Go Au Pair

My name is Hannah and I am an aupair from Germany. I have been living in the US now for 10 months and I am really happy that I decided to spend my year here as an aupair.\r \r I feel really comfortable in my host family and I can say that my year in the US was full of wonderful experiences I would have never had if I decided just to stay at home.\r \r Part of the success of my year is, of course, due to my agency GoAupair and our local representative Tessa Dean. If I had questions, I always found help and I never felt as if I was left alone. Being a member of GoAupair also helped me to find new friends. \r \r The aupair workshop in New York was a wonderful start in my year as an aupair and already at that time I found a really good friend with whom I will go on my travel month now.\r \r Having arrived in Minneapolis, Tessa helped me with finding new contacts which worked out perfectly as I found two other German aupairs.\r \r All in all, I would say that GoAupair and Tessa Dean always gave their best to make this year a nice experience for me and I knew that I could always talk to Tessa if there was any kind of a problem.\r more

Hello, my name is Ekaterina. I am an Au Pair from Russia. I have been staying in Houston, Texas for about 2 months. I arrived to the USA on the 2-d of March. My host family met me at the airport. I was dived in the atmosphere of kindness and care. My family consists of a host father and three lovely kids. This is my first experience to work as an Au Pair with the Go Au Pair company . They are so professional; they have helped me with all the paperwork! Especially my Local Area representative – Josie takes care of me a lot: she helps me to be adopted, enters me to the orientation, she worries about me, calls me and gives me advices. She is so nice and kind! I appreciate her a lot!\r I like the kids: we play different indoor and outdoor games, read books, go to the concerts and their friends. I love them dearly as if they are my real family.\r I have also entered the Rice University. I cannot describe my impressions! It is beautiful and huge with very qualified teachers! It is very interesting to attend lessons at the University.\r I am so happy with the program and my family!!! I am really lucky and happy!\r Thank you Josie!\r Thank you Robert and my kids! more

Hello from New Jersey. My name is Alec. I have so many titles: GoAuPair client, Host Family parent, Father and now Au-Pair fan. It is our first experience with the au-pair program and we already have a such rich experience. Why? We are lucky that my simple web search for the agency ended-up with GoAupair, because a quality of the service is tested in challenging situations. Isn't it? I have to say that our first choice of au-pair did not work for us very well. We saw that the young lady was not a good fit for our family and we decided to terminate our contract with her after 1 month.\r Then GoAupair agency ( Amanda and team) worked out all details very professionally. After 10 days the girl has found a new family and we started our search again. In the beginning, we thought that information in the GoAupair databank is “too-much”, but eventually, psychological profiles of our two best candidates helped us to make a final choice and we do not regret at all. \r Thank you Amanda and GoAupair!\r Our local area representative Polina skillfully helps us in every aspect of au-pair business in real situations, providing us every detail about the specifics of the program. She simply consults us on how to ""tune"" for the best our cooperation and living together with the young person who comes to America. Polina is excellent mediator between host family and au-pair, she helps both to find a better understanding and resolve minor “inconveniences”. \r Thank you Polina!\r Now, a little bit about our au-pair- Rae from SA. When we have been checking papers, interviewing and communicating over Skype, we thought about the saying “too good to be true” all the time. After four months of Rae’s arrival, we say “it is true”. Rae is a senior sister to our 4 years old son, she is personal driver, she is his personal tutor and most important – Friend. My wife could not believe, that our son said to somebody that he has two moms, embarrassing our 19 years old au-pair. ( lol)\r Thank you Rae, very much! We are good team and family together!\r In conclusion, my wife and I are happy “campers” with the program in general and in details. Yes, there are difficulties and challenges, but close team work between family, agency, local representative and au-pair generates excellent synergy and fun. One of the most beautiful qualities of true friendship is to understand and to be understood. ( Seneca)\r more

