During my recent 3-week visit to the Netherlands and attending an au pair day, I realized once again how lucky the girl and boys are to have the opportunity to au pair for a year.  Not only are they suddenly experiencing a first world life (and none of them really know what a first-world life means, because they were born in the New SA), they are also learning to stand on their own two feet and become independent. 

This was the most striking thing for me: that timid, shy and actually embarrassed girl who a few months ago still had to do interviews and sometimes struggled to express herself, moves here in this world, as if she was made for it. It also showed me once again how adaptable young people actually are. But I have always said it: it is very easy to adapt to pleasant circumstances.

If you look at their captions on their Facebook and TikTok posts, you also get the impression that for them it’s not just about superficial happiness in the here-and-now, but also the deeper things and happiness they experience:

“Be gentle on your growing soul.”

“Sky above, sand below, peace within.”

“Exist to be happy, not to impress.”

“True happiness is a direct result of a grateful heart.”

“Every next level of your life will demand a different you.”

This is at least clear proof that an au pair also experiences the deeper meaning of happiness.

But there is plenty of joy among the au pair crowd. Challenges too, I especially saw this with the boat trip on the canals of Amsterdam and also at the Heineken Experience beer drinking! The empathy was also great during the visit to the Anne Frank Museum and the realization of how this young Jewish girl had to live during the Second World War!

No, I feel very good about our au pairs, because they make the best use of the opportunities that come their way. They can also proudly talk about “my children” or “my family”. Brand new friendships have been formed that will never be broken again, because together they have the most wonderful experience of their young lives!

There is definitely growth (literally and figuratively) among our au pairs and that is also what it is all about, isn’t it? The cultural exchange program is therefore clearly a great and thorough success!