Traveling around the U.S. is a wonderful part of the au pair program. With 10 days of paid vacation time during the program year and an additional 30 day grace period upon program completion to remain in the United States, many au pairs plan incredible trips exploring famous cities, national parks, beaches, and more.
What’s even better than seeing all these beautiful, new places though? Experiencing them with your au pair friends, of course! And that’s exactly what Renata (24, Mexico), Katrin (21, Germany), Paty (21, Mexico), and Catalina (20, Colombia) did this past March. The four au pairs, who reside on New York’s Long Island, decided a West Coast road trip would be an epic way to see the sights and end Renata’s stay as she was scheduled to depart back to Mexico later that month after two years as an au pair in the U.S.
Friendships Form
The four friends met at a cluster event hosted by their Local Coordinator, Jill. “I knew we would be close because they were so open and matched my energy and were up for anything and everything”, says Katrin. The au pairs became close throughout their time spent in New York, visiting local beaches, pools, and parks in the summer time and having movie nights and sleepovers at their host families’ homes in the winter. Talking on a daily basis and meeting every weekend helped them develop strong bonds and with their shared sense of adventure, it was only a matter of time before their local excursions to New York City turned into a much bigger trip to the West Coast.
An Epic Trip
After careful planning, the au pair crew decided to begin their travels in San Francisco, then drive to Seven Magic Mountains and Las Vegas, followed by a stop at Bryce Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, the Grand Canyon, and Antelope Canyon. The plan was to drive to Los Angeles immediately after that, but the au pairs got stuck in a snowstorm in Arizona and had to spend the night there. “I was driving and had zero control over the car anymore so it was the best decision”, Katrin shared. They ended up making it to LA the next day and ended their trip there two days later.
The detour wasn’t all that bad though. The four au pairs cozied up in a small motel room and had a blast taking silly gymnastic videos during their stay. They learned to solve problems together, manage challenging situations, and, of course, experience lots of new things-like food, culture, and driving in different states.
What’s Next for These Au Pairs?
As far as other trips planned, Renata completed her program year in the U.S. after visiting over 20 destinations in two years. She is back home in Mexico and plans to become an au pair in Italy next, exploring Europe during her time there. Katrin plans to take a few more trips before her program ends this June and she returns home to Germany to study at University. She has hopes to come back to the U.S. in a few years again as an au pair or an exchange student. With a love for travel and cultural exchange, it doesn’t appear that any of these four au pairs will be standing still too long before they’re onto their next adventure!
Friendship and travel are such immense benefits one may not think of when they imagine the au pair program. Of course, being a full-time childcare provider and experiencing cultural exchange with your host family are main components of the au pair program, and yet there are so many additional advantages and bonuses that happen outside the home as well. “I never thought I would make as many friends that I have now, also I never thought I would have friends from around the world,” says Paty. “My expectations were exceeded in the best way. Some of my closer friends are from Germany, Brazil, and Colombia. And I know now I have a home in each of these countries and that we will meet again.”
If you’re ready to begin your au pair journey, apply today! Au Pair USA has been welcoming au pairs from all over the world for over 35 years. Creating memorable cultural exchange experiences for au pairs and host families is what we do! Let us help you get started in creating yours!
