Questions & Answers for Au Pairs
Moving away from home for a whole year can seem difficult to plan at first
and you may have many questions running through your mind. What do I bring
and what do I need? How do I do this or how do I arrange for that? Here are
the most common questions and answers that you may have before you leave home.
We hope that you will find our answers useful!
What do I need to organize before I leave?
Passport
Airplane ticket
Sort out your personal and financial situation
International driver´s license
Health check-up
Luggage allowance
Medication
Passport size photos
Personal items
Electronic Items
Linens
Yes, bring money!
How much money to bring?
Will someone pick me up at the airport?
What should I wear while I am working?
When will my vacation days be?
How can I be reached in abroad?
When do I get my salary?
What do I need to organize before I leave?
• A valid passport.
A passport that will remain valid for 6 months after your stay abroad. If you do not already have a valid passport, allow yourself a few weeks to sort out your travel documents well in advance of travel dates.
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• Airplane Ticket.
- Direct flights and weekend flights are usually more expensive. Try looking for a weekday flight with no more than one stop over.
- Tickets are usually more expensive at the end of July and at the end of December. You may want to avoid these weeks. .
- See if the airline has youth and/or student tariffs. For most airlines you are considered a youth if you are under the age of 25. Some require an ISIC card/International Youth Card, and some do not.
- We recommend asking for a one year open end return ticket. It will allow you to return home on that ticket within the year and they usually come with one date change for free.
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• Sort out your personal and financial situation before your departure!
Do you have documents (driver’s license, health insurance, etc.) which need to be renewed for the year that you will be gone? Renew them before you leave in order to avoid any hassles upon your return.
Do you need to reimburse loans/debts during your stay abroad? You may want to consider opening a joint bank account or give power of attorney on your current account with/to someone you trust (i.e. one of your parents). Are you responsible for the lease of an apartment or car? If yes, make sure that you sort out options and make the right decisions before your departure.
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• International driver´s license.
Some families will ask you to drive abroad. In this case, you will need to get an International Driver’s Permit. It is a special license that allows motorists to drive vehicles in international traffic without further tests or applications.
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• Health check-up.
Your host family will organize a health insurance with accident coverage for the duration of your stay. However, we recommend having a health check-up before your departure to make sure that you will have a good/healthy start abroad!
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What do I need to pack?
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Luggage allowance. Check with your travel agent or the airline (phone, Web site) to know how many pieces of luggage/ total weight will be allowed. You don’t want to end up paying exorbitant amounts for things you really don’t need. Also, please note that if you come from a warm country, you may need good shoes and warm clothes for winter.
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Medication. All countries have pharmacies, but they also have different brands. So if you are very particular about the brand of medicine you use (ex: Tylenol, Aspirin), it would be best to pack an extra bottle for the year. If you take any prescriptions medicine, it is a good idea to see your doctor before you leave and ask to get them filled for the year or ask for the equivalent where you will be living.
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Passport size photos.We recommend bringing 4 passport size photos with you. They come in handy when it comes time to obtain your foreigners card and if you want to get a special pass for the train etc.
- Personal items. You may want to pack something to remind you of home. A small photo album with pictures of family and friends is always nice to have. A journal to keep track of funny anecdotes or your experiences abroad may be a good souvenir when you go back home. You should also pack a month’s supply of your favourite cosmetics or other personal products. Of note, brands in Europe and America are different but you find everything you need!.
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Electronics. Voltage is different in Asia, Europe and America… and plugs are different. We do not recommend bringing electronic appliances but a laptop or cellular phone may work abroad and be handy to have. Check before leaving.
- Linens. Don’t bring any! Your room will have all bed sheets and towels that you need.
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Should I bring money with me?
- Yes! There will be a few things you’ll want/need to get before you get paid at the end of your first month of work.
- How much money to bring? It is entirely up to you. If you don’t plan to have many expenses for the first 3 to 4 weeks following your arrival, the equivalent of 50 to 100 ($ /Swiss francs/Euros) will be enough.
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Will someone pick me up at the airport?
You should discuss this with the family before your departure. Some families arrange to pick you up right at the airport while others make other arrangements.
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What should I wear while I am working?
You can wear what you want as long as your clothes are presentable / comfortable and practical! Remember that you will be working with children all day and doing some light housework at the same time. Comfortable clothes are obvious, but also clothes that you don’t mind if they get a bit dirty. You may be doing arts and crafts or playing out in the backyard more than you are used to! When working with young children, “sexy” outfits are not appropriate.
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When will my vacation days be?
This is another point to discuss with the family. You are entitled to 4 weeks of paid vacation for one completed year of work in Switzerland. In America, it is two weeks of paid vacation. Most families will ask you to align your vacation plans to theirs. In general, you should also get public holidays.
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How can I be reached abroad?
- Telephone. It is expensive to call home on fixed lines. In today’s world, most people use programs like msn or skype to keep in touch.
- Mail. When someone writes to you, it is best to write the name of the family under yours to make sure that it will reach you without delays.
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When do I get my salary?
Normally, families pay your salary at the end of each month.
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