Do you love kids? Want to make money and travel the world as an Au Pair? Well, read on to know how easy it is to become one…
Before we get all excited let’s understand what exactly is an Au Pair?
Have you ever wanted to relive your younger days, run around the house, play with your Barbie doll or Pikachu, paint your face with rainbow colours, watch movies all day long, and become a kid once again? Isn’t that like a dream come true? Well, you may think it’s not possible, but the good news is you can relive it all over again.
This is what being an Au Pair (phonetic pronunciation: /əʊ ˈpɛː/ ) feels like. Besides bringing out the child inside you, this job lets you make money out of it and gives you an opportunity to travel the world.
Being an Au-Pair involves helping a busy couple out with their kids so that they can comfortably concentrate on work, without having to constantly worry about them. Another word for Au Pairs is – ‘International Nannies’, sounds cool, isn’t it?
Au Pairs help out families with a lot of things. That includes looking after pets, picking up kids from the school, driving the kids around for parties, keeping the house spick and span, feeding toddlers; everything that a mother or a father usually does.
Besides having to deal with runny noses and naughty kids and basically becoming a babysitter, becoming an Au Pair is one of the best ways to travel all over the world.
Here’s what you’ll get in return if you choose to travel the world as an Au Pair
Make money by babysitting
Have you been dreaming of moving to a new country, experiencing new places, but have always feared the intimidating expenses of moving abroad? Au Pairing lets you forget about all these hassles. It lets you stay with a family abroad, cutting down largely on your living costs. Most of all, lets you save money that you have earned from the hiring family.
Alternatively, your love for kids can also lead you to a career in teaching. See how you can teach and travel abroad…
The Child’s eye view
Being an adult, we often miss out on the small things in life. Children constantly remind us of those little things. Being around them makes you stop worrying about things, letting a thing or two go, take less stress in life and see the world through their innocence and playfulness. Isn’t that a wonderful thing we all miss in life? An Au pairing experience can just be all that. Enjoy it whilst it lasts!
Make new friends and explore the country
One of the best perks of travelling abroad is building new relationships, making new friends. On the days that you are given offs, take the time to visit places, talk to locals. There is a chance somebody might know of an experience that tourists usually aren’t aware of and you might be exploring hidden parts of the country soon!
A new family
Moving to a new place, and settling in is an exciting journey. Especially if you are moving with a family as an Au Pair, the journey can be an exciting and a thrilling one. Au Pairing abroad lets you interact with new people, their cuisine and culture. What’s more, you’ll have a new family to live with when you are out travelling.
A word of caution: Although most of the hiring families are adorable and friendly, it is best to assess them and use your sixth sense when you first meet them to know how they are. However, there is very little chance that they made not be the right choice. After all, you will be taking care of their house and little ones…
What do you need to travel the world as an Au Pair?
Are you between the ages 18 and 30? Perfect! That’s the very basic requirement for becoming an Au Pair. Although there is no need for certifications, prior experience with kids can help you become an Au Pair quickly. It is observed that more woman prefer Au Pairing over men. Come on guys, there’s no stopping you, why should women do all the caretaking?
Who should not become an Au Pair?
If you run away at the sight of kids or avoid them, then this is definitely not the right job for you!
Remember, at the end of the day you are responsible for the well-being of a little human who is completely dependent on you. Your motivation for the job should go a little bit beyond your travel dreams and making a quick buck!
Where can you find Au Pairing opportunities?
There are many agencies that offer Au Pairing opportunities abroad. I’ve listed the top ones below:
Have you been an Au Pair anytime? How awesome is it to travel the world as an Au Pair? Comment below!
