I have been an au pair in Italy for three weeks now. Unfortunately, I have not got to know anybody of my age. How and where can I find nice people with whom I could hang out?

Ute from Germany

Reply of the Aupair World Support Team

Dear Ute,

Similar interests and hobbies create a bond between people; so do similar life situations. Making friends with other au pairs can be the best option for you as long as you are abroad. You can probably get to know some au pairs in your language course, as almost all of the au pairs in Italy attend one.

Here are some tips that can help you make friends with nice people in your host country:

• What are your hobbies? Singing, dancing or a different kind of sport? Find out if there are some clubs or fitness centres in your neighbourhood.
• When you drop off your host kids at school or nursery, you may meet persons who have similar interests as yourself, or other parents.
• Ask your host family if they know another family around who also have an au pair.
• Ask them about typical leisure activities in their country. You may wish to learn more about any of them.
• Universities normally offer many leisure and sporting activities. The atmosphere is automatically international there. Enrol in a sporting course or participate in a sightseeing tour. You may also enrol in a language course at the university language centre. Post an announcement on the bill-board at university.
• You may also place an announcement at your next-door supermarket, highlighting that you are looking for fellow au pairs, for instance.
• Check out the website of your host city. You may find some interesting events or sightseeings on offer.

We are quite sure that you will succeed if you take our advice. We hope you enjoy getting to know many new people!

Your Aupair World Support Team