Wanderlust Exchange

Program Reviews

Eleonora
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An unforgettable cultural exchange

Wanderlust Exchange helped me realize my dream of coming to China after so many years of studying the Chinese language, culture, and history, and for that I am forever grateful. Thanks to the daily Chinese classes and frequent interactions with my host families, I was able to significantly improve my skills, especially in listening comprehension and speaking. I also had the chance to experience real day-to-day life in China and ask questions about many aspects of Chinese culture, which deepened my understanding.
Working with children was a new and rewarding discovery for me, helping me develop skills I didn't know I had. Although there were some challenges along the way, Wanderlust Exchange supported me throughout and solved them promptly. I truly value the lessons I gained from this experience and the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally. I am grateful to both host families for welcoming me into their homes and wish them all the best for the future.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
If I did this all over again, I would probably arrange more video calls with the host family before makir my final choice. That way, I could better align my expectations with theirs and gain a clearer understanding of what they were hoping for from me. In the end, every experience is valuable, even if i doesn't always feel positive at the time, because it helps you grow and learn.
Pros
  • Significant language improvement
  • First-hand experience of life in China
  • Valuable international experience for my CV
Cons
  • Clearer alignment of expectations and responsibilities
  • Challenging emotional adjustment
  • Difficulties with the organization of the schedule
Anonymous
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Beijing

It's been an amazing journey of growth and independence. Finding yourself, and getting out of your comfort one. This experience honestly changed the way I view things now. I've grown a lot! My student could not speak English when I arrived. My lessons plans and constant efforts that I had put in, finally paid off. I was so happy when we could finally have a conversation, share jokes, and discuss different topics in English. Kris, has also been wonderful throughout my 10 months in China. Thanks to Lily for picking me up at the airport, and Walter for his guidance throughout the Visa process. Wishing you all the best!

What was your funniest moment?
My student saying, "When you leave to your country, put me in your pocket and take me with"
Pros
  • Seeing your sudent's English improve
Cons
  • I was not a fan of the food
Nana
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Au Pair in Harbin

I finished my second programme with Wanderlust Exchange. I did 3 months in Beijing and later I did 6 months in Harbin. It was a wonderful experience overall. During these 9 months i had a lot of travel opportunities with the host families or during my own free time. For me the most rewarding experience was learning chinese and practising it daily in the local environment. Working with the children can be tiring but rewarding as well after seeing their progress and how they open up to you. I've met many amazing people through this program and grown as a person all while getting to know china as a country. Wanderlust team has also been very supportive during my stay. This experience opened up so many opportunities for me, I would absolutely do it over again!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Always hold a clear communication with the host family or the Wanderlust team and be open to accept the cultural differences
Pros
  • Mandarin classes
  • Travel opportunities
  • Delicious local cuisine
Cons
  • Can be overwhelming at times
  • Might be difficult to adapt at first
  • Language barrier
Naira
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Aupair Beijing

I am very excited about this program. It help my childhood dream, visiting China come true, here I met amazing people and made fun and precious memories. First days felt a little bit different and difficult to adapt, but you need just to wait some days, and everything will be perfect.

Beijing has such a unique and vibrant energy. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to immerse myself in a rich cultural heritage, explore historic landmarks like the Great Wall, Forbidden City, hutongs, and buzzing night markets.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Follow your dreams, don’t be afraid of coming new culture, welcome every opportunity in this life
Pros
  • History, culture
  • Food and drinks
  • Meeting new people
Cons
  • Missing family members and your country
Lungelo
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Lungelo in China

I joined the Wanderlust Exchange program and spent six amazing months in Suzhou, China. From the moment I arrived it was a life changing experience. I got to live with a local family, learn about Chinese culture, and share my own.The main thing I enjoyed was shopping and going out every weekend with my host family. They really made me feel like part of the family. I also got to meet other au pairs and make new friends from around the world. I especially loved ordering food. It became my favorite hobby 😂 Because of my passion and love for the experience, Wanderlust even made me an Overseas Representative 🩷Throughout my journey we took many pictures and shared lots of stories. If you want to see what life in China was really like for me, you can check out my Instagram. I’ve posted highlights from the beginning of my trip all the way to now.Thank you Wanderlust for helping me grow, explore, and feel at home in a new country. If you’re thinking about joining, go for it. It’s an unforgettable adventure 🌏✈️

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Do as much research as you can before coming. It helps you feel more prepared. Also, book your flight tickets a few months before your departure. They are usually much cheaper if you book early. I made the mistake of booking mine too late, and when my plans changed, there was a slight delay in getting my refund.
Pros
  • ESL experience
  • Culture exchange
  • Beautiful country
Cons
  • Culture shock
  • Fat phobia
  • Colorism
Aleksandra
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Cultural exchange in China

Being in China was an interesting and very different experience. There is so much to discover in this country! When it comes to the program it was a great opportunity to learn more of Chinese, don't worry if you don't know any Chinese yet, the teachers at my school in Bejing were very friendly and patient, I learned so much and I also made many amazing friends, especially because it is not a big school, but that makes it more family like environment. Living with Chinese family was also very different and although there were many challenges and language barrier sometimes I also had a good time and made many great memories, including traveling with my host family to other cities in China.

