American Camping Adventure & Nature Day

This summer, Area Director Yahna and her au pairs in Greater Chicago had a fun nature day in Camp Reinberg, Illinois, where they shared comradery and stories along the campfire. During the event, some au pairs got to have a taste of what a typical summer American camping experience is like. They enjoyed lively conversations, roasted hot dogs, and many au pairs got to create their first s’mores!

Some curious campers asked, “What is an au pair?”, which led them to educate more people in the community about the wonderful program. Area Director Yahna said, “I educated them on the various free nature trails and parks around our area and many of the girls said they love going to these parks regularly.” After spending a long time in quarantine, the au pairs were finally able to bond in person and connected over their similar experiences, some of them meeting in person for the very first time. Angie from Colombia, touching on the best parts of a typical American summer adventure, said:

There’s nothing better than a reunion with a bonfire, s'mores, and the excellent company of people from all over the world. It's always fun to share our experiences. I'm looking forward to participating in the next events.

Alexandra from Mexico said:

After more than a year of being in a pandemic without having the possibility to go out with friends, meeting again has been an excellent experience. I also made more friends with whom to share this experience of being an au pair.

One of the biggest benefits of the au pair program is being able to build global connections and become friends with people from all over the world. Many au pairs state that besides their host family becoming a second family to them, the life-long friendships they have made have been the highlight of their experience.

Au pairs can meet like-minded individuals that have the same love for travel, children, and cultural exchange as they do. These cultural connections give au pairs the opportunity to talk with others who understand their experience, especially during a challenging and unique time for the world. Socializing is an important aspect of the program, and we are excited to see that many participants can attend these outdoor events and socialize in person. Despite it being a challenging year for many, there are still so many great stories, like this one, being shared.

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