Hi! My name is Tanya, I am 24 years old and I am from Russia. I have known about the aupair program since I was a teenager. I have always been drawn to traveling and learning about other cultures, so from young age I was looking for opportunities to see the world. After graduating from university in Russia, I revisited the idea of trying life abroad. For two years I applied to universities. I received positive responses, but unfortunately, I was not able to win a scholarship. I was extremely disappointed because the dream of seeing other countries and cultures never left me.
I always wanted to go to the Netherlands because this country in my opinion combines everything that is important for me - safety, culture, historical past, rich social life and so on.
So, I remembered once again about the au pair program and started to act. The process was not an easy one. Before I met Elena, I had encountered the unprofessionalism of one of the agents, which caused me to lose money and time.
Thanks to Elena, I met my family where I have been living for 5 months now. I am extremely lucky; the family respects the rules of the program and clearly understands its main mission - cultural exchange. I feel part of the family, I know that I am safe and that I can rely on these people.
I believe that the au pair program is an invaluable opportunity for young people to get to know themselves, to get out of their comfort zone, to experience another culture and country, and to expand their own horizons.
My life has never been so full of travels, new people and emotions as it is now. I already feel that I have become a different person and that I will always remember this experience as an important step in my youth. And all this is thanks to the au pair program!