Host Family Testimonials
Host Family: The Holmes
Location: Georgia
Au Pair: Daniela Sintra Rios, Brazil
Have you heard of love at first sight? Well, it turns out it applies to au pairs too! From the first moment I saw her pictures and read her letter, I knew. And she said the same thing about us. Several families had contacted Dani after we corresponded, but she was drawn to us as we were drawn to her. We have talked about what it was and both agree - it was fate, destiny, and the love that came through loud and clear in the smiles on all of our faces. The last 18 months have been nothing short of a miracle. Dani is a daughter, a sister, and such a part of our family; I cannot image life without her.
The first few weeks were difficult for Dani. Most au pairs have never left home, never been away from their families. Not only were the country, the house, the language and the crazy family strange, but it was lonely. Dani, however, is a strong, beautiful and independent woman. She made friends, learned to drive and won Dylan (an adorable but willful little boy) over. Trevor pushed his luck too, but Dani was wise to his antics and soon all were on board, very happy, and the household was humming along with a new spirit.
So let me now tell you about my day to day life with Dani. But before I do that, let me explain what caused me to take the au pair leap of faith and have another woman live in my house, take care of my most valuable treasures (Trevor and Dylan), and become a part of our family.
One evening, having worked a full and brutal day in the office, I rushed to the day care to pick up the boys. Stripping Trevor in an empty classroom, I got him ready for a baseball game. Amidst calls from the ex-husband, baseball coach and team mom, all shrieking about where Trevor was, I raced to get to Sharon Park on time. I arrived, only to find that he didn't make the first line up. I turned from the coach and cried. What did I do to deserve this?
I have never been so thankful for my neighbor (also an AuPairCare host family) and AuPairCare!
I would not describe myself as a neurotic freak, but my home was always orderly, clean and cozy. Dani, however, gets bored and organizes things that would have never occurred to me in a million years. You know when you open that junk drawer in the kitchen and think, "Boy, I really need to clean this out." Well, I come home each day and open a drawer, cabinet, garage, storage room, pantry, or closet and a Fairy has done her magic! Dani has grown into an amazing chef; I come home most days to a house filled with amazing smells. Dani takes her responsibilities very seriously, I never have to remind her of ANYTHING, she is one step ahead of me, she keeps me straight, is great at math and sees everything she does not as her job, but as her responsibility as a member of our family.
We eat dinner together every night, she loves my pancakes and we love her. My favorite story of Dani is when she was telling me about a story she had read to Dylan - Three Porks! I nearly died when I realized she meant the Three Pigs!
Culturally, we have learned a lot from Dani. Brazil is unique and beautiful. Santa flies around in a helicopter, the bathing suits are really small, and brigaderro is the greatest dessert on Earth! Also, Brazilians do not like to eat with their hands! KFC failed there, but Dani will eat ribs and tacos with us now so I consider the corruption a great success! Hoy, Amiga, Bej, and Ciao are our favorite expressions. Dani's English has improved a great deal, but she still says some very funny things such as "Chicken Fly" which actually means chicken wings!
We are very committed to school and Dani helps Trevor and Dylan with their homework and they practice English with her every day. She is constantly enrolled in classes and I am happy to help her with anything extra I can. My greatest hope is that she doesn't leave with a southern accent saying "ain't".
Jokes aside, Dani is the greatest gift my boys and I could have ever been given. I have high expectations for Dani. I hope that I have been a good role model for her, showing her that she can do anything she sets her mind to. I have already plotted her future as a sharp, savvy business woman, working a room with elegance and class. Hopefully, her time here in the U.S. has taught her that the world is her oyster. Our door will remain open to Dani for the rest of our lives - she is a joy, a gift and a blessing. Much love and success to her, always!
