International au pairs become part of the family
January 25, 2012
There are many different opportunities for families living in the U.S. to host someone from other countries around the world. For many people this can be a chance to help a young world traveler who needs a place to stay. For others it can be as much about getting some help themselves. But in all cases, families tend to find they grow one person larger by the time their visitor is leaving.
The Charlotte Observer talked with Teri Kirkpatrick of Concord, North Carolina, just outside Charlotte. Kirkpatrick has had the opportunity to host young students and visitors from abroad 10 times. Some of these have been au pairs and some have just been exchange students. Most have come from Europe, including England, Hungary and Sweden, while one has come from South Africa.
Kirkpatrick herself has two children, Alicia and Drew, now 18 years old and 16 years old, respectively. But she sees bringing in people to stay in her house as an opportunity to grow that family even larger. Those 10 visitors, spaced out between 1994 and 2001, quickly became fast friends. Kirkpatrick even traveled to Scotland to see her first au pair get married. And this extended family remains close to this day. Just last year, Alicia visited Italy over the summer and stayed with the family of their last visitor.
The experience left her so enthralled with the possibilities of serving as a host family that Kirkpatrick actually works with international exchange organizations to help others get the same opportunity. Bo and Paula Quickel were able to expose their children to a unique culture, bringing in an exchange student from Germany. Meanwhile the Couturiers got their first taste of parenting through a visiting Swedish student.
But not all of these opportunities are limited to hosting students. The Albany Patch notes the example of Briana Pinaud and Greg Kiryakakis who hosted an au pair from Brazil. Having an au pair can often prove immensely helpful to struggling parents, and yet they still found themselves seeing their visitor as a part of the family.
"She has changed our family dynamic in the sense that now I can truly say we are a family of six, her being the sixth member," Briana told the news source.
