<p>I made a similar thread on the Study Abroad forum, but it doesn’t get that much traffic…</p>
<p>Has anyone’s kid studied abroad as an au pair? I’m really interested in doing that in Paris, since it would to save me about 450-600 euros for housing per month, as well as a considerable amount on food. However, I have no idea what it would be like. Would I be allowed to go somewhere on a vacation during the academic semester? Return home after a certain hour? What are the typical duties like? Is it helping kids with homework, picking them up from school, cleaning, cooking…? Do they care about your appearance, sex, language skills?</p>
<p>The people I’ve know who’ve had au pairs have had younger kids not in school. I might be wrong, but I think of an au pair as someone who has at least a 40 hour a week job doing childcare, probably more.</p>
<p>Just from your post I wouldn’t do it. I know people who have hired au pairs in the past. The conflict is generally that the student thinks of it as a way to save money and still travel. The family thinks of it as hiring someone to help with child care. Depending on the family you may or may not have a lot of free time. Often the family you go to stay with may live outside the city in an area where you cannot travel easily via public transportation. I don’t hear in your post that you want to experience family life in another country and that you love kids. I hear that you want to go to Paris and save money. I would stay in a hostel and do this trip on your own in the least expensive way you can manage.</p>
<p>DD’s friend is an au pair in Spain this summer. They flew her over first class. She lives with the family and traveled on their vacation with them. She has charge of the 2 pre-school children. It is definitely at least 40 hr per week child care and light housekeeping job. But I understand there are times she can travel out to do some sight seeing and exploring on her own. Google Great Aupair, the program DD’s friend went through for details.</p>
<p>ebeeeee, I didn’t say in my post that I like children, am willing to work my butt off, and would love to be a part of real French life because I don’t have any issues with any of those points. </p>
<p>Singersmom07, thanks for sharing your D’s experience and the name of the program.</p>
<p>A friend did it in Spain also. I doubt she would do it again. Pretty much treated as the hired help.</p>
<p>Well, the family does need to somehow compensate for giving away a room and some food… and if there’s not much cash in one’s piggy bank, they gotta take whatever’s thrown their way.</p>
<p>You ARE the hired help. You get some time off for yourself, but it is a job first. You should not do it if you do not understand that. DD’s friend is enjoying it. Loves the kids, the family is well off so living conditions are good and it is light housekeeping, mostly keeping things straightened after the kids and fixing their lunch or other meals. .</p>
<p>I wish I had saved the emails she sent from Spain back to us in the office. Hilarious if not profane in many parts.</p>
<p>I think many have the idea you might be more like part of the family as in student exchange programs. They made it clear she was just somebody they hired. Very little time to herself.</p>
<p>That was my point. It seems the OP took offense but I have seen these situations detonate many times.</p>
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<p>That’s what a nanny is. I’ve worked as a nanny several times in my life and it is a job first and foremost. I’m an excellent nanny and most of my employers came to see me as a member of their family, which is nice and I never corrected them but I was not a member of the family. First, I have my own family and second, I’m a professional doing a job for the family, not a member of it.</p>
<p>In au pair and nanny situations, the biggest mistake I see both sides make is not hammering out the details ahead of time. If you wish for X number of weeks off to travel, then ask for them upfront. I know it can be difficult as a young person to negotiate with people 20 years older than you but you have to do it. Hoping that they will, say, give you the time off you wish or taking a “oh, sure, we’ll work that out later” as an answer are both bad ideas. </p>
<p>Best of luck to you!</p>
<p>From what I have heard, not only are you expected to work your tail off, but for Americans not so much the love.
If you are doing it to get cheap room and board, without experience with children or the autonomy to not need everything spelled out for you, then I wish you good luck even finding a job.</p>
<p>Plus France is $$$$$- much cheaper to live abroad outside of Europe if your main point is to travel</p>