We are Brave!
Excited, sad, happy, nervous, so many feelings and emotions all mix up in one event of our lives. Most of us have this feelings during the experience as an Au Pair, and it’s normal to feel it. I remember my first Skype with my host, I was so nervous and I told her so she asked me why and I said, I think my English is bad, and she was so sweet and said she could understand me well and I was doing really good. From that first Skype till the day I meet them at airport all those feelings came to me. I was excited to learn new things, sad to leave everyone in my country, happy to be able to travel abroad and make memories, nervous to not make friends or not like the food, etc; some things that I felt and I’m sure some of you will too.
My first year was amazing, experienced to see so many pretty places and learned a lot of things about United States and myself. When you are by yourself, you end up learning about what you like to do, what you like to eat, how you like to spend you time, etc; that’s when you learn by yourself, and how our own company makes us feel confident and we realize how brave we are. My first trip here in USA was on my second month when I went to Arizona by myself, didn’t know anybody in area, didn’t have friends with me, so I was completely alone. I was ready to go explore and so I did, booked a trip with an agency that took me to the Grand Canyon and that was the most amazing place I’ve been in my life. Looked at my self sitting there and looking at that real life paint, and I felt the luckiest and happiest person in the world. Lucky to be there and to be chosen as my host family’s Au Pair, thought of how many people dream of it, and how lucky I was to be my time, to my dream come true. And happy to have made a decision that for sure changed my life.
After 7 months I needed to decide if I would extend or leave back home, my plan was stay a year and go back to my country to continue my school and find a better job. But my host family made me feel as their family, showing me they needed me there. They asked me to stay for a second year and I said yes. Wasn’t a easy decision but now I’m sure was the right one. They knew I missed my family and friends so they got me a ticket to go visit and that made me feel so special, they worry for me and they wanted me happy.
After a year and a half of living in USA I met the person who changed all my plans about life, my husband. Got married but still was working for my host family that now its’s for sure part of my family, they are always there for me no matter what. Now I’m a LCC for Expert Au Pair and my ex host family just got their Au Pair, and as an LCC I need to make sure all is good between them. I had to do my Orientation meeting with family and the new Au Pair and we had an amazing time together, the new Au Pair cooked us dinner and we told her about my experience with them and we had lots of laughs telling her funny stories, for sure was an amazing time.
Listening to the new Au Pair, she remembers me 2 year and half ago how excited about things I was, how everything was so new and different. Talking to her; she asks me what to do when somethings doesn’t work or doesn’t go well, and resuming it I said: no matter what happens, always take the good things about the problem, be positive about everything and always be kind. That’s karma, think good thoughts, say nice things, do good for others and everything comes back. Told her I will always be there for anything that she needs, told her how brave she is and telling you all how brave we are to leave our comfort zone and live an experience that will change our life. Being courage enough to leave your country, family, friends, jobs… The decision to be an Au Pair is a big step, don’t give up!A big thank you to Expert Au pair to have supported me and helped me to meet this amazing people that will be in my life forever, and for letting me share it with all of you!
