I have been working as a live out au pair for the last 5 months, looking after wonderful twin girls. I admit at first we struggled to understand each other; their previous au pair before me was from the USA so they had to get used to my British accent, and I to their Porteño, but now I couldn’t be happier! Whenever I walk through the door I’m greeted by shouts of “Can we play Harry Potter?”, they are possibly Argentina’s biggest HP fans. Luckily, it’s passion I share with them, so we fill hours with magical adventures.  I’ve found it’s great to slip in some language building activities too, under the guise of a magical challenge, or a lesson in Hogwarts.
The family as a whole is so welcoming, inviting me for meals and taking me along on days out. Not only does it mean a lot to me when I’m so far away from my own family, but it also means I’ve seen and experienced so much more of the city. It’s been an amazing learning experience for both them and me. The twins are always teaching me new words in Spanish and sharing with me the things they like best about being a kid in Argentina, and for my part, I’m just so proud hearing the kids become more and more fluent in English!

I arrived in Argentina a few months ago and got to Buenos Aires last month. I was a bit overwhelmed when I arrived, I am from a small village in the UK and to come to hustling bustling city and not know anyone was the biggest challenge I have faced so far.

I decided to become an au pair as I love children and wanted to improve my Spanish. I am so glad I made that decision. Through au pair in Argentina I have been placed with a wonderful family who have made me feel extremely welcome and have helped introduce me to the real “Argentine” life. Within my first few days we had had an asado (Argentine BBQ), I had been taken to watch a milonga and was introduced to the disgusting mate (apparently I will acquire a taste for it!).

I also love working with the children. I adore arts and crafts and so this job really allows my creative side to come out. I feed off the children’s enthusiasm and every day we spend hours covered in glue, glitter, paint and smiles, I love it! Tomorrow we are going to make cupcakes and I can’t wait.

I have also met lots of other au pairs through Au Pair in Argentina. We went on a bike tour last week around the city which was really good fun, I didn’t realise there were so many bike lanes, and nice parks to visit!

Despite feeling a little overwhelmed when I first arrived, Buenos Aires is definitely starting to feel like home now. I love how friendly everyone is, I love the energy and vibrance of the people and the city and the meat is out of this world!

TIlly Morrison

I arrived in Argentina a few months ago and got to Buenos Aires last month. I was a bit overwhelmed when I arrived, I am from a small village in the UK and to come to hustling bustling city and not know anyone was the biggest challenge I have faced so far.

I decided to become an au pair as I love children and wanted to improve my Spanish. I am so glad I made that decision. Through au pair in Argentina I have been placed with a wonderful family who have made me feel extremely welcome and have helped introduce me to the real “Argentine” life. Within my first few days we had had an asado (Argentine BBQ), I had been taken to watch a milonga and was introduced to the disgusting mate (apparently I will acquire a taste for it!).

I also love working with the children. I adore arts and crafts and so this job really allows my creative side to come out. I feed off the children’s enthusiasm and every day we spend hours covered in glue, glitter, paint and smiles, I love it! Tomorrow we are going to make cupcakes and I can’t wait.

I have also met lots of other au pairs through Au Pair in Argentina. We went on a bike tour last week around the city which was really good fun, I didn’t realise there were so many bike lanes, and nice parks to visit!

Despite feeling a little overwhelmed when I first arrived, Buenos Aires is definitely starting to feel like home now. I love how friendly everyone is, I love the energy and vibrance of the people and the city and the meat is out of this world!

Tilly Morrison

La experiencia nos ha enriquecido y nos ha resultado positiva.

La atención tuya, fue siempre excelente.

Gracias por darnos a conocer este sistema, estamos contentos de haber formado parte.

Having never been to Argentina before, let alone Buenos Aires I wasn’t at all sure what to expect. So many of my friends had come and gone before me, each with a very different tale of the city. When I arrived I was overwhelmed by just how huge the city is. Coming from London I thought I would find it easy living in another capital city but it certainly took a few days getting used to-especially the bus system! I’ve been here for over a month now and love the porteño way of life.

Working in Argentina has provided me with a different outlook on the country and Buenos Aires in general. So many people I have met have come to Buenos Aires simply to travel and learn the language but I think working in a place is the only real way to get to know somewhere. In particular, working for a family really allows you to get to know authentic Argentinean culture. I’ve certainly learned a lot more Spanish by working here (one of my original goals) and also learned so much about the culture, food (dulce de leche anyone?!) Of course there are still things that I will never be able to get my head around, like how the bank system works and the strange Argentinean obsession with queuing…even at bus stops! But this all helps to enrich the experience I’m having here and I certainly wouldn’t change it for the world!

My experience here has been so rewarding that I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in children and other cultures. Au Pair in Argentina made my transition out here so smooth and I am grateful for all their support over the time I have been here and am looking forward to the next few months!

Zoe Jepson

I have been working as an aupair in Buenos Aires, for nearly 5 months now.  I am having a fantastic time and loving every minute and although I am supposed to go home in a month I am very tempted to extend my stay.

