Program Reviews

When i accepted this program, i didn't know what to expect! I've been living in china for 5 years now away from my family, so i needed something like this! I've learned a lot about the Chinese culture, even much more than the 5 years that i have been living here in china, and that's by having the opportunity to get involved the Chinese family experience and understand the way they think, their way of seeing things from their own perspective. So i enjoyed my time a lot! I recommend every language student to give it a try, you'll gain experience from it!

My experience as an au-pair was a 4 out of 5. I have been here from the end of February till the beginning of July. Getting a student X2 visa with the right documents provided by the school and the company, makes it all a lot easier. So don’t worry too much about the visa, just look at what you need, where to make an appointment, and in my case, Wanderlust helped me a lot with questions about my visa. So that was really reassuring. Because that is a very important part of course. When I finally arrived in Shanghai I was escorted by one of the employees of Wanderlust, to the family’s home from the airport by metro. And a few days later I received an introduction tour from the company Wanderlust with some other new students. We went to the Shanghai museum, which was my favorite part. The next few weeks I had to wait till my classes started and I was getting to know my family, the teacher at the language school, Mr. Alex, was such a wonderful person and teacher. He was always ready to help me if I had any questions. Yes, even if they were stupid questions. And their headmaster was also always ready to help you, I could see that they all worked hard and also cared about their students. And as for the family, I am legit so incredibly lucky to have met this family. They are amazing persons and made me into a better person, they are always working hard and trying to improve themselves and their skills. So they influenced me to do the same. While teaching their 4 girls English and playing with them, I tried to ask them how I could improve. And they always came back with helpful feedback. It is not always like this, but they really treated me like their own family member, I love them, and I hope that if you choose this program, you will be as lucky as me to find such a great, warm-hearted family. So the school and family were so great, I had to travel a long time 3 days a week (about 2 hours) to get from their home to school, but for me that was totally worth it. I made some great friends at the language school and a few of them I will never forget. For me this program I was, working hard, learning hard, on my off days either resting, learning or hanging out with friends, and overall a great, great time. Everybody has their own priorities, for me it was learning Chinese and becoming a better teacher, person, etc. Somebody who you can rely on. I gave it a 4 out of 5 because things like communication can always be better, so I am honest while writing reviews. I would recommend this program for people who love to be put in completely different environments, cultures, work ethic, etcetera. And be sure to look at what kind of family you will be staying with, because that is in my opinion the most important part in deciding how you will feel about this program. What do they expect you to teach the children? For how many hours? How far is the school from your home? What will you do with the children in their free time? Etc. I wish you the best of luck if you decide to do this program, good luck and have fun!

I was an au pair with Wanderlust for 4 months, and it was an absolutely amazing experience. Wanderlust was so helpful everything starting from the interview process all the way to the end of my time as an au pair. They were very prompt with answering my messages when I needed help. Staying away from home for so long was definitely quite nerve-wracking, but having the agency be there as support in case I ran into any problems allowed me to feel relief.

The family and the kid, who was 7 years old, was also wonderful to be with. The kid and I developed a very close bond. The family welcomed me with open arms and went above and beyond to make sure my stay here in China was comfortable. All in all, I am so grateful to be able to teach English while also learning Chinese here in China. I couldn't have had such an amazing experience had it not been for the family and most importantly, Wanderlust.

The experience I benefited from the agency and the family was insane. The agency did the job, the contact I had was extremely helpful and their relation with the family was very fluid.

About the family, I don't think I could think of any bad points. From the beginning to the end, they have been super reliable in terms of communication, proposition of activities and even support (I was finding an internship in France at that time so I had many interviews and the family was understanding that). The two amazing points are : the kid was super smart and mature (14yo) and the family has had a long experience dealing with au pairs.The extra good point was the absence of language barrier (with my Chinese level and the English level of the mum and the kid). They made the conditions for me to really

My experience was unique, because I had the opportunity to find an amazing host family. They welcomed me with open arms and has given me the best experience which I'll never forget. Most importantly I got to be an older sister and best friend to the most amazing little girl. We had some good and hard times together, but even through that you get to experience how much this little person will grow in building confidence, leaning new skills and improving their language skills. To be able to experience that is a truly rewarding feeling. This experience has also given me the chance to study Mandarin, see some of the most beautiful places in China and meeting new people everywhere I went to. So come and find your next adventure in China because it's waiting for you;)!