I'm Vanessa and an Au Pair from Germany with Go Aupair. For me, this year has been the best year of my life. When I found my host family online, we decided to try out Go Aupair and it was a great decision. Because the agency is a little smaller, it is a lot more personal. Every time I had a question, I could call or mail the responsible person and I got an answer immediately. I was never sent from one person to the next without answering my questions. If they couldn’t answer it, Go Aupair made sure, that they find the answer right away and contact me. Even though my local area representative Tessa just started her job when I came to Saint Paul, MN a year ago, she did everything to help me and make my life a little easier in the United States. She organized great monthly meetings and encouraged us to keep contact to the other Au Pairs. When a new Au Pair comes, she gives us the contact information, so we can meet and not have to wait until the next meeting. That’s how I meet my awesome friends here.\r \r I love living with my host family. When I came it was just a single dad (Kevin) and his two kids, Grace (6) and Gabe (9). During my year, he met his fiancé and I got to experience it. Now I am coming back for their wedding. Kevin made me feel welcome from the first day and I spend some great times with him. When I am leaving next week, I am going to miss them so much. It has been great teaching them German songs and sharing some of my Easter and Christmas traditions with my host family. \r I liked living in Minnesota a lot, even though it is still snowing and it is already May. Everybody keeps on telling me, that this is not normally happening. The Minneapolis / St. Paul area is just a great place to live. You can bike and there are so many trees and lakes it doesn’t feel like living in such a big city.\r \r Overall, this year has just been perfect for me: awesome host family, awesome friends and totally awesome agency. I would always recommend being an Au Pair or a host family with Go Aupair! more

Hello, my name is Daria and I am Russian au pair in Woodbury, MN. I have only few months left to work in my host family and soon I will have to say good bye. I really didn’t know what to expect before I came in the USA. I have never been an au pair before. But all my worries disappeared when I arrived in Minneapolis last January and met my great family. Since the first day I was involved in very friendly easy-going atmosphere and got a lot of support from my host family. They helped me a lot in adaptation in my new life. I was welcomed to all family events and parties. We even took trip to Mexico. Couple years ago I would never thought I could go there. The best of my memories about my host family is spending Christmas with my host family and all there huge family in Wisconsin. I also have very good words to say about other aspects of my life in Minnesota. I have good social life, got some new friends. I really like that I had the chance to study in college and take classes with American students. \r \r I came to the USA on the basis of the Go Au Pair program. I have only positive reviews about Go Au Pair. The company has very good organization in all areas of au pair life: help with paper work, visas, video training, providing au pairs with support and help in adaptation to new culture. I had a great training in New York City, that includes instructions about au pair job and tour around the city! During my stay with the host family I got a lot of help from my local area representative Tessa Dean. She organized a lot of au pair meeting that helped me to find new friends among au pairs from other countries and share my experience with other au pairs. We had a lot of fun going to the Twins game and zoo, celebrating Halloween, playing golf, having dinner at the restaurant and a lot of other events. Tessa is always ready to help and answer questions an au pair may have. She also stays in touch with the host families to make sure that things are going all right. Also Go Au Pair provides au pairs with news through email and mail. I am pleased with Go Au Pair and recommend this program to au pairs and host families. \r \r I should say that my work as an au pair changed me and my opinion about a lot of things in the life. It is a great experience I would never forget. more

I have been in the United States for one year, and I can say that I'm the luckiest au pair around the state, Michelle (my host mom) is a wonderful person. I couldn't ask for a diferent family because as an Au Pair you don't just have the oportunity to work as a nanny, you have the wonderful chance to be part of the family. I am the big sister here and that's just great. I just love my little guys, Ryan my big and smart boy and Ava my lovely princess.\r \r During this time living in a diferent country with diferent people around and diferent ways to think, act and live, I learned too much specialy family values. sharing my culture with my Stober family makes me feel not to far from home by the time that they involve me in their own culture.\r \r Living in Minnesota have been amazing, first time in my life I know for real what means Summer, Spring, Autum and Winter. I can't say if was bad luck or good luck have had a long winther in my first year I just can say that I love it! is just beautiful to see a white view every morning anyways traveling is part of this expirience so, during winter time I had the oportunity to go to Disney in Florida thanks to my host family my childhood dream came true, I travel to Washington DC too, and I just got amaze how the weather can change a lot in the same country.\r \r Be an Au Pair is a great life opportunity to meet new people from all around the world, have new friends, study, and be part of an american family.\r \r thanks Go Aupair for the support so far. more

