Czech Republic

August 5, 2019 by

AU PAIR CULTURE QUESTS

CZECH REPUBLIC

Central Europe
Capital: Prague
Languages: Czech
Predominant Religion(s): Majority non-religious

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USEFUL LINKS

Flag of Czech Republic

Kids Culture Corner: Czech Republic
CIA World Factbook

The following information is generalized and compiled from questions posed to the agents and interviewers in Czech Republic. Although au pairs from this country may or may not have had these experiences/beliefs, Au Pair in America wishes to share this general information with our families.

Child Care Skills

Family

English Skills

Driving Skills

Education

Health

Child Care Skills

It is common for Czech people to take care of their siblings, cousins and friends’ children.
Preparing meals for children, playing with them and doing various outdoor activities with them are very common.
Czech families believe in the value of positive motivation and reliability.

Family

Two children per family is a common occurrence.
Children are taught responsibility by giving them light but regular tasks and duties from an early age.
Czech Republic is a very family-oriented country. It is common to visit other family members over holidays or weekends. For most parents, spending time outdoors and organizing sports activities is the idea of “quality time” spent with their children. Also grandparents spend lots of time with children.

English Skills

English is taught at all levels of education, starting in kindergarten. It is a compulsory subject in every kind of school from 4th grade to graduation. English classes focus on oral and written skills.
Teenagers prefer to watch English-language movies and TV series in English. Also some of them read books in English.
The opportunity to improve their language skills during the Au Pair in America program is one of the reasons Czech applicants join the program.

Driving Skills

The minimum driving age in Czech Republic is 18. Most applicants obtain their driving license at this age.
The process of obtaining the license is at least 2-5 months long. Completing a full professional driving course is required before the candidate is allowed to take the exam.
Czech drivers experience a variety of weather conditions, including rain, snow and ice.

Education

Education in Czech Republic is free and compulsory until the age of 15.
92% of Czechs complete at least upper secondary education, which is one of the highest results in the EU. 60% of young Czechs complete university education (MA or BA degrees).
Parents put a lot of focus on children’s education from a very young age. Children start to learn foreign languages very early on and various additional courses (e.g. dancing, ballet, arts & crafts, sports, horse-riding) are added to the standard curriculum.

Health

Czech’s healthcare system is based on an all-inclusive insurance system. State-subsidized healthcare is available to all Czech citizens who are covered by this general health insurance program.
Regular medical check-ups are provided by pediatricians.
It is common to visit the dentist on a regular basis.

COMMON CHARACTERISTICS:

Czech people in general are happy with a good sense of humor. They are also ambitious!
Czechs have strong family ties.
Tradition and culture are very important values for Czechs.

FUN FACTS:

Czech Republic has a lot of famous people such as the hockey player Jaromir Jagr, the tennis players Martina Navratilova and Ivan Lendl!
Czech beer is said to be the best beer on the world and also Czech girls are said to be the most beautiful.
The US population is 30x bigger than the population in Czech Republic.

USEFUL PHRASES:

How are you? Jak se máš?
Fine, thanks. Dobře, děkuji.
My name is… Moje jméno je..
Nice to meet you! Rád tě poznávám!
Thank you. Děkuji.

“I am having great time and my host family is the best host family that I could choose. I love the place where I live! I have already made many new friends. I have found what I wanted.”– Lucka , au pair from Czech Republic

“I have a lovely family and the children are great. I can definitely recommend Au Pair in America to everyone!”– Misa, au pair from Czech Republic

“I would say it is the most life changing adventure, worth every single minute spent discovering places, people and cultures; a beautiful journey getting to know yourself and your priorities. So, no second thoughts – just make the first step!”– Dorota, au pair from Czech Republic

“I love that my children are learning about another culture. I like that I can feel good about the excellent and loving care that my kids receive while I am at work.”

Lori, host parent
Wisconsin

Croatia

August 5, 2019 by

AU PAIR CULTURE QUESTS

CROATIA

Central/Southern Europe
Capital: Zagreb
Languages: Croatian
Predominant Religion(s): Christianity
(Roman Catholic)

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USEFUL LINKS

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CIA World Factbook

The following information is generalized and compiled from questions posed to the agents and interviewers in Croatia. Although au pairs from this country may or may not have had these experiences/beliefs, Au Pair in America wishes to share this general information with our families.

