In this section, some au pairs' testimonials that they kindly shared with us. You can check their full testimonials at Go Overseas. No filters!!
These reviews will surely help you to make up your mind and travel to Spain as Au Pair. Live your own experience, visit Spain as au pair, travel, discover, learn, grow! |
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Au pair in Spain. Destination Cuenca
Destination: Casasimarro (Cuenca), Spain.
Family: couple, girl 8, boy 6 Au pair nationality: EE.UU. Lenght of stay: 3 months, october 2022. Info on Au pair in Spain |
I give Destino Idiomas a 100,000,000/10. Ana was extremely helpful and encouraging. I was never charged any fees to be an au pair; I only had to buy a plane ticket. Whenever I had questions, I knew she was there to help. She even put me in contact with the former au pair, who is now a sister to me. If you’re still questioning, just please go au pair; go abroad to gain a new family and perspective of yourself and the world.
The love of a family and community I experienced is something I cannot put into words. I was nervous last October because I had no idea what the town/family would be like. Yet, like always, God had wonderful surprises in store. I was blessed with the most loving and fun family I have ever seen. My parents acted like newly weds, even though they had been married for fourteen years, and took me in as a daughter. I even have Spanish grandparents 😊. Despite cultural and language differences, I gained intentional friendships I hope can withstand the thousands of miles in distance. We celebrated Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Gal-entine’s Day together. They shared their language and advice with me, and in exchange I shared my traditions Read more |
Au pair in Spain. Destination Santiago de Compostela
Destination: Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Family: couple, male twins 13 y.o. Au pair nationality: British. Lenght of stay: 1 month, summer 2022. Info on Au pair in Spain |
I look back to the month I spent in Santiago de Compostela last July with immense fondness. Santiago dC is an absolutely gorgeous city, full of history, which was exactly what I was looking for. I was living about a 10 minute walk away from the zona vieja.
I would visit the old town regularly, losing myself down its many idyllic callejones. Galicia, too, is beautiful - lusciously green from all the wet weather during the winter time, when summer rolls around this green splendour is kissed by scorching temperatures from 25-40 degrees depending on where you find yourself. Geographically diverse and historically rich, Galicia ticked all the boxed for me. What I soon realised, however, was that you have to make the most of that once you are there… The kids were away for the first week, so this gave me an ideal opportunity to ease myself into my surroundings. The parents were keen to introduce me to family friends, who they would visit in neighbouring towns and sometimes on the coast near the Rias Baxas. What a refreshing beginning, introduced to incredibly chatty, interested 30 and 40 year olds while sipping Estrella. I was a little nervous at first having to speak Spanish all the time (given the kids were away, and I’d asked for only Spanish), but found that putting myself in a situation where I *had* to speak Spanish was the best way to gain more confidence. I soon developed a love for Galicia, its gorgeous green, temperate climate, and especially the beauty of Santiago dC. Read more |
Au pair in Spain. Destination A Coruña
Destination: A Coruña, Spain.
Family: couple, girl 3 y.o. Au pair nationality: U.S.A. Lenght of stay: 2 months, spring 2022. |
Overall, I enjoyed my time living in A Coruña and getting to experience the culture and language.
I got to meet other Au Pairs, meet native Spanish speakers, and explore the country. This opportunity made it so that I could experience everything I've learned about in my university. It was the perfect way to spend two months. I recommend especially for Americans who want to find an inexpensive way to leave the country and experience a way of life completely different than our own. In general, this was a really good experience. Read more |
Au pair in Spain. Destination Lugo
Destination: Lugo, Spain.
Family: couple, girl 3 y.o. Au pair nationality: UK Lenght of stay: August, summer 2021. |
I had never been an Au Pair before nor travelled alone outside the UK.
Thanks to Ana at Destino Idiomas I knew I was in safe hands and that if anything were to go wrong, I would be able to trust her throughout the process. She ensured that everything ran smoothly from the offset and during my stay by regularly checking up on both me and the host family. I was so lucky with the family I was matched with, since I had applied so late for the summer season (around June) and I am still in contact with them months later! My host family were so kind and made sure I had experienced every depth of Galicia, from the food to the cities (Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Pontevedra) to the traditions and values. To supplement my day-to-day learning I also undertook spanish lessons 3x a week which I found to be very helpful in building my confidence and which also helped with the structure of my day." Read more |
Au pair in Spain. Destination Carballo (Galicia)
Destination: Carballo (Galicia), Spain.