I have been here for almost one year and a half. I chose the Vietnamese family and stayed with them for 13 months. They had three cute girls. Now I am taking care of two cute girls. I loved them! I really do not feel this is my job, I feel it is a kind of pleasure. And the more I get along with Kirsten, the more I love her! We come from different countries; it is really difficult to have a lot of common interests. But we really do. She really helped me a lot, and I appreciated a lot.\r \r Also I need to say thanks to Tessa, she is a really nice LAR, She planed good activities for us each month, also she helped me answer all my questions very patiently and professionally. \r \r Thanks for everyone work in Go Au Pair and helped me. I feel I am lucky that I chose Go Au Pair!\r \r Life is wonderful when you remember you have family who love you, friends who care about you, and you forgot the bad or sad things while also holding your dreams with you.\r \r I think I am on the way to my dreams! more

I've been in the United States for one year now. I experienced different families and at the same time, I have learned how to get along with host families and the new environments. From the beginning, a lot of things you have never experienced were kind of challenging for you, but that is the critical moment for you to improve and change into a better condition. I've been through some positive mind adjustment because I got a lot of support and encouragement from go aupair. They are objective, professional and kind. I really appreciate go aupair agency, especially Keri, she is always patient to me no matter how many questions I have. :-) \r \r Choose the right agency, somehow, means choose the right au pair experience! If you want to choose again, go aupair will still be my only choice!! Hurray!!!! more

Go au pair is a great agency, they are very competitive and every single time when I had questions they make it clear for me. I am very happy with our local area rep, Tessa Dean she plans activities for us au pairs girls and we are able to spend time together, know each other better and change impression about our activities that we have with our host families. You can see how she is connected with us and how she keeps us together like a group. \r \r I am very happy to belong to this family. They are good with me, understanding, they help me in every way in special when I have to take decisions about my career, they are lovely and the girls are just simply adorable. I learn from them a lots of things...how to be generous, how to separate good from bad and how to live the life in a nice and decent way. The decision being an au pair has changed my life in so many ways. Being an au pair it is a good chance to discover yourself and develop a good character. I have to thank to my host family for all the understanding, love and support that they show to me and for letting me be part from they're family. I know all their relatives, they include me in all the activities, we spend all the holidays together, parties, we go to Church and we spend a lot of time having fun, eating out and go shopping so I think I am a lucky girl having them in my life. Even if I am here since February last year I feel like I know them for a long time. The girls and I, we have a special relationship, sometimes they are like my little sisters. I love my host family because they are awesome people, they have a strong family and all this time spending together was a big lesson for me and teach me how to grow up nice and healthy in so many ways mental, spiritual and physical. We start a second year together and this it only can make me happy. I suggest with all my heart to all the girls that want to be an au pair to do that because they will not regret it. It will be the decision that would change their life and that change can be only in a positive way. I hope all the girls have the chance that I had and I hope they experience this like I did. \r more

I am an Aupair from China with Go Aupair Agency and I really enjoy the time with my host family in the past 1 year. They are very nice people and have 3 adorable boys. They treat me like a family member and love me as well. I love the children very much and treat them as my own little brothers. I like to teach them to learn Chinese and it's really a happy thing for me to watch them grow up every day. \r \r During Aupair program, I improve my English a lot and travel different places in USA. I went to NJ, NYC, CA, Las Vegas, Washington DC, FL, TN, MA, PA, OH, MD. I had so much fun and know a lot of American culture during Aupair program. Also, I gained a lot of experience to take care of children and get along with different people. I become more mature and independent and also gain ability to deal with emergency. \r \r Besides, my LAR is a very helpful, friendly, and lovely lady. She contacts me very often and always willing to help. I am really lucky to have a super nice LAR to help me answer all my questions and give me useful advice all the time.\r I really enjoy the time to be an Aupair and Go Aupair is a trustful agency. I will recommend this young adult culture experience program to my friends when I go back to China. And I really appreciate all the things which my host family and my LAR did for me! \r more

