Program Reviews

How many people are out there sharing the same thought: ‚I want to see the world!‘ Maybe they just finished high school and want to spend some time exploring more places before starting university, or they are just looking for a new adventure and want to spend some time abroad, doing something different. I was one of these persons. After finishing high school I just wanted to grab my bags and go see the world.
But with going to see the world there comes a lot of stuff to organize. Where am I going? What am I doing there? Where do I get the money from? What if I get lonely, all by myself? Who has my back there, if anything goes wrong or I need some help? All these questions arise when you plan to go on a big journey by yourself. There is an answer to all these questions.
If you are reading this review, you are probably already considering to go to China. You probably already informed yourself at least a bit about this country. So I will just skip the part of telling you how amazing China is and how many opportunities and beautiful things this country has to offer. I will just skip telling you about the kind people you can meet here, the unbelievable amount of good food and the funny language, definitely worth learning!
In fact I will just skip the question of where you should go, but come to the next point, that will answer all the following questions.

When I thought about what I wanted to do, I asked myself what priorities I have for my big journey. I didn’t just want to see the culture, but experience it. I didn’t just want to listen to the language, but learn it. I didn’t just want to watch the people, but talk to them, get to know them, live with them.
I did some research back then and all my concerns seemed to have a solution with the one thing: being an au pair.
As an au pair you can enjoy and experience the country to the fullest. So in the next step I looked for a suitable program for me and this is how I found out about Wanderlust Exchange China.
With this program I you can have everything at once. I lived with a chinese family in Beijing. My duty was it to take care of their son and help him learn and improve his English which was a lot of fun and a great experience. Combining the work with children with travelling a country is probably one of the best things I could have done. Being a part of a chinese family gives you a whole new vision of China and its culture. There are so many things you can never understand about this country if you don’t take the step to make the decision to actually live here. Besides the normal daily life, the host family also took me on several weekend trips and holidays to show me more of China. And as we all know, travelling a country with locals is always a great thing, as they can tell and show you so many more things, you never would have known, travelling by yourself.
Another unique thing about this program and being an aupair in China was that I could attend Mandarin classes and learn the language myself. It was amazing for me to see myself suddenly understanding what people around me were talking about, if it was just at home or even in the streets.
Moreover there were monthly cultural activities included in the program, like cooking traditional chinese food and stuff. That’s how you got in touch with many other au pairs which- if needed or not- made you not feel lonely. I always enjoyed these meetups as it is always great to have someone to talk to who is experiencing just the same as you are.

To sum up, with this program I had an answer to all my questions. I am so grateful for the opportunity I was given to experience China to the fullest and I can recommend it to anyone who is open to something completely new and looking for an adventure out there.

I had a wonderful experience volunteering through Wanderlust in Shanghai and hope others consider this as an option as they look for volunteer/abroad programs. As a young professional with a couple of months off from work, I was looking for a program that was both flexible with timing and impactful. When I came across Wanderlust's Orphanage program I was really excited by both the mission and the flexibility (ability to volunteer for 2-4 weeks vs. 2-4 months). The Wanderlust Program team was so patient and helpful as I navigated the application process and eventually arrived in China. Since I had some Chinese language background and had previously studied abroad in Shanghai, I was already culturally adjusted to living in China, but the Wanderlust team made it even more special by providing me with an additional community of volunteers and au pairs to get to know. The overall volunteer experience was really great. I spent three weeks with an orphanage located in a children's hospital in Shanghai. The staff at the orphanage were absolutely amazing, so kind, welcoming, and really cared about the children. While I was volunteering I mostly assisted with teaching one of the kids English, I also had the opportunity to join in on art and music classes with the other children. Overall, just a fantastic experience and I would have never known about it if I hadn't found Wanderlust. I hope to go back and volunteer again in the future!

I stayed 5 months as an au pair in Shanghai, this was for me a wonderful experiences that made me mature, living with the Chinese family allowed me to be in total immersion in the country's culture. , there is occasionally misunderstanding between me and the family, but the agency has always been there if ever I had a problem. I was educated at the "Mandarin House" which is a very good school with a very good atmosphere and a remarkable quality of work, the other good point that I appreciated are the cultural outings with the other au pairs of the agency every month . It was for me a big change in my life, I had good as less good time, but I would recommend this experience to everyone, It is very enriching . And I can not wait to return in china to see the host family with whom I created strong links!

In the other side of the world there are million of possibilities, and reasons that make us feel excited and nervous, maybe because we know that China will change something in us. Between millions of people we open our eyes, learning and trying to understand thousands of random things that happen everyday. I am Arlin Medrano, I am Mexican, and China changed my life. Not only because I have more stamps in my passports or because I know now how to use chopsticks, and say 你好 but because I find an ancient culture that have been in earth for centuries having also the most advanced Tecnology in the world, between an old temple and a crystal tower I understand that China is about contrast.