Child Care Skills

Family

English Skills

Driving Skills

Education

Health

Child Care Skills

It is common for Croatian people to take care of their siblings and cousins, and older children in the family will always help to take care of younger siblings.
Childcare is considered very important in Croatia, which has a very good “University of Teachers” with departments for junior school teachers (7-10) and kindergarten teachers (3-7).
A lot of Croatian girls attend high schools for midwives where they get qualified to deliver babies at hospitals and to take care of newborns and the mothers.

Family

Two or more children per family is common.
Children are taught responsibility by giving them small tasks and duties from an early age such as shopping in a nearby grocery shop or bakery, tidying up their bedrooms, helping to prepare meals and clearing up dishes.
Croatia is a very family-oriented country, and seeing other family members is important. Parents like to spend time with their children outdoors, and sports are encouraged.

English Skills

English is taught at all levels of education, and lessons start in kindergarten. It is a compulsory subject in every kind of school from 1st grade to graduation.
English classes focus on oral and written skills.
Croatians have everyday contact with spoken English when watching TV, going to the cinema or using the Internet. Still, a lot of children attend additional English lessons at schools for foreign languages.

Driving Skills

The minimum driving age in Croatia is 18, and most applicants obtain their driving license at this age.
The process of obtaining the license can take up to 6 months. Completing a full professional driving course is required before the candidate is allowed to take the driving exam.
Croatian drivers are used to driving in different weather and usually have experience driving in rain, snow and ice.

Education

Education in Croatia is free and compulsory until the age of 18.
Higher education is also mostly free because the government funds all public universities and allows them to set quotas for free enrollment, based on students’ prior results.
Parents put a lot of focus on children’s education from a very young age. Children start to learn foreign languages very early and encourage extracurricular activities such as sports and music.

Health

Croatia has a universal healthcare system, and the Croatian population is covered by this basic, all-inclusive health insurance system.
Regular medical check-ups are provided by schools at every stage of education.
It is common to visit the dentist.

COMMON CHARACTERISTICS:

Croatian people describe themselves as ambitious and resourceful.
Croatian have very strong ties to their family.
Croatians are very proud of their heritage and culture, and this sense of pride comes from their long and rich culture, as well as a legacy of foreign invasion and control.

FUN FACTS:

Croatia is home to the world’s smallest town: the town of Hum, a sleepy place with cobblestone streets…and that’s about it!
The Croatian currency is the Kuna, which is the Croatian word for the marten, a ferret-like rodent prized for its luxurious fur!
Croatia is home to the world’s most beautiful sunset…according to Alfred Hitchcock! To find out if you agree, you must visit the city of Zarar.

USEFUL PHRASES:

How are you? Kako ste?
Fine, thanks. Dobro, hvala.
My name is… Zovem se or ime mi je…
Nice to meet you! Drago mi je da smo se upoznali!
Thank you. Hvala.

“This will be the best decision of your life if you love working with children because you will grow up a lot as a person!”– Leana – au pair from Croatia

“Being an au pair was a beautiful experience for me. Not that I only met new friends from all around the world but I gained a new family and therefore enriched my life.” – Pavica – au pair from Croatia

“It’s great experience to learn about yourself. Getting out of your comfort zone gives you the chance to develop in ways you were not able to even imagine before. You get good prospective of the world and yourself.” – Andrea – au pair from Croatia

“In the U.S. I did not work for an employer, I was part of a family that would be my family for the rest of my life.”

Naomi, au pair
South Africa

Costa Rica

August 5, 2019 by

AU PAIR CULTURE QUESTS

COSTA RICA

Central America
Capital: San José
Languages: Spanish
Predominant Religion(s): Christianity
(Roman Catholic)

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USEFUL LINKS

Flag of Costa Rica

Kids Culture Corner: Costa Rica
CIA World Factbook

The following information is generalized and compiled from questions posed to the agents and interviewers in Costa Rica. Although au pairs from this country may or may not have had these experiences/beliefs, Au Pair in America wishes to share this general information with our families.

