Au Pair Stories: Nadya – Russia – 23

Hi, my name is Nadya! I'm from Russia, and I was an Au Pair for one year, from September 2023 to September 2024.

At that time, I was 23 years old, and it was my first trip abroad. I was quite worried about going so far away for such a long time, but the agency gave me great support throughout my stay in Chengdu.

Life With Bobby and His Family

I took care of a 6-year-old boy named Bobby, who could only speak very basic English, while his parents couldn't speak English at all. But I quickly realized that you don't need to speak perfect Chinese to build a good relationship with your host family.

The year passed really quickly, and the experience helped me improve my Chinese a lot, as well as become more responsible and independent.

Ups and Downs

Of course, there were some ups and downs, but that's how we learn and grow. I wouldn't say I faced any major problems, but my host family wasn't very good at time management and sometimes changed plans at the very last minute.

At first, it was quite frustrating, but over time I became more flexible and adaptable, so it stopped feeling like such a big problem. I learned that this was simply part of their lifestyle and culture, and I became more comfortable with it.

From Au Pair to Recruiter

That one year taught me so many new things, and after I finished my contract with the family, I became an Au Pair recruiter at Masons Au Pair Agency. I really liked the support they provided and the atmosphere in the agency, so that's how I started working with them.

Now I've been living in China for more than three years. It's funny to think that one small decision completely changed the direction of my life.