How was your experience on the program?
I had a really positive experience with the family, playing with the children while speaking to them in English and building up their fluency in an everyday context.
How was your host family?
My host family has two children (a boy, 11; a girl, 4) and live in a beautiful complex in the OCT district in Shenzhen.
How was the local support?
The coordinators were brilliant throughout the whole process. I found the application process to be quick and they were able to answer any questions I had from start to finish.
Moreover, they were supportive while I interviewed with families, providing advice and their own opinion. They were also very efficient when booking transport to and from Shenzhen.
How was the orientation camp?
The two days I spent in Hangzhou before starting the programme were great fun.
It was super helpful to meet the team and other au pairs as it put you in contact with people that were in the same boat, people you could share tips and the occasional complaint with!
How was your experience of learning Chinese?
While in Shenzhen I had two mornings of Mandarin class a week. I was in a class of two and this meant that we were able to fit in lots of practice and have a lot of fun too.
Would you recommend the program to a friend and why?
I would absolutely recommend this experience to anyone interested in China.
Especially if you are learning Chinese, it is a fantastic opportunity to be immersed in a Chinese speaking environment so your listening and speaking skills will benefit massively!