An excellent alternative for young people who want to start knowing the world and, especially, to learn a new language is the activity known as au pair.
From our own experience, we know that it is one of the best ways to learn a language in a foreign country with minimal investment. Sometimes, only airfare and visa formalities if required.
What is an Au Pair?
The Au Pair (French: “at par”) is a contract in which a young person travels to a foreign country to learn the language of the country and stays with a native host family in exchange for the care of that family’s children.
Basically, it is a kind of contract in which a family accepts a young person into their home as part of the temporary family to take care of the children in the family, as well as small housework.
In return, the Au Pair is offered accommodation, food, an amount of money or countertop and time available to attend a language institute.
Au Pair contracts are usually between six months to a year. This can be renewable.
Difference between nanny and au pair
According to the website aupair.com,the Au Pair is very different from the nanny. Among others:
- An Au Pair must be within a specific age range (usually 18-30 years). A nanny doesn’t.
- An Au Pair has a maximum of working hours per week. The nanny’s working hours depend on the labor laws of the host country.
- The Au Pair’s table is by agreement with the host family. The nanny’s must be above the minimum wage of the host country.
- The Au Pair must have enough time to attend their language school. The nanny must not attend a language school.
- The Au Pair is a temporary member of the family. The nanny is an employee.
How do you become an au pair?
There are several serious websites to connect host families and young people who are looking to study a language through this activity.
Both the host families and the potential Au Pair must meet a number of requirements. This is in order to minimize the risks and ensure a relationship in which both parties benefit.
Two of the most serious and prestigious websites to register as a host family and as an Au Pair are:
https://www.aupairworld.com/es
In both sites you can see all the requirements and have all the answers you need to become an Au Pair or a host family.
Risks
Human trafficking for the purposes of prostitution and sexual slavery is a sad reality. Some criminal networks disguise themselves as au pairsagencies.
In general, the golden rule should be to choose agencies or websites of au pairs with proven and solid experience in the area, such as those recommended above.
This activity is also monitored by the governments of many countries.
There are mechanisms to report irregularities that are presented by the host family, if they do not comply with the agreement or want to take to the young person activities not stipulated or illegal.
But all those security systems lose their effectiveness if we opt for dubious and “too good” options to be true. So, as we always say, judgment and common sense and a lot of prior research must prevail.
Yanelia’s experience as an Au Pair
I (Yanelia) had my experience as an Au Pair and it was six months of growing as a person and that I remember fondly.
Before I left for Canada, I felt I needed to improve my English. I was clear about going to Canada with my sister, but by then we weren’t sure we would be going to the French- or English-speaking area.
Anyway, through a friend I got in touch with a family from Orlando, Florida (USA) with three children aged 8, 5 and 3.
I was with this family for six months and it was a pleasant experience. I took a liking to the kids and they loved me. I shared the table with the family, they gave me accommodation, paid me a table of 300 usd a month and took me and brought me from the language institute. And of course, I practiced English with them.
What wasn’t so good is that, even though the family respected my work schedule, the kids wanted to be around the clock playing with me: they would get into my room and get in bed at night, when I was very tired after a day of work and study.
On the other hand, since he shared a table with the family, he had to eat what they ate. But many Americans have an issue with food… A lot of processed and plastic things that I didn’t like.
But overall, it was a very positive experience for me. After six months, they wanted to renew my stay, but I had to return to Venezuela to begin my procedures to go to Canada.
Conclusions
With the borders increasingly open, globalization and the worldwide interest in meeting other cultures and people from different backgrounds,many possibilities have opened up for travelers.
And although it is true that the Au Pair exchange has been working, at least in Europe, since the 70s of the last century, today the options and security have experienced an exponential growth.
And this is a great way to travel and learn a language at a very low investment and that we recommend without reservation.
