The nanny diaries
29.12.2010
Was that the name of the movie with Scarlett Johansson? I can hardly remember the movie, I can only remember that character went through hell as a nanny. I hope I don't have the same problem.
I am going through a company called IEP-International Exchange Programs to help me get a job, a tax number, a bank account etc. When I applied for the program, they sent through a whole bunch of useful bits and bobs to help get me organised. Now the only real concern I had about this adventure was the economical climate in Ireland right now, (it's not good) and that I'm going at a time when no-one is hiring. (The latter I only found out AFTER I booked my flight) However, IEP send through a list of sites that past foreign job hunters used to gain employment. I had a half hearted search on them, thinking I would find my job when I got there. Apparently the percentage of people getting a job before they land is 1%. ONE PERCENT?! There was no-way I was going to get one before I left Australia.
Anyway, I threw together a ramshackle profile on an au pair site. www.newaupair.com. No-one was going to hire me from an au pair site! I have no experience with kids! However after a couple of weeks, I had a family contacting me, and after emailing to and fro for a fortnight, I have been hired!
Three adorable Irish girls will be in my care. One is 20 months, Aoibhinn (pronounced 'Ev-een'), another 4 years, Treasa and the eldest who is 9, Sorcha.
They all have flaming red hair and cheeky smiles. As you can tell, I am besotted already.
The family have offered me an incredible situation. A room with an en-suite, all meals, use of the car, and pay- I get weekends and nights off. The mother is a shift worker so I will also have some days in which to explore. I can't believe my luck.
My new home is located in the west of Ireland, in County Mayo, the town of Castlebar. Again, my luck is unbelievable. The west of Ireland is where the majority of Irish speaking nationals live, and the town in which Irish is the lingua-franca is in my county. I've been studying Irish for the last few months and have fallen in love. It's a beautiful, poetic, expressive, difficult, frustrating, mystical language. I get the opportunity to immerse myself with native speakers.
I've looked up my new home, and it sounds incredible.
Here are some pictures for you to get an idea of the beauty.
Christmas Scenes Around Castlebar
Has anyone been to Castlebar? Does anyone live in Castlebar? Hit me up if you know this small town in the west.
Posted by goodcraic8 02:36 Tagged childrensnowirelandfamilylanguagebeautywebsitecastlebarau_pairnanny
