Hello,
before starting my university course last summer, I decided to take a break and spend some time in Spain as an Au Pair to improve my Spanish. At the beginning I didn´t really know how to organize my trip, if it was better to do it through a German or a Spanish agency. I only know that I wanted to be in the south of Spain, as I was really fascinated by the flamenco and the colours and light of Andalusia. Through a German Association I got in touch with "Au Pair Conecta" and met Belén and Carolin.
From the very start, when I contacted them through skype, I decided to organize my stay with their agency. During my whole time in Seville I felt so well looked after and hada lively contact to them, personally as well as over the phone. This gave me a lot of security and tranquility, because at the beginning it´s not that easy to get on a plane and go abroad to a new life and family without knowing the language that well.
Once the time of my departure arrived, everything was super organized: I was going to live right in the heart of the centre of Seville with my host family who consisted of a Spanish mother, a German father and sweet little Ariane of 13 months of age. During the conversations I had with my host family and the agency before arriving in Seville, we had already talked through and fixed lots of details. This way I had the feeling as if I already knew Seville, the family and the girls from the agency when I git to Spain.
Once I arrived I settled in faster than I thought. The agency as well as the family made me get to know the city during the first couple of weeks, helped me to get used to the daily life and customs of the family and especially the little girl I had to look after. Due to all this new input and information as well as the new language, the first couple of days were very intense. I have to admit that my Spanish skills were worse than I had thought. During my first week I visited the agency, first with my host mother, then on my own. There I received advice about first aid, flamenco classes, important contact details, medical care and general things you can do in Seville and surroundings. They gave me a welcome-dossier with lots of informtive content for me as well as for my host family. Furthermore they made an appointment at the language school for an inicial test to check my Spanish level and then start my course.
After a few days I started with my routine. My main duty was to look after Ariane. Apart of that I did the daily shopping at the market and two days a week I prepared lunch. In my spare time I took part in flamenco classes and assisted also a course of capoeira. Every morning I attended Spanish school, which was of great help to meet other young foreigners and Au Pairs who lived in my area. This way I easily integrated into the daily life of my host family and the rythm of Seville, a city full of life, colour and traditions.
I also took adventage of my stay to travel through Andalusia with my host family and occasionally with friends. I saw Córdoba, Granada, some of the villages around Seville and of course the beaches on the coastline..., something so beautiful and so close to Seville (only an hour away)!
To tell you the truth, my stay as an Au Pair has been totally rewarding and so enjoyable! I came back as a new person, with lots of new ideas. And of course my experience with little Ariane was something absolutely wonderful. I had so much fun with her, that now, as I´m studying medicine, I am focussing a lot on pediatrics. Last but not least I want to mention that I keep in touch with my host family a lot! They even came to see me in Munich last winter and if all goes well, I will be doing some work-experience in a hospital in Seville next summer! Best wishes from Germany, with lots of love to Belén and Carolin. Thanks for everything!