Lara reports: My au pair stay - Why, what for, what's next?
In our blog series "My au pair stay: Why, what for, what's next?", our au pair alumni get the chance to tell their personal stories. Today, Lara from Germany describes how her au pair stay determined her professional choice.
Why did you decide to become an au pair?
After my A-Levels it was quite clear to me that I did not wish to study, but rather follow a professional training. I always had that kind of result-oriented hands-on mentality. I was, however, not quite sure yet what kind of formation to go for. Thus, I decided to take a time out to become an au pair and analyse my personal situation from a certain distance.
When did you go abroad to become an au pair and where did you travel to?
I was an au pair in New Zealand from 2013 to 2014. My host family lived at Mairangi Beach near Auckland. It has always been my wish to travel to New Zealand and see the end of the world.
In retrospect: How do you believe your au pair stay has enhanced your personal development?
My au pair stay in New Zealand allowed for the necessary time and personal space to think about my professional plans. After my au pair stay had ended, I knew for sure that my future profession had to have some sort of relation to travelling. Furthermore, it was important to me to closely work with people.
Thus, I decided to follow a training in tourism management where I knew I was able to make good use of my improved language knowledge and newly gained self-confidence. Furthermore, my au pair stay in New Zealand helped me open up to unknown persons much more easily than before, which is a must for all working in tourism. My time out was definitely the best decision I could take.
