Hello, fellow adventurers of life! Today, I would like to delve into a peculiar journey I experienced during my stay as an au pair in Germany. Fasten your seatbelts, because it’s a rollercoaster!
First of all, let’s talk about family dynamics. Picture this: a seemingly typical German household, right? Well, no. From day one, I sensed an undercurrent of tension among the members of my host family. Disagreements were common, and sometimes even my host mother would console herself by shedding a tear or two with me. It was a difficult start, and I had only been in Germany for two months.
Now, imagine my surprise when, upon arrival, I discovered that my host family was not just the nuclear quartet I had envisaged. No, add the grandparents, and we became a boisterous family of six. That bombshell dropped on me faster than you can say “Guten Tag”.
We quickly moved on to a “holiday” with my host mother and child. Spoiler alert: it was anything but a holiday. Instead of lounging by the pool or exploring quaint towns, I found myself in a perpetual state of work, catering to the whims of a rather unhappy child. And if that wasn’t enough, the final straw? Sharing a room with both of them, with an open-window policy that left me with a bad cold.
Now let’s talk about quid, or rather euros. Despite the fact that I worked my ass off for 40-45 hours a week, I was only paid for a measly 30 hours. Add to that the chaotic behavior of the little one, and you have a recipe for an overworked and overburdened au pair. But hey, I soldiered on, believing in the goodness of my work ethic.
Then came “The Incident”. Imagine me, tired and angry after a tiring train journey (and let’s not forget I also had a cold), I had decided not to work that day firstly because I was sick and secondly because my mother had previously told me it was a day off for me.
After two days of glacial sitting, I decided to ask my host mom if everything was okay. Instead, I ended up getting accusations from my host mom about my apparent ingratitude for the trip and the food she had offered us. Words were exchanged, tempers flared, and I was suddenly labeled self-centered and selfish, terms I didn’t quite understand. She also made a little comment about how angry she was that I didn’t argue with her, and that it irritated her that I couldn’t “read her properly”. I’m still pondering what that means; for God’s sake, I’ve only been in that house for two months!
In hindsight, maybe I should’ve muttered a simple “Danke” amidst the chaos. Hindsight’s a funny thing, isn’t it?
So, what’s the moral of this whirlwind tale? Well, sometimes, cultural differences can be a real eye-opener. But hey, despite the bumps along the road, I’m grateful for the lessons learned and the experiences gained. After all, isn’t that what this wild ride called life is all about?
Until next time, keep adventuring, my friends! Tschüss!