Working Abroad As An Au Pair

Have you ever considered being an au pair abroad? Being an au pair comes with a lot of responsibility, but it can be a really good way of travelling and living in another country for an extended period of time. There are a few things that you should know before you commit to this job and move away, which is why we spoke to an ex au pair Isobel for her tips and advice.

Isobel was an au pair in Hamburg, Germany for 9 months. She signed up to the au pair site aupairworld and found a family that she was really looking forward to staying with.

What was the best thing about being an au pair?

“The best thing was definitely all of the friends that I made. Once I was in Germany, I found au pair groups on Facebook and joined them. You get talking to different au pairs who are in the same town as you and I arrange to go for coffee with some girls. It was really nice because when you are away from your family and in a different country, you can feel really alone, so having some friends there meant that I had a support group while I was living away from the UK.”

How did you get on with speaking German?

“I had taken German GCSE when I was 16 so I had some knowledge of the language, but only really enough to just get by. I signed up for a German language course in the next town about 30 minutes away by train. I attended classes there once a week. The classes were pretty intense, but I really enjoyed them. My teacher was so patient and made the whole experience really great. By the end of the 9 months there, I was fluent in German, which made living there so much easier. I also made friends with other German au pairs who would not really speak English, which I would not have been able to do if I hadn’t taken the language course.”

What was the family you lived with like?

“I stayed in a bedroom in the attic of the house and had my own bathroom. I cooked dinner most nights as both of the parents worked, and I looked after the children during the day. I got the weekends off which I always really looked forward to. It was quite easy looking after the children as they were happy to watch the TV or play with their toys. They weren’t really very demanding. I skyped the family before I flew over the Germany just to make sure that I was 100 per cent sure that I was making the right choice when I picked them from aupairworld. They seemed really nice and told me I would get paid €300 a week, and would have access to the family car to use whenever I wanted, with them paying for my car insurance. When I got to Germany, they actually told me that I wouldn't be able to use the car and they would only be paying me €200 a week. This was a huge shock, and I really struggled to get by with the reduced rate that they were paying me. Not having a car meant that I had to walk everywhere and get the train, which was really difficult. The family told me that because I hadn’t signed a contract, they weren’t entitled to pay me the €300. I was really upset because I felt as though I couldn't trust them. I would advise anyone considering au pairing to make sure that they sign a contract before they leave home to ensure that they can’t get ripped off like I did.”

What was the worst part?

“The worst part was that there was tension between myself and the mother. She seemed to be quite distant from me, sometimes seeming really friendly, and other times seeming quite hostile. I was supposed to be in Germany for 12 months but after 8 months, I came home for a couple of weeks and realised that I didn't want to go back to Germany. I cried so much to my family and they told me that they would support me if I wanted to quit. I decided to return, but when I arrived back, the mother who I worked for told me that after my German course finished (two weeks later), I could finish my work with the family. I think she realised how unhappy I was and didn't really want me to stay either. This was quite a relief to be honest and I was glad to leave.”

So would you ever au pair again?

“Although I had a bad experience, I wouldn't rule out au pairing again. Lots of my friends who were also au pairs were really happy with their families and were paid a lot more than I was. I also got the weekends off which meant that I often travelled around Germany, going to different cities each week. This was an amazing opportunity and I would really recommend au pairing for this reason. It really is just finding the right family.”

What advice would you give people considering au pairing abroad?

“I would advise anyone to make sure that they have a signed contract with the family before they move in with them to ensure that they can’t go back on their word and end up paying you less like what happened to me. Make sure that you have picked a good family, and ask to speak to previous au pairs that they have had in order to see what it is like to work for the family. Most importantly, surround yourself with new friends by joining Facebook groups so that you have a support group while you’re away from home.”