Where to From Here?

I can hardly believe it myself, but my time as an au pair is nearly finished! My 6 month extension finishes in two months now! It has gone unbelievably fast. I am daunted by the amount of stuff I have accumulated in the past year and 4 months, and I have already begun the process of making "to throw" "to keep" "to give away" piles. I am most disappointed about my books - I have bought so many books over here but have not had time to read them all - I don't want to get rid of them, but I don't want to cart them all over the world with me either! Ahh, the complex problems we must face!

Well, my time as an au pair has changed a lot for me, and especially it has changed my future plans. When I first arrived my initial plan was to be an au pair for ONE YEAR ONLY, then head STRAIGHT back to South Auckland, where I was working as a teacher in low-decile schools. It was my passion, my love. Before I came here I was an absolute workaholic!

However, coming here taught me to slow down a bit, to recognise and take opportunities when they presented themselves, to take chances.

I made the decision that instead of getting my return flight to New Zealand, I would instead use it to fly to Switzerland. I loved Switzerland when I was there last year with my host family, and when I go this time I will be able to meet up with the friends I made over there, and the family of my host family whom I grew to love.

After spending some time in Switzerland I will travel down to the south of France and visit an au pair friend of mine in her home town. Then I will continue through Europe, going through Spain and hopefully Portugal on my way to.... AFRICA!

It has always been a dream of mine to go to Africa. Now I have this chance, and I will grab it with both hands! I am still unsure of all the details - not sure where exactly in Africa I will go - but I have some ideas, and I will be looking to volunteer in an orphanage or school. It will be an amazing journey for me, one which resonates deep in my soul.

I am not going to Africa to try to change Africa or 'save' its people, rather, I am going to Africa so that Africa can change me.

I feel like my whole world has opened up. How far I have come from feeling trapped in my little patch of New Zealand, feeling as if the travelling the world were some lofty and elusive dream that I could never afford. Being an au pair has made the world accessible to me! Who knows how long I will spend over there, or where it might lead me. I am alive to the possibilities. This I owe to my year (and a half) as an au pair. So to anyone considering becoming an au pair, I say DO IT! For you never know what marvellous adventures and paths it may lead you down.