Au Pair in China – Cultural Exchange & Mandarin Learning

I got the amazing opportunity to travel to China in 2024. It was such a magical experience from the recruitment process to saying goodbyes Mason's Aupair were there every step of the way and I had the support of my amazing host family too . I got to experience that vibrant culture of Chengdu with all of my amazing foreign friends . I loved every moment there .

I have spent almost half of the last year, when I took a gap year, a well-needed break from my uni studies, living as an aupair in Chengdu, where I ended up in the early spring as a result of getting in contact with Masons. Having many different locations and accommodations in my mind before connecting with them, I have never thought about spending my gap year in China, it just simply was not on my radar. Still, thankfully, I seized a great opportunity! It is owed to the great care and support I have received from the agency and the other au pairs with whom I have made great friendships while we studied Mandarin together in classes that are conveniently located in the closest proximity to the office that the agency holds, that I have had one of the best experiences I could hope for, as I found a new home away from home - a safe and reliable community is the reason I still hold many beautiful memories of my time there. An understatement would be to say that I got help with the necessity of arranging my travel and arrival beforehand, regarding my visa and flight tickets, as the support persisted throughout my whole stay, be it problems with the VPN or getting some medicine and visiting a doctor. I have returned to pay a visit to the host family, friends from the agency, and the city around the time of the Chinese New Year celebration, and I was greeted with such a lovely welcome and hospitality. The experience shaped me in ways I did not expect, and the people I can now consider very dear. As of now, I do not know when my next travel will be, but I am already looking forward to the summer, as my host family is planning a trip to Europe, and then we will meet again, and they will be able to see what I mean when I say I miss the Sichuan spice, 麻婆豆腐 and 汤圆.

I had a host family with an 8y.o. girl who could speak English quite well. My relationship with the host parents was also good, they were open to communication and always ready to help when I needed it. The whole matching process took around 2,5 months. The agency asked me about my preferences, explained the positive and challenging parts of the family before I joined them, and went through the contract and schedule with me. They also assisted with my visa application. Sometimes we had lunch together after Chinese classes with the agency staff, which was really nice. I always felt comfortable communicating with the agency, so I’m happy I had this experience.