“I like to think I was meant to come here. The friends I have made during this year will truly be lifelong friends.” Canadian au pair Lynsey tells us what being an Au Pair in America means to her!
I decided to become an au pair because I went straight to university after high school and I always wanted to take a gap year and travel but I didn’t have the chance before starting university. So I got my degree and came across this “au pair thing” at a job fair, actually at my university and it really interested me. I did some research and found Au Pair in America and it seemed like the perfect thing for me so I got in touch with the local representative in Canada. I love kids and still like to be one myself sometimes. I’m a very fun, outgoing and playful person. I applied and went through the process and found a wonderful host family in Washington D.C, which is an absolutely amazing place to live. Orientation in New York was exciting because it was the start of this exciting new adventure and everyone there was going through the same thing as you.
I like to think I was meant to come here. The friends I have made during this year will truly be lifelong friends. Going through this experience together of living in another country, being away from home and traveling together has been incredibly eye opening and life changing. I have definitely fallen in love with the USA and that’s why I decided to extend my au pair experience and stay for another year.
My experience so far with looking after my host kids is that they definitely keep you on your toes and can be challenging at times but having someone who looks up to you and wants to be like you is the sweetest thing. It feels rewarding to be like a big sister and a role model to them.
I did two travel courses for the education component of the program. My first class was about the wars and slavery in the South. This course involved travelling to Nashville for a weekend which was very fun, it’s such a cool, country place! My second class was about the Amish country and I travelled to Lancaster, Pennsylvania for a day with my class to see how they live, which was very fascinating because they don’t use technology and they work very hard on farms.
So far in my au pair experience I have travelled to 10 other States but I have to say Washington D.C is my favourite. It’s a great place to live because I feel like it’s in the middle of everything. You can take bus trips up to New York or Connecticut or you can do road trips down to Virginia, North Carolina or South Carolina. Flights to Florida or other places down South aren’t too long which is great.
I would tell other potential au pairs to just do it and apply. You really don’t know what this experience can do for you until you are actually living it. Sometimes it’s like a dream, it’s so surreal. The different places you can visit and things you can see is something you can’t get by working in a regular job at home.
Applying to the Au Pair in America program really has been the best thing I’ve ever done. I’m so happy and have become much more independent through being an au pair. This experience has taught me so much about myself and I’m constantly learning new things. I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything.
Apply today, you won’t regret it!