As a host family we are very happy with this Aupair program. We looked around at different agencies but found this one to have the largest variety and number of aupairs to choose from. They made the process extremely easy and very fast. We did out first search in April 2012 and our Aupair arrived on June 6, 2012. They took care of all the paperwork, the visas and the travel arrangements. We have had a person from the Aupair agency checking in with us every step of the way and for the past 12 months at least once per month. They have also helped our Aupair with getting classes and fulfilling the programs requirements. The agency has been so great, that we are using them to get a new Aupair for the next year. more

As an Au Pair from China, I want to say I really made the great choice to become an Au Pair and to choose Go Aupair. From the very beginning of my applying, they helped me out with my applications and all kinds of documents. When I arrived in Ohio, even we didn’t have a local aupair representative at that time, the mid-west region lead helped me get used to the life in America as an au pair. Once Nikki started working as our LAR of Ohio, she came to visit me and the host family. She always calls me, emails me, and cares about what’s going on with me. Whenever I have any problem, she’s always being there to help me. From time to time, she also organizes au pair events, like coffee time, ice-cream gathering or dining out, for us to meet other aupairs in the Toledo area. \r \r I am also very lucky to have the best host family. They treat me just like a family member. They are always so willing to introduce me to their families, friends and even co-workers, and tell them how much I’ve been helping them taking their 18 months old daughter and how appreciate they are. No matter where they travel, they would take me with them and tell me the information of where we visit. They even celebrate the Chinese festivals for me. \r \r I will graduate in June in China, so I have to go back home. I sincerely hope they can find another au pair with Nikki’s help. \r more

GO Aupair has been an AMAZING agency. We switched from Cultural Care due to thier lack of interest and involvement (we had an au pair that lived further away from most au pairs at the time and they did NOTHING to help us! GO AUPAIR was amazing and has been. Our Au Pair is great with our 1 year old twins and has truly become a part of our family. Having someone we can trust and count on to help with child care has made all the difference for us. Our regional contact Nikki (in Toledo) is WONDERFUL!!! If anyone in Toledo area (or any where)is considering this - PLEASE do!! The central office is great too - always available and ready to help. more

Hi, my name is Sandra Villa, i am an au pair from Colombia, and now I am an au pair with Go Au Pair. I decided to be an au pair in the US because I think it is a great opportunity to learn another culture, improve my English, make new friends around the world and, of course, because I love to be with children.\r \r I think that to have a great experience as an au pair, the one of the most important things is to match with the right host family. You have to look the family profiles and find the one that is compatible with you. Also it is very important that both parts have to be clear about the responsibilities and the schedule.\r \r The area where you are going to live is important too. To get adapted to the country fast, it is better to get the information about the food, public transportation, weather and culture before to arrive .\r \r Being au pair is very important to love the children as a your own, be responsible and take good care of them because their life and well being in our hands. \r \r I love Go Au Pair agency because Go Au Pair is a very responsible, honest and helpful agency. They are caring and are always looking for the best for all the au pairs. Having a local area representative is something very good too because you have somebody to talk in person, to share experiences and to ask about process and things that probably you don’t about the program, like education or the city. \r \r We have many au pairs meetings in the interesting places with my LAR. During the meeting au pairs have the opportunity to meet and to share their experience and culture with other au pairs and get involved in the American culture. \r \r My experience with my host family, my LAR and Go Au Pair agency is strongly positive; therefore I extended the Au Pair program for another year. :) more

My family and I are blessed and grateful for our experience with Go Aupair. We reviewed a couple of aupair agencies before we signed up with Go Aupair. Keri answered our questions and guided us through the paper work process. We signed up for a Skype account and started reading through aupair profiles. The website was simply to maneuver through. We made contact with two sweet young ladies. We have been blissfully happy with the aupair we matched up with. It's a true match in every way. Our aupair is compassionate, responsible, honest, caring, loyal, devoted, giving, and so inspirational. She has touched our lives in so many healthy and delightful ways. She has become a part of our family. We will always keep in touch. My husband and I feel that she has become our adopted daughter. We spend a lot of time together. Honestly, we are never really apart. We do practically everything together. We talk nonstop. We have learned a lot from each other.\r We have started our second year together. We have three sweet girls. One of our girls has serious health issues. We have nursed that come into our home to help us with her cares. Our aupair has been our daughters guardian angel. She is an angel sent to us to help us. She has more compassion and stamina than any nurse we've had. She learns quickly and she cares so deeply. We have never trusted anyone as much as we trust our aupair. She goes beyond the call of duty. \r We strongly feel our experience with Go Aupair has been the greatest experience. We highly recommend Go Aupair. Best wishes to you and yours. May you be blessed with an additional family member!!\r more