I look after 2 children of 5 and 8 and although at times they can be difficult, I find that the most of the time I am giggling to myself about something they have said, or I am feeling really warm and happy for a compliment they have paid me. I didn’t have that much experience with children before doing this job, but now I think I have found my niche. Children are so honest, their outlook on life so refreshing and never before have I had such job satisfaction.

My hours are pretty flexible and fit around the Spanish classes and various activities I want to do.  I try to combine what I learn in class with speaking with the family and I have found that has really helped to boost my Spanish and has meant I have been able to meet Argentines and really immerse myself in the culture. I went with the family to Punta for a week which was also great. A place there is no way I could have visited if I was paying!

I would recommend au pairing to anyone, for language, cultural immersion, changing your outlook on life, and making you stronger. It is definitely one of the hardest yet most rewarding things I have ever done.

Helen Cooper

On arrival in Argentina I was surprised to find that unlike it the majority of South America. Argentina actually felt a lot like home, well, at least a lot like Europe. I didn’t experience any major culture shock. On the surface: People are dressed modern and conservatively, rush hour tubes are crammed, hot and smelly. If you are hungry you can buy a slice of pizza or an empanada (like a cornish pasty, only smaller) any time of day or night, Maccy D’s and Starbucks have taken over many-a street corner, streets that run on a block system which proves a million times harder to lose yourself in than my native London Labyrinth.
If you lived on the surface, you would have to remind yourself that you are all the way at the bottom of South America and not on a weekend break in sunny Spain. But, nobody comes here to live on the surface.

What I have learnt is that every time I start to relax, take things for granted, forget where I am, that’s when, something or someone reminds me that I’m a long way from home.

So health and safety is not high on the agenda here, which makes the work place more relaxed, I regularly canter around the polo ranch where I au pair, inexperienced alone and without a riding hat, don’t tell the insurance people (or my Mum). Walking a couple of blocks can be pretty chaotic, concentrate on the task at hand as daydreaming could  find you disappearing into a deep hole in the pavement or knocked out by a big bucket which is being lowered from scaffolding by men whose eyes are glued to a beautiful girl across the street.

Girls, expect to feel like a super-model everywhere you walk, about one if 5 men who pass you on the street will tell you how beautiful you are, its totally normal. Here, if they like what they see, they will tell you. At first it is a little unnerving (imagine living on a building site), but after a few days you will become accustomed to the attention and probably only start to worry when it stops happening (“wow, I must look really bad today”)

Another thing that makes you realise you are far from home is the huge poverty. I travel once a week from a large country estate, where I am living in a mansion and looking after children who live like princess’, as my bus leaves the highway and passes under the bridge I see shacks smaller than my en-suite, the mother is often doing washing and hanging it over the “walls” of her house while the children run around playing happily. On the most part people have a happy and positive attitude. Disadvantaged people find something to do and work HARD, if you ever find yourself on the tube with bad breath, a runny nose or in need of some socks, just give it 5 minutes and someone will come and sell you what you need, at a good price. If your bored waiting at the traffic lights, some talented young man will entertain you, afterwards wind down your window and hand him a couple of pesos.

When boarding a bus, a man will load your bag on, hand you a receipt and open his hand for a tip (well that’s were things can get annoying) if you don’t have the change, are you ever going to get your bag back? Something in the guys eyes tells me “no”. On reaching the destination, everyone forms an orderly queue to tip for the safe arrival of their bags. A friend reminded me of the difference at Victoria coach station, where on arrival the driver turfs out all the bags onto the wet pavement and its every man for himself. Well, put it like that and maybe the bag guy is worth my 25p.

Yes Argentines are more conservative than their neighbours but still a million times less reserved than the Brits. When at a party expect every person who walks though the door to kiss you on the cheek and introduce themselves, from little toddlers to elderly ladies. Its lovely. And guys, when meeting a male friend of a friend expect to be kissed by him, its just like shaking hands.

On the whole people are warm, friendly and a couple of hours late for any meeting (you have been warned). They appreciate and find beauty in simple pleasures. If they love something, they adore it and will talk very loudly about it: football, family, partying and the amazing wine that is washing down the delicious asado (Argentinian bbq) they are sharing with you. Sharing is very important, friends buy litre bottles of beer, everyone has a small glass the bottle goes in the middle and someone will share it amongst the group (makes sense in a hot country?) but it also feels a lot like group bonding.

Its the same with mate, the national drink, made with chopped up leaves and herbs “yerba”, served in a mate cup, someone will pour hot water into it, you drink it through a metal straw, once the water is gone, you pour more and pass it to the next person. Maybe you wont like it at first, but it is really worth acquiring the taste, the Argies are quick to trust and befriend a foreigner who they can enjoy mate with.

So, come with an patience, an open mind and a couple of 2 peso notes. Enjoy simple pleasures with friends, kiss everyone you meet and watch out for falling buckets. The biggest culture shock will be when you arrive home in England.

Jade Webber – au pair for a family who own a hotel and polo ranch an hour from BA