Destino Idiomas

I stayed in the beautiful city of Santiago de Compostela for 8 weeks with a wonderful family. I felt immediately welcomed and put at ease, and had a lovely home to stay in. The family were very relaxed, but it was still good to check in with them about my responsibilities as an au pair. They were very flexible with my needs and even helped me arrange local trips and Spanish lessons. I would spend my set hours with the children during the day, and then in the afternoon I would visit the city, go to Spanish classes, or spend time with the family if they were going to the beach! At the weekend the family would always invite me to join them with their plans if I wanted to.

Ana from the agency was also extremely helpful, she gave me potential options that would suit me and helped me find the perfect family. A major positive of this agency was that they were able to accommodate the length of the trip I wanted whereas other agencies expected a 3 month stay (whereas I could only go for a duration of 8 weeks due to work commitments). Ana regularly checked up with me throughout my time in Spain and I felt I could talk to her about any problems I had (luckily there weren’t any) and we even met up for coffee! She also made sure I was in contact with other au pairs in the area in case I got lonely.

Santiago de Compostela is a very historical city with a grand cathedral and lots of tourists during the summer due to the Día De Santiago occurring on 25th July, with lots of pilgrims attending from around the world. This meant that there were always events and celebrations on during the month of July and even in August. Everything is within walking distance in the city, as well as having good train links to other key areas in Galicia.

This was the most incredible experience I have ever had. I got to learn a new language while staying with an amazing family. They were so welcoming and I felt like part of the family. I was full immersed in Spanish culture and loved every moment. We attended most of the festivals that occurred during my stay as well as family events. The children were very energetic and we spent most days running around in the park, exploring the area or playing in the pool. This was honestly the best experience I have ever done and I would highly recommend.

I was an Au Pair in Vigo for 4 weeks and I had the most amazing experience. I was with a family who were so supportive and they took me to see amazing things and I saw so many places. However sometimes I got lonely but I think this was due to me being out of season. Ana was amazing and was always checking up on me and I met her for a coffee. I also did some solo travelling on one of the weekends which was amazing also. I would 100% recommend this agency to anyone and also the chance at becoming an Au Pair.

My experience was incredible. I stayed with the most accommodating family, who made me feel very welcome and cared for. Looking after the children was very enjoyable, and taught me a lot about not only childcare, but about myself. Ana was very supportive; I was fortunate to have no issues but I know if I had, Ana would have been on hand to help me. The communication process when choosing a family and being chosen was very clear and Ana made it very smooth and easy. Definitely stick it out longer than 1 week; it may feel very overwhelming when you first get there, but once you get to know the family and children and the routine, it’ll become enjoyable and you’ll feel much more confident, even if the first week you feel like it’s not for you or you’ve made a mistake. Learning the language is a must; I only had 4 weeks of lessons during my trip but they instilled so much confidence in me when speaking to everyone that I would definitely recommend. Also a great way to make friends, I know I’ll continue learning now I am home. I made many memories with the children that I will value forever, and learned a lot about myself from my trip. It was a great experience and I’m so glad I decided to au pair, and choosing to go through destino idiomas was the best choice.

At first I was scared about taking a gap year and what I would find to fill my free time but it was by far the best decision I’ve ever made for myself. Choosing to be an au pair in a small town in Spain was such an amazing experience I would do anything to do it all over again. I met so many incredible people and visited amazing places. My host parents were incredibly welcoming and spending time with their children was so special. Three months flew by and I already can’t wait to come back and revisit :)