Family: couple, girl 12 y.o. Au pair nationality: UK Lenght of stay: August, summer 2021. |
" This was my first time being an au pair and I didn't really know what to expect before I came to Galicia (I didn't know much about the region either) .... and it really was an amazing experience."
" My host family were incredibly kind, patient and eager to teach me about the Spanish culture. ". " Outside of my 'working hours' I had a lot of freedom and independence ... my host family were also eager to spend time with me and show me Galicia and so we went on many day trips to places such as Santiago de Compostela, Finisterre and other sites along the Costa da Morte. " " I ... made the most of my weekends by organising my own travels to ... Pontevedra, Vigo, Lugo and Ourense ... I saw a lot of the region in a small space of time. " " I would really recommend being an au pair with Destino Idiomas, as Ana made sure the entire process went smoothly. Thank you Ana!. " Read more |
Au pair in Spain. Destination Valencia
Destination: Picassent, Valencia, Spain.
Family: couple, boys 5 & 3 y.o. Au pair nationality: UK Lenght of stay: Summer 2021. |
I was an au pair near Valencia in summer 2021.
Ana, who will be your main point of contact at Destino Idiomas, was extremely helpful during the entire process.For the application she made a template document which was easy to fill out.Then for the matching process she tried her best to meet my preferences, although this is not always possible. I must also say, Ana is very polite and you can never ask her too many questions, she always replied quickly and with good advice. Being an au pair at a young age has been a challenging but very rewarding experience. I would say that, make sure you are prepared to be away from your family and friends for a long period of time, especially during covid as meeting new people (other than the host family) may be reduced depending on your host family! Read more |
Au pair in Spain. Destination Córdoba
Destination: Ourense, Spain.
Family: couple, girl 13 y.o. Au pair nationality: UK Lenght of stay: Summer 2020. |
Destino Idiomas is amazing!
The application process is extremely easy as Ana made a template and prompts that allow you to know exactly what you need to in order to create a great application. I recommend this programme to everyone; there is no fee and you are able to earn money without having to pay rent or for essentials! I was able to match with a family in the exact area I wanted to stay and I loved being in Cordoba! Despite coronavirus I was still able to enjoy being in Spain, improve my Spanish and be immersed into the culture. I learnt so much and am so happy for the experience. It is completely different to the tourist experience of Spain and I was able to understand the country and Spaniards a lot better! It was a great segway to my university studies (I am studying Spanish) as I was able to improve my fluency and learn a lot about cultural customs... ... Ana is very professional but also very kind, I can't thank her enough! Read more |
Au pair in Spain. Destination Ourense
Destination: Ourense, Spain.
Family: mother, boy 7 y.o, girl 5 y.o. Au pair nationality: EEUU/Irish Lenght of stay: 9 months. September 2019. |
" I stayed in Ourense for 9 months and had an incredible experience. My host family was very welcoming and helped me adjust to the differences in life here. They truly want their au pair to be part of the family, and the whole time I felt valued and loved. My host mom was very understanding and gave me a lot of freedom to go out at night and travel to other cities on the weekends.
Ana from Destino Idiomas also helped me when I had some small problems and periodically checked in to make sure I was doing well... I had a unique experience because I decided to stay with my family during the Coronavirus quarantine, which was especially strict in Spain. ... ....I feel that during my au pair year, I was very lucky in terms of finding my family and choosing to live in Galicia. The people here were all very friendly, and the surrounding country and cities are beautiful. My Spanish improved a ton, I became part of a family here, and I made memories that will last a lifetime. I would recommend that anyone considering taking an au pair year should do it! " Read more |
Au pair in Spain. Destination Madrid
Destination: Madrid, Spain.
Family: mother, girl 6 y.o.
Au pair nationality: UK
Lenght of stay: 4 months. February 2018.
Family: mother, girl 6 y.o.
Au pair nationality: UK
Lenght of stay: 4 months. February 2018.
I contacted Ana as a bright eyed 18-year-old wanting to immerse myself in the Spanish culture and improve my language.
