Recently a frustrated host mom called to report something that happened with her au pair. She had told the new au pair to wash the kids’ faces after lunch. Shortly after she saw that their hands and clothes were covered in mac & cheese. She couldn't understand why the au pair had only washed the [...]
Anyone who’s done it will tell you it’s not easy to adapt to another culture. Everyone adapts differently but for the most part there are often hurdles that appear insurmountable to some of our au pairs. Let’s take a look at communication. One au pair tentatively approached me and began to cry for no apparent reason. [...]
Crossing cultures to live in the U.S. or abroad as an au pair, an international student, a businessman/woman ,or as a “trailing spouse” can often be a challenge. Daily encounters with “unusual” behaviors can be daunting. And when all of the challenges are faced in a new language, life can really get confusing! Before going [...]