I life in Shanghai with two beautiful kids that make my life more beautiful, and my experience of adaptability more easy. In this four months I had been traveling to Singapore, Maldives, Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan. This have been not just learning about China but a important part of Asia, I have been traveling with my family and by myself. This is more than a trip, is a part of your life you will tell with a deep breath.

Thanks Wanderlust.

Overall my experience has been great! I love the family I’m with. They are all so nice and welcoming!! The 4 year old boy I work with is very cute and sweet! Also, I love Chongqing! It is a beautiful city with some really cool tourist spots.
The first month I was here it was very difficult. There are not many people in Chongqing that speak English so that can be a challenge. Another thing I needed to adjust to was the food. There are some different types of food so make sure you are open to different flavors and styles. For me, my time here became a lot better, once I met people my own age and began spending time with them.
I have had a lot of new experiences and I have learned so much! I am very happy with my decision to come here with this family.

In my final weeks as an Au Pair, I now look back and realize how quickly 3 months has went by and how much I have experienced during my time in Beijing. It is true when they say time passes quickly when you are having fun, and I felt that was the case here.

I enrolled in this program with the intention of improving my Chinese while gaining more experience teaching English, and I can say I have accomplished both of these tasks.I found the Mandarin classes to be extremely helpful in navigating through daily tasks, as the textbook introduced many practical situations that were relevant to the outside world. For me my class was one on one with my teacher who was very informative in teaching me about the Chinese culture and clarifying how to say phrases or words that I was curious about in Chinese.

The highlight of the program would have to be the opportunity to live with a host family, who made me feel at home, provided me with my own room and the most delicious three meals of Chinese food every single day. I was always hesitant of eating outside because I was afraid of missing out on the delicious homemade dishes from the host chefs. After three months, I can confidently say the names of many food ingredients, sauces, and dishes in Chinese, where if I were to go buy ingredients in a supermarket I would be able to communicate what I need in Chinese.

Living under the same roof as the host kids does create a more intimate relationship, as I felt more like an older brother rather than an English tutor. My three host kids, a 5 year old girl, 3 year old boy, and 1.5 year old boy are absolutely adorable, each with their own distinct personalities and traits. Although initially trying to get the kids to focus and follow directions is an incredibly big challenge, once they warmed up to me, then it becomes all fun and games! Everyday was a new learning opportunity, as I often found myself experimenting with different activities to keep the kids motivated and engaged. I actually thought the learning experience was mutual, where even though I taught the kids English, I also learned a lot of Chinese just from the daily interactions with the kids.

As far as support goes, the WAC staff is incredibly helpful in offering their support in any problems you may encounter, whether it is with renewing visas or adding additional Mandarin classes. The cultural activities they plan were extremely enjoyable, as it gives an opportunity to meet other Au Pairs and introduce another aspect of Chinese culture!

Overall, this has been an enjoyable and eye opening experience and I highly recommend it if you enjoy working with kids and are looking for an opportunity to learn more about the Chinese culture while living with a host family!

I've spent 3 months as an au pair with a lovely family in Shanghai.
From the moment I arrived I was treated like family and made to feel extremely welcome.
My family were very flexible and I had an abundance of free time to relax or venture into the city centre, however I frequently chose to spend my free time with them as I enjoyed their company. My two host boys, 4 and 9 years old, were gorgeous. Playing with them was no trouble at all, but getting them interested in practicing their English wasn't an easy task. My living standards throughout were incredible, my host family's house was beautiful and I had my own room and bathroom. They also took me on holiday with them for 1 month in Northern China, which was of course incredible. Living with a host family is definitely the best way to truly immerse in the culture, as you simply can't escape it- the food, language, mannerisms, traditions. Hazel and Lisa from Wanderlust were always fast and effective to respond anytime I needed assistance. Their monthly cultural activities were great, and offered a great platform to meet the other au pairs. I chose to take my mandarin classes online as we went on holiday for so long, so I can't vouch for the quality of the used language school, but I can certainly say that if you want to learn Chinese this is a fantastic way to do it. After learning Chinese for only 3 months in China, I can now have conversations with locals. Overall, my experience au pairing with Wanderlust has been impeccable. I have learnt so much, more than I could ever have learnt in a classroom. It has felt like one big family holiday. I'm grateful beyond words for these 3 months I've had in China!

I had a priceless experience with Daisy, Min and the amazing kids of Shanghai's Baby Home. I will never forget the amazing people I met. More than anything I feel extremely grateful to have gotten the chance to meet these children and the staff. This experience will definitely shape my future life and has made me eternally grateful for everything I had growing up. I had a lot of fun with the kids and other volunteers while I was there and I would definitely recommend this experience.