I left my host family feeling like a completely new person - I built a strong connection with my host family, I experienced working hard for the first time and I improved my Spanish massively. It’s definitely a life changing experience, but Ana was available for support whenever it was difficult. I grew up a lot through this experience and I recommend it for anyone seeking a challenge! Read more |
Au pair in Spain. Destination Canary Islands
Destination: Corralejo, Fuerteventura, Spain.
Family: couple, 3 boys: 10/8/4 y.o. Au pair nationality: Dutch Lenght of stay: 5 months. October 2019. |
"Wow! One word: Challenge. But a good one.
It was a great experience, and I grew a lot as a person. Why challenging? Because you will have to adapt to another lifestyle, living with a family you do not know and far away from your friends and family. But that is exactly at the same time the beauty. Your host family will guide you and will make you feel at home, so no worries! It is almost guaranteed that you will grow! so dont doubt it and just go for it. To me it has been an experience i am happy i did not missed it." Read more |
Au pair in Spain. Destination Barcelona
Destination: Barcelona, Spain.
Family: couple, 3 boys: 5 y.o., 3 y.o., 8 months, Au pair nationality: Dutch Lenght of stay: 6 months. January 2019. |
" I had a great time in Spain! I've been an au pair in Barcelona for 6 months and really enjoyed my time here. I was able to meet a lot of people from all over the world, learn and improve my spanish and learn more about myself and what I want in life. Being an au pair is truly an amazing experience and you will definitely become more independent.
I am Dutch and was staying with a dutch family, so if you want to learn or improve your spanish my tip would be to stay with a spanish family. This way you will learn quicker because you only hear spanish and you don't have to switch between languages. I would definitely recommend this program! Ana always let us know when there was a national holiday or when events would happen near you and she also checked up on you every once in a while." Read more |
Au pair in Spain. Destination Valladolid
Destination: Valladolid, Spain.
Family: couple, girl 4 y.o., Au pair nationality: USA Lenght of stay: 2.5 months. Summer 2019. |
"During this past summer I had the amazing opportunity to live with a great family in Valladolid, Spain. This was an experience I will never forget, I was able to meet many new people, both locals and others in the Au Pair program.
My Spanish improved exponentially even with minimal effort on my part. And I met an amazing little girl that I was lucky to take care of for 10 weeks. I also had the opportunity to travel every weekend which allowed me to get a greater cultural experience. Through my agency I was guided from the beginning of my experience when I was preparing to leave, throughout with phone calls to check in, and at the end with follow up messages to make sure I enjoyed my time in Valladolid, Spain. I would recommend this experience to anyone looking to go outside their comfort zone and learn about a new culture." Read more |
Au pair in Spain. Destination Ourense
Destination: Ourense, Spain.
Family: mother, girl 3 y.o., Au pair nationality: USA Lenght of stay: 2 months. Summer 2019. |
"This past summer, I spent two months in Galicia, Spain with a wonderful family I met through Destino Idiomas. Ana was very helpful in guiding me through the family-selection process, as this was my first time as an au pair.
After I arrived, Ana checked in with me to see how I was doing for the first few weeks, and even after she stopped checking in, I knew she was still a resource for me. It was very comforting to know that if something went wrong, I would have help nearby because my family was back in the United States. In fact, one time, I had stomach issues and went to the clinic, and Ana was on the phone and able to translate for me. I improved exponentially in my Spanish through little effort on my part because I was constantly surrounded my Spanish. I learned so much about Galician culture and fell in love with their wonderful food. During my free time, I took weekends trips with other au pairs from Destino Idiomas that Ana put me in contact with. Although this experience was ony two months, I grew and learned so much and made lifelong friends." Read more |
Au pair in Spain. Destination Santiago de Compostela
Destination: Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Family: couple, boy 5 y.o, boy 3 y.o. Au pair nationality: Dutch Lenght of stay: 8 months. September 2018. |
"I've been an au pair in Santiago de Compostela for 8 months. The day after I arrived, I went to the office of Destino Idiomas to introduce myself. Ana, from Destino Idiomas, told me a lot about the city and we had lunch together. My hostfamily was amazing, they showed me the city and made me feel at home. Ana was checking on me every once in a while. I didn't have any troubles, but it was nice to know that there was someone in case I needed help.
