What an au pair is, and how I got the job

First and foremost, for those of you who are wondering what on earth an "au pair" really is, here is your answer:

Au pair is French for "on par." This means that an au pair is not a domestic servant, but rather a person on equal terms with their host family. Duties are generally focused on childcare and light housekeeping. It is a combination of part time nanny and cultural exchange student. Most of the time, the au pair will attend classes in the native language of her host country. This, of course, will not be necessary for me since I'm going to Australia. (Although there is plenty of unintelligible slang. Seriously, they call swimming suits "togs" in Queensland! Where does that even come from?) It is not uncommon for the au pair to cook a few meals, especially for the children. In exchange, she gets room and board, weekly pocket money, and a chance to immerse herself in a new culture. In a good match, an au pair will become a part of her family (like a responsible older sister), and feel very at home in this mutually beneficial situation.

A lot of people are asking me how I got the job as an au pair. There are a lot of different ways you can go about it, but I chose to use the service Au Pair World.  Au Pair World is neat because it is a forum for host families and au pairs to post profiles, and contact each other if they are interested. (It's sort of like online dating for au pairs!) There are also many good agencies out there, but I felt this was the best method for me because I got to make choices about who I talked to, and what matches I felt were right for myself. For the au pairs it's free, while the families pay a small fee for the service. Generally you send a few messages back and forth, and then set up a Skype call. I talked with a lot of families and Skyped for hours on end with people from all over the world. The interviews all went really differently. Some people were intense and really formal, whereas others were much more conversational. I had a lot of choices to make, and so did the families! I was offered a position with a lovely family near York, England, but we both soon learned that it is not possible for Americans to travel to the UK as au pairs. Finally, I "met" the family that I am going to live with in Australia. Instantly, there was a connection, and we got along really well. It's a huge leap of faith for both of us, but I had no doubts about them the way that I did with some of the other families, and did not hesitate to jump right in. I really can't wait to start!

If you have any questions, feel free to ask!