Anyone in FRANCE or GERMANY who might want a Uni language Student in one of the hols as a sort of au pair arrangement?

[Milliways]

DD is studying French & German at Uni, and finding it so much harder than A levels.

Last Summer she had a job working in the council Teenager playclubs and loved it. She also has worked evenings and Saturdays at a learning centre for younger children for 2 years. She was hoping to do the Teenage thing again this summer, but is now looking at doing something like Keycamp etc - which pays almost nothing but would allow language contact to continue.

It might be that in the other hols she could do with a bit of unofficial au-pair type work. We have a fab German friend that talks to her in the UK, but staying with a family for a week or so whilst helping with kids or similar might be good for her?

Just wondering if anyone on here might be interested at some point?

Hi there. We were vaguely thinking of something like this for a week or two next summer and your DD sounds great.

We're in northern France but in an English speaking household, so my concern from your DD's point of view is that it won't be immersion in French. I could try to get the boys (who are four and two) to speak in French, but they tend to decide whether someone is 'in English' or 'in French' and then stick to it.

On the flip side, we live in the country, so once you leave our house you are about as immersed as can be.

If it might still appeal to your DD, perhaps you would like to drop me a quick email? My address is the name of this website then: ter @ g m a i l dot com.

Thanks for replying.

DD is home next weekend and I will talk to her properly then. For the Summer it will depend on what job she is able to secure (if she gets Keycamp etc or just 4 weeks with the council). Her Uni Summer break is from Mid June - start October, so she could end up with free time in that period, otherwise we would be looking at Easter etc.

It will probably not be until into the New Year that she knows about jobs, but I will email you as soon as we get some news to see if any of her free weeks tie up with any weeks you may be considering.

Thanks again - and Bumping if anyone interested for say an Easter break?

Does she have any idea where she wants to go? We're no use as we'll be in La Reunion, unless she wants to pick up a terrible accent and/or Reunnionais creole! I do, however, have lots of contacts in Paris, a few just outside of Paris and various other places who might be interested.

Wow - she would LOVE to visit you there, but probably would be deterred by the air fare! Maybe later in her course? She has to do a whole year out for year 3 and is only in term 1 of a 4 year course.

Paris would be ideal - mainly because of the travel links. She would need to be able to get a cheap flight, so would go ANYWHERE near an airport that takes Ryanair type flights.

Lummox - DD was very grateful for your "offer", but really would be looking for an Easter trip as that would be just before her Oral exams and leave the SUmmer free for longer term employment. However, if she only gets short term work then she would see what she could do to fill the rest of the holiday.

You can get super cheapy youth eurostar tickets to Paris, especially booking way in advance but I booked 3 weeks in advance and it was £38 one way, which as far as I was concerned was expensive. I can usually do it for cheaper! Unfortunately when we come back I won't be eligible for them any more

Will ask around and see whether I know anyone in Paris/surrounds who would like someone over Easter Or Brussels? DH2B has cousins in Brussels with a 2 and 5 year old and the children definitely don't speak English!

She'd be more than welcome for year 3 - the university there is twinned with Bordeaux (I think). Alternatively my old employers would probably be looking for a nanny in a couple of years (really nice hours) which would enable her to go to one of the Paris universities in the meantime. Come and find me in a few years!

Thank you! May well take you up on that offer.

Milliways, we are in Provence. Ryanair flies to Marseille.
We might well be interested for Easter, but I'd need to work out dates.
I speak English to both kids (DS1 is 4.8 and DS2 is 7mths), but DH is French and we speak French between the 2 of us, so she'd be hearing a fair bit of French. We are in a fairly dull town, but 25 min bus ride from Aix en Provence...

P.S. Frakkin, the accent in Réunion isn't that bad! There is such a mix of people, she'd be unlikely to end speaking any Creole at all. It's one of my greatest regrets, that I never learnt Creole in my 10 yrs there.

Doh, end up, I mean.
Milliways, what uni is she at? Réunion has Erasmus exchanges with several UK universities, you can check out their website. But TBH the Erasmus students all stick together and speak English, IME, because they are in Halls together.

Lol AA DH2B is obviously being terribly snobbish then when he says he can hardly understand their accents!

I keep meaning to e-mail you - we'll be living in La Possession. Do you know it?

Frakkin, the Creole accent is hard at first. Depends on who your DH is working with.
But if you go to study or work for a family, chances are you'll not be around people with a very pronounced accent.

I do know La Possession. Not the most exciting place on the island, unfortunately. E-mail me and we can stop hijacking this thread...!

Done! Sorry, milliways

Don't mind me - great to see the interesting places that you all live in.

AuldAlliance: She is at Cambridge - and would love to visit Provence again (She arranged an Exchange trip 2 years ago to Grenoble and we have holidayed in the region, visited the Gorges etc.
Do let me know if you are interested. I believe her term ends on 12th March and they have to be back for 20th April, so any weeks around those dates would be ideal.

Do you think she may be interested in Switzerland Milliways?? (Bern)

I have loads of family there and we've organised something similar to this for a friends daughter in the past.

I'm sure she would be - although she has commented on how much English gets spoken there. If she had the chance to speak French & German then brilliant. Thanks

(I must send her a link to this thread - or get her to email some of you directly if you have any offers that look promising)

Have looked at dates.

I might well be interested from about March 20th to April 3rd if that is any use.

DS1 would be at school and DS2 at his childminders, but help with school run, suppertime, bathtime, etc., and maybe a bit more on a Wednesday when I have both kids, would be very welcome.

I could speak French to her when the kids aren't around if that'd help. (French people often don't know I am not French. Not boasting, just to say that it would be useful for her French).

Let me know if she is potentially interested and we can exchange e-mails...

Thanks very much

I have sent DD an email (and text) and will let you know what she thinks asap.

I have just spoken to DD, and she is VERY interested and would love to try & make this work.

If you think those dates are good and would like to take it further please email me and I can give you DD's email etc.

(Milli - ways @ hotmail . co .uk)

Lummox: Eek, have just seen you email as I don't check that one enough! Have emailed you. Thanks

Bumping for AuldAlliance

Milliways, I have just e-mailed you.
Sorry for being so slow, it has been a bit manic around here as DS1 has had a vile tummy bug.

It's AuldAlliance, BTW, in festive guise.

No problems! I have replied and copied DD in