Words of the Week

“Follow your passion. Stay true to yourself. Never follow someone else’s path unless you’re in the woods and you’re lost and you see a path. By all means, you should follow that” – Ellen DeGeneres

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And So It Begins…

As my parents drive me to the airport, it finally hits me – I’m actually leaving for an entire year.

Although I have been imagining this new life in my head ever since I signed my Au Pair contract, it somehow never quite felt real. But here I am. Plopped into the middle of a new city and a new life for the next year to come. And I couldn’t be happier.

The neighborhood

My journey goes rather smoothly until I arrive in Frankfurt and get held up at customs – then in security (I’m one of the lucky few to be searched, and the guard is unfortunately quite thorough in her investigation). This leaves me with 5 minutes to get to my gate.  Panicking, I start in an awkward jog as my bags only allow me to produce a sort of sped up waddle. In my rush, my laptop slips out of my grip and onto the pavement. I have no choice but to keep moving, hoping for the best and that my computer still functions.

As I exit the airport, my new host-family, Sven, Claudia, Jolina (5 yrs) and Tristan (2 yrs), greet me with smiles and open arms, the kids holding a homemade sign that reads “Welcome Hannah,” which makes me feel at home already.

My home for the next year

We arrive at the house and I look around in delight as we walk into their beautiful living room with large double doors that open onto the patio. I am then lead downstairs to my room, and my jaw drops. My room is straight out of a magazine, coordinated with white, reds, and oranges atop modern white furniture. I essentially have my own little apartment in the basement of my host-family’s home, complete with my own bathroom and entryway.

That evening, we eat dinner on the patio and I begin to converse with the kids and get to know them a bit better. I brought them each coloring books, a pink princess one for Jolina and a car one for Tristan, and they are a huge hit. The kids want to begin coloring immediately, and I join in while enjoying dinner and talking with the parents. As the kids move inside to play after dinner, I remain on the porch with Sven and Claudia, enjoying a refreshing German beer and talking into the night.

My Room

As I finally wander to bed, I sink into a deep sleep with a smile on my face. Despite my apprehensions, today turned out to be a lovely experience, and it is only the beginning.

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