My name is Laura. I’m 19 years old and from Germany. After graduation, most of my friends started studying right away, but I wanted to explore the world, to have a great adventure and to be able to tell an awesome story. Since the first time I heard someone mention that they were an Au Pair, it turned into my dream to become one. I like to spend time with children, and being able to live in another country while spending time with my host child and traveling appealed a lot to me. When my family and I visited Canada for the first time, I was very impressed by this country and its amazing nature. Canada is a huge country, the second largest in the world, and I only saw a tiny part of it in Ontario, but it was already enough to impress me. I was sure I wanted to be an Au Pair in Canada. Being an Au Pair is a great opportunity to explore a different country, to get to know its culture and lifestyle, to meet new people, to spend time with children, to travel and to improve the language.
I will skip the part with applying as an Au Pair, waiting for the work permit and finding a host family because it wasn’t very exciting except the part with the host family. Waiting and hoping every day for getting my work permit and finding a host family was really fraught but worth it.
After two goodbye parties with my family and friends and saying goodbye to my parents and my sister at the airport, my adventure began in February 2015. I flew to Vancouver on my own and had my Orientation Day there. On the same day, my host family, consisting of my host parents and my eight year old host child, would pick me up, and we would take the ferry to Victoria on Vancouver Island, my new home. I was very nervous and excited, but it was gone soon when I met my host family. I felt so welcome and familiar right away, and all my worries were gone.
Now, after living already 11 months in Victoria, I know being an Au Pair in Canada is one of the best decisions I have ever made, and I haven’t regretted it once. I made so many new and incredible experiences and found a second home and a second family. My first impression about my host family being a lovely, kind and funny one has never change. Every day we have lots of fun, a lot to laugh about, and I’m part of this awesome family. For my host child and I, it took a little while to get to know each other, but now, we have a close relationship, and I will miss him when I leave. We have lots of fun together, and I enjoy spending time with him. Most times, I take care for him before and after school. Before school, I make sure that he is ready in time and drop him of at school, only a short walk from home. After school, I pick him up again, and we do some fun stuff, like going for a bike ride or to a playground. Despite of taking care of my host child, I had many opportunities to travel. For a few days, I went to Seattle, US, a ferry ride away from Victoria, and often to Vancouver, a ferry ride away as well. I also explored British Columbia, a province in Canada, and found amazing spots. For almost one month, my host family went to Europe, and I decided to stay in Canada, instead of visiting my own family in Germany. I came to Canada to explore this country and not to go back to Germany during my vacation. I travelled almost the entire month and went to the Canadian Rockies with an organization. The Rockies are amazing, and I enjoyed exploring them in a group of young adults. As well during this month, I explored whole Vancouver Island with another Au Pair. We went to Tofino and did a three days hike close to Port Hardy. During this hike, we carried all our stuff which we needed for three days and slept in the woods and at the beach. I never imagined I would do such a long hike without any connection to the world. However, I was impressed by it and the nature and wouldn’t hesitate to do it again because it is an incredible adventure. We had luck to meet only a wolf during this hike and to see a bear during the drive. During my host child’s summer breaks, my host family and I went camping and flew to Hawaii for one week. Even though Hawaii is really beautiful, I’m still more impressed by Canada. I celebrated all the holidays, like Christmas or New Year, with my host family, and I enjoyed it. For me, it was weird to unwrap the presents at the morning of Christmas Day (25.12) and to have no fireworks on New Year’s Eve, but I had a great time and made new experiences.
My time went by so fast, and I can’t believe that I’m leaving Canada in less than one month. I made so many great experiences I never imagined and I will miss everyone I met. I really enjoy my stay in Canada, and I can’t say I like it here; rather, I love it here. Victoria is a wonderful city with a lot to offer and to explore. Everything is close by: Downtown Victoria, woods, ocean, lakes, hills, nature, the mainland of British Columbia and the US. I have the nature right in front of my doorstep with a lake close by, woods and deer, squirrels and racoons in the backyard. Canada is awesome, and I’m really feeling home here. I love the nature, the city of Victoria and the mentality of the Canadians. When you leave the bus, you shout 
“Thank you!” to the bus driver through the whole bus. Everyone greets you and talks to you. I improved my English a lot. First, it was challenging for me to speak English the whole day, but now, it’s no problem whatsoever. I was shy to speak English at the beginning because I made a lot of mistakes, and still now my English isn’t perfect. However, I learned to just speak English and not to care about my mistakes. The Canadians are impressed by my English skills and by the fact to be able to speak more than one language.
During my last 11 months, I made my own Canadian life and got to know so many new people. For me, it won’t be easy to say goodbye to my host family, to all the people I met during my stay, to my Canadian home and to Canada in less than one month. However, it doesn’t have to be a goodbye forever, and it won’t.
I really recommend everybody to take the opportunity and to go overseas. I left my family, friends, my German home and Germany 11 months ago and didn’t know what to expect in Canada, but I will return to Germany with a suitcase full of adventures, stories and experiences. Being an Au Pair in Canada is an incredible adventure and a great lifetime experience. I got to know a different country, culture and people and learned a lot about myself while finding a second family and home.
