Welcoming a German au pair into your home is an incredible way to introduce your family to a culture rich with tradition and a high regard for family. Germany itself is made up of elegant big cities blending beautiful old architecture and modern developments, small picturesque towns and large stone castles. German people are highly educated and have outstanding English language skills; they are also known to be independent, adaptable and disciplined. The combination of these traits will benefit your children as they come to experience engaging, creative and intellectual activities with their German au pair. Meet some of our German au pairs now.

Family Values

Germans have a great respect for family. Many national festivals revolve around gathering generations of family together and celebrating life. German families enjoy frequent contact, are very loyal and like to observe tradition. German people are known for being open-minded, tolerant and hardworking. They also emphasize individuality and independence, especially among women.

Music

Germany's classical music tradition is one of its greatest sources of pride. This is the country that produced Beethoven, Bach, Brahms, Handel and Wagner, among others. From an early age, children are strongly encouraged to study music after school (frequently with a private tutor) and international students of all ages compete for entrance into Germany's famous music conservatories.

Festivals

German festivals are a lively and energetic experience and frequently revolve around family as well as traditional food and drink. The most well known festival is Oktoberfest which gathers up to 7 million visitors every year to have fun and enjoy splendid German beers and authentic food.

Rottweil's Fastnet (most often known as "Carnival") it is a very traditional secular celebration dominated by pagan characters in wooden masks. Germany also has several religious celebrations following the Church calendar and these are held annually in the Catholic parts of Germany.

Cuisine

Best known as a meat-and-potatoes kind of country, German meals are by no means limited to these two staples. A good German breakfast includes a selection of rolls, jam, cheese, cold meats, hard-boiled egg and coffee or tea. Lunch is the main meal of the day and consists of around six to seven courses, starting from an appetizer or "Vorspeise" and finishing with a delicious "Torte" or cake at the end of the meal. Dinner is allegedly a lighter meal, but this can still mean a plate full of sausages and dumplings. German food has become popular world wide. After all who can pass up a great bratwurst with a heaping of sauerkraut at a baseball game!

Sports

The most popular sport in Germany is soccer, or as it is traditionally called "Fussball." Soccer is played at thousands of amateur clubs with more than 6.3 million members throughout the entire country. In 2006 Germany hosted the FIFA Soccer World Cup. Other sports, such as basketball, ice-hockey and tennis are also popular in Germany. American Football and baseball are not typical German sports but are becoming increasingly popular.