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What is the Best Location for Your Au Pair Stay?
What are the advantages of an au pair stay in the country? What should you consider if you want to stay with a host family in a big city?
Find out what you need to know about living in the city or the country as an au pair!
As soon as you have picked a country for your au pair stay, you have to decide whether you want to live with a host family in a big city or in the country.
Some au pairs already have a pretty clear idea about where they want to live— they might even already know the city where they want to spend their au pair stay. Other au pairs, on the other hand, have not made up their minds yet if they’d prefer to stay in the city or in the country . If you don’t know yet where you want to spend your time as an au pair, the following information might help you to find the right place.
One of the big advantages of an au pair staying in a big city is that obviously, there are more things to do. The infrastructure in big cities is usually very good and you’ll have a wide array of choices of things to do in your free time. There will be more language schools to pick from, good public transportation, and it is likely you’ll find other au pairs in the same city. However, there are also disadvantages to living in a big city. Life in a big city can be very anonymous for an au pair. It can be more complicated to go somewhere with the children in the city than in the country. While the children can just play outside in the yard in the country, you sometimes have to walk very far to the next playground if you live in a big city. So, your life as an au pair in a city can potentially be more dangerous.
If you grew up in a city, staying in a city as an au pair won’t be a problem for you. However, if you are used to the more laid-back, relaxed rhythm of the country, an au pair stay in the city could become quite stressful.
If you want to spend your time as an au pair in the country, you will enjoy being close to nature as well as leading an idyllic life in a familiar environment. Au pair life in the country is quieter and also slower. Everybody knows each other in the country and it won’t be dangerous for you or the children.
An au pair stay in the country can therefore be very relaxed and comforting. However, there are also some disadvantages to consider: transportation might be limited, you won’t have a lot of options as far as picking a language school is concerned, people in the country tend to be more conservative and your free time options might be limited.
Most families that are looking for an au pair live in or close to a bigger city. For you, it is actually more important to get along with your host family than where they live because even the best city in the world can be horrible if you don’t get along with your host family. If you want more freedom, but also a more convenient life as an au pair, picking a host family in a small town close to a bigger city is probably your best option.
If you really click with a family in the country make sure you can use the host family’s car so you can be more independent during your free time. When negotiating the terms of your au pair stay with the host family, ask them to pay for a monthly transportation ticket. Many host families are willing to pay for that if they like the au pair. This will allow you to be more independent, save money, and go into the city in your free time whenever you want, even if you live in the country.
