Haven't had an AP before and have struggled in interviewing to find any suitable. Then today I Skyped/spoke to 2 who sound great. No idea how to choose between them. Can the collective wisdom of MN help?
AP1: age 25, Spanish, never been an AP before. Qualified teacher looking to improve English level. Spoken English was good. Seemed lovely. Desired start date is a bit later than I wanted but is manageable.
AP2: age 25 Italian. Already in UK au pairing for another family where she's unhappy. Told me its because she's here to improve her English and the children of the family are infants and so there's no opportunity to practise English. Has told the family she wants to leave and says this is all agreed. Can start whenever I want. Reading between the lines I suspect she will have to leave the current home before I need her to start. I believed her story. She sounded really nice and like she's just had bad luck first time round. She's already had practice driving on the left, which the other one will need some help with.
In our family, we speak a little Spanish (really just a little), but no Italian. Both girls had a reasonable - slightly faltering but perfectly ok - level of English but with the Spanish one I would be able to help out more.
Spanish one seemed a bit more outgoing and confident but that might just be because she was on home turn while the Italian one has had an unhappy time so far and is stuck in a house she's not comfortable in.
I don't know how to choose. I feel sorry for the Italian one but that's not a basis to choose.
Maybe I should ask both for references and choose that way?
Help me MN!