¿Cuánto cobra un aupair?

   Una de las preguntas que más interés genera es cuánto se cobra por trabajar como au pair, si realmente sale rentable contando con que la comida y el alojamiento del au pair están cubiertos por las familias de acogida.

   La paga es variable, cada país tiene más o menos establecida una paga media en función de las horas semanales de trabajo. A excepción de Estados Unidos, que tiene una paga semanal fija de 195,75 dólares a la semana establecida por el gobierno independientemente de las horas de trabajo.

Post relacionados:

1. Entrevista personal con la agencia para ser au pair
2. El horario de trabajo siendo aupair
3. El contrato aupair por países de acogida
4. ¿Necesito contrato para ser aupair?
5. Mi Predeparture Project

   Por otro lado, las horas máximas de trabajo también son distintas, aunque suelen oscilar entre las 20 y las 40 horas por semana con un día de descanso. En algunos países como Bélgica o Suecia  el máximo de horas semanales es veinte. En cambio, en otros, como Estados Unidos, la cifra se duplica.  Aquí os dejo una table con el salario medio que se cobra en los principales países de destino au pair. 

*Actualizaciones:

    Dinamarca: El salario se ha actualizado a 3200 DKK para los au pairs que llegaron al país a partir    del mes de enero de 2013.

¿Está vuestro salario como au pair dentro de estas cantidades?

¿Es suficiente dinero para poder pasar el mes con holgura?

Si te ha gustado el post ¡compártelo!

If you liked this post, share it!

    

*Fuentes: 
http://thecitylovesyou.com/
http://www.aupair-world.es/
http://www.aupair-world.es/index.php/au_pair/pocketmoney/

Male au pair in Europe: Jack

(Click here to read the full interview, Spanish version)

Name: Jack

Age: 23 years old

Nacionality: English

Studied: Computer Science

Au pair in... Milan, Italia

Blog: The Curious Case of a Boy with a Blog.

    Jack is an English man who explains that he has found a "golden family" in his first experience as an au pair in Italy. He thinks people have "a lot of preconceptions without any real basis" with respect to men's work as an au pair and encourages families to hire au pairs at home because they can be "pleasantly surprised" with their work.

1. Question.- When did you come up with the idea of working as an au pair?
   
   
   Answer.- My ex-girlfriend wanted to go travelling after graduating from university and doing shop work for a year, and she found it to be a really great experience as she made lots of new friends and had a really great time. She found a family in Milan that wasn't too great, so had to switch a couple of times to find a family that she could stick with, but then started trying to convince me it was what I wanted, or rather had, to do.
   However as I was a year behind her in graduating from university, I still had to experience the monotony of a 'proper' job before I got fed up with it and wanted to do something different.
   Then I went to visit her, saw what a great time she was having and decided I wanted to do it as well!
   
   
2. Q.- Did you read blogs or search on the Internet before that?
   
   
   A.- Not really. I half-heartedly made profiles on a handful of au pairing websites, but knowing how few male au pairs there were, I didn't really expect anything to come of them.

   
   
3. Q.- Did you know some male au pair before you? And now?
   
   
   A.- I knew of one male au pair in Milan, which was where I was looking to be an au pair myself, and trying to be his replacement was the first actual attempt I made at finding a family outside of the website profiles I mentioned earlier. I've been au pairing a little over four months now and his replacement (which wasn't me) is still the only other male au pair I know.
   
   
4. Q.- I guess there are more families searching Au Pair girls. Do you think that the fact you
   are a man was a problem for some parents?
   
   
   A.- Definitely. I think there are a lot of preconceptions that female au pairs somehow are more suited to look after children, be it the 'mothers instinct' or whatever, that somehow men will be too heavy handed or not attentive or caring enough for a mother's babies. I figured I'd have most chance with families that had never had an au pair before, or ones with older children or only boys to look after.
   
   
   I don't think there's any real basis for these ideas, and in fact a family I'm looking at au pairing with after I finish here said that for them, male au pairs have done a better job than the females they've employed. These ideas can also work in favour of a male au pair, in that with some families, having an au pair who is perceived to be able to handle more 'rough and tumble' is an advantage.
   
   
   The boys I au pair for are 9 and 13, full of energy, and liable to be quite aggressive if they are upset, which I think might scare somebody with less strength and maturity. Fortunately they have somewhat adopted me as an older brother, so I can command a little more respect when I'm trying to make them work, or I say enough rough and tumble is enough.
   
