It is a common fact that globalization has got into all fields of our life beginning from economy and policy and ending with culture and social life. In that regard, the USA, as well as Europe, is open for diversification when it goes about hiring new employees. In the light of globalization tendency, Au pair seems to be a way to join to the globalization process.
If you are still in the middle of making up of character and you want to try so much but have no idea where to start from, think about au pair as that very variant to see the world, make a career choice, discover new horizons, or turn over a new page in your life.
What Is Au Pair?
The idea behind the au pair is that young people immerse into absolutely another way of life living in families as guests. For the hospitality of the hosts and some additional joys that the receiving party provides, they help concerning for children and, in some cases, doing uncomplicated jobs about the house.
Who Is an Au Pair People?
Usually, they are young, independent girls and boys who want to see the world, learn foreign languages, spend a year in another country. Exactly for them, there is the opportunity to work in Europe or U.S. upon this program.
Au Pair Work: Paid or Free?
Working as an au pair employee is not free! The host family provides its guest with pocket money. It is believed that such employees are international brothers and sisters for small members of the host family, and the young people participating in the described program are treated as relatives and family members.
What are the goals of youth across the world participating in the au pair program? They are simple:
- to expand their life experience due to independent life in another country;
- to learn the culture, language, and traditions of the host country and family;
- if possible, to get close good friends in another part of the world.
In general, the reason is everything that interests a person at a young age, when he or she is in search of him/herself and their place in life.
What Should the Au Pair Employee Do in the Host Family?
First of all, an au pair employee helps with the care of children in the house, usually, these are rather small children. A young man or girl helps in daily housework (washing in the washing machine, ironing, cleaning, and buying products) with the mutual consent of the participant of the au pair program and the receiving party. Why do households all over the world invite young people in this program? You can find an answer to this question on this website.
This is a good question to understand the motivation of your future host family and assess how much you can get on with it in the future. So, here are the top-priority reasons of the inviting party:
- To find a reliable person to their children who will look after them in the home and the yard;
- Parents, primarily mothers, have more time for their careers, communication, socializing, as far as you took care of children for few hours a day;
- Women who raise children have an assistant in the house;
- Parents can go to the cinema or theater in the evenings as in the old days, while you look after the children (You may go to the theater or cinema in your off day);
- If there are two small children and more in the family, then it is considerably cheaper to invite an employee to a household from a financial point of view than to hire a babysitter;
- If the parent brings up a child alone and this limits his or her opportunities for work and career, then the au pair employee is a perfect decision for such a parent to engage in professional activities not harming the child at the same time;
- The inviting family plans to get acquainted with the culture of your country, its traditions, and maybe even learn your language, although this option is rare.
How Long Can the Au Pair Be in a New Country and Family?
Typically, the maximum time spent in the family according to the program is 10 or 12 months. The participant of the au pair program, usually, pays for his/her ticket from his/her country to the country of the inviting party and back. What can you expect from a host family if you plan to spend one year of your young life working in Europe or the USA as an au pair employee?
- The inviting party will be required to provide you with a separate furnished room in their house or apartment;
- You will live and eat as an ordinary member of this family;
- You will be given pocket money. The amount depends on the country you go to and is around 200-500 euros.
- The receiving party will pay for your language course of the country where you will go to;
- The receiving party also pays for your medical and accident insurance;
- Usually, the receiving party also provides a paid vacation. The duration of leave depends on the length of stay in the inviting party. You can figure out it taking into account that two days of vacation match a month.
- The receiving party also takes care of all the formalities with your stay arranging it with the local authorities coordinating foreign labor.
As you could already notice, there are, in general, only pros in au pair program! You can learn one more language of any country and study there later. You will get money for your job and the communication experience with children, which can surely come in handy in the life of every human.