I've had an amazing time during my stay in Santiago de Compostela. I've visited lots of places, I've made new friends and I feel like my hostfamily became my second family. Unfortunately, I had to leave Spain earlier than planned, because of a small accident. I've been in the hospital for a surgery and Ana from Destino Idiomas came to visit me. She supported me in my decision to go home earlier and she helped me with everything she could. I would've prefered to finish my gap year differently, but I still look back at it with a big smile." Read more |
Au pair in Spain. Destination Ourense
Destination: Ourense, Spain.
Family: mother, boy 6 y.o, girl 4 y.o. Au pair nationality: Dutch Lenght of stay: 7 months. October 2018. |
"I had a good time in Spain! To be honest it is hard to give a review because I was really lucky with my family. I have a sweet loving family and we get along very well, but it is never sure if it’ll be like that for someone else. I stayed in Ourense and I am glad I chose this city. There are not that many aupairs but there is a big English community here and the people here in Galicia are the kindest people I’ve ever met. The food here is good and it’s easy to travel around with for instance Blablacar or bus. I feel like it will be really difficult for me to go back to my own life and leave my hostmother, children and friends here behind, but I am glad I will always have a home here in Spain if I decide to go back. Which I probably will." Read more |
Au pair in Spain. Destination Vigo
Destination: Vigo, Spain.
Family: parents, boy 3 y.o, girl 5 y.o. Au pair nationality: UK Lenght of stay: 6 months. September 2018. |
" Although some parts of my experience proved to be difficult, I can hands down say that this was the best part of my life so far.
I was able to meet so many different people from all over the world, learn so much about life, grow as a person, learn A LOT of spanish (I knew a few words at the start), find a second home and family and just generally live a life I loved. I would absolutely do it again and recommend it to anyone. Ana was great in terms of checking up on you. She was in regular contact so you never would feel overwhelmed or alone, and helped talk to me about my issues, which I know other au pairs using different programs were not as lucky to have access to. *She even organised a meet up for the fellow au pairs of Galicia that she had in her agency!" *Destino Idiomas note: I arranged the meeting on behalf of AEPA, the association I belong to, bringing together aupairs from my agency and other AEPA aupair agencies. Read more |
Au pair in Spain. Destination Ourense
Destination: Ourense, Spain.
Family: mother, girl 2 y.o., Au pair nationality: Ukranian Lenght of stay: 3 months. Summer 2018. |
"I would really recommend this program, as I have many great and warm memories about Spain and my host family. I was really lucky to get into this family as they treated me like a family member. I always had help and support.
Family alway took care about my interests and helped with social life. Many interesting places were shown me, many interesting people were introduced to me. I`m very grateful everyone!! For future participants I can say that there is no doubs about this family. If they invited you, you shoud go :) Some tips about XXX)) she is active, positive, likes chocolate, cartoons, painting, swimming pool and swings))) Read more |
Au pair in Spain. Destination Vigo
Destination: Vigo, Spain.
Family: parents, boy 2 y.o, girl 4 y.o. Au pair nationality: USA. Lenght of stay: 2 months. Summer 2018. |
"I have had the absolute best 2 months of my life. In such a short time I have grown as a person and experienced so many new things. Although I have the upper hand because my family lives here, I have had an amazing time with my new host family as well.
Destino Idiomas and Ana specifically has been so helpful beginning with our first interaction with my curiosity about the program. Ana was able to match me with the perfect family that was also close to my family that lives here in Spain. Throughout my trip she also helped me resolve small issues that I had and also connected me with other Au Pairs in the area. My host family were so welcoming and treated me as one of their own. The two children were so sweet and so eager to learn. I am still currently with the family and it pains me that this is our last week. The children are so loving and fun to be with. The family was also very flexible and I was flexible so we were a perfect match. In my free time I had the luxury of going to the beach or adventuring the town each day. I met various people through social media apps and au pair groups. I have now met other people from all over the world and it was so easy and fun! I also was able to go on a trip to Porto, Portugal by train. I highly recommend au pairing to everyone! This experience has been amazing and I will definitely be doing this in the future as well. I have also only spoken to people that have also had amazing experiences. DO IT and you will not regret it!!!! Read more |
Au pair in Spain. Destination A Coruña
Destination: Oleiros, A Coruña, Spain.
