au pairing. (1 Viewer)

[hermand]

has anyone here been an au pair before?

i'm looking to maybe be an au pair in france for about six months [ish] next year, and was looking at websites and wondering if anyone had any advice as to what websites are good, what to look for, what it's like being an au pair, etc.

i speak french so the language barrier doesn't bother me all too much.

also, this bit probably belongs in the uni forums, but can you defer uni for six months instead of a year?

 

[lychnobity]

has anyone here been an au pair before?

i'm looking to maybe be an au pair in france for about six months [ish] next year, and was looking at websites and wondering if anyone had any advice as to what websites are good, what to look for, what it's like being an au pair, etc.

i speak french so the language barrier doesn't bother me all too much.

also, this bit probably belongs in the uni forums, but can you defer uni for six months instead of a year?

pretty sure you can.

sorry, no help here. Have no idea what an 'au pair' is.

EDIT: ok, now I do

I have a friend who au-paired here. He calls the lady his mum and all, she's a friendly lady. But since his family didn't really send him that much money, he had to work and balance his studies alongside getting ripped off at KFC (he was paid $7.50 an hour to fry the chicken. He was 17/18 years old). He generally found it a pleasant experience (he found it pretty amusing that he was mixing Macedonian, Australian and Asian cultures together).

That's mainly what I remember.

 

[hermand]

pretty sure you can.

sorry, no help here. Have no idea what an 'au pair' is.

thanks. just thought i'd check.

an au pair is kind of like a less full on version of a nanny.

 

[scaredytiger]

Deferring for 6 months/1 year depends on whether the university allows mid-year entry into your course.

 

[hermand]

Deferring for 6 months/1 year depends on whether the university allows mid-year entry into your course.

so if they allow mid year entry that would be a yes?

yayy. =]].

 

[scaredytiger]

That would be standard practice.

 

[hermand]

pretty sure you can.

sorry, no help here. Have no idea what an 'au pair' is.

EDIT: ok, now I do

I have a friend who au-paired here. He calls the lady his mum and all, she's a friendly lady. But since his family didn't really send him that much money, he had to work and balance his studies alongside getting ripped off at KFC (he was paid $7.50 an hour to fry the chicken. He was 17/18 years old). He generally found it a pleasant experience (he found it pretty amusing that he was mixing Macedonian, Australian and Asian cultures together).

That's mainly what I remember.

sorry only just saw your edit,

well you generally get paid by the family for looking after the kids etc, and i wouldn't be studying so yeah.

haha yeahh, i'm most psyched for the french culture and the fact that i would just speak french all day every day, not english. *love* french =]].

 

[LinzyHodge]

Hi,

I just got back from being an au pair in Germany for 8 months. Was a good experience, didn't speak a word of German when I left for it and now am pretty capable. Its a good way to practice your French, travel and live cheap, etc.

Pay is crap but its about the experience, but I guess you know that.

Website I used, and that most au pairs I met used was Aupair World - Au Pair Job Database - Find Your Au Pair. Make sure you talk to a few families on the phone, get a good feel for them because having a good family to stay with makes the whole experience worthwhile. Oh and google whatever you can find about them, email address, companies, names. I know its stalkerish but better then getting stuck with a family of serial killers for 6 months.

A lot of families like to take people for as long as possible, so if you can be flexible, consider deferring for the full year if you can but thats up to you and what family you can find.

If you have any questions, just ask.