Bruna, from Brazil, a former au pair and now back in Brazil teaching English, wrote to say that “yes, living in the U.S. changed my mind about Americans. …back home, people believe that Americans are always up to something and whatever they do is always about them.  I tell them that judging Americans without living with them…gives them the wrong impressions all the time.    To me, I can understand them (Americans) way better after my year as an au pair.”

Thank you, Bruna for sharing this with us!  At the core of the work I do with Au Pair in America is the belief that all of us- host families, au pairs, community counselors-who have chosen to work/participate in cultural exchange, really do make a difference in changing pre-conceived notions of other cultures.  We are diplomats in the field!