Picking my bag up from the bag carousel in Pudong airport and heading towards the arrivals hall, I was very much unsure what to expect about my 3 months in China with Wanderlust Exchange. It was my first time in mainland China – and the first day of my new life in China. A new job, family, language, city, country and culture awaited me the other side of the sliding doors.

With my time in Shanghai nearly finished, it is only now that I realise how much I have experienced and seen in the last few months. In my first few days, I saw much of Shanghai with Lisa, Wanderlust’s brilliant and very lovely intern, on the orientation course. Seeing many of the major sights (the Bund, Peoples’ Square, and the Pudong skyline) and the inner city with someone a bit more native to the place than myself helped me feel far more comfortable with the sheer scale of the city. Even though I have visited many of the world’s most influential cities (London, Paris, New York), none of them could quite prepare me for the size of Shanghai, which has roughly 3 times more people than London! Therefore being able to explore with someone who spoke the local language and could explain many of the customs and traditions was invaluable – and the continued support of Wanderlust has meant that slowly but surely I have begun to understand more and more of this huge city and this historic country, although I will be the first to admit I have only scraped the surface.

The monthly cultural activities arranged by the agency for all the au-pairs have also been great for discovering more of China – we have all had a great time bonding over our various abortive attempts at the venerable art of Chinese calligraphy, as well as our unique contributions to the Shanghai paper cutting tradition. These activities have not only been great for learning about Chinese culture, but also for bonding with the other au-pairs from around the world over our shared experiences and challenges of life in China – in the process not only learning about China, but about places all over the world. Both during these cultural activities and in our spare time it has been great to meet so many of the au-pairs and form such a close community with them. Sometimes it’s good just to be able to talk to someone with a Western accent!

Not only have Wanderlust and the other au-pairs been very good and supportive throughout my whole stay, I have also been very lucky to have been matched with such a great host family. My host family are a family of 5 (two parents, two children, and Grandma), and they have been brilliant to me – treating me as if I was one of their family and including me in a plethora of family activities. We have visited historic sites across China, including an unforgettable week in Guizhou Province on the western side of China seeing how different inland China is to Shanghai and the coastal cities. They have introduced me to many of their friends, classmates, and extended family members at many outings, and it has been great to be able to meet so many people and discover all about Chinese culture and society in this way – over many delicious meals and glasses of Chinese firewater. My favourite memories of my time with them include visiting a traditional Chinese spa in the heart of Shanghai, going to a family birthday party for one of their 1 year old nephews, singing karaoke together after a family barbecue, and celebrating the eldest daughter’s admission into university over a meal with many of the parents’ friends and classmates. These occasions have all been great fun, and are very good for seeing “living” Chinese culture. My host family have really gone out of their way to make me feel part of the family and to show me all parts of Chinese culture, and I am sure I have formed relationships with them that will last far longer than the remaining weeks I have here.

Teaching the 2 children English has been incredibly rewarding, a lot of fun as well as a good challenge. We have covered all sorts of things, from helping coach the eldest daughter successfully through the IELTS test for university admission to a top Western university to discussing British history and sports with the younger child. The variety of things that we have talked about has been really interesting, and has definitely kept me on my toes! The proudest moment of it all was seeing the daughter leave for university in the West, having achieved the IELTS grade needed and being far more confident in her English and understanding of Western culture as a result of all that we had discussed.

As her English improved, so did my Chinese! Twice weekly lessons at the Mandarin Garden School have been an integral part of my time in Shanghai, and they have been really useful for helping me develop some basic Chinese skills. Mandarin is as different to English as could be imagined, but it has been great fun trying to tackle it as a result. I am still very much a novice, but the Chinese lessons have been something that has really made my time in China as fun as it has been, and I definitely feel a lot more confident interacting with locals and going about the city as a result. The lessons are only a small part of your life as an au-pair in terms of time spent, but they have really made my time in Shanghai many times more enjoyable, and they have given me knowledge and skills that will be helpful in the future.

All in all, it has been a really rewarding experience to spend 3 months in China with Wanderlust Exchange. It has not been easy, and at times has required a lot of determination and mental strength - as is to be expected when moving to a new country to start a demanding job like an au-pair – but I am definitely very glad that I have persevered. This is definitely not a holiday program though - it is extremely rewarding but you you have to work hard! If you are looking for something relaxed I'd say go sit on the beach in Bali, but if you're looking for something a bit more fulfilling this is definitely for you I have a great time and although I will be ready to return home and see my family when the time comes, I will certainly miss Shanghai and think of my 3 months here with fondness for a long time to come. Thank you Wanderlust Exchange!

Great company with massive help. Highly reccomend. Always provided help when needed within couple of minutes or hours. Very friendly stuff and great host families. Allowed me to get insight into the real China and meet a myriad of wonderfull people. Very unique experience with a big impact on my life. Useful tip: research places you want to visit before actually flying here and maybe even learn some basic Mandarin