My journey in England

Hello beautiful,

My name is Nora. I am 28 years old and from Transylvania, living in London, UK. I came to the UK 6 years ago. With my boyfriend, we decided to give a try to go to another country. We had a plan that I will come first and then we can find a way so he can come too. I had no idea what to expect, as I never been outside of my country before and I came all by myself. I came through an agency to work as an au pair. It was my worst experience ever.

The family supposed to wait for me at the airport in Newcastle, but they did not showed up. Luckily, I had their address and I bought some pocket money with me, so I was able to take a taxi and I arrived to their house. They were a bit strange, but because I was through an agency, I thought everything would be fine. Then they showed me my room, I do not even know if I can call it a room, as it was a room set up in the garage outside of the house with no bathroom just a bed, a wardrobe and a little heater. I was not allowed to eat or to wash my clothes. I couldn’t even connect to the WiFi to speak with my family, so my mum was constantly top upping my phone so we can talk. I was working for them 6 day a week, with 10 hours per day. They payed me 60£ at the end of the week, you can imagine that I was a bit shocked. I could not believe this so I spoke with the agency to sort this out. The following day the family invited me to the kitchen for a chat, and they explained that they think I don’t have enough experience to work with their kids, so they think I should leave. I can’t even explain what I felt, as I was happy to leave but in the same time I was angry because I came all the way from a different country and had such a bad experience. I accepted, because I didn’t wanted to stay neither, as to be honest I had a better life at home as I had here in the 2 week time. The family bought me a bus ticket to Milton Keynes, because I told them I am not going home instead I will go to my cousin. The bus left Milton Keynes at 11pm and they put me out of the house at 8pm. It was January, outside was freezing cold and I was by myself. Finally at 4 am I arrived to Milton Keynes where my cousin was waiting for me and we travelled to their city to Aylesbury.

The following day I spoke with the agency to find me another family, because I didn’t wanted to go back home to my country, as I wanted more new experience and learn the language. After a little while, they finally found me another family in Hadley Wood, London. Their kid was old enough (older than me) so I was helping them out with housekeeping, cooking and the dog walking. I had a good experience with them, as they were a nice family. At the time, my boyfriend got a job offer to come to the UK as well, so finally it was the chance to be together again. I stayed with this family for one and a half year, and I decided to change, as I wanted to work with kids.

In the meantime, we get back together with my boyfriend finally. We wasn’t living together, but at least we were able to see each other every day, spend some quality time together and lastly I felt that I have someone I can count on.

I found another family, where I was working with kids. Did the usual au pair duties, such as taking care of the kids, helping them with school, give them food, etc. The mother here was a designer, so I also had a chance to get into working together not just as being an au pair but I was a model too. I was helping her out in her office, trying on her dresses. She then did a catwalk, where she asked me to take part, and I accepted as I thought this could be an amazing opportunity. Not that only I took part of the catwalk, being one of the model who walked in her beautiful dresses, but I was also in the newspaper with her, wearing one of her dresses. Sadly as she was working from home, after a while they didn’t needed an au pair. We still keep in touch, as she became really close to me.

I went into my third family, officially fourth but I don’t really count the first as a family. This family was in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire. They were amazing, we had a good time together, and I was like a family member. As I knew that I would like to work with kids, I started to look for colleges to start to study. As all the course I found it was during the week, they needed me so I wasn’t able to start that one. Instead I started a Beauty Therapist course, which I successfully finished and I am now qualified. One year quickly passed, and I thought I need to take the next step toward my life, as I didn’t wanted to be an au pair for all my life. Being an au pair and being in a relationship isn’t that easy. We were able to meet mostly at the weekends, and that wasn’t the best, as I could only sleep at his place on the weekends, during the week was hard to meet as I was working a lot. I started to look at jobs to be a nursery teacher as this was what I wanted to do. I found a job in childcare in Finchley, which also provided opportunity to study so I applied and waited. I got a response that they would like me to go to an interview so I went, and I was successful. Then with my boyfriend we started to look at places to rent so we can finally live together and start a career or a future. Not long we were living together, having a great job and I started my studies in childcare. Life was beautiful, and everything was as I expected. I was happy and had a great life. Then one and a half or two year later we needed to move, because of the property owner. We found a beautiful place to live but it was a bit far for me to get to my work. We mowed in anyway as I really liked the place, and I was keep going in to work travelling nearly one and a half hour every morning and evening. I managed it for a while, but because I was working long shifts I started to get a little bit tired, so I decided to look for another job which is more near where we live in Borehamwood, yes in Borehamwoos again. I found another job, in a childminding setting, and I am here at the moment too. I am working with kids again and I love what I do. I also did another course in childminding, so I am now in higher level. I have a job that I love, and I am living with my boyfriend (actually now I can say with my fiancé) and I can say I am happy. From my worst experience I ended up here, I kind of like it.

I hope you will stick around and read what I would like to say, you could also request if there is anything would you like me to write about.

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