Early this week I received this amazing email from Brygida Jackowiak, an Au Pair that returned home last month. Brygida lived in Santa Cruz for one year. Her host family has two kids. The baby girl is almost 2 and the boy is 6 years old.

 

This is her view of her year in the US: 

 

Brygida Jackowiak 

Clearly remember that day when I was leaving home for an Au Pair program. From my family side there was weeping and fear about me but from my side excitement and hunger of new experiences. On that day I knew, something big was about to come.  Before I had come to US I kept thinking I am mature and there is no way I could be surprised about anything. I thought “ I am going to travel and improve my English skills”. What happened then? My primary goals disappear. Obviously, I travelled and improved my language but those things came naturally. That time has developed me a lot. I might compare it to amusement park where I take a ride having a thought what to expect, but reality is way different. Taking this ride showed me ups and downs, different people, styles of life, views, showed me that there is nothing in this world only black or white. Showed me that there is something more than only my needs. When you are an au pair – at the beginning you have to, then you want to – sacrifice your needs. I lied if I said it was easy right after I came. That’s a tough situation not only for foreign girl who one day leaves Europe and the second day moves into a someone’s house. And that was this mentioned down. It’s tough for host family, host parents as well they don’t really know how their relationship might develop. I’d say au pairs are brave – no doubts – and host families? Even more. They need to leave their kids in someone else hands, someone who usually doesn’t speak fluent English, doesn’t know the kids. Host parents need to trust au pair, cause that’s how this relationship starts. That’s how my relationship with my host parents started, they gave me a huge “credit” of trust and I didn’t waste it. I appreciate it. Some mistakes were made, no one is perfect. The point is to learn on them and try to be better every day, cause every day is a blank new page in au pair life. There were many ups too like seeing your host kids improving themselves, growing, showing you their emotions, sharing with you their problems and eventually coming to you just to hug before bed saying “I love you Bridget”, then your heart melts. Matters you had earned taste better and you value them more. My ride – as it usually goes – past incredibly fast. I left this ride after a full year, changed – but in a good way. Incredibly experience, I’d even say that was the most unexpected year of my life so far. I am richer now – not even in places that I saw neither English that I improved –  I am richer in life experience and… love! I feel like Au Pair program has hidden agenda. And those hidden things which no one talks about during the interview are the most meaningful.  My host family became my real family, kids became my siblings. I gave them all of my heart either they just stole it.  There is a saying “those who are rich in love are the richest of all” and I am this lucky girl rich in love. It happened something more right before I left, just a few words that my host mom said: “thank you for loving my kids”.

So will you try? 🙂