Au-Pair Interviews - Tell me your funny stories

[Metrobaby]

After another year of relentless interviewing for an AP, I am reminded of the strange/incredible/funny interviews I have had.

Interviewee 1
Me: Do you have a criminal record?
AP: No I don't have a criminal record. But if you like I can get one for you.

Interviewee 2
Me: Is there anything you would like to ask me?
AP: Can my boyfriend come too? It's ok - you won't have to pay for him, and he can help me look after your children.
Me: errrr.......... that's not possible. (Trying to let her down nicely). We are a Christian family with a dd who is quite impressionable, so therefore we can't accommodate your boyfriend.
AP: What's the problem? Just tell your dd we are married.

Interviewee 3
AP on Skype - having her interview in a noisy cafe/bar joined by all her friends : Hi - how close do you live to London? (This is her opening line)
Me: Hi - we live less than 1 hr train ride away
AP: mmmmm (consulting her friends and shaking her head in disappointment). Ok - are there any big shops near where you live?

Interviewee 4
DH enters the room in the middle of the interview. AP stops talking suddenly, jumps up and down, clapping her hands and waving madly at him. DH makes hasty exit!

Am I the only the one who has had such experiences?

I would have terminated call three at once.

We've had nothing quite so weird as yours but two stand out.

One, the APs mother sat in on the Skype call in her bathrobe. Whether she'd just come from the shower or had her PJs on underneath ready for bed I didn't get to the bottom of. She was just a silent, looming presence in the background throughout the call. Had a question for us: Can I come and visit?

The other was a girl we'd arranged a skype call with - the idea was that it was a video call, she was supposed to be sourcing a camera, she knew that was the idea. Time comes for the call, we can't see her. "Is there a problem with your camera? We can't see you."

"But I can see you," was the response.

It was very weird sitting there knowing someone was checking you out (and the girls - on reflection I wouldn't allow something like that again) but had deliberately not told you that she hadn't organised herself so we could see her!