6 months as an au pair in Shanghai

In September 2023, I had the opportunity to go to Shanghai to become an au pair for 6 months in a family of 3 children. It was an amazing experience and thanks to the Wanderlust Exchange program, I was able to explore many aspects during my stay. It was both a cultural exchange and a human exchange from my daily life with the family but also the discovery activities organized by the agency and the school.

Previously, I hadn't had any real experience with children, but that wasn't a problem because I was quickly integrated. My daily life with the children was also facilitated with the help of the agency and the family who accompanied me in the organization of a schedule.

What I also enjoyed in my stay was the learning of Mandarin, I entered the school with no level in Mandarin but I learned to love this language and I managed to quickly level up with the help of a teacher who was very invested in learning the language.
The school is not only a place of learning but also of meeting, which makes our daily life at school more comfortable with the meeting of other au pairs and also with all the school teams who often organize discovery activities.

The agency also often organizes activities between au pairs to meet new people and learn more about different aspects of Chinese culture. Thanks to these activities, I met au pairs who later became my friends in Shanghai, which allowed me to enjoy my days in Shanghai even more.

If I could conclude my stay in China as an au pair, I would say that it was a very enriching and unforgettable experience. I've been lucky enough to meet many amazing people and discover a culture rich in tradition.

I would like to thank Wanderlust exchange once again for guiding me through the program and thank you to my family for trusting me.