Not sure the best way to meet a host family? What works for some might not be the best for you. Check out this comparison of Au Pair World vs. Rome Abroad!
First of all, of course this post will be a little biased since it’s published by Rome Abroad. So take it with a grain of salt! Of course, there are plenty of people who find host families through Au Pair World and have a great experience. We think Au Pair World is a great option for people who already have a lot of experience being an au pair. For those going abroad for the first time, it can be extremely helpful to have an agency to guide you and help you through the process.
Now pause for a second. Sara, our Managing Director, has an experience to share:
When I was an au pair in Italy, I had an amazing experience. I lived with a family in Pisa for 6 weeks. My host family and I really liked each other! So I decided to come back the following summer, this time for 3 months. I thought pretty much everything would be the same, since I had already lived with them once before. Sadly this time around, we had a ton of miscommunications! When we went to Sardinia for the summer, all the sudden my pocket money stopped. I wasn’t sure what happened. When I talked to my host mom about it, she told me she wasn’t expecting to pay me when we were on ‘vacation.’ I had been planning to save a certain amount before I came back so that was an unpleasant surprise for me! I even thought about possibly going to another family. But when I considered the time it would take, and the unknown if it would be a similar situation (or worse), I decided to stick it out where I was. It ended up being a good experience overall, but I definitely wish things could have been clearer in the beginning to avoid problems. Having a set (and enforceable) contract with a clear number of hours and pocket money would have helped a ton!
— Sara May, Managing Director of Rome Abroad
Here’s a comparison breakdown of Au Pair World vs. a Rome Abroad program:
| Factor | Au Pair World | Rome Abroad |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free! You just need to register. | Apply for free. Once you’re accepted, the cost is between $425 – $650 (pricing varies by program) |
| Competition | High; there are many more au pairs than host families so you may have a hard time standing out. | Non-issue — Rome Abroad guarantees an accepting host family or your money back. |
| Time | Be prepared to invest a lot of time searching through families, messaging potential hosts, and starting over if a family finds someone else. | Be prepared to spend time talking with a potential host family or two. Rome Abroad screens the families ahead of time and sends you the ones that suit you best. This way you don’t have to waste time with families that might be talking to many other candidates. |
| Flexibility | Very flexible, although the amount of other candidates may necessitate planning ahead. | Very flexible, plan 1 to 18 months in advance. |
| Contract and commitment | Au Pair World recommends to have a contract with important details. They even have links to official contracts for certain countries. However, many countries don’t have an official au pair contract. | Rome Abroad takes care of the contract. You can have peace of mind that the contract is clear about hours, schedule, free time, responsibilities, and pocket money. |
| Support | AuPairWorld offers support via telephone and email for disagreements. | Rome Abroad has full support for issues, help with travel arrangements, and more. Rome Abroad has Travelers fill out a basic check in each week so make sure they’re getting fair pay, fair hours, and doing well. |
| Rematch / Finding a new family | According to their website: “Due to the high number of users on the AuPairWorld platform, it is generally possible to find another host family or au pair at short notice. AuPairWorld urges both au pairs and families to deal with disagreements openly and in a positive manner when they do occur.” | If your host family isn’t keeping their responsibilities outlined in the contract, Rome Abroad can step in to help. If the family doesn’t agree to change, you can be matched with a new family. And if both parties mutually agree it’s not the right fit, we’ll match you with a new family. |
| Visa/travel assistance | You need to research and figure out visa/travel details on your own. | Rome Abroad provides training materials with tips on how to save money on flights, where to go, and gives instructions for applying for a visa (if you need one). |
| Cancellations / Last-Minute Changes | Sometimes an au pair doesn’t turn up on arrival day or a family needs to cancel the arrangement last minute. This is extremely inconvenient for both parties involved. Au Pair World’s message is to “stick to the agreement you have with your au pair/host family. If something changes let them know, if not then carry out the au pair stay as agreed.” As unfortunate as these situations are, there are sadly no consequences for either party for canceling last minute. | Rome Abroad guarantees an accepting host family 60 days before your intended departure date or you get your money back. If the family needs to cancel last-minute, Rome Abroad will provide other options. If the Traveler needs to change his/her dates, they may do so free of charge. If the Traveler cancels last minute for personal reasons, there is a cancellation fee. See Rome Abroad’s Terms and Conditions for more info. |
| Timing | 1 month to 24 months. | 1 month to 6 months (with option to extend). |
| Networking | You need to initiate making friends, although your host family could potentially help. | Make friends many ways: through the program group chat, through our colleagues abroad, private social networking sites, and through your host family. |
| Living Arrangements | Varies by family; usually private bedroom. | You select your living arrangements! You’ll live with a local host family (whom you get to meet via video beforehand). Or if you’re doing the Teach in China program, you’ll have your own private apartment. |
| Cultural Opportunities | You’re in charge of finding your own cultural opportunities. | Rome Abroad provides training materials with plenty of ideas for weekend travel and other excursions! You can use them to plan any activities with other Travelers in the program. You’ll also get to try authentic local food and experience life like a native in ways that tourists and typical students don’t. |
When you plan to live abroad, consider the following:
✨ Cost — How much will this cost? Do you need to pay upfront or with installments? Is the flight included? What about food and lodging?
✨ Timing & Flexibility — How far in advance do you need to make plans? How long do you want to live abroad? Are the start and end dates set in stone?
✨ Support — What if you and your host family have a disagreement? What if you need to change host families? What if your dates change? What will you do if your host family doesn’t do what they agreed to?
✨ Visas — Will you need a visa? How much time will it take? Do you want support and directions in applying for a visa?
✨ Living Arrangements — How much space will be shared? Will you have a private room? Will you live with peers, a host family, or on your own? If you’re living with others, do they smoke? Do they have pets? How clean are they?
✨ Networking — How can you make friends? Are there resources for meeting locals and those outside of the program?
✨ Cultural Opportunities — What resources are there for learning the language, learning how to make local foods, and experiencing other aspects of the culture?
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♡ About us: We want to help YOU live your dreams of exploring the world. That’s because we truly believe travel is the antidote to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness (Mark Twain). We work with local families who want to host someone who speaks English. We screen both our host families and our Travelers to ensure everyone is as safe as possible. As you discover a new country, a new lifestyle, and a new culture, you’ll also discover a lot about yourself.
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