Child Care Skills

Family

English Skills

Driving Skills

Education

Health

Child Care Skills

Costa Ricans usually gain their childcare experiences by taking care of their friends’ children, neighbors’ children and their close relatives, including younger siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews.
Costa Ricans care a lot about discipline and teach children to have good manners and to respect adults.
Costa Ricans are caring and like to show children lots of affection. They tend to be patient with children and like to teach them how to do things.

Family

Relatives love to get together on weekends to attend church, have lunch or go on holiday to the beach or mountains.
Costa Ricans care a lot about traditions and customs. It’s common to live with parents until marriage, and relatives usually live in the same neighbourhood as one another.
Nowadays, the average amount of children is 2, but Costa Ricans families used to be very big…around 7 members per family!

English Skills

Children start English lessons in kindergarten and continue their English lessons when they move on to public or private schools.
In order to apply for a good job in Costa Rica, all graduates need to have a high level of English, so English courses are readily available throughout the country.
Costa Ricans are influenced by U.S. culture, movies, TV shows and songs, and they enjoy singing or speaking in English with friends.

Driving Skills

It takes around 6 months to pass the written and practical driving tests in Costa Rica.
Costa Ricans have lots of options to take professional driving lessons at a driving school. Most of the cars are manual, but you can also learn to drive automatic cars.
Traffic is very heavy in Costa Rica, so driving in heavily populated areas is usually not a problem for au pairs from Costa Rica.

Education

Education is free from kindergarten through to high school, so everyone has access to a good education. Costa Ricans can also apply to private universities with affordable prices.
Education is very important, and the best gift a parent can give their children in Costa Rica is a good education.
The education system in Costa Rica is rated as “high quality,” and the literacy rate it about 95%.

Health

Costa Rica provides universal healthcare to its citizens and permanent residents and offers some of the best healthcare in Latin America.
Costa Rica has a high life expectancy due to its healthy, non preserved foods and tropical climate.
For small medical issues, Costa Ricans will first visit the local pharmacy for a consultation. It’s relatively cheap to visit the dentist or have urgent surgery.

COMMON CHARACTERISTICS:

Costa Ricans are seen as very happy, and that’s why Costa Rica is considered the happiest country in the world!
Costa Ricans are very friendly, helpful and warm.
“Pura Vida” is the best phrase that describes Costa Ricans – it means be positive and enjoy life to the fullest!

FUN FACTS:

Costa Rica is a quite small country. The population is only 4.5 million, and you can travel from one side to the other in 14 hours.
Costa Rica has no army as it was abolished in 1949 – they love peace!
Costa Rica hosts more than 5% of the world’s biodiversity, even though its land mass only takes up .03% of the planet’s surface.

USEFUL PHRASES:

How are you? Como estas?
Fine, thanks.: Bien, gracias.
My name is…: Mi nombre es…
Nice to meet you.: Gusto en conocerlo.
Thank you.: Gracias.

“The Au Pair in America program is a really good opportunity to grow as a person, be independent and learn about a new language and culture.”– Silvia – au pair from Costa Rica

“It’s a great opportunity that might change your life forever. Not a easy choice, because you have to leave your family and friends for a year, but in the end it is worth it.” – Vivianna – au pair from Costa Rica

“Take the risk, leave all fears behind and get ready for an adventure that will change your life on so many different levels.” – Adriana – au pair from Costa Rica

“By inviting a person from another country to join our family, live with us, and learn about our culture, we actually learn so much about ourselves, how our own culture and way of life appear through the lens of someone new.”

Belle, host parent
Massachusetts

Colombia

August 5, 2019 by

AU PAIR CULTURE QUESTS

COLOMBIA

South America
Capital: Bogota
Language(s): Spanish
Predominant Religion(s): Christianity

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USEFUL LINKS

Flag of Colombia

CIA World Factbook

The following information is generalized and compiled from questions posed to the agents and interviewers in Colombia. Although au pairs from this country may or may not have had these experiences/beliefs, Au Pair in America wishes to share this general information with our families.

