We talk to Gavin McKay, a 20-year old from Coleraine in Northern Ireland, who was named the InterExchange Au Pair USA au pair of the year.
What childcare experience did you have before going to the US?
I had volunteered in several church youth clubs, working with children aged from two to 18, which gave me a wide range of experience. I also have a goddaughter who is 18 months old, and when she was born I babysat her a lot.
What is a typical day for you in your role?
In our family there is my host mum Rebecca and her son Elliot. My day generally starts at noon when I pick Elliot up from school. If the weather is nice, we try and go to the park to play. We then head home where I give Elliot his lunch. After lunch we generally play at one of the indoor play areas, or go to a Children’s Museum. During the summer we would always head to the water park to play.
What is best about your role?
There are lots of things that I love about my job – too many to mention them all. Summer was fun because the weather was amazing so we were always out.
Elliot is a great kid and great fun to work with, he makes the day go really quickly and it doesn’t feel like work. You get to experience American life first hand in a family. You have the opportunity to meet au pairs from all over the world and learn about other countries and cultures.
When you work as an au pair, you always look forward to work the next day, and you enjoy Mondays – it is so different from doing a regular job!
…and worst?
I live in Seattle which is eight hours behind the UK so it makes trying to contact home more difficult. There are not many male au pairs on the programme, so if you are reading this sign up and join us!
Are you seeking a career in childcare?
Maybe. I know that I really enjoy working in childcare, so it’s definitely a strong option.
What are the most important things you have learned from this experience?
I have learned how to be much more independent, from exploring new cities with just a map, to expanding my cooking skills. I have also learned new skills from my college courses: photography and ceramics.
What has been your best au pair moment so far?
Being chosen as the au pair of the year. It’s a huge honour and I had a great time in Chicago picking up the award.
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Elliot is a great kid – he makes the day go so quickly it doesn’t really feel like work