Au pair in the USA

Which kind of studies am I interested in? This question came closer and closer with graduation. After time of studying I wanted to get out and experience something new. During 11th grade a new girl had come to our class who just came back from her High School stay abroad. I was interested immediately and started to question her. Then, after having passed my graduation exams it was the perfect time to get away from this small town. I was curious about this new adventure, ready for the American Way of Life. As I had started to babysit early on during school, taking part in an au pair program was an easy decision.

My life as an au pair & the Big Apple

After a tearful goodbye from home, I started my first long flight overseas. Thanks to the orientation workshop I met other au pairs to share my experience and was able to catch a first glance at New York City. So many new impressions, it was quite overwhelming. My host family welcomed me warmly. And Ryan, the family's little boy, was adorable so it was easy to love him. The change from school to my au pair job with responsibilities has challenged me, of course. Once the family's dog got away, for example, I had to catch him with taking Ryan along in his stroller. I don't want to miss any of these memorable and valuable experiences.

My stay abroad opened doors to new possibilities, to meet people from all over the world, make friends and discover new aspects of myself. Language skills came easily, almost like by itself.

And New York, the city that never sleeps: First, I was simply impressed by these huge skyscrapers, crowds of people and this colorful hustle. There was always something going on and possibilities seemed endless, famous museums and exhibitions, musicals and the lights at Times Square. There is a reason why America is called the land of opportunities. By and by I got to know the city well and enjoyed to immerse with my friends between locals, to relax in Central Park or Washington Square Park. Regardless of the time of day, there is always at least one street performer worth looking at.

Travel in the USA

Within this year my friends and I spent most of our time in NYC. Apart from weekend trips to Atlantic City, Boston and Philadelphia, we enjoyed the warm Florida sun during our first well deserved vacation. At the end of my year, a dream became true, a road trip along the west coast which showed be even more exciting faces of America. I spent 3 weeks within a small group of young people and traveled the hot spots with a minibus, everything was included from the glitter world of Las Vegas to the endless desert.

Would I do it again?

Definitely YES! Looking back to this stay abroad, it was totally worth it. My year as an au pair was several years ago and I'm still very thankful for this life experience. I'm still in contact with some of the au pairs. This extraordinary year has connected us inasmuch as distances do not affect our friendship. When meeting the last time, all of us came to Berlin from different parts of Europe. We relived our wonderful memories and got along well as before.

Katrin Schwering, International Marketing & Sales Representative

Reunion in Berlin