Child Care Skills

Family

English Skills

Driving Skills

Education

Health

Child Care Skills

It is common for Colombians to have experience looking after younger family members.
When looking after children, Colombians are protective, careful and dedicated to helping with homework.
Colombians often enjoy doing activities like baking, sports, reading bedtime stories and playing with children.

Family

Most Colombians are close to their families and they enjoy eating together.
Colombians are used to helping with household chores.
Colombians are social and their families put an emphasis on being raised with good manners and values.

English Skills

Colombian applicants show a great interest in improving their English skills
Many of them take private lessons before applying for the program.
Some applicants also take online courses to improve their English skills prior to departure.

Driving Skills

The minimum driving age is 16.
Colombians have to take theoretical and practical driving lessons as well as a physical, mental and motor skill exam in order to be issued their driving license.
It is notoriously hard to drive in Bogota, so Colombians feel that if they can drive there, they can adjust to driving anywhere!

Education

Most Colombian applicants are university undergraduate students. Those who are already professionals hold degrees from recognized Colombian universities.
Elementary education starts at the age of 5 and lasts for 5 years (grades 1 to 5). Secondary education is divided into basic secondary education (grades 6 to 9) and mid secondary education (grades 9 to 11).
English is a compulsory subject from 6^th grade to 11^th

Health

There are different kinds of health services in Colombia. SISBEN (System for the Selection of Beneficiaries of Social Programs) focuses on people from lower socio-economic levels and in many cases their services are free. EPS (health promoting entities) sell health service packages to the public. There are also “pre-paid health services” that offer the highest level of medical attention and priority service to patients at much higher costs.
The most common health issues are hayfever caused by weather change or dust allergies.
Colombians generally like to eat healthily. They have a low fat diet and eat a lot of fruit and vegetables.

COMMON CHARACTERISTICS:

Colombians are very warm people and are willing to open their homes and share their lives with people from around the world.
Colombians tend to be quite extroverted and sociable, as well as playful and cheerful.
Colombians like to look after other people.

FUN FACTS:

Colombia is the home country of many famous people such as Shakira (singer), Carlos Vives (singer/actor), John Leguizamo (actor), Sofia Vergara (actress), and the famous writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
The Andean condor is the national symbol of Colombia.
Colombia has quite a successful soccer team and has been to the FIFA World Cup five times so far.

USEFUL PHRASES:

How are you? Como estas?
Fine, thanks. Bien gracias.
My name is… Mi nombre es…
Nice to meet you. Placer en conocerte.
Thank you. Gracias.

“This experience is the best decision I have ever made. Your life completely changes. You become a different person, in a good way, and you make friends from all over the world including your own host family.”– Tatiana, au pair from Colombia

“This is the best experience that anyone could ever have.”– Maria Jose, au pair from Colombia

“Don’t hesitate! Being an au pair has been one the best experiences of my life so far. I learned a lot of things about myself and now I see the world with different eyes.”– Ana Maria, au pair from Colombia

“I like the opportunity to see American life as an insider, to come to know the traditions and customs, approach to bringing up children, managing the household, learning peculiarities of everyday language, American cuisine, and just the chance to hear from the children I love you.”

Ekaterina, au pair
Russia

China

August 5, 2019 by

AU PAIR CULTURE QUESTS

CHINA

East Asia
Capital: Beijing
Languages: Chinese (written), Mandarin (spoken)
Predominant Religion(s): Buddhism

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USEFUL LINKS

Flag of China

Kids Culture Corner: China
CIA World Factbook

The following information is generalized and compiled from questions posed to the agents and interviewers in China. Although au pairs from this country may or may not have had these experiences/beliefs, Au Pair in America wishes to share this general information with our families.

Child Care Skills

Family

English Skills

Driving Skills

Education

Health

Child Care Skills

China’s first generation of “only children” are now becoming parents themselves, and they are more likely to adopt modern ways to care for their children, from use of diapers, choosing brand formula, forming good habits from babyhood to sending young children to classes in early development centers. Young moms often use online media to exchange tips on child care.
Parents prefer freshly made food for children instead of processed or preserved food.
When in kindergarten and primary school, teachers will identify some students as good examples for the whole class to follow. Children learn codes of conduct and rules from these “model students.”

