Au pairs were asked to submit an essay to AuPairCare stating why their host mom deserved to be named the 2013 Ultimate Host Mom. Lauren W.'s au pair, Becca, from Iceland, submitted the winning essay. Becca writes:
"How would a perfect Host mom be described? There is nobody perfect in the world but I think my host mom comes pretty close. She is hard working and loving and it's the little things that she does that make me feel like I love her like my own mother."
"My journey started 6 days after graduating High School in Iceland. I left everyone I loved in a great hurry, I was so excited to be starting a new adventure. The first morning in my new home was lovely, Lauren had invited two Au pairs from the neighbourhood over for brunch so that I would be able to make some friends right away, one of them is my best friend today. I was welcomed into their family immediatly! They put a lot of effort into going on trips with me so that I could at least see a little piece of California. Lauren was pregnant at the time but still wanted to make sure I would get everything I could out of my stay here. The summer went by so quickly and soon it was my 20th birthday. Lauren secretly contacted my mother and asked for my favorite food and asked what my favorite dessert was. While I was out with the little girl, Lauren made me a delicous mango chutney chicken and carrot cake decorated with hand made chocholate leaves she made herself (my host mom is not a big fan of cooking, so this is a great example of how much she went through to make my first birthday away from home special). The months went by so quickly and all of a sudden we had a new addition to the family, born on Halloween. Suddenly we were opening Christmas presents on the morning of the 25th of December. In Iceland we open the gifts on the eve of the 24th and to make me feel like home they had offered a week earlier to change their Christmas for me! January was an eventful month, but maybe the most eventful thing was that they asked me to extend with them for a whole year, but there was a condition to it. I would move with them to Cambridge, Massachusetts as Lauren was offered to teach Law at Harvard. I didn't have to think twice and accepted. Both thinking of myself and my family because that would give me another year to see the girls grow, form a better bond with my host-parents and live in two places (two coasts) while in the program. After being here 10 months I still wake up with a smile. But there is more than just the things I mentioned that count and often it's the little things that make all the difference. On my arrival they showed me the schedule board where I could write down my plans in advance and be apart of the schedule plan making. They could see what I was up to and I could see what the future plans for the family was. I could write down what I wanted to do and I could plan to have weekends off with my friends who are also Au pairs. I was and still am asked if I need anything from the grocery store when Lauren is making a quick run for milk or cereal. Lauren has told me to go back to sleep and taken the girls to school in the morning herself when I hadn't gotten a good night sleep, even though she didn't either. I try to keep active during my free time but Lauren always calls to see if I will be home for dinner but we have such a great relationship now that I prefer having dinner with my family and being able to have my nightly dinner talk with Lauren and Jonathan where I talk to them as I would to my parents. Whenever they make plans for the weekend to go hiking or to a crocket event I am always invited. I am so lucky to have host parents that are funny as well and we make each other laugh when we sit at the dinner table and we have developed our own inside jokes, just like I think a real family would have."
"All my life I have lived by a motto my father told me. 'Treat others like you want to be treated' Lauren has been so kind, welcoming and loving to me that I just wanted to acknowledge her kindness and express how dear she is to me. She has exepted me as a part of her family with all my bad jokes, constant hiccups and my constant gym trips."
Becca's essay was one of nearly a hundred submitted to AuPairCare for the Ultimate Host Mom contest.
In 1989, AuPairCare became one of the first au pair agencies designated by the United States Department of State to legally sponsor au pairs to come to the United States. Created and run by working parents, Au Pair Care has placed over 50,000 au pairs from around the world with families nationwide. As a premier au pair agency, our carefully screened au pairs are qualified, affordable and love working with children. Introduce your family to the language and traditions of another country while knowing your children are safe, happy and healthy with a specially-trained au pair.
For more information visit www.aupaircare.com
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