Dear children lovers,
I never thought I would end up as an Au Pair. In all honesty, I considered working as an Au Pair as almost my very last option to earn money in Australia. But then I decided to answer this one add on Gumtree as it did sound quite fair and well, the next week I boarded the plane from Melbourne to Perth to start working as an Au pair - in a French family... I swear this is the best picture of the four kids and me that we could take!
I had a bit of experience with younger children before due to my younger cousines and my goddaughter but these three kids have teached me quite something, I can tell ya!
Dear Bali lovers,
I flew to Bali in Indonesia!!! Who would have thought I would do that when I arrived in Sydney exactly 10 months ago? To be totally honest, I felt a bit like I'm betraying Australia when I headed to the Perth International Airport. But than, it is a typical Aussie get-away right? I planned this to be a totally relaxing, slow-paced cultural holiday to regain some energy for my further travel. Well, that didn't quite go to plan.
After a smooth flight and a long immigration queue I got picked up by the owners of the homestay which I chose in Ubud. I arrived there at 8pm and settled into my room before I went out for dinner. I was a bit overwhelmed by the hot and humid weather and all the noises, smells and looks. Visiting any part of Asia is so different to any Western country or Australia. I know a bit from our family holidays but I haven't been to Asia in over 10 years. (Shocking, I know!)
The next morning I enjoyed a Banana pancake on the terrace of my room. That's how a holiday should be like!!!
Dear Swan Valley lovers,
On Saturday the 4th of October 2014 my hostfamily packed their Holden Jackaroo with all necessary things for a holiday in Exmouth. Well, they would have loved to take me with them but they ran out of space due to all the luggage they need for six people. Instead I will stay in the house alone while they are away. And I took the chance to organise a day out in the Swan Valley with three other Au Pairs, our Italian driver Veronica and two German Au pairs who live close to me, Angelina and Alicia.
I have been to the Swan Valley twice before, once on my own and then again with my friend Christine. So the other three totally relied on my knowledge and hardly informed themselves about what there is to see and do. So I took them to the places I have been before.
We started at the Sandalford Winery where we had a little walk around the vineyards before we went inside to see what is in the shop.
Dear Zoo lovers,
The Perth Zoo is only a few kilometers away from my hostfamily, just a 10 minute car drive. But I never bothered to go there in the five months that I have spent here in Perth. Why? Because it didn't offer me anything special or new that I wanted to see and at 27 AUD entry fee for an adult I wasn't willing to pay that. During the spring school holidays and just 11 days after the birth of Éléonore my hostmother asked me to join and help her with the four kids at the Perth Zoo where she would meet two other French families with their kids to spend the day.
I took the chance to take some close-up pictures of my hostchildren.
Dear Royal Show lovers,
I had to shift some of my other regular jobs around to have this day off to go to the Perth Royal Show! I was seriously excited about it, even more as I would not spent it alone :-)
The Royal Shows around Australia started as agricultural get-togethers of the regional farmers and to compare their best cattle and other animals and farm produce with each other and nominate the best of the numerous categories they have. At some point they got the permission to call it royal and up to this date it is one of the main events of Perth. At 9:30am I made my way through really jam-packed trains to the Claremont showgrounds where I met Twiggy and we got inside. We got a map and a list of the day's activities and events and made our way towards the cookery pavillion.
We had a look at the different stalls and showbags and got the chance to pet a really soft-haired huge horse along the way.
Dear meeting up with friends lovers,
This is my fifth month in Perth and finally James (who I got to know on my Tasmania tour back in February) and I managed to meetup. I totally forgot that he lives here and thanks to Facebook he replied to one of my pictures of the Pinnacles that we should meet up. Due to his holidays in Europe and my West Coast tour and then the birth of the fourth baby of my hostfamily it took us quite a while.
But we managed to find a convenient time for lunch and we decided to go to the Little Creatures brewery in Fremantle.
Dear baby lovers,
In the afternoon of Saturday, the 20th of September the fourth baby of my hostfamily finally arrived (9 days after the due date...). My hostparents didn't want to know the gender of their kids before the birth, so here SHE is:
Éléonore, fit and healthy, a French born in Perth.
