Everybody calm down, I know you’ve been miserable for the past two weeks since I missed a week, truth is I didn’t have too much to say, my week was the same as the week previous, beach, shopping, nights out etc. So this week, although i’ve done those things also, I thought since i’ve been here on the Gold Coast for over a month now i’d talk about the differences in both au pairing, and the two states i’ve lived in.
Now obviously I didn’t take this photo, but this is the beach that’s a mile or so from where I live. It has become my favourite place in Australia so far. Unlike the beach in Surfers, Sydney and Coogee it is quiet, not too quiet like Batemans Bay or Eden, but the perfect amount of people. It’s only 20 minutes away from Surfers, you can in fact see Surfers from this beach, but it just feels so different. Burleigh is like a small town, much like Bolsover (just writing that felt weird, like I haven’t said the word in so long, seeing it now it’s like it’s alien to me. weird) so the beach feels that way too, it’s just great and I love nothing more than laying there listening to music and watching the surfers.
I knew before coming to the Gold Coast that I would enjoy it more than Canberra, because of the beach and the weather but also the fact that I already had friends here, which was a huge help. I had already been away for long enough to be comfortable on my own, i’d already been in a host family so I knew what I wanted, and what I didn’t want. I think for everyone who chooses to au pair, the more families you stay with, the better the experience, your first family is the one where you have all the awkward chats and discover what you are and aren’t comfortable with.
I had a checklist of things that I asked my current host mum before moving here, the main things were; I have more time off than before (I was working 7am-5/6pm monday-friday before, now I work 6am-9am and then 3pm-6pm monday-friday). I asked if the kids go to bed at a reasonable time, which I know sounds like it’s none of my business but the kids would go to bed anytime up until 10pm in Canberra, and although I wasn’t ‘at work’ until that time, I felt like I never got a break, because the kids were always around, from the minute I woke up until the minute I slept. It’s also very hard waking up a 5 year old for school when she hasn’t had enough sleep. Here the kids are asleep anytime between 5.3-6.30, which is absolutely fabulous! The final thing I asked was if they had family/friends nearby who help with the kids. The reason I asked this is because in Canberra I was the only person to ever watch the children throughout the week, besides the nan who would come up for the weekend every few months. This wasn’t a problem until I wanted time off, I had to find somebody to watch the kids when I went to Bali and it almost fell through, so having other people that can help is a big must!
In terms of making friends here, I follow the same steps I always seem to, I find one friend, latch on to them and then build other friendships on top of that one. Kind of like they’re the supporting wall and the rest are the other walls, if that makes sense. I did it with Sandra, and i’ve now adopted Alisa as my number one, I just feel safer when I have back up!
I saw this quote and thought how true it was. Besides Vérane i’ve only ever had english friends, funnily enough I didn’t actually want to meet Vee when I knew she was french, just because I talk SO quickly, foreign people always have trouble understanding me and I find it frustrating. Now, all of my friends are foreign. I know what you’re thinking, Sandra was Swedish, yes, but like Vee, they speak perfect English, almost better than me, I forget they aren’t english. I spend most of my time with French and German people, i’m yet to meet another English person, which is weird for me. I have to speak slower, I have to explain things and translate sometimes but it’s a huge learning curve. One that i’m enjoying.
It’s a lot easier to make friends here as there is a lot more to do, even if it’s just hanging out at the beach, it’s so much easier to do that with people you don’t know to well than it is to walk around a shopping centre (all I did in Canberra). This weekend for example we went to the night markets and had waffles and cocktails, went for pancakes (not in the same day, we’re not animals), went out in Broadbeach and went to a rugby game where we had no idea what was going off but enjoyed starting at the players and deciding which ones we wanted to marry, because we are 13, yes. Photographic evidence below…
I’ve babbled for too long but lastly, one of the biggest differences here is how involved I feel, for example Bella competed in her cross country this week, she came third out of 92 kids, her mum and I were cheering so loudly you would think we were both her parents, like I got fully involved I was getting emotional with how proud I was. Weird! Also, Ivy and Bella both cheerlead for the Titans, who we went to watch play, again, super proud weird au pair who is almost crying because they are so cute. I just feel like I they want me to be here, instead of just need me to be here to watch their kids. I think this is what all au pairs should feel like.
Even though my host mum is constantly rolling her eyes and teaching me the most basic human skills… folding washing, hanging washing, making beds, hoovering etc (just to point out, I can do all of these things, however she is a neat/control freak who has to fold her towels a certain way) I still feel at home here. Which is so important when you’re alone thousands of miles away from home.
Okay i’m done, go back to your may day (what even if may day) and know you’ve done your good deed for the day by reading this!
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Pereseameliax 