They’re among Bay Area families seeking child care with a cultural component who turned to Cambridge, Mass.-based, U.S. Department of State-regulated Cultural Care Au Pair. This program matches families with an experienced foreign au pair who has come to live with an American family, care for its children, share worlds and build friendships.
The holidays were full of memories for all:
  
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“The cultural exchange is why we chose an au pair from another country,” said mom Tricia Riesberg. “She actually feels part of our family now.”
“I wanted to see a part of the world before I go to work,” said Mikesova. “It’s the best time.”
In Peet’s Coffee in Half Moon Bay, mom Elizabeth Jenar and au pair Anna Hedblom from Bollnas, Sweden, planned a post-Christmas trip to the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito with the family’s two daughters, age 4 and 6.
“I really feel (affection) for those girls,” said Hedblom, 21. “I enjoy the opportunity to do this.”
“Strong connections can be built,” agreed Jenar. “I think it gives the kids broad perspective and appreciation of cultural differences.”
And at a Half Moon Bay playground, au pair Ula Fiedorowicz from Zielona Gora in western Poland, romped with Kylie, 2.
As an au pair, she’s in the hands of the law: Kylie’s dad is Half Moon Bay Police Sgt. Dennis Loubal and she’s the right child-care solution for the Loubals.
“I feel Dennis and (wife) Blythe aren’t my boss. They’re my friends,” said Fiedorowicz, 21. “I can talk with them, we laugh, and I feel really good. I’m lucky.”
Providing live-in childcare with an international perspective since 1989, Cultural Care Au Pair boasts a worldwide network.
The program seeks caring adults 18 to 26. Before settling in with their family, they have extensive training in child development and safety. In Half Moon Bay, Loubal headed those classes.
Au pairs remain with the families for up to a year, put in 45 hours per week of child care and other tasks such as getting kids ready for school. They have days off, two weeks’ vacation per year and a weekly stipend of $195.75 paid by the hosts.
Au pairs continue their education at accredited colleges here, and get international drivers’ licenses to get around.
In today’s economy, Cultural Care has built-in “Peace of Mind” safeguards. If a host family suffers a job loss, they are refunded for program costs but may keep their au pair. If a family must leave the program due to job loss, Cultural Care refunds unused program fees and re-places the au pair.
In 20 years, Cultural Care has placed more than 75,000 au pairs. Au pairs came to the Coastside in 2004.
Most au pairs are women seeking “to get the American experience,” said Karen McGinnis, who covers Half Moon Bay through Pacifica as one of 600 local childcare coordinators in 37 states.
Their reasons vary.
Fiedorowicz “thought it was a very good idea to get to know this country.” Mikesova had just finished a degree in speech therapy and teachers recommended that she work with foreign children to get a feel for different dialects. “That would be useful since there are more and more immigrants coming to the Czech Republic,” she said. And Hedblom saw it as an opportunity as she figured out what to do with her life: “When you live with a family, you see the culture and how the American life works, from the inside.”
For all of them, America required some time to figure out.
“You see (America) all the time on TV,” said Fiedorowicz. “But when you can explore it by yourself, it’s so exciting and amazing. In the beginning, every five minutes something surprised me. Now I don’t see so many differences.”
One was in the people. “Here, you meet somebody, it’s always ‘Hi!’ People say ‘Good morning.” That never happens in Poland.
“I feel like (here,) you get the solution to a problem before you even think of it. Everything is so easy.”
Mikesova was struck by different parenting styles. For example, it’s accepted back home for parents to give a misbehaving child a light smack. And she liked the attitudes of American fathers. “I think fathers take more part in family life and helping with the kids,” she said. “I really like that.”
But then, there is America’s size. “In Europe, you walk around cities. Here, you drive.”
Hedblom said she found American families “relaxed” but more protective of their children, and “play dates” were something new. She saw her first ballet— the “Nutcracker” in San Francisco — but even there she did not lose sight of her duties. “She had (one of the girls) in her lap for about half the show,” said Elizabeth Jenar.
Is homesickness a problem? Not really, said the women, except for Hedblom, when she got a Christmas gift of candies from home.
“It’s about adventure,” said Fiedorowicz.
“Why not be an au pair?” said Hedblom. “You can have a bad experience … but you learn so much about yourself, about people, about culture. I’m a little more open about understanding how people work.”
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