AU-PAIR очень популярная международная культурно- языковая программа молодежного обмена. В ней участвует много стран. Есть международная ассоциация, которая каждый год выбирает лучшую семью в номинации: the Host Family in Excellence Award. В этом году принимающая семья нашей AU-PAIR номинирована на это высокое звание. Мы очень рады этому, но самое главное рады тому, что семья так много дает своей AU-PAIR.  Ниже рассказ Тани о своей семье. Думаю, что из этого рассказа понятно, почему именно эта семья претендует на высокое звание the Host Family in Excellence Award.

10 reasons why my host family is the best in the world!

Last year in the end of November a 22 year-old Ukrainian girl was getting on the plane, full of dreams and expectations for first full year in the USA as an au-pair in a family. She was very excited to this completely new experience in her life yet pretty worried in the bottom of her heart of what attitude she’ll get from her host family, what challenges she’ll face and what her life in a foreign country will be like. As you have already understood ( I hope), this girl is me:) And after staying in my wonderful host family In Bucks County, PA for almost 8 month I can assure you – this has been the best time in my life, and now I’d like to present you 10 reasons, why I am super thankful to my host family and why I believe, it truly deserves to be the host family of the year! So, here we go…

1) Driving

When I arrived to the US, I could drive and even had Ukrainian&international driving license, plus I’ve had 2 professional instructors, my dad and granddad teaching me, but in fact I made some silly and horrific mistakes just because I didn’t realize some things and was not too experiences (for example, I didn’t use to drive in the highway).However, my host mom was incredibly patient with me and taught me a lot of rules and showed the example of flawless driving. I have improved with her support so much! Now I enjoy driving and I’m very confident and safe! Great job, my host mom!

2) Food

I am a vegetarian and never kept it a secret, so my host family knew I might need some special attention in this issue. But I never expected my host mom to care about my health so much. For instance, every time she went to the Whole Foods store, she got something special for me – like tofu cheese or protein shakes. She got vitamins for both my host kid and me. Plus she spent her free time explaining to me how important it is for my body to have proteins, fats and carbohydrates.I really appreciate it.

3) Cooking

I can write a whole story about it! My host family needed me to cook the meals for the child, including cooking fish&meat. Although I had an idea how to do it, first my fish&meat was either overcooked or undercooked. Guess who taught me to cook with love and make the food not only eatable but tempting? Right, my host mom. Step by step, she patiently taught me how to bake fish, fry chicken, cook mac&cheese, lasagna, pizza, Greek salad, Caesar, McCaffrey’s sandwich, sushi rice, buckwheat, delicious baked potatoes, and much more. Every week we try a new recipe together and I love it!

4) Taking me out

I do like my country and my family and I thought I will miss home, but to tell the truth, I haven’t even felt really homesick yet, because my host family always invites me whenever they go – movies, restaurants, sightseeing, visiting relatives or friends, theater, shows, parties, fireworks, the shore – just everywhere! I am enjoying an active social life thanked to them. My host mom kindly offers me the tickets to different museums and exhibitions, so that my friends and me can go and explore American culture+have fun. Needless to say, how thankful I am for it!

5) Dating advice

My mom is far away but I so often need a good piece of advice from an experienced person who I can trust, and I’m so happy that my host mom is always there for me to talk about my problems, to discuss situations with my boyfriend or just to cheer me up. It’s priceless! My host mom is very smart and has an analytical type of thinking, so she shows me my issues from a different prospective, which is really helpful! She is like my mom, protecting me from the people I should not hang out with and answering all my “whys”. God bless her with patience!

6) Improving my English

My host kid and me made an agreement that she will correct all of my pronunciation or grammar mistakes. Before I came here, I thought my English was fluent, but now I realize how much I still have to improve and I believe it’s amazing, because I love challenges and working on my skills. I understand how hard it is to correct somebody and I do appreciate the great job Lisa does! I often repeat as a joke, that she should get paid for the English lessons:)

7) Fashion tips

Both my host mom&host kid have an awesome taste in clothes, they know how to combine colors in order to look elegant and fashionable. I use very opportunity to consult ‘if this shirt matches with these jeans’ or ‘these shoes go with this dress’, if my hair looks good and if I’m not too fat :)I hope I don’t get too annoying asking:) Hmm, I do think they should get paid for the extra job they do for me:)

8) Free Newtown Athletic Club admission

My host mom was so kind to me that she signed me up to their family NAC membership, so now I can work out or go swimming in one of the best sports centers in the town free! Besides, they have amazing outdoor slides as well as a lazy river which we enjoy once a week I don’t know if any other host family is so generous to their au-pair, I believe I’m just super lucky. Moreover, my host mom joined me to their family phone contract so that I spend less. It’s a big deal for me.

9) Life lessons

My host child likes debating ( I’m sure she’ll be the leader of the debate club in high school:), she’s very opinionated and showed me a great example of speaking up for yourself, what you believe in. All my life I used to be a peacemaker and would agree with my opponent only to stop the discussion, but now I understand how cool standing up for your ideas/values is. Now my favorite quote is :”Plato is my friend, Aristotle is my friend, but my greatest friend is the truth’. Besides, every day I see how hard Lisa works to achieve her goals ( she plays the piano regularly though it’s not easy), hope one day she’ll invite me to her concert:) and I realize I need to improve myself too. If the child can do it, what excuse can I find for myself? Moreover, after living in my host family, I understood what my dream job is and that I must pursue my dreams however unrealistic it seems to be! Thank you, Lizzie, you’re incredible!

10) Being organized and disciplined + planning

My host mom is very successful. You’ll ask why? One of the reasons, I think, is her being really organized. And I believe I learned to be like her. Now I know a golden rule – it’s better to be 5 minutes prior than late. I don’t want to brag about it, but since I follow my host family’s example, I became very organized and try to plan the weekend beforehand. It makes my life less stressful and I love it! Everyone in my surrounding has noticed it.

To tell you the truth, there are many more reasons to praise my host family, but I’m limited to the size of this article. Anyway, I just thank the Lord for blessing me with such an awesome host family! I believe I am very lucky to share my life with them and every night I pray to God to bless them in every possible way. I am very thankful for lots of things they do for me and make my life happy. They are not just employers for me, they are people, dear to my heart. I hope always to keep in touch in them and to see my host kid becoming a kind, honest, successful adult in the future. I am sure my host family is the best in the world and deserves recognition, because they’re awesome! I love you guys! 

                                                                                                            –  Tanya, Au Pair from Ukraine

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