France

An au pair is a live-in nanny. And though it’s an effective way to get overseas, make no mistake: Even the most patient person in the world will be praying for some alone time after a month of sharing space, no matter how cute the little French toddlers are.

It’s all worth it, though, when you consider the perks.

For one thing, you’re living in the foreign country of your choice for free. Being American, you’re often asked to teach small children English, which means you can learn as much — or as little — of the language as you like. Either way, you’re getting a complete summer immersion — one that many pay thousands of dollars to have.

The tricky part is finding a family that fits. Speaking a foreign language — even just a little — helps immeasurably in your application. Also, saying you love football — that’s soccer, to us heathen Americans — is like an international passport, provided you don’t get too choosy with your teams (a vocal Manchester United supporter may very well get passed up by a Chelsea family).

Once you’ve selected and applied to favorite country, the easiest way to find a family is through a Web site like www.aupairworld.com. You can post your info — in two languages, if you want to be fancy — and look up potential families’ profiles according to the number of kids they have, where they live and how long they want you. The only downside is that you will occasionally get e-mails from a “nice single father and business man” who is offering you an exorbitant weekly allowance if you’ll only send him a copy of your passport.

The nifty part is that, through such technological advents as Facebook, you don’t actually have to fork out the £70 that the Web site demands before they hand over a family’s contact information. Get a name, then Google it: chances are you’ll have an e-mail within seconds.

When it comes down to it, being an au pair is beyond awesome. As long as you take your time to choose the right family, you’ll end up with one that’s perfect for you. (Skype interviews are invaluable, even if they’re a little awkward, and mostly involve waving at cute four-year-olds that don’t quite understand who the face on the computer is.) Once you’re there, just say ‘Yes’ to everything, and you’re practically guaranteed a good time. If a French passerby offers you “muscadet” or a Londoner proposes a trip to a gay bar, go for it (just don’t try the margaritas — that seems to be an Americas-only concept).

Once you’ve arrived, your first challenge is to earn the adoration of your kids. Disney is a universal passport to said adoration. Use it early; use it often. Admit you know the whole plot of “Aladdin” to memory, and the kids will accept you wholeheartedly into every princess/prince-themed game under the sun.

Days off are the greatest thing that can happen, mostly because they give you a chance to explore the world you’ve thrown yourself into. Get your family’s advice on some must-see attractions and then set off for the unknown, armed with a map and some rudimentary subject-verb knowledge. Have conversations with random locals, sit at a cafe, ask people for directions to museums you’ve apparently walked past 20 times already — you have the whole summer to figure out the basics, and you shouldn’t pass up a croissant-munching football-watching moment of it.

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