Mejl till SI
Man får frågor från SI när man varit här ett tag. Jag rensade bland mina mejl och hitta det här mejlet som jag fick i November. Nu passade jag på att svara. Kanske just mina svar hjälper någon där ute som är intresserad av att åka. Jag ville också passa på att posta mina svar här!
Förnamn: Rebecka
Stat i USA: New Jersey
Antal barn: 2
Åldrar: 5,8
Har varit i USA i (månader): 6
1. What were your reasons for applying as an au pair? I knew I wanted to do this 3 years before I graduated. USA has always attracted me and the feeling of doing a journey all by myself gave me a rush. I love English and I love kids (most of the time) and I had no idea what I would do if I stayed In Sweden. The worksituation in Sweden was really bad because of the economy and I didn’t know what I wanted to study. This would be perfect for me. I never had second thought about going!!
2. Tell us about your host family: My hostfamily consists of 4 people. Mum, dad both pretty young around 40. Me like J A boy, 8 and a girl who turns 5 soon. The girl has special needs. She is clear in her mind but the muscles and body functions doesn’t work as it’s suppose to. I feed her. I carry her. Though she is improving her walk so much! She couldn’t really walk when I first arrived, only a few steps. I’m doing a special home program for her development. Sometimes I want to change to a easier family. But that though only lasts for a minute before the girl comes in, smiles, and you realize how much you are helping her! They also have a dog and a bird which is very much part of the family!
3. Describe the area you live in: I live in a small suburb. If I would walk out the house there would only be houses surrounding me. I can’t get anywhere without a car! Closest grocerystore is a 10-15min drive. This is normal in the US but a big change for me who was used of being able to walk to the grocerystore. A 20min drive and I come to a little collegecity called Princeton with small expensive stores but nice surroundings. 25min away is a big road with plenty of stores and malls around it. About 1,5h away is the beach and same distance to Nyc and 1h to Philadelphia. But to go somewhere you have to get to the train or busstation… which is about 25min away too. To have a car to use when ever you want to is therefore so important here!
4. What does a typical day look like? I have a stay at home mum. Sometimes that’s really hard. Sometimes its nice. My work is very flexible because of that. The mum takes the boy to school while I work in the morning starting 6,30. I clean the kitchen and make lunchbox then I feed the girl while she drives him to school. Then she comes home and she does something and I work with the girl on her program. Sometimes I only work till 9 if she has an appointment and sometimes I work till 11. The mum always takes her to the appointment so I don’t drive them that much. Normally I start again at 2(14.00) if I ended at 9.. or at around 4(16.00) if I ended 11 in the morning. But it always varies. I fix dinner, feed the girl and give her a bath and make her ready for bed. Clean up the kitchen and normally ends around 7, 7,30. I also work weekends often a 10h day (7-7 with 2h break). The parents have alonetime and I sometimes go away to a playground with the kids. If I could have chosen now, I would have taken a family where I didn’t work weekends. Especially not full-days. It’s very hard to make time for long trips. But because I love the family so much I tend not to think about it too much. I’m even thinking of extending!!
5. What do/did you study and why did you choose the course? I studied and got a certification for personal trainer. It was really hard but I wanted to have something that I can take with me home and not just a auditory course that I went and and just sat and listen too and doesn’t even get a grade. I also took a 20h course about natural health. It’s really interesting. I would recommend it if you like aromatherapy, herbs, massage, healing, energies and such things.
6. Tell us about any traveling you have done or are planning to do: I have been to NYC a couple o times. I went with the family to their familys beachhouse just over the weekend. I also went with a friend to the mountains to go snowtubing. Next month I’m going to Washington with another au-pair and soon after that my family is coming so it will be more NYC and hopefully Philadelphia.
7. What have you gained during the year? That’s such a hard question. I have learned so much about kids and raising kids. I feel like I know how to take care of my own kids now. What to do, and what they do that I don’t want to do with my kids. My hostmums big interested in natural health and inner power, healing with food kind of things have made me more than ever interested in holistic things as well. I spend so many hours cooking for myself in the kitchen and reading books about how talking to water are good for you :P This is so much fun!
I have also learned that I’m more independent than I thought. I can really make it on my own! I have learned how the American culture works and that Americans are bad drivers!
Something I also gained... is weight… haha! But most people say that when you come back to your country and everything is back to normal you will loose weight again.
8. What has been the best experience so far? DECEMBER. Great month. I had my birthday, It was a great clustermeeting and karaoke night, I celebrated Christmas in the US and New Years Eve with friends at a club in NYC.
9. How have you been spending you pocket money? I’m the biggest saver of them all :P I have even started a saving account here in addition to my debit card. Most of my money goes to gas. Which, thank god, is cheap here.
10. What do/did you find most challenging about being an au pair? To realize that how hard you’re trying your always going to be only the au-pair. I don’t think you really can become like a family member...
In the beginning my hardest thing was the food. I was having so much trouble with it because of their special food and there were things I could eat and things I couldn’t eat and I didn’t know what I was allowed to do. We talked and now it’s all fixed. I buy my own food J anything I want! And then give the mum the receipt. It works great. As long as you talk with your hostfamily about any challenges you have and they will help and you will see everything will work out just fine.
And for you that wonders about homesickness. NEVER. I might have think. Oh it would be nice to be home and eat that or hang out with him or her. But just a short thought. Even my hostfamily have told they’re surprised how well I’m dealing with it. As my hostmum said last week. I can’t believe you haven’t been homesick yet, it’s normally during the first 3 month. And we figured out it not likely I will get it now after so long time. J
11. Write a short message to girls thinking about joining Skandinaviska Institutet / Au Pair in America: Check in with yourself. Is this really something for you? Would you be able to be away from home? Do you feel comfortable having full responsibility for your hostkids? How are you like a person? Would you be able to share their home like a member of the family, maybe not having the same privacy as your used to? Its important to check in with yourself a lot. This must feel right. I know way too many au-pair that goes home!
♥ Rebecka
