Host Family Testimonials
Host Family: The Smiths
Location: Tennessee
Au Pair: Vanesa Vivono, Argentina
Where should I start? There are so many wonderful things I can say about Vanesa but none would really do her justice.
My husband and I decided to get an au pair after the birth of our third child. I do not work outside the house, but having three children ages 4 and under was just too much for me. It was difficult for me to admit, but I knew that getting help was the best thing for me, my children, and my marriage. The au pair program solved all of our immediate problems. However, once Vanesa arrived we had no idea just how much she would enrich our lives.
From the beginning, Vanesa worked hard to help me in any and every aspect that she could. She did the normal things - helped with cooking, cleaning, bathing and playing with the children but has since gone way above and beyond the call of duty. Vanesa has become a member of our family. She has only been here for 3 months, but I can't imagine not having her around. The biggest testimonial of all is just how much my children love her. My 5-year-old recently made a family Christmas card at kindergarten and in her card she referred to Vanesa as "Mi bus frin" (she's just now learning to spell). On the rare occasion when Vanesa does not accompany our family somewhere, there are usually some tears shed by my children.
She has taught us many things about her country and is always curious to learn more about ours. She loves to go exploring, but for the most part, and by her choice, she prefers to spend time with us. We do a lot of activities together and we always have a wonderful time. This is in large part due to Vanesa's presence.
As I said before, there really is no way to completely describe in words just how much she means to my family. This past year has been rough for us, my husband was diagnosed with a rare cancer (don't worry - all is fine now) and with the added stress, Vanesa was definitely a huge bright spot for us.
The best thing about Vanesa is that I rarely have to ask her to do anything. She has a wonderful way of reading my mind and this says a lot coming from a mother who suffers from a little OCD and ADHD. We also love taking her on trips with us as she always helps out on the car rides which is HUGE, and I get to have adult time with my husband which is the icing on the cake!
We love her dearly and wish that she could stay forever. She is a real gem.
