I was recently asked why I am in this industry. Why do I enjoy being an agent?
This question took me back to the very beginning of my adventure. I was living a regular life, working an 8 to 5 job at a great corporate company, earning a great salary, an independent woman! Almost 7 years in to my job and I started asking myself, is this enough? Am I happy? The answer was no.
Why? Why was I not happy with a great job and a great salary and going to work and back every day with the same routine? Because I wanted more!
I made the decision to quit my job and go abroad to be an Au Pair in America. Some people thought I was making a mistake; I was certainly taking one of the biggest risks of my life so far. On the 6th September 2015 I got on a plane to fly to New York for the Au Pair orientation week before heading to my host family in Columbus, Georgia. I went from being an independent woman in the corporate world to being the Au Pair of my host family. The best decision I have ever made!
My host family was amazing; we got along great right from the start. It did not feel like work, I felt like a part of the family. They did so much from their side to make me feel right at home. This made dealing with the culture shock so much easier. Apart from loving my new home and my new family, I also got to travel to the most amazing places which I could previously only dream of! The kind of places that we as South Africans only see in movies. Some of my favourite destinations included Miami, Florida, The Bahamas, The Grand Canyon, Nashville, Tennessee and Las Vegas to name a few.
When my time in The USA ended, I could not believe how fast two years have gone by. Even though I was extremely sad to leave my amazing host family, the wonderful two boys that I took care of and my new home behind, I was super excited because I was about to take on a whole new adventure upon my arrival back in South Africa. This time I was not going anywhere, but I was about to send other young women on their adventures of a lifetime!
I started working as an agent in October 2017. This is not always a job that runs smoothly. Obviously as with any other job there are ups and downs and obstacles along the way. You can only imagine what we as agents have been through since COVID-19 hit. At the end of the day, the good outweighs the bad. This is without a doubt the most rewarding work that I have ever done.
Making the dreams of other young women come true, helping them see the world and to take part in this wonderful cultural exchange program that I got to experience, it’s really amazing. From the time, the Au Pair gets on that plane right up until she says goodbye to her host family to come back to South Africa after a year. Experiencing their journeys with them, being there for them from the start to the end. Seeing the smiles on their faces when they land in their host countries. Seeing their amazing adventures and travel pictures on social media. Having them thank me for helping them go on the best adventure that they never thought possible.
This, is why.
Author: Nadine van Wyngaardt
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