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Au Pair from 1990!
As lots of you are in the middle of your year
as an au pair, have you ever wondered just how many lifelong friends and memories you'll return home with? Au Pair in
America is a truly liberating, life changing experience, and here to tell you more is Ann Peterson from Sweden. She
joined the program way back in 1990, when she was only 22 years old!
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I just want to say hi from an old old ex Aupair in America ... 1990 to be precise. My name is Ann Pettersson and I live in Sweden.
When I left as an au pair in America 15 years ago, I was on the train to Stockholm airport with one other
au pair. She became my companion and put my mind at ease that this was going to be a great year!
After Orientation in New York City, she headed off to her family in another part of America. We kept in touch and
visited eachother during the year.. I was 22 years old then, and am 37 now!
I had so much fun all of those years ago and after returning to Sweden, was eager to come back to visit. So I decided
to take a trip to the US in 2000. A small group of young Polish girls were my seat companions and, would you believe
it, they were going for the adventure of their life, as aupairs in America! I thought to myself "they are me 15
years ago!". They asked me all sorts of things and were caught up with a mixture of emotions - some were really scared but
also really excited. I gave them a few tips and said you'll do fine, just make the most out of it.
I made many good friends during my au pair time. One from Italy, who I went to see many years after and have
stayed in close contact with since. I also met a girl who was staying in America at the time. I met up with her
in 2000, was at her wedding in Germany in 2001 and in 2002 I met up with her in London. We've pretty much spent
our lives together since 1990, although we've lived far apart for a long time - it's a pretty cool thing to
tell everyone back in Sweden!
I want to say hi everyone out there on their adventures. Take it from me, it
is an experience I wouldn't want to be without - it has lasted for 15 years now, and it has even been beneficial
for a lot of work related things. Just a few weeks ago, I actually met up with a confused young American guy by the train
station in Gothenburg, helped him to the hotel and gave him a short and quick sightseeing before I left him by himself. I
remember his excitment and confusion well! I've helped many others on the way of course, but he was the latest
lost soul I gave a little help on his way!
Take
Care!
Ann Peterson
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