Coming to China was by far the best experience on my gap year and I am very grateful to wanderlust exchange for all the help and support throughout my stay. I was hesitant at first as I didn’t know what to expect but after this trip I have developed such a love for Chinese culture and language which will stay with me for life. I stayed with a very welcoming and kind family who I have become very close with. I definitely recommend this experience to anyone wanting to explore a new culture or language!

Back when I registered for this program and matched with a host family, I still didn't know what to expect, it was my first time going abroad and away from my family and friends - I basically moved out of my bubble😅 and then put into another unfamiliar bubble thousands of kilometres away. It was scary experiencing that culture shock and the struggle of communication when some people can't speak anything other than Chinese and even the food was different! But I survived through it all I've lived in china for a year now and there are still some struggles that I can't seem to escape because I'm foreigner of course😄but all of those scary and unfamiliar moments is what makes us stronger and more determined to do what we set out to do and I did with the help of Wanderlust staff members I was able go longer than I expected (because my plan was to stay for only 6 months) because of all the places I got visit, the people I met and the opportunity to see the growth and development of my little student MY LITTLE SISTER. It was all worth it in the end and I'm very thankful for Wanderlust and the host families I stayed with.
感谢Wanderlust Exchange！🗺️🎉🇿🇦✈️🇨🇳

I had an absolutely wonderful and meaningful 5 months as an au pair in Shanghai. From the beginning, Wanderlust made it a very seamless and simple process to be placed with a host family of my choice and become a part of their family. I not only improved my language skills in ways that would not have been possible elsewhere, but I also feel like I gained a second family in China and made so many friends. It was so rewarding to teach English and watch how the family's child improved and grew throughout my time. Immersing myself and integrating into Chinese culture was truly a life changing and eye opening experience that I am so grateful for. Wanderlust was there every step of the way to help if I needed anything and provide support or guidance.

When I started to think about being an au pair, I didn’t even realize that China could be my place. I’m so glad that wanderlust reached out to me and suggested me to come. Now I have realized how good and fitting this place was to me. My trip was unique because I had so different family around me that I have at home. I got so many new experiences with that family. They wanted to take me everywhere and show their lifestyle.
In my case I learned new language and got a lot of new friends around the world too.

I grew up so much in person during the trip. I took responsibility a different way what I hadn’t experienced never before. I got to feel how it feels like to be part of different family with a different breeding method. So now my way of thinking is much more open-minded and I can use what I have learned later.

I think China was a best choise for me, because there was so much new what I didn’t knew before. I learned more about the culture. Being an European in Asia was first a big cultural shock but eventually I learned to like these things. Definitely I suggest to try to be an au pair and go around the world. I would choose this country and this agency any time again!

I came to Beijing as a post-grad from university, and it has been a great experience to live abroad with the safety network of the program and your Chinese family! I've had a great time playing with and teaching the kids, the ayis at home make amazing food, and going out to explore the city with the friends I've made from the mandarin school.

Every au pair experience will be very different, so here are some things to consider before you come to ask your family and the agency (things that I wish I had asked before): will you live on your own or with the family, where is your home located and how long is your commute to school, what a typical weekly schedule looks like for the family, and any travel plans that the family has during your stay (and if your vacation days will be used while they are traveling). The cultural difference between western and Chinese norms aren't always the same, so it's best to ask any little thing you're not sure of, just to make sure there's no confusion.

This experience can be amazing and can not be amazing, but it's really what you make of it! Take advantage of the free time you have and explore your city, try to make friends with the people in the Chinese school, and make an effort to make your own routine in China! The initial learning curve of getting used to everything here can be hard but if you put in the work, it'll be so worth it in the end!