   
5. Q.- Did you have previous experience in babysitting?
   
   
   A.- Not a dime, although the boys being the ages they are, it's been a while since anyone has had to change their nappies or feed them, which is what people imagine an au pair to do. It's really more the English speaking and teaching the family wanted me for, as well as an extra pair of hands to entertain them while they pursue their own interests, so it wasn't so important.
   
   
6. Q.- What was your first impression of your new family? How did you get used to the new role of  an au pair?
   
   
   A.- The first, and continuing impression, I have had with this family is one of incredible warmth and kindness. They are very easy-going, generous, and above all have a great sense of humour, which I am enormously appreciative of. This was all so helpful in helping me settle in, and I think I have hit gold with this as my first au pair experience, in that I feel more like a member of the family than an employee. By all acounts I've got lucky with this family - like I said, my ex-girlfriend had two less-than-pleasant families before she found a nice one.
   
   
   It took me a couple of weeks to get used to the routine and be able to automate myself and not have ask questions about what I was meant to be doing and where I was taking the children on any particular day, but I didn't feel afraid to ask, which was great as I was learning the language at the same time.
   
   
7. Q.- What did your typical day look like? Were your duties different to typical Au Pair duties?
   
   
   A.- I have a slightly unusual set-up compared to many au pairs I know in that I don't live in the family home of the children, but in a building owned by their grandparents, who look after them after school and before the parents finish work for the day. The grandparents have one level of the building to themselves, and rent out the other apartments, of which I live in one, rent free.
   

   
   
   
   I am free in the mornings while the children are at school, to have breakfast with my host grandparents in their apartment, or not as my sleep pattern dictates, and then the morning is mine to do with as I wish. I then meet one of the boys after he finishes school at half past one, and we go back to his grandparents' house for lunch. I then help him with English homework, study or, more often than not, wait to help while he watches television for as long as he can get away with.
   
   
   At about 4pm his younger brother finishes school, which is a short drive away so, if I'm not still helping the older one with homework, I go and meet him and bring him to his grandparents.
   
   
   On various days through the week one or other of them have sports or study sessions, occasionally doctors appointments, haircuts, and other things they need driving to, so likewise if I'm not helping one with study, I'll drive them to and from these. If not, they study and then relax by watching TV or playing games..
   
   
   Any time from about 6pm onwards one of their parents will finish work and come and pick them up from their grandparents house or, if their activity passes this sort of time, from wherever they happen to be. I am then free again to do as I wish, although will usually have dinner with my host grandparents before going back to my apartment or out into the town to meet friends.
   
   
   Weekends are always free, but again I will usually eat meals with my host grandparents, and they have even let me take time off during the week to see the major cities.
   
   
8. Q.- It doesn't happen often to see a man looking after children. What was the people's reaction to male Au Pair? 
   
   
   A.- The first response I get when I say I'm an au pair usually is something to this effect. Then I explain that it's not really a typical au pair job and that I'm also interested in teaching English, they realise I haven't completely sacrificed my masculinity and that it's more of a stepping stone to bigger things. I know a lot of other au pairs in the area, and try my best to balance out the gender imbalance!
   
   
9. Q.- What are advantages to choosing a male Au Pair?
   
   
   A.- Like I said earlier, they can be better with older, more energetic children that enjoy a bit of rough and tumble, and this may be getting a bit deep, but I think the older brother of the family I'm with wanted an older sibling himself to look up to and seemed to find that in me. In the same way that people imagine female au pairs to be kind, caring and mothers in the making, you could also turn that around and presume guys to be able to command more authority as a care figure, and be able to handle more physicality, which could be especially useful with children towards this end of the spectrum. Above all, I think it does well to open people's minds to men in a childcare role, and dispells a lot of the myths surrounding their compatability to it.
   
   
10. Q.- How did you benefit from being Au Pair? 
    A.- It has been an immense cultural experience first and foremost, living completely surrounded by a different language and a family of a different nationality. That's what I wanted from it, to pick up a new language and learn about a different way of life, which I absolutely have. I've definitely become more brave and open minded. Trying and make friends in a foreign town isn't the easiest experience, especially when you're new to the language and way of doing things, but I definitely have more self confidence having done it. I was initially very reluctant to leave a relatively routine existence in England, but now I can't see myself returning to it for a while.
    
    
11. Q.- What aspects of being an Au Pair did you find the most difficult?
    
    
    A.- Trying to learn the routine of a new family while having only a basic knowledge of the language sticks out as as one of the times I felt less sure of myself as an au pair. However as I've already said, I lucked out and found an amazing family that really put my mind at ease and made the learning experience enjoyable and relatively stress-free.
    
