Host Family Testimonials
Host Family: Murphy/Dille Family
Location: Berkeley, CA
Au Pair: Tina Schuster, Germany
We knew almost instantly that Tina would be the perfect au pair for our family. A quick-witted, adventuresome nineteen-year old from Lubben, Germany, Tina's CV was impeccable. From her years babysitting a disabled child, to her summer internship in a pediatric hospital ward, we were confident she had the skills needed to care for our baby. It was also clear from her essay and our conversations that her personality was also a great match for our family. Like everything else, chemistry with your au pair is a key, and we had it in spades.
But even though everything looked good on paper, Steve and I were still anxious prior to our au pair's arrival. Would we really like her as much as we thought? Would she truly be capable of taking care of a baby? Would she make friends? Enjoy living in the U.S.? And most importantly, would we feel comfortable sharing our house and lives with her?
Thankfully, my worries were for naught. Spencer has found the best of playmates and most competent of caregivers, not to mention a great masseuse (Tina came equipped with several German books about babies—including one on baby massage!) I love watching the two of them together. She's so patient and sweet, and as evidenced by his enormous grins and loving glances, Spencer absolutely adores her.
Not a surprise, really, because as we've learned, everyone seems to adore Tina. She won my heart the moment I knew she had Spencer's. And if that weren't enough, she volunteered to take on even more of responsibility than we expected from an au pair—buying groceries for our family. She told me that she knew I'd rather spend more time with Spencer than have to go to the grocery store, and that she didn't mind shopping for us. After all, it would give her yet another opportunity to practice English beyond her host family interactions (little did she know that she'd find herself searching high and low for things my husband can't even find or pronounce, like jicama!)
When she's not working, or going to English classes, Tina is usually with her au pair friends. Through school and the local AuPairCare chapter, she's made a great group of friends in the U.S. Together, they've visited many of the landmark destinations in Northern California, including Alcatraz and Santa Cruz. Her tales of adventures definitely keep us well entertained—oh, to be nineteen again!
As Steve and I reflect on the end of our first year as parents, we feel incredibly blessed. Not only do we have the most precious of baby boys, we've also found the most extraordinary of au pairs. Even though her time with us will end this summer, Tina Schuster will always be a member of our family. And for that, we are extremely grateful.
