AU PAIR AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL
I [HEART] NYC!
ROUTE 66 ROADTRIP
Au pairs declare their state pride
Falling in love with the Big Apple
A West Coast vacation = the trip of a lifetime
THE BEST YEAR OF YOUR LIFE!
Photo taken by Moa Andersson, Cultural Care au pair in New York
1. BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON I love Washington state because it has the most amazing views I have ever seen in my life, and every day I have the opportunity to see the sunrise and sunset. It’s the most beautiful place I’ve been and it has the most wonderful people I’ve met.
4. EAGLE, COLORADO Eagle is a small town surrounded by mountains and nature. We love to go biking and hiking, also we are close to the best ski resorts in Vail. I love living here and I couldn’t have asked for a better place to be.
—Angelica Peña, au pair from Colombia
1
—Ana Da Silva Matos, au pair from Brazil | @mattosap
3
4
There are Cultural Care au pairs living all over the USA— from West Coast to East Coast and everywhere in between—and they’ve grown to love their new communities in America. Every part of the U.S. has its own unique attractions, landscapes, people and personalities and, by the end of the year, most au pairs feel as if they have a second home. As an au pair, you will also have the chance to experience a new and exciting American city and state: get ready for it!
2
5. DALLAS, TEXAS I love Texas because of the awesome countryside, weather, horses and cowboys of course! I live in Dallas where there are a lot of lakes, museums and perfect places to dance or hang out.
2. BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA I love California because there is so much to see and do. Everyone is outside all the time. I’ve taken a lot of roadtrips with friends to see different parts of the West Coast, and it’s been so much fun!
—Sylwia Bujak, au pair from Poland
—Martina Muhr, au pair from Austria | @tina.mhr
3. HENDERSON, NEVADA Henderson surprised me, and now I’m really in love with this city. There are great hiking trails and beautiful mountains—I’ve never been so close to nature as I am now. And, I’m just 10 miles from the fabulous Las Vegas! —Caio Giffoni, au pair from Brazil @Caiohenriqueo
AU PAIR LIFE / 2
11. BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS Every day I fall in love even more with this city. Boston is so historic and charming and has a mix of old and new buildings. The best way to know the city is walking, and I love doing that! There are so many parks, museums, restaurants and nightclubs.
7. ST. CHARLES, ILLINOIS
— Renata Martins, au pair from Brazil | @re.martinns
I love St. Charles because it is a beautiful place to live and really safe for kids and everyone else. People here are so nice! —Sara Pulkka, au pair from Finland | @pulde
7
12
6
11
6. SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA I’ve learned about hockey, the most popular sport in my state, and now I have a poster in my room with all the team players! I also really love the Minnesota baseball team. I love driving with country music on down to visit my favorite place— the Mississippi river.
10
—Federica Scarpiniti, au pair from Italy
12. YORK, MAINE
8
People here are very kind—they have that southern warmth that makes you feel comfortable. Tennessee is known for BBQ, and it is really really good. I love the country music and the beauty of the Smoky Mountains.
I never thought I would be living in Maine but I’m so glad I do. I live right by the ocean and I love walking on the beach in any kind of weather. I like the small town life, but I also like that there are big cities a bus ride away. The state motto is: “The way life should be” and I think that is true!
—Natalia Navarro Restrepo, au pair from Colombia | @vilianaa_
—Svenja Schlangen, au pair from Germany
8. COLLIERVILLE, TENNESSEE
5
10. MEDFORD, NEW JERSEY
9
I love living in Medford because the town is really beautiful. It’s not big but it has all I need. Medford is my second home now and I will definitely be back to visit after I go home. —Erica Rosander, au pair from Sweden | @ericarosander
9. FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA Living in Fort Lauderdale makes you feel like you are on vacation all year round. Winter doesn’t exist and there are so many activities and tourist attractions to see and things to do here. —Breanna Halton, au pair from Australia | @breehalton
AU PAIR LIFE / 3
Every day in the USA brings a chance to experience American culture. But their holidays are really something special. You will find that most Americans celebrate in a “big” way including lots of food, decoration, costumes, music and, of course, friends and family. There are so many great holidays in the U.S. that you don’t want to miss!
HALLOWEEN October 31st Halloween in the USA was one of my favorite holidays. I went with my host kids trick-or-treating and then we had an au pair costume party. I was surprised to see so many people dressed up—even the mailman and the people working at Starbucks! —Ana Vargas, au pair from Mexico
AU PAIR LIFE / 4
ST. PATRICK’S DAY
INDEPENDENCE DAY
March 17th
July 4th
My friends and I decided to go to New Haven, CT to see a parade. Everyone was wearing green and had Saint Patrick’s day accessories—hats, necklaces, pins. We watched the parade in front of Yale University!