I would not advise any family to use Go Au Pair to hire a au pair. Once Go Au Pair has your money and you have any problems with your au pair, you will find yourself in the dark. This was the first agency I used and I had a very horrible experience or should I say my daughter suffered at the hands of a incompetent au pair. Go Au Pair sent me a au pair that was suppose to be infant qualified, but did not even know how to change a diaper or make formula. more

This was the very first agency we used (we have switched to a new one) and honestly, I would NEVER recommend another friend, relative, even an acquaintance to use this company again. We had problem after problem with this company from the get go. For starters, our first LAR never was around. You could never reach her with any question, by either email or phone. Even our contacts at the agency changed 3 times in the 2 years we used this agency. One of the biggest problems occurred when we went to extend with our au pair, the agency checked the wrong box on the forms -- we asked for a 12 month (a full year) extension, they checked 6 month and sent it into the Dept of State. They informed me there was nothing we could do to get it changed. They would not even provide me the contact at the Dept of State so I could see if we could get the form changed. After going all the way up to the Director, I got the contact information and GOT THE FORM CHANGED MYSELF. I mean the agencies charge so much, you would think they wouldn't mess up one of the only items of paperwork they need to do. When the same au pair up and left us with no notice (she was young and stupid and got promises from this crazy boyfriend's family she was dating), it was even more of a mess. The new LAR was not on our side at all. This LAR has gone around after the fact restating ridiculous claims that she heard from the au pair about my husband and I -- to the point where I have thought about taking legal action. The au pair threatened the physical safety of my children and they let her stay in the country for TWO WEEKS after she left. There were no repercussions for her breaching our contract and we got a measly $450 back. Unbelievable. When I asked if we could get a new LAR if we even decided to go back to them, the only option was the same LAR's (who badmouthed us) friend. Before all that happened I had recommended a friend who is using an au pair from there and was promised a $100 Visa card from Go Aupair, which we never received. I ditto the other poster that this agency tends to support very young, unqualified au pairs with no morals and values. The au pair we received through them was from Sweden she had had an abortion the year before she came here. This was n ever was disclosed on her medical forms nor did GoAupair even ask that question (Au Pair in America does). I am all for women's rights but a young woman who doesn't care enough about the life of a baby is not going to take good enough care of my children (in my opinion) and I wish we would have known that and been able to choose an au pair more in line with our morals and values. I just truly cannot convey enough how much emotional distraught this agency caused my family and I. It was the most awful experience I have ever been through. We now use Au Pair in America and I highly recommend them. They have been fabulous, the LAR is amazing. The difference in the caliber between our last au pair and our current au pair is FANTASTIC. Holy moly! I never knew how bad our family had it with the previous au pair until we got this one. She is the sweetest and kindest woman and is so amazing with my children. She is older and more experienced and comes from a close-knit family -- where her mom and dad love each other very much and her siblings are close. I seriously cannot believe the difference in the caliber of the au pairs between the two agencies (because I got to meet other ones through this agency as well). Even the caliber in how the interviewing of the au pair and everything, I was so impressed with. There are so many other agencies to choose from -- do yourself a favor and do not choose this one. If you are a working mom, like I am, it will only cause you trouble and stress. more

Go Aupair has provided excellent service from the information stages, through placement and ongoing. They are a great bunch of people to work with. I am happy with this agency. more

When I found out that I was pregnant with twins (with toddler in tow) a friend of mine told me, ""You need an au pair, call my Go Au Pair rep."" I'm glad I did. Over the years our needs have changed from infant care, to needing a driver to caring for child with special needs. Go Au Pair has helped us find the right match every time! more

Be very careful if choosing this agency. Even though the agency is small, once they have your money, they are done with you. This agency does not follow agency protocol or rules and regulations. Very disappointing. Go with a bigger agency - better pool of aupairs, better customer service. more