So I've been replaced by a Spanish girl named Lara. I don't know what conditions she's used to in Spain but I feel like I should warn her about how she'll be living for the next year (or however long she can stand it).
Dear Lara,
I hope you settle in quickly with this family. Really, they're lovely people. Well that would depend on your definition of lovely but some may see it like that. They're not my definition of lovely, but then this apartment also isn't my definition of 'cosy'. You say 'potato', I say 'potato' I suppose! It probably comes down to whether you enjoy, let's say, spontaneity. For example if you signed your contract assuming what was written in the contract was true, this may not be the family for you. Don't get me wrong, I love a trip to the laundrette as much as the next girl but to go 5 times in one week is slightly much I believe! Especially when what you'll be washing are, in fact, the clothes of the parents. Your contract said you wouldn't be? So did mine. But as Emilie said, what's one more absolutely huge bag of laundry to carry up and down 4 flights of stairs in the great scheme of things!? And she's right, we're just the au pair so the condition of our backs should be the last of our worries. And anyway, what better way to rest your back after lugging around bags of washing than to relax on your nice cosy mattress on the floor? I know it's my favourite part of the day. And as sarcastic as that comment sounded, it wasn't. Genuinely, it doesn't get much better. Now, coming from Spain, perhaps you have certain culinary standards? Do not expect to find them here! Just a word of warning, I hope you like raw food. We're talking raw meat (if you're lucky enough to get some) and of course the infamous raw cabbage! A personal favourite of mine, which is lucky as it's also a family favourite! And nothing is better than to fall asleep to the sound of your own stomach rumbling... But of course, although it seems to be the smallest concern of the parents, this job is about the children. My advice to you on that front would be to dress them in their Abercrombie and Fitch, Ralph Lauren and Converses and try to forget about the fact that you all live together in a squat. No, absolutely nothing is childproofed, but who needs safety when you have designer clothing for 21 month olds?
So that's just a brief preview for you of your life for the foreseeable future, I hope you're as excited to start as I am to leave! And as they say over here, bonne chance!
Samantha x
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