Family

Usually grandparents live with their children and grandchildren, so there are three generations in one house. Grandparents will also share the responsibility of bringing up the children. The Chinese value peace and wholeness of a family. As an old Chinese saying goes: “A harmonious family can lead to the success of everything.”
Chinese families attach a lot of importance to the traditional holidays, and parents like to arrange large family meals with their children.
Children are encouraged to develop and learn new talents such as music, calligraphy, dancing and so on from an early age.

English Skills

Chinese students officially begin to study English when they are in primary school, but many have already attended different English classes since kindergarten.
Chinese students are used to taking all kinds of English tests. In fact, their English reading skills are better than their speaking and writing skills.
Thanks to the opening of China to the world, many people from urban areas can understand basic English. People even create their own version of “Chinglish,” which is spoken or written English influenced by the Chinese language!

Driving Skills

The minimum driving age in China is 18, but very few people obtain their license at this age as there is little need to drive if you live in a large city.
Applicants need to take formal driving lessons in a driving school before taking the official driving tests, which consist of 4 rounds. The tests are quite strict.
Since traffic jam are common in China, Chinese drivers need to be more patient and responsive than in other countries. In other words, it’s a little bit harder to drive in China than in the U.S.

Education

All Chinese must attend school for at least nine years, and this is funded by the government. Over 90% of Chinese complete nine years of schooling, but due to the large population and regional disparity, education resources in China are not consistent.
The High School Diploma is highly valued by Chinese parents. After young people graduate from high school, most of them choose to go to college. The college entrance exam is a major national event every year in China.
Approximately 50% of 20-24 year olds complete college education (associate or bachelor degrees), and it’s becoming more and more common for affluent families to also send their children to study abroad.

Health

The Chinese healthcare system is divided into two parts: rural medical insurance and urban medical insurance. The government will cover at least 40% of the whole medical expense.
There is no such thing as a “family doctor” in China. When people get ill, they will go to see a medical specialist in the network, and each time they may visit a different doctor.
It is common for Chinese to use traditional medicine combined with Western medicine to treat different diseases.

COMMON CHARACTERISTICS:

Diligent, hardworking and modest: these words are often used to describe Chinese people.
Collectivism is a norm in China. Chinese love group activities. Winning honour for the group is something to be proud of.
Chinese tend to be reserved when it comes to showing affection in public.

FUN FACTS:

Despite its size, China only has one time zone!
While the dragon is typically seen as an evil creature in Western culture, it holds first place among the four greatest creatures in Chinese mythology, along with the phoenix, tiger, and tortoise. It is typically associated with the emperor.
Once known as the “Kingdom of Bicycles,” now China owns the most number of electric bikes. There are over 200 million e-bikes in China!

USEFUL PHRASES:

How are you? Nǐ hăo ma?
Fine, thanks. Wŏ hĕn hăo, xiè xiè.
My name is…: Wŏ de míng zì shì…
Nice to meet you. Hĕn gāo xìng yù jiàn nĭ.
Thank you: Xiè xiè.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to learn about the language, culture and society of the USA and to meet incredible people and build life-long friendships. It’s also a process through which we learn/discover more about ourselves.” – Zhao Y – au pair from China

“It’s so wonderful to be an au pair. You can learn much more about American culture than you do from the textbooks. And it is the best way to travel, and you make so many friends who speaks different languages!” – Li – au pair from China

“It is a really a good chance to see, to know and to experience more about another culture. Go for it! You won’t regret it!”– Zhao L – au pair from China

“By inviting a person from another country to join our family, live with us, and learn about our culture, we actually learn so much about ourselves, how our own culture and way of life appear through the lens of someone new.”

Belle, host parent
Massachusetts

Chile

August 5, 2019 by

AU PAIR CULTURE QUESTS

CHILE

South America
Capital: Santiago de Chile
Language(s): Spanish
Religion(s): Christianity
(predominantly Roman Catholic)

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USEFUL LINKS

Flag of Chile

Kids Culture Corner: Chile
CIA World Factbook

The following information is generalized and compiled from questions posed to the agents and interviewers in Chile. Although au pairs from this country may or may not have had these experiences/beliefs, Au Pair in America wishes to share this general information with our families.