    
    Another would be making friends in a relatively small town, in a country that is already renowned for its lack of English speakers, when my Italian wasn't exactly great either. Fortunately it seems that reputation is unfounded to an extent, as a few friendly locals gave me a great kickstart and seemed more than willing to introduce me to others as their 'English friend'.
    
    
12. Q.- Could you give us a piece of advice: for boys looking for Au Pair job and for families considering hiring male Au Pair?
    
    
    A.- To au pairs - don't be picky about where you want to go, as although preconceptions may be unfounded, they still exist, so you really have to pounce on any opportunity that you get. It's marginally easier once you're with a family as you're building experience you can refer to later, and in the country you're adopting to, but it's still not a typical male role in many people's eyes. I say this in all seriousness because, as I said, I know of one male au pair in a city as big as Milan, and I was waiting for a few months before I had any success with numerous online profiles. Additionally, direct your enquiries towards families with older children, maybe a teenage boy or two that is into sports, and definitely families that have had experience with male au pairs already, as they have already been enlightened as to how great men can be.
    
    
    To families - if you're unsure about hiring a male au pair, contact families that have and ask them about their experiences with them, because you'll probably be pleasantly surprised.
    
    
    Back to main page
    
    

Si te ha gustado el post ¡compártelo!

If you liked this post, share it!

    

Chico au pair, ¿un problema?

   Una encuesta realizada en 2011 por AuPairClearinghouse muestra que una clara mayoría de las familias de acogida (el 61%) dijo que contrataría a un au pair masculino.

   Las respuestas favorables se dividen entre:

Un 43% dicen que "sí, absolutamente"

Un 18% dicen que dicen que "sí, creo que sí"

Un 29% dicen que "no contrataría a un au pair masculino"

Un 10% dicen estar "indecisos"

   A pesar de que, tradicionalmente, el rol de au pair se ha asociado al sexo femenino, es cada vez más común que los chicos participen de la experiencia de ser au pair en un país extranjero. Algunos países, como Reino Unido, están trabajando para alentar a candidatos masculinos a que se sumen al trabajo como au pair.

   Hay muchos beneficios a la hora de elegir un au pair masculino. Ellos también son de fácil adaptación, flexibles, activos y dispuestos a ayudar en las tareas del hogar si se les requiere. En algunas familias, ellos encajan mejor. Sobre todo, en familias con niños mayores y más activos, ya que los hombres pueden trabajar muy bien y jugar y ayudarles en diferentes deportes, en los que la resistencia física, en general, puede estar más de su parte. 

   Por otro lado, algunas familias con niños muy pequeños, prefieren una au pair femenina, ya que, en general, tienden a tener más mano para cuidar a bebés y están más preparadas para sus demandas. Sin embargo, familias con madres solteras aprecian tener una figura masculina para sus hijos y esta tendencia se está incrementando últimamente.

¿Por qué contratar a un chico au pair?

1. Suelen ser menos propensos a sentir "homesick". Tienden a ser más independientes a la hora de salir, conocer a neuva gente o hacer actividades por su cuenta.
2. Suelen conducir regularmente. Muchos de ellos tienen coche en su país y les gusta mucho el mundo del motor, por ello, puede que tengan menos incertidumbre y miedo a la hora de conducir en otro país. 
3. Pueden realizar trabajos más pesados. Ayudar con trabajos de jardinería, carga de pesos, mantenimiento general,... 
4. Suelen congeniar muy bien con los niños de la familia. Juegos de ordenador, deportes, actividades al aire libre,... Al fin y al cabo, los hombres nunca crecen y a los niños les gusta tener la figura de un "hermano mayor".
5. Suelen realizar las tareas del hogar sin problema. La  mayoría, si no todos, saben realizar tareas del hogar típicas como el planchado, la colada, la comida, sin problema ninguno. Por lo que no debería ser una excusa para no contratar a un au pair chico.
6. Suelen ser más propensos a alargar la estancia. 

   Por último, las motivaciones de los au pair masculinos tienden a ser similares a las de las au pair femeninas: vivir en otro país y experimentar otra cultura diferente a la suya, aprender o perfeccionar un idioma, tomar un descanso entre los estudios o un cambio de carrera,... En suma, conocer otra cultura de primera mano.

   ¡Ojo! Con todo lo anterior, por supuesto, no quiero decir que las mujeres no podamos hacer todo lo mencionado. Simplemente, es un intento de sacar el lado positivo de contratar a un au pair masculino, que desde luego, también existe. Todo dependerá de cada familia.

