Becoming Me: Andrea’s Au Pair Story
🌸 My Experience as an Au Pair
I had traveled outside of Colombia two or three times, but always to nearby places like Mexico.
But this time was different.
It wasn't just a trip — it was a decision.
I felt it was time to leap.
I wanted to grow, to explore, to learn, to expand.
That's how my au pair journey in the Netherlands began.
I arrived alone, with two suitcases, lots of nerves, excitement… and a heart wide open to this new experience.
It was the first time I ever spoke English out loud — not just in my head. 😅
From day one, my host family treated me like one of their own.
They were warm, kind, and welcoming. They embraced me naturally, with trust and lots of love.
My role was to care for two little girls, ages 5 and 3 (mostly the youngest).
They were curious, sweet, funny, and full of energy… and they only spoke Dutch, while I only spoke English!
The first few days were intense: everything was new.
The food, the habits, the language, the culture, the routine… even the way people said "good morning."
And yet — it felt amazing.
Of course, I missed my comfort zone.
But I also discovered how brave I had been just by making the decision to go.
How lucky I was. How much I had already won — just by trying.
I learned to adapt without losing myself.
To hug myself when something didn't feel right.
To be my own companion. To listen to myself.
To be gentler with myself.
To manage my time, solve problems, eat better, move more, become more social…
and to fall in love with trying new things.
Little by little, I started to feel part of Dutch life.
My bond with the girls became more natural, more fun, and more connected.
I started to enjoy the little things: making a snack, planning the next morning with my host kid, helping with homework, riding a bike through the cold.
That year taught me things I would've never learned at home.
It was a year of expansion — internal, emotional, cultural… and human.
✨ A memory I'll always carry with me
I remember one afternoon I went out with the youngest in the cargo bike.
I was about to take her out, but I had forgotten how to release the safety strap under the seat.
There I was, crouched down, mumbling to myself, struggling with the buckle, while she sat waiting patiently.
When I finally figured it out, she looked at me with the sweetest face and said:
"Goedzo, Thea."
(Well done, Thea.)
It was such a simple moment — but I'll never forget it.
Because it wasn't just about opening a strap.
It was that this little girl, in a language I barely understood, was telling me she trusted me.
And to me, that meant everything.
💭 The most emotionally challenging part
One of the hardest parts was dealing with the frustration of having to learn everything from scratch.
Nothing was familiar. Things I used to do without thinking now required focus, effort — sometimes even courage.
From figuring out the family's routines to learning how to get around on my own… everything was new.
I remember once, shortly after I arrived, I got lost at Amsterdam Central Station.
I had no internet, I didn't speak the language, and I had no idea who to ask.
I felt small, overwhelmed, and alone.
And yet… I found a way.
Because we always find a way.
Over time, I understood something:
starting from scratch doesn't make you less. It makes you brave.
Learning is uncomfortable.
But it's right there — in the discomfort — where we expand.
💬 If I could say something to the Andrea who boarded that plane, I'd say:
– You just need to keep your heart open.
Explore, enjoy, connect, laugh, cry, sing, dance, be happy.
– You're going to become a new version of yourself: wiser, stronger, more you.
– You didn't come here to be perfect. You came to be brave. To learn.
– Sometimes you'll feel alone… but you never really will be.
– Being an au pair isn't just about caregiving. It's about connection — with others and with yourself.
– This journey won't just change you. It will expand you. Build you. Complete you.
🌟 To close…
Being an au pair wasn't the end of a chapter — it was the beginning of a version of me I'm still getting to know.
I hope you dare to take the leap too.
Because the world — and you — have so much to show each other.