Child Care Skills

Family

English Skills

Driving Skills

Education

Health

Child Care Skills

It is common for Chileans to take care of their siblings, cousins and family friends. Older children in the family often help to take care of younger family members.
Preparing healthy meals for children is very common (often preferred to eating out or eating frozen or processed food).
Chilean families are closely united and extended. They believe in the value of family unity. Daily routines may suddenly change and so everyone is always prepared to be very flexible and to adjust to new demands.

Family

Two to three children per family is common in Chile.
Parents are usually overprotective of their children and depending on family constitution, it is common that mothers are usually the ones who set the house rules.
Chile is a very family-oriented country. For most parents, ‘quality time’ focuses on spending time together doing different activities indoors and/or outdoors with close family, other friends or family members.

English Skills

English is taught in all schools at different levels and is compulsory. English classes focus on reading and writing.
English movies and TV series are not dubbed in Chile (subtitles are used instead). Chileans are exposed to English every day when watching TV, going to the cinema or using the Internet. Most people also have access to cable or satellite TV channels.
The opportunity to improve their language skills during the Au Pair in America program is one of the main reasons Chilean applicants join the program, especially those pursuing a career in foreign languages.

Driving Skills

The minimum driving age in Chile is 18. Most applicants do not obtain their driving license at this age since having a car or driving from place to place is not needed or common at this age. Most people use public transportation.
The process of obtaining a standard driving license takes at least 2 months and candidates have to complete a 1 month driving course before they are allowed to take the theoretical and practical exams. Licenses have to be renewed every 6 years.
Depending on where you live in Chile, drivers may experience a variety of weather conditions, including rain, sand, dirt roads, snow and ice.

Education

Education in Chile is free and compulsory until the age of 18 by law. However, there are three types of schools (state supported 100% free, private subsidized schools and fully private).
The literacy rate in Chile is between 98% and 99%.
Parents believe that education is the best tool to succeed in life and usually strive to provide the best possible alternatives to their children including higher education, which is very expensive.

Health

There are two healthcare systems in Chile: private and state supported.
Healthcare is very expensive in Chile for major problems. However, state subsidized healthcare clinics are available in most places and a special program to cover costs of all major catastrophic health problems is available nationwide to all citizens.
Regular medical check-ups are provided by schools or in state-supported clinics at no cost.

COMMON CHARACTERISTICS:

Chileans are extremely hospitable, relaxed and warm. They are always interested in learning from others and very proud of their country and its natural beauties.
Chileans have strong family ties. All over the nation there is a feeling of spontaneous solidarity to help those in need or affected by any natural disaster.
Personal care, honesty, and affection are also very important.

FUN FACTS:

Chile is the longest country in the world from north to south at 2,647 miles (4,620 km) long, and it extends across 38 degrees of latitude. The Andes Mountain Range extends the entire length of the country north to south.
Chilean Patagonia is one of the cleanest places on the planet
Chile has the world’s largest reserves of copper – around one quarter of the global supply, and is the number one exporter of copper in the world. Chile also has the second largest reserve of lithium and has substantial reserves of iron, silver, salt, zinc, manganese, molybdenum, gold, coal, and iodine.

USEFUL PHRASES:

How are you? ¿Cómo está?
Fine, thanks. Bien, gracias.
My name is… Mi nombre es…
Nice to meet you! Encantado de conocerlo/a
Thank you. Gracias

“It will make you more independent, more confident and you will learn so much! A very good experience!”– Vanessa, au pair from Chile

“It is a great experience before you begin to work. You will improve your language skills and become independent and open minded.”– Maria, au pair from Chile

“You should take advantage to this great opportunity. The whole experience helps you to know more about yourself in ways you can’t even imagine.”– Yasna, au pair from Chile

“In the U.S. I did not work for an employer, I was part of a family that would be my family for the rest of my life.”

Naomi, au pair
South Africa