Just like that, my year as an au pair has come to an end. As I write my final blog post four days later, I can hardly believe how quickly the year went by. It certainly had its ups and downs, but I wouldn't trade it for anything (cliché, I know, yet still true).
My last few working days were fairly relaxed. HP were still on vacation from work and the boys school was still closed. Because of this, my working hours shifted from mostly in the evening to mostly throughout the day. HP had a lot of errands to run and household chores to do since they'd recently gotten back from their two week vacation. I would take the boys on little trips into town or to the park to get us out of the house. I'd even argue that I had more fun with the boys in these few days than I did in the whole last month. I suppose knowing that I'd be leaving soon meant I made a conscious effort to focus on all of the good and ignore the bad. As many of you know, life with kids is a rollercoaster of beautiful moments surrounded by twice as many difficult ones.
On August 31, my very last day, the five of us all went to the pool together. We swam, ate lunch, and enjoyed one of the last warm days of summer. In the evening we went home and had a little barbecue. HD and I stopped at the butcher on the way and picked up an astonishing 63€ in fresh cuts of high-quality meat. We bought sausages, ox meat, and steak. We grilled and ate outside on the patio. HP presented me with a few gifts to celebrate the year, including two books, a coffee mug, some of the boys artwork, a framed photo of me and the kids, and a thank you card. It was all very sweet and thoughtful. HP and I sat down afterwards to have a conversation about how we were going to proceed from here. They asked me if I'd be interested in continuing to work for them on a regular basis. They will not be getting another au pair, as they said they don't need someone on an every day kind of basis. Instead, I'll go over to babysit once a week. I'm happy with this arrangement because it means I get to continue to watch the kids grow up and be a part of their lives.
On Thursday, September 1, I moved out of the house. Saying goodbye to the kids was the hardest part. I doubt Two really understood the situation, but One certainly did. He grabbed on to me and wouldn't let go. I explained to him that I'd still see him all the time, I just wouldn't live in the room next to him anymore. He looked at me with sadness in his eyes, frowned, and then squeezed me even harder. HD helped me pack up his car and he drove me to my new place. I'd be lying if I said I didn't tear up as we were leaving the house. In the 20 minute car ride to my new home, HD told me about how they would always be there for me. He told me that I should never shy away from asking them for help, no matter the problem. This small act of kindness made my heart smile. It's nice to know that I will always have them as a support system here. I was certainly ready to make the transition to this next phase of my life, but leaving my host family was not exactly easy. They became my home here. Their house became the one I looked forward to walk into at the end of a bad day. I cared for their kids as if they were my own. I'm lucky to have spent this year with a family who made leaving a somber occasion. I'm excited for this next chapter of my life, but I'm so grateful for this last one as well.
Despite my best efforts to find an apartment, I came up empty handed. I moved into a friends' house while I continue looking for an apartment of my own to live in. I do have my own room. It's nice to be somewhat settled before I begin classes on September 13. Oh yeah, I'm starting classes on September 13! I will be doing an Ausbildung, which is similar to an apprenticeship. I'll be studying translation and interpreting for German/French/English. The program lasts three years. I've always wanted to be an interpreter/translator. I'm certainly not getting any younger, so why not start now? I'll also be working part time in a pub to support myself. Life is absolutely going to get a lot busier now, but I'm up to the challenge. I've been settling into my new room, running the errands associated with moving, and hanging out with my friends. I'll also be flying to Ireland on September 7 to do some touristing with my mom. It'll be a whole nine months since I've seen my mom, the longest amount of time I've ever not seen her in my entire life. To say I'm excited to see her would be an understatement.
Anyways, I'd say I learned a lot this year. Some things are more obvious but less concrete. My German vastly improved. I'd argue that I'm fluent now. I realized that I am a much stronger person than I thought I was. I'm more patient and understanding. There are a thousand smaller things I learned too. I'm an expert at navigating public transportation. I can sing countless German children's songs, most of which I don't even know in English. I can drive a manual like a pro. The list goes on. This year has forever shaped me, changing me in more ways than I thought possible. Now I turn to the future, excited to see what exactly it holds.
