Au Pair stays are becoming more and more common to hear about, even though plenty of people still aren't sure what they actually involve. A young Au Pair goes to live with and become part of a host family for a limited period, given food, lodging, laundry and pay in exchange for childcare-related help. In 2014, I decided to head to the other side of the world to become an Au Pair myself — a dream come true, but one that took real preparation.

01With or without an agency?

Heading to the United States? Going through an agency is almost essential (though not impossible) — CulturalCare, Calvin Thomas, Au Pair in America are the best known. They handle the round-trip ticket, the 4-day training program in New York and insurance, and allow you to get the SEVIS, required for the J-1 visa. Without an agency, all costs fall on you and the visa is harder to obtain.

Heading elsewhere in the world? For Australia (like me), New Zealand or Europe, both agency and independent placement are possible — Calvin Thomas and Oliver Twist offer this type of stay, with agency fees on top of the usual costs.

I went without an agency, through Au Pair World, a free platform that connects families and Au Pairs. It took contacting a lot of families before finding the right one — 5 months between signing up and the set arrival date.

02The requirements

These vary by destination — for the US, you need to meet the agency's criteria; without an agency, only what's needed for the visa and what the family asks for matters.

03The Au Pair role

Your duties vary depending on the host family's needs, but generally come down to:

04Paperwork & documents

The list below isn't exhaustive and varies by country:

05The cost

Highly variable depending on the destination, whether or not you go through an agency, and whether you already have a passport. Since I went to Australia and organized the trip myself, here's a breakdown of my own experience:

Activities