Being an au pair in Canada was the best decision of my life

By Luz Silva

Have you had the feeling of waking up  every  day before the alarm goes off and this repeats for weeks? Some hate it, it happened to me four months ago and all my feelings were summed up in enthusiasm. It’s that feeling that something great is coming and you can’t wait to do it.

First, I always thought that those who choose to live abroad are brave and confident,  because this is a life changing decision and reflects great personal development. They are people who leave their comfort zone, family, relationships, and often their professional career, to undertake a totally different experience. My grandmother used to say that this is a clear example of COURAGE.

The idea of ​​an “exchange program” has been on my mind for a long time, ever since my cousins ​​and friends were planning  their experiences of living in a different country. Suddenly I thought,  “ God, I wish I could do it! I wish I could improve my English. I wish I could study something related to my passion, journalism. I wish I could learn a different culture  . I wish I could have unique experiences. “

Thanks to the au pair program, my dreams came true.

You could ask me: “But , Luz, how did you know you wanted to be an au pair?” I will give you 5 reasons that will encourage you to do it!

Reason # 1: Duration

Living abroad gives you enough time to be within the culture, familiar with the language,  the  customs and feel part of it. Some decide to do their exchange program in a week, others choose three or six months to study or work. Ultimately, it is up to you. The important thing is that if your goal is to improve your English, the longer you stay in contact with the language, the better.

I always wondered how long it should take me to  do  an exchange program , since I thought it would be a challenge to  be away from my family, friends and leave my job. Then one day, my best friend told me:  “Luz, time flies and you only live once.”  Now, on second thought, twelve months is (or more) sounds good  when you’re living  with a  host family , because that  way  you’ll have  even more goals to accomplish. Point  in favor of the au pair program!

Reason # 2: Cost – Benefit

When you start looking for a program of  exchange,   you find  yourself with  many barriers and one of them may be  the  MONEY. Packing suitcases and going out into the world can be so expensive that many times there are those who give up on fulfilling their dreams.

I was worried because I had the money, but I did not want to spend such a large amount for what I felt was a short period  (12 months). At the beginning, it was not in my plans to leave my job to live this experience and for this reason I doubted about the time that I was going to take my exchange program, considering that the shortest programs are the most expensive.

This is the main reason why I consider the au pair program to be the best:  you only have to pay  a cost  to  Au pair Canada, in  addition to your personal expenses to obtain your working holiday visa and passport. Everything  else , including  accommodation , among others, are paid;  as well as the training week

Reason # 3: Work and Study

When living  abroad, you must organize your expenses if you want to travel or buy things. So making money is number one on the list for many people and it was also at the top of mine . I would not want to live for months (or years) financially dependent on my parents and that makes being an au pair in the United States a winning option.

The third reason that complements this cost-benefit point is that you pay for the au pair program and you get your investment back ,  since by babysitting  you make money!  Since you receive a weekly payment. In Canada, you are allowed to work up to 40 hours a week, while in Europe no more than 30 hours.

And there ‘s more: as au pair, you have the opportunity to study at a university or college , and your host family will help  with an educational bonus of up to $ 500.

If you want to learn English, there are many schools and churches that offer free classes. This is wonderful!  And, best of all, you’re going to share with Canadians eight hours a day,  and that  is  the best way to learn:  practising .

Put it in perspective: Don’t  you think it’s worth it?

Reason # 4: Children

If  you love the kids, your life becomes much easier.

Being an au pair means that you will take care of and live with the children of your host parents. This will be your responsibility and what you are going to do most of your time. By this  you  should  love  the  children and be ready to take  responsibilities as her caregiver! You will be the adult in charge when their parents are away. So you must be responsible and have previous experience taking care of children.

I worked for two years in a school, every day together with my colleagues we were in charge of more than 400 children, there  I learned to use my knowledge and personal experience to help them in their daily challenges.

As you live with them, you will create affective bonds, and for this you must choose the correct host family. You are going to play with the kids, take them to the movies, you are  going to  eat together and usually you are going to feel like the coolest older sister or brother of all!

Reason # 5: Vacations, Travel,  and  Friends

Last but not least: your free time. During the au pair program, in addition to the weekly payment,  the educational voucher , and living with your host family, you will also have two weeks of paid vacation.

So ,  what are you going to do r? I say TRAVEL! Of course, be  sure to do it with your new friends , who  will make your year even better  by discovering a totally different world together  .

However, you don’t have to wait  for your vacation to travel, weekend walks can be amazing too. Make a wish list with things you want to do and places you dream  of  visiting in Canada, call all your friends to take advantage of as much as  you can and have an AMAZING year .

I know, you are taking a very important step. When I was living the moment that you are going through now, I used to have a lot of questions and would seek as much advice as I could. What should you do? For how long? and  where?

This is when my cousin’s experience was so important, thanks to the fact that she was an au pair I was inspired to do it, it was she who encouraged me and helped me do  the same, taught me how to choose  the best family and even gave me advice to do my job well, understand a different culture and much more.

That is why I would like to inspire you, in the same way that she did with me, because this is the best experience I have ever had and I want to shout it  from the  rooftops  so  that the whole world knows it.