   Próximamente, inauguraré una nueva sección del blog con entrevistas a diferentes personas relacionadas con el mundo au pair. Allí podrás leer, si te apetece, varias entrevistas a chicos que son o han sido au pair en alguna parte del mundo. ¡Solicita más información aquí!

¿Te atreves a dar el paso y ser au pair en el extranjero?

¿Qué más beneficios creéis que puede aportar un au pair masculino?

Si te ha gustado el post ¡compártelo!

If you liked this post, share it!

    

*Fuentes:

http://www.bestaupairguide.com/
http://aupairclearinghouse.com/

Mi próximo destino en USA

Hoy quería colgar algunas fotos de mi futuro destino en Estados Unidos.


  ¡Espero que os gusten!

Arlington, VA

Capitolio, Washington DC

Casa Blanca, Washington DC

Georgetown University, Washington DC

El Pentágono, Arlington, VA

¿Habéis estado alguna vez por aquí y podéis darme algún consejo?

Si te ha gustado el post ¡compártelo!

If you liked this post, share it!

    

*Fuentes:

http://suite101.com/

http://openwalls.com/

http://wikipedia.com/

40 preguntas a la actual au pair

   ¡No será por preguntas! En post anteriores colgué algunos consejos para las entrevistas, 50 preguntas que hacer a las familias, 30 preguntas para los niños o Posibles preguntas que puede hacerte la familia a ti. Al parecer han servido de ayuda :) ¡Así que me atrevo con uno más!


   Normalmente, las familias nos dan el contacto con su au pair actual para que podamos hablar con ella tranquilamente y preguntarle cualquier duda acerca de su estancia en la casa, de las normas, el comportamiento de los niños, etc. Por eso, creo que también puede ser útil una recopilación de preguntas sobre qué se le puede preguntar a la actual au pair. Yo ya tuve mi charla, pero me gustaría que aportáseis más sugerencias que añadir a la lista ¡para futuras generaciones!

Post relacionados:

1. Consejos para entrevistas con familias aupair
2. Posibles preguntas que te harán las familias
3. 50 preguntas que hacer a las familias en las entrevistas
4. 30 preguntas que hacer a los niños

Family

1. Are you comfortable with the family?
2. Do they treat you as a member of their family?
3. Do they usually meet friends at home?
4. Do you have a good communication with the family?
5. Could you describe me the best and the worst things of living with the family?
6. Did they help you to open your bank account or to get the Social Security number?

Children

1. What do you usually do with the kids?
2. Is it a hard work?
3. What is the children's favorite food?
4. Do they eat well? 
5. What activities do they like to do with you?
6. Are they obedient?
7. Can they have a shower by themselves or they need help to do it?
8. What kind of gift should I buy for the children? And for the parents?
9. If you had a problem with the children, how would you handle it?

Responsabilities and vacation

1. Which are your main duties?
2. Do you have to walk the family pet?
3. How was your Christmas time? 
4. Did you spend it with the family?
5. Was there any problem to have your vacation time?
6. Could you divide the 10 days vacation?
7. Can you travel within the US?

Place of residence

1. Are there other au pairs near you?
2. What is the weather like?
3. Where did you find the English course for credits?

Free time

1. How many free weekends do you have per moth?
2. What kind of activities can you do in the area?
3. Are there any malls, libraries or parks nearby?

House and the car

1. How is your bedroom?
2. Where is the bedroom?
3. Do you have your own bathroom?
4. How is driving the family car?
5. Have you ever driven an automatic car before? 
6. How long did it take you to learn?
7. Do the family let you the car in your free time?
8. Can you tell me what were the most challenging things in the house for you?
9. Do they have housekeeper?
10. What do they usually eat?

Luggage

1. Did you miss something you didn't pack?
2. What do you recommend me to bring in my luggage?

   Como ya os conté, prácticamente no pregunté demasiadas cosas porque me las habían respondido ya sin necesidad de formularlas, sin embargo, ahí tenía mi lista de preguntas a mano. Entre el correo detallado y la charla con la actual au pair resolví todo. Por otro lado, es evidente que no hay que hacer todas las preguntas seguidas pero, sigo insistiendo, en que aunque cuando vayamos allí la cosa puede salirnos rana, es mejor preguntar todo lo posible antes para hacernos una idea más detallada de cómo puede ser nuestra experiencia. ¡Mucho ánimo y suerte en el proceso de entrevistas!

¿Qué preguntas hicisteis a la actual au pair de vuestra familia?

Si te ha gustado el post ¡compártelo!
If you liked this post, share it!

    

*Fuentes: 
http://joshsjungle.com/