I went to a parade with friends and had a big barbecue with my host family. We ended the day sitting on camping chairs in a big field with hundreds of other people watching the fireworks. I love that everybody dressed in red, white and blue!
—Amanda Baccini, au pair from Italy
—Anja Brauneder, au pair from Austria
Super Bowl Sunday means tailgate parties, food, concerts and football, of course! I loved cheering for my favorite team— go Seattle Seahawks! —Elisabeth Hurel, au pair from France allofmytrains.fr
NATIONAL DONUT DAY June 3rd Usually my host family eats very healthy food. But on this day, we ate donuts. It was hard to choose my flavor! —Pilar Rodríguez, au pair from Spain
BLACK FRIDAY
CHRISTMAS
Day after Thanksgiving
December 25th
On this huge shopping day there are extended shopping hours and sales, so you can’t miss this event. I went with another au pair to the mall and I got some pretty great deals. It’s also great exercise after the huge Thanksgiving dinner!
My host m0m surprised us with matching pajamas on Christmas Eve and I will cherish that memory forever, because it made me feel like a part of their family! —Patrice Vialon, au pair from Germany
—Livia Gucfa, au pair from Germany
AU PAIR LIFE / 5
There’s no place in the world quite like New York City. You’ll see the “Big Apple” up close and personal during your first week as an au pair in the USA!
Au pairs board the buses for an exciting afternoon after their classes are complete.
AU PAIR LIFE / 6
The sight of the NYC skyline from the bus is an emotional moment for everyone!
New York City is the best place to get an authentic, delicious American hot dog.
Getting to the Top of the Rock (67 stories up) means waiting in line... but the view is worth it!
Once you get to the Top of Rockefeller Center, you have a 360 degree view of all of NYC. Get ready for it!
When you travel to the U.S. to begin your year with your host family, your first stop is the Cultural Care Au Pair Training School. The first few days are spent reviewing childhood development and safety while getting used to American life. At the end of the week, after classes are finished, au pairs are invited to board the bus headed for one of the most amazing cities in the whole world: New York City! As you drive into NYC your tour guide will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about the Big Apple. You will see the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge, Empire State Building, Times Square and all of the apartment buildings that famous people call home. At the end of the tour, you can go up to the top of Rockefeller Center to get the best view around. In your free time afterwards, you can shop, grab a hotdog or take the subway to an attraction you’ve always wanted to see!
Make sure to take a photo so you never forget this moment!
AU PAIR LIFE / 7
WHY I LOVE MY HOST FAMILY
JOSEF HODEK Au pair from the Czech Republic Living with the Hawkes family is truly my American dream! I have been here five months and it has been the best five months of my life. I really feel part of their family, because we are always talking to each other and being honest about things. They include me in important events in their lives like holidays and birthday celebrations. My best memory with my host family is when they surprised me by taking me to a pro baseball game.
AU PAIR LIFE / 8
Finding the right host family is the most important part of a great au pair year, so Cultural Care Matching Specialists work hard to help families and au pairs with the same interests, values and personalities find each other. Once you “meet” the right host family during the interview process, you will know it in your heart. These au pairs feel lucky to have found host families who are their perfect fit!
ALESSANDRA ZAMPA Au pair from Italy I love my host family because my host dads really respect me and treat me like an adult. They give me independence but are also able to help me when I need it. My little girls are so cute, and they make me smile every day. Taking care of them is work but I love doing it and the way they call my name and reach up for a hug makes it all worth it.
SONJA HEIB Au pair from Germany The best thing about my host family is that they always are nice to each other! They respect me and other people and help me all the time just like my own parents. I love that they try to spend every free minute with their three lovely girls and that they are so active like me. I love the energy and the happiness of this family and their positive attitudes. I am really glad to be part of it, and I am sure my au pair year is gonna be great.
“I love the energy and the happiness of this family and their positive attitudes. I am really glad to be part of it, and I am sure my au pair year is gonna be great!” —Sonja Heib, au pair from Germany
AU PAIR LIFE / 9
PAOLA ASCANIO Au pair from Mexico What I love about my host family is pretty much everything! Even before I arrived to the USA I felt connected with each family member, and when I arrived to the Atlanta airport, they were all there waiting for me and gave me a really nice welcome. They ask for my opinion, and they support me, and they trust me the same way I trust them. I can be myself with them.
