This summer, 24-year-old Lai Rujing has been planning her upcoming journey to Frankfurt, Germany. Lai is a Chinese au pair who will be living and working with a German family for one year. Her job is to take care of two kids, like a nanny; but more important for her is to improve language skills so as to get an opportunity for further education in Germany. 

Au pair is a French term which means for "bigger sister/brother". An au pair lives in a local family and provides the family with childcare and light housework. In turn, an au pair is entitled to free accommodation, food and a small sum of pocket money. Chinese youths are increasingly flocking to European countries to be au pairs, while, foreigners are also eager to au pair for oriental families. 

Go abroad

Lai Rujing is set to fly to Frankfurt in September. But before the decision, she and her parents were wavering.

Since childhood, Lai Rujing has great passion for learning foreign languages and cultures. An Electronics and Information Engineering graduate from Guangxi Normal University, she had worked as a clerk for two years but she did enjoy it. "I know I am still curious about the outside world," she said. From a middle-income family, overseas study is too expensive for Lai. But the application to become an au pair requires less than 20, 000 yuan ($3,106).

Having got the A1 level in German language at Goethe Institute, she contacted three homes in Germany via emails and Skype calls, and finally selected a family in Frankfurt, which consists of an Indian mother, a German father, a 6-year-old girl and an 8-year-old boy. According to au pair law in Germany, she will have a separate room in the house, and the maximum shift length will be six hours.

Lai understands her duty as an au pair. " I need to get up before 5 am and have breakfast and make a take-away lunch for the two kids by 8 am. After that, I send them to school by bus and take them back home at 2:30 pm," she says, "I will get at least 260 euro as payment per month." 

Lai's parents initially did not agree to their daughter's idea to go to Germany. "They are conservative and want me to get a decent job in China," she said.

But she possesses a more positive attitude. "I am earning a living through hard work," she said, "I have experience in looking after children as I once took care of my cousin's child. I am a well-educated person who knows how to learn things, so I do not think I will encounter trouble in doing housework."

"Chinese au pairs began to go abroad in the early 21st century. After the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, demands for au pairs by European families increased," Hou Yongmei, a senior consultant with Early Bird Au Pair Beijing told the Global Times, "Many Western families are drawn to Eastern culture and hope their children's education involves Chinese knowledge and culture."

Countries including Germany, France, the Netherlands and the US now accept Chinese au pairs, but it is easier for Chinese to get an au pair visa for Germany. Hou said, "the regulation on au pairs differs, for example, the age requirement is 18-26 in the US, 18-28 in France and 18-24 in Germany.

Come to China

In winter of 2010, 19-year-old German Chris arrived in Beijing. He would spend his "gap year" from university at a Beijinger's home. 

Chris's job involves two parts. One is to assist the father of the family, who operates a company doing business with Germany, in translation works; the other part involves helping the daughter, in grade one at senior school, to improve her English. 

Before Chris arrived in Beijing, the Chinese parents were already satisfied with him as they communicated with Chris before they hired him. Their daughter's English has improved as she often checks dictionary to make sure she is using the right expression. 

An important function of au pairs is international cultural exchange, and Chris also brings Western culture into the Chinese family. For example, the daughter once raised a rabbit at home but it died. Their parents at first did not realize the impact of a pet's death on their child. But Chris is used to treating a pet as a family member and was able to give  the girl comfort. At present, Chris is on holiday with the family, traveling around in China.

In the coming weeks, more au pairs from Germany will come to Beijing, said Hou. "In China, the average payment for an au pair ranges from 100 –200 euro per month. Most European au pairs are college students." 

How to become an au pair

You can either go to find an agency to help apply or DIY. The average fee charged by an agency is a whopping 10,000 yuan. For more information, please see the websites: 

http://www.ebirdchina.com/ http://www.chinaaupairs.com/ http://www.aupair-usa.cn/

Contact and communicate with several families to understand the demands on both sides. This is the best way for you to know if you'll match.  

Prepare the documents needed for getting the visa. 

Make a constructive plan to learn and experience things as you only have one year overseas.