Reflecting on my first month as an au pair
First Impressions
I got to Barcelona at night after nearly 24 hours of travelling, it was dark and cold (much colder than I had been told it would be and much colder than I expected.) I didn’t really register much of what was happening in the cab ride to the apartment; the mix of exhaustion and the nerves of being in a new place with strangers that I’d be living with for the next five months kind of overtook my ability to appreciate and take in whatever was outside the window.
However, when my host mom showed me my room and subsequently the terrace, I remember being in awe at how big the city was. From their penthouse, we can see both the mountains and the sea, and an amazing view of La Sagrada Familia. I knew Barcelona was a big, cultural epicentre, but didn’t realize just how big the city is until that moment.
My Host Family & Daily Routine
My host family are incredible kind and hospitable, and include me (or give me the option to choose if I want to join) in every activity and restaurant outing. We share all our meals together (and they cook for me or always make me an extra portion,) unless I opt out to go out with friends. On a few occasions, I’ve been previously notified that they’ll be out for the day due to work or appointments, in which case I can cook for myself or eat any of the leftovers in the fridge. Regardless, I’ve been told numerous times that I’m to treat the home as if it is my own and can use whatever is in the fridge as I please.
My daily responsibilities include taking the girl to school in the morning, picking her up in the afternoon, bringing her to any appointments or extracurriculars she has, helping with homework, and bath time. Occasionally, I am asked to babysit for the evening or to prepare dinner, which usually just implies reheating leftovers - or making a quick dinner of my choice - and story time before bed.
My days and weekends are free, though I’m usually always welcome to join the family if they go out, and always receive a notice if I have to babysit on a weekend evening - so far it has only happened once.
Language & Adapting to the Culture
Since I already speak Spanish at a B1 level, I haven’t had too many difficulties communicating, and though everyone speaks English I try my best to only speak in Spanish when I’m out and about seeing as one of my main goals in choosing Spain was to improve my conversational skills. That said, I think it is important to keep in mind that Catalan is the official language in the province and therefore the majority of signage and public announcements (on transportation, in grocery stores, etc) are in Catalan and not in Castilian Spanish.
Something that was unexpected, however, was that pretty much everything is closed on Sundays. And by everything I mean pharmacies, grocery stores, shops. However, most tourist attractions such as museums, cafes, and restaurants remain open. Oh, also most things close at about 14h/14h30 and reopen at 16h30/17h, daily (not just on weekends.) Good to keep in mind when planning out your day, regardless of whether it’s for a weekend trip or long-term travel.
On another note, as someone who is used to going to bed and waking up fairly early at home, the culture of eating dinner at 9 or 10 p.m. and going to bed immediately after is something I still can’t get around. I hate going to bed with a full stomach (it absolutely impacts my sleep quality.)
Why don’t you just wait up a few hours to digest?
Well, lucky for me, I hate going to bed late about as much as I hate going to bed on a full stomach so it’s a lose-lose situation.
Highlights & Challenges
One of the best parts of my experience so far is probably being within walking distance of a mountain. It sounds silly. I have a whole, big, beautiful city at my disposal. But, I guess that goes along with something I keep learning about myself… every time I travel, it solidifies the fact that I am definitely a mountain person. I am always happier near the mountains. Having the freedom to run, walk, or take the metro to the trailhead is so liberating to me, and the fact that within 15 minutes I can be surrounded by trees brings me peace.
On another note, I would say that my biggest challenge since being here is food. I didn’t realize what a crucial role food (and cooking) plays on my mood and mental health. Not having the freedom to cook exactly what I want, or access to my usual ingredients, has really affected me since being here. Especially since I run about 4 to 5 times per week, not having access to my usual tried-and-true ingredients or comfort meals has been quite difficult.
Exploring Barcelona
It’s not even tourist season yet and Barcelona is already so busy and very crowded. It makes me super happy that I am here for a few months and get to explore at my leisure. I think it would be pretty overwhelming to try to accomplish seeing everything on my list with the amount of people travelling here. I’m also glad for all the time I have because it allows me to find hole-in-the-wall places and experience things from an entirely different perspective.
A few of my favourite restaurants, cafes, and other places, so far, include Forn Mistral (specifically Forn Mistral Cafeteria) for some incredible local and classic pastries, Antico Cafe for a quick bite (I love the bocadillo de jamón y tomate), Turó parc for an easy - and beautiful - escape from the city noise, and Mirador de Joan Sales for a breathtaking view of the city.
For any au pairs or travellers in Barcelona, my biggest tip so far would be to take advantage of the free museum days offered by certain establishments. Barcelona has so many museums and some of them are quite expensive. Being able to score a free entry for an afternoon or evening is a great way to be able to experience and learn more about the history and culture of Catalonia and Spain. Some museums that offer free visits on select days include the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, Museo Picasso, and the Barcelona Centre for Contemporary Culture. I’ve also been referring to this list by TimeOut.
Social Life & Making Friends
It is so easy to meet people in Barcelona. There’s an endless array of online communities, groups, and WhatsApp chats for everything from hiking and running to brunch and arts and crafts. I’ve been slowly making my way through all the different run clubs which, for me, has been a great way to meet people who share similar interests.
An easy way to find clubs or groups is through a quick Instagram or Google search… that’s how I found all the ones I’ve joined, so far!
What I’ve Learned, So Far & Looking Ahead
As far as au pairing goes, one of the biggest things I’ve learned so far is to prepare activities. In my case, I have a budget that I can use for activities with the girl and I get reimbursed at the end of the week. I’ve used this budget to plan themed weeks, which I find really helps for mapping out my week and routine with her.
For example, we had “ocean week,” where every evening after school and homework, we learned something new about the ocean and did a different activity or arts and crafts. On the final day of ocean week, we went to the aquarium where I planned a scavenger hunt. This gave us something to do everyday during downtime that was fun and educational.
At the end of ocean week, she presented what she learned to her parents (she loves playing “teacher” so this was a lot of fun for her.) Since then, I’ve also done the same for plants/spring, and telling time.
I also like to make and print out worksheets for whatever topics she is learning in school so that she has something to do on nights where I am cooking supper or if she wakes up early.
And as far as being abroad goes, I’m actually not finding it as difficult as I thought. I think that a big differentiating factor is that I’m not backpacking or jumping from place to place. Having a “home,” a room, a place to settle in and get comfortable, and being able to make a routine gives some semblance of normalcy that you can’t get as much when you’re backpacking. I think the fact that I’m “working” and not just free whenever I want has really helped me to adapt and not get too homesick.
