COVID-19 stories #12: “let’s be honest: IT SUCKS”

let's be honest: IT SUCKS

During these scary COVID-19 times we have to stay strong, however difficult it may be. Some of us are dealing with homesickness, some feel scared and others try to make the best out of the situation. We are all dealing with this situation in a different way, but we want to let you know that you are NOT (!) alone. We will share COVID-19 stories from au pairs to show you that you are not the only one who is dealing with this.

Au pair from Austria

I get asked almost every day how I am and how the situation is here. The best answer to that is “I’m confused”. The same is with whether I’m sure that I don’t want to come home … I get that everyone is frustrated or even a little bit scared. But I really have to say that I feel safe with my host family here. Nobody is sure what to think about the whole situation we are in. But the only thing you can do is be aware of the people around you and make sure they feel good and take care of each other. Make sure nobody is going crazy and all that.

When we came (as au pairs in America) we were afraid that maybe the host family is not a great fit or that we would get homesick, but nobody thought about a global pandemic. No one could have predicted that, so let’s be honest: IT SUCKS. It sucks not being able to go out and explore like we used to. It sucks that some of us even went home and for the rest of us it’s a really hard time. It sucks that we had to cancel plans we were so excited about and that some of us are not even going to have a travel month. It sucks that nobody knows how long we have to deal with this.

At the same time it’s heartbreaking to see the news, especially about places like New York or our home countries. It’s hard to see how bad the situation is in some areas or cities. All that worrying about your loved ones at home and here. It’s a really hard time for all of us, but that’s the point: nobody is alone. Please especially at times like these, talk with somebody about your feelings and don’t forget to take care of yourself, it’s sooo important. It’s a lot to take, so we might easily forget about ourselves. I could write for hours how unfair and wild these days are but at the end of the day, I’m very proud of everyone. We stayed strong and all of us are a huge help for the host families. And to be honest, I like to have the kids at home (of course not all the time, but I feel like our connection got even stronger). Still, I’m glad when everything will be over and we can live our normal lives again. To all of us: stay strong and stay home!

Do you feel inspired and want to share your story with us? Send an email to theaupairblog@gmail.com and tell us about your situation.

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