Nicolas
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great family, poor agency

I was very lucky with the family, but I know other au pairs who had horribly cruel families, and the agency didn't remove those families from their program.

I'm very grateful to the agency because they made everything possible, but I have to say they weren't completely transparent. They didn't tell me that Mandarin class wasn't during the whole stay, just a percentage of the time. They also told us we would have monthly activities, and the only activity I had with the agency was a picnic with industrial crisps and Oreo (I really liked the girl who organized it, she just didn't have the financial support from the agency).

At the end of the stay, they had to send me money, and they charged me about 40$ of transfer commissions, which they should just pay themselves.

I want to clarify that the people from the agency are lovely and willing to help. Kris and Tongyu were very nice! Thanks for everything!

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
Duck tongue and donkey skin
Pros
  • Completely changes your view of the world
  • Good food
  • Learn a lot
Cons
  • Brutal cultural shocks
  • Horrible apps for foreigners (maps etc)
  • Agency not very supportive
Response from Wanderlust Exchange

Dear Nicholas,

We appreciate the unique cultural exchange you brought to the family you are working with and the enriching experiences you've shared with the children.

Wanderlust Exchange is dedicated to immersive cultural exchange and educational travel for over a decade. We value au pair experience and is here to ensure each and every of you are in good hands.

We host online & offline cultural activities and the Mandarin school we are working with also host cultural events such as tea ceremony, flower arrangement, painting fans and making dumplings. As for the Mandarin course, the course duration accounts for 70-85% of the au pair program period. This policy is listed in the Services and Subsidies to au pairs.

Thank you so much for your invaluable feedback, we will carry on our work in a more thorough and efficient manner. We appreciate your kind words on our coworkers Kris and Tongyu, who are invaluable members and part of WE Team.

Wish you all the best in your future endeavors!

Wanderlust Team

Meline
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Life as an au pair

Being an au pair in China is a really good way to experience life there. You get to live with a Chinese family, which means you're surrounded by the culture every day. I got to travel, try a lot of new food, and learn about their customs up close. Living with a Chinese family helped me understand their lifestyle better and made the whole experience more meaningful. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that you might feel a bit alone at first—you have to figure things out on your own, like exploring your neighborhood and getting used to everything but finding other au pairs nearby makes a big difference and can turn the experience into something really fun and memorable.

What would you improve about this program?
One thing I would suggest to improve the program is to help new au pairs connect with previous ones. That way, the former au pair could share their experience and tips, which would make things easier for both the newcomer and the host family
Erin
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best Choice I Ever Made

Choosing this agency to help me get a fresh start on life was the best choice I ever made. Not only did they stay with me every step of the way while I was preparing to leave, they also helped me set up a Chinese bank account and get a Chinese phone number within a few days or arriving.

There were a few times when I found myself in a tricky situation, and WE was always there for me to help me fix it. Thanks to this agency, I was able to see once in a lifetime views, merry some incredible people, and learn more about a people and a culture that I’ve loved since I was a child. Thank you, Wanderlust Exchange!

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
Something called “Birds Nest”. It’s basically made from bird spit, which I didn’t know birds could do, and a lot of Chinese people eat it for health benefits. I didn’t enjoy it, but a lot of people here eat it.
Pros
  • 24 hour communication
  • Health Insurance
  • Once in a lifetime cultural experiences
Cons
  • The agency messes up sometimes, but every agency does
  • You have to be very careful when selecting a host family
  • You can get lonely
Nana
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Au Pair in Beijing

Finished 3 months program in Beijing. It was the first time I've participated in the program and the overall experience was very positive! It gave me a lot of opportunities to explore the city, understand the local ways of life and experience it firsthand, try new cuisine, broaden my ESL teaching experience and most importantly learn the chinese language. Living expenses are covered, which allows us to have a comfortable time while staying in a foreign environment. Both the local families and WE are ready to support us through daily life and other difficulties. I'm continuing my program in Harbin now, absolutely recommend coming here and experiencing this on your own!

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
Squeezing in the overcrowded metro of Beijing was a tough challenge at first, but overtime I learned to use other methods of convenient transportation such as public shared bikes, buses, Didi, etc.
Pros
  • Exploring new cities/country
  • Opportunity to learn a new language
  • Connect with the locals
Cons
  • Can be difficult to adjust at first
  • Making friends in smaller cities could be a challenge