“MY AU PAIR YEAR CHANGED MY LIFE.”
Mari Multamäki, a former Finnish au pair, took her time to become an au pair: “It was not always in my plans—it was an idea that grew on me over time.” But after Cultural Care’s information meeting, she saw what it would be like to become part of an American family, and she knew that she wanted to embark on this adventure. Little did she know, her au pair year would change her life for the better!
ARRIVING TO THE USA
THINGS ARE HAPPENING
I remember very well the first night with my host family. My host family lived on a mountain with a breathtaking view over Salt Lake Valley, Utah. I’d traveled all day from New York to Salt Lake City and was tired from jetlag and trying to speak English all the time. So, my host mom took me out onto the terrace to look at the view, and from that moment, I knew that no matter what happened I would be ok. It just felt right.
Three years after I returned home from America, I was in the middle of my studies and an opportunity arose to start working for Cultural Care Au Pair. I accepted an internship at the New York Cultural Care Au Pair Training School, where I stayed for five months. I loved that the job was different every day, and that I got to be a part of the au pairs’ first week in the USA.
NEW FAMILY, NEW FRIENDS, NEW LIFE!
Some of Mari’s favorite memories include visiting the East Coast, trips to her favorite frozen yogurt shop and going to the M&M store.
Being an au pair helped me grow up quickly! It was the first time I was far from my family and friends and everything I knew. It was not easy, but I changed for the better. My two best friends came to visit me during the summer and their first comments were, “You’ve changed so much!” By that time, I was easily juggling schedules and everyday activities for four children, and had an active social life filled with friends on the side. I came out of my shell and became the person I always wanted to be.
AU PAIR LIFE / 10
MY DREAM JOB; MY DREAM “ME” I now work for the Cultural Care Marketing team in Lucerne, Switzerland—my dream job. I am certain that I wouldn’t be where I am now if I hadn’t been an au pair. It pushed me to be a better version of myself and to gain courage to accomplish all of my goals.
MARI’S ADVICE: You can’t experience the world from inside your room, through your mobile screen or from books or magazines. You have to go out there and do it. Being an au pair is the toughest job you’ll ever love. It is something you will carry with you for the rest of your life. My advice: take the leap and challenge yourself. You will not regret it.
e m ti
a r fo
Clara Guerrero is an au pair living in Virginia. She takes care of three little ones when on-duty so a two-week long roadtrip was a great way to spend time off and see more of the USA! Clara traveled to the West Coast with nine other au pairs from Germany, Poland and Denmark. They traveled from city to city by van and often camped out in tents under the stars. Says Clara, “I will remember this trip forever, and I have made nine new friends I will have for the rest of my life!” Read about her first week below. For the whole story, visit our blog: buzz.culturalcare.com.
DAY 1
DAY 2/3
SAN FRANCISCO AND SANTA CRUZ
MONTEREY AND BIG SUR
My adventure begins in San Francisco— I’m excited to spend the next 14 days driving around in our van to explore the West Coast! Today, we did some sightseeing around San Fran and took pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Painted Ladies and Palace of Fine Arts.
Today we headed to Monterey, enjoying the scenic drives that Highway One has to offer. After stopping for a picnic lunch, we kept going to our next destination: Big Sur. When we got there, we started a bonfire and made s’mores. There is nothing is more classically American than s’mores!
Every day of this trip was like a dream for me. I couldn’t believe it was actually happening. But I took a lot
DAY 4
of pictures so I won’t forget anything we did!
LOS ANGELES, CITY OF ANGELS
—Clara Guerrero , au pair from Argentina
What is not to like about LA? We saw the Hollywood Walk of Fame, TCL Chinese Theater, Hollywood Blvd, Sunset Blvd and more. We also visited Rodeo Drive to see the “Pretty Woman” hotel and Venice Beach, before arriving to Santa Monica.
DAY 5
DAY 6/7
Today we took surfing lessons and spent all day at the beach. I actually got it right after two hours of practicing, and I’m so glad I went for it! It was just me and another girl out of 10 of us who were able to do it, so yay for me! We also experienced night life in Santa Monica before heading to our hostel to sleep.
We headed to San Diego early because there is so much to see and do! We visited Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, we explored the city including the waterfront, downtown and Mission Beach. We even went to my first drive-in movie theater ever—it was just like in the movies!
SANTA MONICA
AU PAIR LIFE / 11
SAN DIEGO
FOLLOW YOUR HEART start your adventure at culturalcare.com/heart
JOIN AN AMERICAN FAMILY FOR A YEAR