Au Pairing in Australia

Hi guys! I just thought i'd fill you in on what i am up to at the moment in Australia as i have a bit of spare time today!

For those that don't know what 'Au Pair' means, it's basically a live in nanny!

And that is what i am currently doing at the moment in a tiny tiny town called Condobolin in New South Wales, Australia. [It looks close to Sydney but it's not, Sydney is 6 hours away]

How did i get the job? Basically whilst i was in Wangaratta with Jimmy, i posted on a Facebook Page called 'Backpackers Australia' [which is a fantastic page where you can post questions, ask for advice, meet other travellers, etc etc] and i literally advertised that i was looking for a job. I didn't mind where the job was, i have no set plan in Australia, so basically, wherever i find work that suits me, i will go there!

I had lots of messages which was fantastic, offering me all sorts of work from bar work to farm work.... However when i was offered the Au Pair job, it just called out to me more than the others. Mainly because i love kids and i basically au pair at home in England anyway ha! I am looking after a two year old and a three year old :]

How much do i get paid? Well, you know me, i don't mind sharing things like this. [Some people are funny when you ask them how much they earn and i really don't get it]

I look after the kids Wednesdays and Fridays and get paid $300 per week, including free accommodation and free food. Which is fantastic because i had some job offers where you had to nanny 5 days a week and you didn't even get a wage, just free accommodation in return! Can you believe it?!

I have a lovely bedroom and the bathroom is beautiful, there's even an outdoor pool!

I do other jobs such as cooking for the family, cleaning the house, maintenance in the garden, painting, food shopping and anything the family need me to do to help them basically!

The parents are absolutely lovely and we eat dinner together every night when the kids go to bed, which is great because it can get lonely when you're out here in Australia alone!

It's quite funny because when i offered to make them Spaghetti Bolognese, they asked how i make it... I replied 'Ah, just with a Dolmio Jar'... They looked at me so gone out because they cook everything from fresh and eat really healthy, they have never used a Dolmio Jar! So of course, i didn't want to disappoint so i googled the recipe and made it all from scratch, it tasted good for my first attempt

I've learnt alot since being here, as i am doing alot of things that i have never done before. Such as cooking muffins for the kids, using electric sanders before i paint, cleaning outside windows with hose attachments, it's been great to learn some new skills ha! If i wasn't marriage material before, i definitely am now! haaaa.

Here's the treats i made for the kids [Don't be fooled, they are full of healthy ingredients and veggies!]

One day i was asked to paint the outside furniture. In my first hour of painting, i thought i had found the job that i am destined to do...

'YESSSSSS, FINALLY! IT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW! THIS IS WHY I CAME TO AUSTRALIA! TO FIND WHAT I AM MEANT TO DO AND I HAVE FINALLY FOUND IT! I'M REALLY ENJOYING THIS PAINTING! MY MIND IS SO RELAXED BECAUSE I AM THINKING ABOUT NOTHING BUT THE PAINTING! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS...THIS IS GREAT.

I had it all planned out... I would become a painter and decorator in Australia. My business name would be CARNALL'S PAINTING AND DECORATING SERVICES and i could make it a family business. My sister could join me when she comes out here....We could be apprentices in Australia... And when we go back to England, we could ask our cousin Ben if we can work for him as painters! It's great because that way we would have a trade as well to stay in Australia if we wanted to permanently! It's just perfect. I couldn't believe i had finally found what i was meant to do in life!..........

Another hour later and i wanted to dieeeeee.

My hands were hurting from gripping the paint brush.

My back was hurting from bending over. I was bored....

And that familiar feeling came back to me, the feeling of unfulfillment and sadness.

The feeling that i felt at every single job i had in England.

You see, i just want to find something that makes me feel happy. A career that makes me feel forfilled. I've mentioned in a previous blog that people would call me Fame Hungry because i have been on TV shows before, but all i want is happiness. I'm not Fame Hungry, i am Happy Hungry.

And filming for the TV shows made me feel the happiest ever.

Anyway, so the moral of that story is that i am not becoming a painter and decorator and i am still searching for my dream job........ So watch this space......

One of the jobs that i do absolutely every day without fail is clean the toy room. It's quite soul destroying to spend time making something spotless, to then see the kids pull out hundreds of toys and destroy the room again, for me to then have to clean it all over again, and watch them mess it up again, and so on and so on. I now know exactly how parents feel. And exactly how my parents felt when i didn't respect mine or their belongings growing up!

There's not much to do in Condobolin, there's literally one cafe and a few supermarkets. In my spare time, when i've finished all my chores, i spend my time sunbathing by the pool.

Even though i've spent a bit of time sunbathing, i am still pale, i don't know what's going on! I could go on a holiday to Spain in 25 degree heat and after one day, i'll be a golden goddess. But sunbathing all day in the 38 degree heat and i am whiter than Casper?! It just doesn't make sense! I'm using the same sun cream and everything?!

There's a beautiful lake up the road but i have a fear of swimming in rivers, lakes and oceans and it is SO SO frustrating. I don't even know why i have this fear, nothing caused it. I can swim. It's a mystery. But as soon as i step in water where i can't see what's underneath me, i can't breathe and i have a panic attack. So i just go there sometimes to watch others enjoy themselves skiing, HA.

Oh my god speaking of phobias, when i was painting the outside furniture, i only went and found WASP NESTS stuck to the table. I actually FREAKED!!!! I screamed and panicked for about 30 minutes, i had to go inside the house whilst Harry got rid of the wasp nests for me. [They were mud nests and it's where one wasp is inside each nest and he said they were dead, i want to be sick just TALKING ABOUT IT]

Harry is 21 and has been working for the father of the family i work for as an electrician but unfortunately, he hurt his leg at work and has to return to the UK, i am absolutely GUTTED because we were going to travel the East Coast together in March. He is absolutely lovely and he is going to leave his van for me. I said no but he is insisting! So it's great that i have something to travel in when i am finished in Condobolin.

I drive the families car at the moment. They have a JEEP. I have never driven an automatic before so when i got in it i really didn't have a clue and was driving forwards instead of backwards. But i am totally used to it now and love driving a bigger car.

Night times can be lonely, but i have just discovered that you can watch Netflix on your laptop, i thought you could only watch it on TV! [I know right, pretty stupid.....] So i am currently watching Pretty Little Liars. I assumed it would be a light hearted comedy series, but it is actually about a murder, so it actually freaks me out at night.... So instead of feeling lonely i just feel scared for my life..... :]

So that's pretty much everything guys, i am finally used to waking up early [the kids wake up at 5am!!] and i am learning alot during my au pair experience! The parents are going on holiday for a week tomorrow so i will be looking after the kids and driving them to school. Harry has another week before flying home so he is going to help me which is great! [Because if you don't have kids, it can be reallllly hard work you know!!]

I am here for another 3-4 weeks and then i'm thinking to head to 'Queanbeyan' which is a 4 hour drive away. I've heard there isn't much to do there either but it's only a 15 minute drive from Canberra, which is the Capital City of Australia. I also have a friend there who has offered me a spare room which is great! So i'll find work there, stay there for a bit, and then head to Sydney which is a 2 hour drive from there i reckon :]

Missing my friends and family lots, but i will definitely be staying in Australia as long as i can, and i don't want to return home until i have found my happiness and forfillment.