welcome pack/house rules for au pair

[nvj]

hi there - our Danish au pair is due to arrive in 2 weeks (AGH!) and although her room is looking lovely and ready for its new occupant i need to put together a welcome pack for her.. what sort of things do people include in this and what house rules would you say are the most important. Also does anyone make up a little welcome gift for their au pair, like some nice smellies for the bathroom etc or am I just being OTT?!
Would appreciate any advice as this is our first au pair...
Thanks!

maybe a list of local facilities such as gp, dentist, libarary, cinema, shops, cafes.

maybe a small gift back with some mini bath prodcuts would make sure she knows its a welcome gift not a regular thing.

or why not buy her her own towel set that way wont be using yours and you can get pretty good towels in sainsburys and they have 25% off a the mo

Agree.

I also include busroutes, travel info, local maps.

If you know what your aupair likes to eat, you could try cooking that for her on the first night. Or take her grocery shopping and let her have a basket to choose what she wants to buy.

Set her up on the computer so she can email or skype her parents to tell them she has arrived. Or allow her to use the phone for a quick overseas call.

anybody else any tips?! thanks

i asked my childen to write some info about themselves - things like their likes and dislikes etc

there was a thread about this about a week or so ago

Don't know whether this is protocol or not but might it be helpful to get her a PAYG mobile, if you stress that it is for use only between her, you and your partner?

I'm doing this at the moment - au pair arrives in 2.5 weeks (and so far her room has no door and isn't furnished (eek) but that's dh's department).
I've gone for A-Z of the 2 nearish cities, street map of local town, footpath map of village, toiletries in her shower-room, hairdryer, have also got new towels for her (someone on mumsnet mentioned getting their au pair a bathrobe as a welcome gift and to avoid the teenager in a t-shirt in the mornings situation), also put in a jar of biscuits and some chocolate since she got the impression that we are health-food freaks just because dh is vegetarian (and so, if she hates what we give her for tea she can pig out in her room later - she is arriving quite late so can't take her to supermarket until the next day).

We are providing a PAYG phone as part of the deal - although only £10 a month credit. It's mainly so we can contact her and in case of emergencies.

payg phone is a good idea she can always top up more if she wants too. (may have to keep an eye on the texting whilst working though)

good idea to get children to write a welcome note about themselves.