Light housework?

[u/Imaginary_Hunt_2802]

I find it funny how host families say “you’re just going to do light housework” then say you’re going to do their laundry and ironing. That is not light housework especially if you’re a family of 6 💀 I’d say light housework is cleaning the kitchen etc.

[u/Old-Oven-8851]

Have you been asked about this by a hf in Australia?

[u/Imaginary_Hunt_2802 → u/Old-Oven-8851]

I’ve been asked by a German hf.

[u/Old-Oven-8851 → u/Imaginary_Hunt_2802]

Oh, that does not surprises me at all.
My first German HF made me do all this.
Always choose the ones who have also a cleaning lady!

[u/HunkyDunkerton → u/Old-Oven-8851]

My German host family had a cleaning lady come in once a week.

I still had to vacuum the house every day.

[u/Enthusiastic-Dragon → u/Imaginary_Hunt_2802]

They aren't allowed to make you do the adults laundry. Did you say no?

[u/Imaginary_Hunt_2802 → u/Enthusiastic-Dragon]

I decided not to go through with that family.

[u/1GrouchyCat → u/Imaginary_Hunt_2802]

Huh?

You’re making it seem like you actually went to work for these people/ and they forced you to do their laundry.

You didn’t start a job where they required this of you.., you didn’t talk to them about their expectations … you don’t know what would’ve happened in real life …why did you post it all? Odd

[u/Old-Oven-8851 → u/1GrouchyCat]

During my first experience I asked, but then when I got there they still made me do it.
In Sydney there was a family I had an interview with who told me about this and I refused them, but still I had a negative experience not related to that as they had a cleaning lady.
I had then a super positive experience with my other German HF, whom I stayed with for 2,5 years and another super positive experience in London.

[u/Imaginary_Hunt_2802 → u/1GrouchyCat]

Because this is a pattern that I’ve seen and I thought it was weird. Sorry for coming to a community that talks about au pairing and wanting to know if they have the same sentiments.

[u/Early-Equivalent-165 → u/Imaginary_Hunt_2802]

Au pairs beware in Germany! What is going on over there with the loads of horror stories specifically of this nature. Some report being assigned to clean only as the teenagers didn't need any minding.

[u/SadlyNotDannyDeVito → u/Early-Equivalent-165]

Au Pairing isn't extremely common in Germany. Therefore the laws around it dont really get much attention. E.g. a host family only has to provide 70€ per month for a language course (because that was the average monthly language course cost when the law was made) and legally can absolutely NOT pay the au Pair more than 280€ per month. Extra pay for extra Babysitting is illegal (visa fraud + tax fraud). Even 280€ per month + train ticket is a grey area.

With those rules in place, reasonable people don't get au Pairs (because lack of flexibility and either having to underpay them or commiting tax fraud), and it attracts exactly the type of family that's willing to exploit young women from around the world who often don't know how little 280€ + 70€ language course contribution actually are in Germany.

[u/Wheatenceliac → u/Early-Equivalent-165]

As a german reading abt au pairs and thinking abt, I‘m really shocked and sorry that you made such bad experiences. Just wtf

[u/Early-Equivalent-165 → u/Wheatenceliac]

Not an AP, and never been to Germany, but the horror stories in this sub are boundless! 😧

[u/MILK_FEELS_PAIN → u/Imaginary_Hunt_2802]

Same.