Laura Plantation in Vacherie, La is one of the many Creole plantations sitting alongside the Mississippi River outside of New Orleans.

The main building has a colorful façade reflecting Caribbean influences and compared to other plantation houses is less grand and nearly contemporary in look.  Located behind the main compound are old slave quarters displaying old time farm implements and a few pictures.

The fascinating story told at Laura focuses in equal measure on the plantation owners and slaves, giving visitors a fairly rounded picture of what life was really like on a Creole plantation in the nineteenth century.

Following a lively and informative tour by our excellent guide, Dough, au pairs repaired to a nearby shelter to have some refreshments and enjoy the rest of the meeting.

We gave a big round of applause to Kirsty who is finishing her second very successful year with her host family and getting ready to return to England.

We also greeted two new au pairs, Desire from South Africa and Charlotte from France. Desire is a first time au pair, but Charlotte is a returning au pair who rejoined her former host family after a two-year hiatus back home in France.

We wish Desire and Charlotte a great year with their host families!

Extension au pair:

Au pair who decides to extend her participation in the program either with her current host family or a new one. Au pair can extend for 6 months, 9 months or 1 year.

Returning au pair:

Au pair who decides to rejoin the program after a required two-year break. Au pair can match with her former host family or a new host family.