What inspired you to go abroad?
Ever since I can remember, I have imagined myself exploring the world. I never imagined it would be this easy. When I was in university, I took every opportunity to go abroad. Of course, I went to closer places; the farthest I reached was Azerbaijan. But when I finished university, I finally found myself having all the time in the world to actually live abroad, not just traveling, but really inmerse myself in the culture.
Why did you choose Masons Au Pair?
Before my stay in China, I was living in the USA as an au pair. I knew living alongside a family, inside a household, is the best way to learn and experience the culture in all aspects. Day-to-day food, greetings, activities, encounters, and so on, are what I was looking forward.
After the USA, I wanted to try going to Asia. I looked at so many different programs and organizations, but it wasn't until I found Masons that I decided to proceed. They just gave me the human-to-human treatment I was looking for. Straightforward and welcoming.
What was your favorite part about your host city?
Chengdu is an enormous city; considering I lived in the countryside for my entire life, the change was huge. I found that, despite the size, there are parks all around, especially the south part where I live. And the China I had in mind was not crowded at all.
Chengdu is a relaxed city to go enjoy tea with some aunties at the park. There are always new activities to try. And the best of all, the food. Amazing Sichuanese cuisine!
Visiting a cave. I didn't want to upload any picture with the kids face on it for privacy reasons, so I liked this one.
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
Living inside of a household is what definitely makes the difference for me. I truly enjoy living and experiencing firsthand what it means to live in China. From seeing how the kids get traditional Chinese medicine, which is extraordinarily different from what I was used to.
Eating all kinds of food, changing with the season and the festivities going on at that time. Celebrating important dates such as birthdays and national holidays. Traveling to other parts of the country and seeing how many different ethnicities China has, so rich in culture.
How did local staff support you throughout your program?
From the first video call, I felt I was in the right place. I liked how easygoing the staff is and how easy it is to discuss problems, questions, and their continuous check-ups on how we feel about the program and how we are getting along with the family. I really like how easy it is to contact them either by phone or face to face, as they are side by side with the school.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
I really like the part of the city I lived, but I do have to admit that sometimes it is hard to deal with timing as it is really far from the city center, other participants, and most importantly the language school. Before coming, I really didn't think that would be a problem, but considering how tight our schedule is, it is an important aspect to consider.
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
There are two different types of days. The day-to-day, where I have mornings to myself or to attend language school, while in the afternoons, after the kids finish school, I accompany them to do their homework, or we work on English through books or games.
The other type of day would be weekends or holidays. Mostly from morning to night, sometimes for 12 hours straight, you move at the beat of the family. I eat with them, go play with them, do activities, and stay with the kids. This also applies for holidays or traveling weeks.
This was quite interesting, in Spain we will never go to a place, dress like the ancient people of the land, get full makeup on and go take pictures, but in China is really common.
What did you enjoy doing during your free time abroad?
I really liked going to tea houses and experiencing the tea culture here in China. Besides, I also enjoyed the arcades, eating at new restaurants, visiting museums, going to KTV at night, and getting yourself a good massage to relax and recharge... But what I liked the most was visiting small nearby villages, mountains, or small cities.
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
I live with the family; they offered a room that is also the library room, so it is not entirely a private space, as I do have to share it with both the kids and the family. The bathroom is shared with the family as well. But because it is a library, it has room for studying and a big window. Be aware of Chinese beds! They are rock hard, but it's so good for your back once you get used to it; you will love them, but at the beginning it feels so weird.
What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?
How I view things..., I truly believe this program is one great oportunity to come live in China while studying the language and inmersing yourself in a family. But I also think it is important that you are wise; what I mean is, know yourself: do you like to teach, to play with kids, to live with a family? Will you be okay with just one day per week off work?
Chinese working culture is extremely different from most countries I know. Their culture is also diferent, many things will shock you and, at first you will not understand. Are you an open-minded person?
Would you recommend your program to others? Why?
As I mentioned before, I think this program is not for everyone. But if you are okay with the previously mentioned things, you will find yourself enjoying and learning a lot from this program. And the best part is that apart from the visa, you don't really need to pay for anything else. Flights, accommodation, food, and school are all covered, as well as monthly cultural activities organized by the agency!
Traveling in Guanzhou with the whole family!
What do you feel is the biggest benefit of traveling abroad?
Uff, so many benefits, but I guess the main one is becoming more understanding of ways of doing, thinking, and living. You judge less; you understand more. Things stop being good or bad; they just feel different. It definitely not only widens your mental but physical horizons as well. And personally, I just love trying new food; I guess I am a foodie.
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
I think I am the same as when I left, just older jajaj. But the fact that I have successfully lived in a culture so different from mine gives me courage to try new things. Also, I guess my confidence has grown since I started exposing myself to making mistakes when speaking a new language as difficult and complicated as Chinese.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
I love traveling, but I prefer to live. That means being part of the society somehow. You can be there only for two weeks in a country, but if you interact with locals in a meaningful way, for example, teaching languages or exchanging cultures somehow, to me, it is already more than just traveling. It's truly trying to understand the ways of living of that place.
