Leaving your country of origin to go to work in a place where you don’t know anyone is always a challenge for people who apply for the Au Pair program. This is the case of Abril Pérez, a 22-year-old Argentine woman who decided to fulfill one of her dreams: move to the United States with a stable job and a place to live.
She arrived in the North American country a short time ago, but she has already enjoyed all the benefits that have been within her reach and, her networks, she says she feels very happy. Although, in an interview for LA NACIÓN, she revealed that not everything is “rosy” and that living in this place also has some negative aspects
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April found out about the program and immediately fulfilled the necessary requirements to start her trip abroad. She was determined to leave her native San Rafael, Mendoza (Argentina), to go in search of the American dream, so she did whatever it took to achieve it. Of course, the most difficult thing for her was leaving her family, her friends and especially her younger brother, according to her own testimony.
Nonetheless, she finished her bachelor’s degree as a Physical Education teacher and headed to New Jersey. There he settled down to live with a single mother and immediately settled into the family. Not everything was easy, but he assured that until now he is happy with her decision and that her “host family” is “very good” with her. Now they are a nice family of four.
It’s not all rosy, bad things are going to happen and you have to be prepared
April has been in the United States for three months, and since her arrival, she has been caring for the woman’s twins: a girl and a boy, both 7 years old. Although taking care of minors is always tiring, she considers that she has the facilities to live comfortably.
“My work depends on the time of year. Now that it’s summer, the kids go to a camp almost all day, so I prepare them before they leave and then I take care of them until eight or nine at night. While they are not, I have all the free time for myself, “he told LA NACION.
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She also added that she is grateful that her employer gives her two days off: Saturday and Sunday., since not many Au Pair workers are given them. She uses the weekends to travel to neighboring cities, such as New York, where she has had multiple experiences that have left her with very good friendships.
Regarding the benefits and salary offered by the program, she assured that she is comfortable because until today she has done everything she has proposed, including trips and all the places she has visited during her stay. “I know there are many girls who say they want to travel, save, buy clothes, but the truth is that you can’t and you have to choose between one of those things because it doesn’t work for you. But anyway, I’m not complaining because I knew what I was going to win since I came here,” she asserted.
Not everything is rosy
April revealed that, although everything has gone well for her, she is aware that not everything is perfect and living in the United States is not as most imagine it. Although it is a very comfortable place to reside, she considered that it also has many negative aspects, including security, quality of life and some points of the Au Pair program. “It’s not all rosy, bad things are going to happen and you have to be prepared”, he stressed.
In the words of the young woman, the North American country is a very insecure place, so people live in constant fear. “In Argentina you are afraid to go out and have your cell phone stolen, but here you are afraid to go out and meet a crazy person who shoots you, because that happens much more than what is talked about and it is another type of fear. You feel very insecure in those aspects.”
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Make a lot of video calls with the family to make everything clear before traveling
The family is another aspect that she thinks is essential for a good quality of life. So he recommended to all those who are deeply rooted in their loved ones to choose another country to live. He considered that sometimes family moments are not valued, because in Latin America it is a routine activity and one that is getting used to. However, living in North America, she realized that the inhabitants are not very used to getting together to celebrate a birthday or to eat together on weekends.
“They paint it as the best and I don’t like the lifestyle here at all. People are work machines and when they get home all they want is to rest and they don’t spend time with their family. They hardly do that here. Since I’ve been here they haven’t gotten together for any birthdays, they don’t see their family because they all live very far away. If there is someone who is not very interested in that, it may not affect them as much, but if there are people who are family members, they will not like this country, ”she mentioned.
Regarding the program, she stressed that if she could change something, it would be the residence mechanic. In other words, she would propose that the nannies live in a house that is not part of the family, since as much as people can be kind, one can never feel at home. However, she is aware that this is not a negotiable point about working as an au pais, but “it is worth dreaming”.
Finally, he emphasized that the family you want to work with should be carefully chosen, since leaving with the first impression and the first option would be a mistake. She spoke about the experience of several colleagues and emphasized that there are some who have a hard time with their host families, but cannot return to their country of origin because the program lasts at least one year.
In that senseurged all those who wish to follow in his footsteps to evaluate all aspects in order to choose well the children and parents with whom they will work for a long time. “Have lots of video calls with the family to make everything clear before you travel,” she concluded.
THE NATION (GDA)