Family: parents, girl 8 y.o., girl 6 y.o. Au pair nationality: USA. Lenght of stay: 2 months. Summer 2018. |
"I am an avid Ultimate frisbee player and wanted to be an Au Pair in a town where I could play with the local team. There are not a lot of ultimate frisbee teams in Spain but this program went out of their way to research the different ultimate frisbee teams and then see if they had families near by those towns. That is how I ended up in A Coruña and it was a perfect match.
The first family that this program found for me was an immediate match. They were so nice and when I got there, they welcomed me with open arms, my own room and bathroom, would buy me any food I wanted, and were very flexible and reasonable with working hours and time off. My main goal was to learn more Spanish and learn about a culture and this family was perfect for that. Even after two weeks, my Spanish abilities had improved so much and my perspective had broadened by being adopted into this culture. I am so thankful to have found this program, they helped me find the place perfect for me and a great family." Read more |
Au pair in Spain. Destination Canary Islands
Destination: Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain.
Family: mother and three kids. Au pair nationality: Dutch Lenght of stay: 13 months. 2017 |
"Since March 2017, I'm living on the island Fuerteventura and working as an Au Pair. I have one word to describe the past 8 months; wonderful!.
The family I work with is amazing, I feel like a family member and the kids treat me like a big sister; which is also the reason that I decided to stay not for 6 months, but for 13 months! When I applied at the company in the Netherlands, the told me about Destino Idiomas and about how they work. Every now and then I receive an email or phone call from them to check up on me!. I really appreciate that!. Working here in Spain is wonderful and working with a organisation that is supportive and keeps contact during your stay makes it even better! Read more |
Au pair in Spain. Destination Alicante.
Destination: Jacarilla, Alicante, Spain.
Family: parents, boy 5 y.o., girl 11 m.o. Au pair nationality: USA. Lenght of stay: 2 months. Summer 2017 |
" I chose to work with Destino Idiomas because I consider the director, Ana, straightforward, honest, and an Au Pair advocate, having been one herself. She was very supportive throughout my home-stay.
I strongly advise taking full advantage of the placement process... I was not completely satisfied with my placement; ...I do take responsibility for this because ... it was my lack of communication ... about what I wanted that resulted in my placement. If you want to be within walking distance from grocery stores, cafes, and parks, I recommend clarifying that with the agency and host family... ...I think its important to factor in what activities you will want to do in your free time when choosing a location. Also, I would suggest being flexible with your criteria ... although my host family lived in a more isolated area than I would have liked ... they had relatives and friends living nearby so the house was always full of guests and activity." Read more |
Au pair in Spain. Destination Pontevedra.
Destination: Sanxenxo + Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain.
Family: parents, girl 8, girl 5. Au pair nationality: Chezch. Lenght of stay: 2 months. Summer 2017 |
"...It was my first experience like an au-pair... But this decision - to travel like an au-pair, was one of the best in my life. You can recognize various unknown things, other culture, people, do something you have never done before...
Of course that nothing is perfect. First week I had various problems, but your host family, people from the agency, friends or family from your country can help you. Or other au-pairs. :) I met one Canadian au-pair in Sanxenxo... My host family was like my real family. Parents of girls were very nice to me (I took care of 2 girl - 8 and 5 years old). When they had some doubts, they usually told me it. It is important to know, what you should do in better way...Great luck for me was tutoring from Spanish. I had 2 clases/week with a very sympathetic and dear lady. The last Saturday we did excursion together to a place with beautiful views to ocean. I hope that I do a progress in Spanish. Thank you very much to the family, agency from Spain and from Czech Republic! ...I really miss these moments and Spain, too." Read more |
Au Pair in Spain. Destination Canary Islands.
Destination: Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain.
Family: mother and three kids. Au pair nationality: Dutch Lenght of stay: 6 months. 2016 |
"I absolutely enjoyed my time as an Au pair on the Canary Islands. I stayed six months in Fuerteventura. Needless to say; the weather was quite beautiful most of the time.
More importantly, the family I was placed in was warm and welcoming, they showed me around the island and made me a member of their family. Though living on an island without a university and only about one hundred thousand people could get a little bit lonely, this also depends largely on your own efforts. The agency helped out with that, giving the option to join a distinct group in an app for meeting new people. In addition, they were always there for me when I had questions or problems, or just wanted someone to practice my Spanish language skills with! Muchas gracias, tuve un tiempo maravilloso!" Read more |