anything). Either way, money is tight and international travel seems way out of reach.
Au pairing is an opportunity that bridges that gap. By being an au pair, the world is at your fingertips. No matter your financial situation, your ethnic background, or sometimes even your visa issues. Although by no means will au paring ever make you rich, at least you aren't paying for it. In fact, you even get paid a little. Emphasis on a little. But it's enough. To me, the experience of international travel in itself is priceless. But getting a bit of a monthly budget doesn't hurt anyone either.
3. Work Experience
If our similarities continue and you're out in the world for the first time, you've probably come up against this situation: to get a job you need experience but you need a job to get experience. Ah, the problem with no solution. Instead of slaving over an unpaid internship, hoping your weekend volunteer hours will look promising, or that some random employer will just take a risk with you, I have a solution- become an au pair! Whoa, a whole year's worth of a paid job, with benefits, food, and housing. Plus, childcare is something that transitions easily to customer service, international positions, or even childcare anywhere else in the world (hint: nannying in the USA doesn't pay too badly).
You can just fist-bump me next time you see me as thanks.
4. Learn to speak another language/ brush up on your teaching skills
"The only way to learn to speak a foreign language is to be totally immersed in it."
-Jessica J. Wolfe
Just kidding. I didn't make that quote up. It's just something I've been told again and again. I could have quoted that from my parents, friends, or even university professors. But seriously, there's no better way to learn a language. More than that, if you pick your au pairing agency well, you might even get some classes thrown into the mix, which always makes everything go smoother. Working as an au pair you also have the specific advantage of working with children, who make great teachers. Despite the fact they make fun of you.
*Brief disclaimer* my situation is a little different; everyone in my host family speaks perfect English, and pretty much everyone in the Netherlands does as well. It makes learning harder. But still.
To add further, you get to be a teacher as well. If you ever want to further your career --think tutoring, Teaching English as a Second Language certifications, a bachelor's in teaching- au pairing is a great way to test the waters. There's no pressure or deadlines or anything. Just humans learning how to relate with each other. It's pretty great.
(Pro tip: a great, FREE, online language learning program if you're preparing for a trip and/or just learning a language: duolingo.com. Just do it, mate.)
5. Travel
Let me just be honest here: this point is my favorite. By being an au pair, not only are you traveling as part of your job, but also you have access to the entire world. I really struck gold with my host family, and I have a ton of time off. You know what that means? That means winter vacation in Italy.
It means weekend trips to Paris.
 |
| Oh, my sister visited. Yes, that's a plus. |
And Spring vacation in Germany, the Czech Republic, and Poland.
 |
| I like to call this one "Take Me to Church" |
At this point in my life, it's a dream come true. Granted, I don't get to go shopping and eating food from local grocery stores happens more than eating out, but I'll take it like I can. My wanderlust seems endless, and by being here and working as an au pair, my wanderlust is also endlessly satisfied.
 |
| p.s. Germany is awesome |
6. Making international connections
I've mentioned it before, but one of the best parts about travel is connecting. Connecting to people, to places and cultures and times. Travel is all about connecting to the world around you in a deep and significant way. By living as an au pair, you automatically become apart of an international family that can become a connection for many years to come. Further, through travel you are plunged into the world of au pairs from countries around the world, expats, backpackers, and everything in-between. Honestly, this is one of the best parts about traveling for me so far. The stories you hear, the people you meet, and the experiences you share. They aren't always great, but I'll treasure them forever.
 |
| Photo cred to all the people who took these photos (A.K.A. Not me) |
7. Being an au pair is pretty darn fun
Although not everyone has a naturally-gifted and extremely charismatic childcare background, au pairing is still a pretty great solution. Being an au pair is a lot like being an older sister-- plus or minus a few extra duties. Your work involves trips to the ice-cream parlor and amusement park. Movies nights with popcorn. Games of cards and tag and soccer. Despite still having to do laundry, clean, and make food every once in a while I can guarantee the work of an au pair is much, MUCH better than a lot of starting jobs.
If you can't tell, I'm a big fan of au paring. It's probably been one of the best experiences of my life so far, and I'm sure I will always look back on this year with a ton of love. My host family is incredible, and I am so happy to have an insider's look into the Dutch way of life.
Also, if you've been keeping up on my adventures through facebook or instagram, you'll have noticed I've been up to quite some traveling these past weeks. Hopefully, in a few hours, you'll be able to look at all my pictures from these trips on my website, http://jessicajwolfe.com/. Soon, I promise!
If you have specific questions about au pairing, international travel, or anything else, please feel free to message me. You can do that using my website, facebook, or even by commenting down below. I can even send the specific list of questions I asked potential host families during my interview process.
Last but not least, I wanted to point out the very best part of all:
You can do it.
Au pairing is the opportunity of a lifetime, and it's just waiting for you. If you want to, I know you can. Of course I realize that there are limitations like age, school, or even sex (females are usually preferred, but not all the time!). Even so, there are ways. Do it, travel while you can, invest in experiences, and make the world your playground.
See you out there!
Jessica J. Wolfe
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