Just like many other blogs of this kind I would like to publish a mandatory post. And it’s the one about the first Skype date.

On that saturday morning I set my alarm early, stood up, prepared myself and sat down in front of the computer.
Ability to speak english: Check
Webcam: Check
Microphon: Check
Backgroud: Check
Online: Check

After a short wait I received the call. When the ‘Hi, how are you?’s were spoken we exchanged some questions.
And with the ability to speak english it was rather strange. In fact it doesn’t measure in soliloquy or in converstations with Germans speaking english with you, but it does measure in skyping with ‘real’ english speaking people. Plus when you consider how important this talk is, you quickly begin to stutter…

Nervertheless, I got to know a little more about the family who lives out in the country on the North Island and even got to see the 3 boys, who were rather shy in the beginning.
They’re 6, 8 and 12 years old.
Well, in that age the entertainment demand might be a little more advanced than with toddlers. Otherwise the family is solidly fit for Au Pairs. They have hosted many happy Au Pairs in the past, provide a car for you and know almost anything about being an Au Pair.

In terms of of me choosing a family it means now that this is my only choice. All other contacts and sources either declined or didn’t respond…

No I have 2 weeks of time to give the family an answer and I will think about it well and get in touch with their current Au Pair and talk with my agency.

Because it is about finding a fitting match and not to accept the first family that comes along…

I’ll keep you updated, cause soon it all might take off rapidly when the host family is chosen.

5am.
The alarm goes off, my body gets up and stumbles through the room towards the mobile. Alarm’s shut, notification feed: email.

You have one new messages!

Now it’s time. Many mornings ran just the same scheme I described. No I am in contact with 2 familes, from which one lives in the country and the other one in a tightly packed suburb of Auckland.

There hasn’t been more than information exchange via text yet, but even that doesn’t have to mean much…
In the end you always have to remember that it isn’t going to be a nice visit, but a year of living and sharing a time of each others life together…
That should be thought through thoroughly.

So it takes shape more and more and the dream is coming closer to be fulfilled…

Besides, today I attended the last part of the baby care course.
A very interesting course, which taught me next to heaps of information some lesson about the value of kids. You are sitting there with going-to-be parents after all.

Now I know how to change nappies, bath, care for and how not to care for babies and so on. Very educating in every sense…

So it might happen that in the future some Au Pair-relevant news pop up here… 🙂