Au Pair in Spain - Summer or Academic Year

Going into the au pair experience I really had no idea what to expect, but from the beginning Ana was really helpful and professional, helping me sort out my CV and find the right family to spend the summer with.
I was obviously quite nervous about committing myself to spending a whole summer with a family that I had never met, but Ana made sure that I felt as prepared as possible and so the whole experience was a great success!
The family was great and I really enjoyed spending time with them, as well as experiencing life in Spain. I was really lucky that they also took me on holiday with them so I got to explore several different parts of the country and meet some really lovely people, including their family and friends which was really great!
Throughout my time in Spain, Ana regularly kept contact and was very supportive, so this was an experience that I would certainly recommend to anyone considering it and I would love to try it again in years to come!

I was an au pair for a lovely family in a small town near A Coruña for one month in August 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) but from the very moment I met my host family, I was made to feel welcome and like I was part of the family and it really was an amazing experience.
My host family were incredibly kind, patient and eager to teach me about the Spanish culture which meant I found it very easy adapting to their lifestyle (which included eating dinner as late as 10.30pm!!). Outside of my 'working hours' I had a lot of freedom and independence to do my own thing, but 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 also made the most of my weekends by organising my own travels to nearby cities such as Pontevedra, Vigo, Lugo and Ourense which meant I saw a lot of the region in a small space of time.
Overall, this really was an experience that I'll never forget. Although I was only there for a month, I've made some wonderful memories and now have a strong connection with my host family which means I can always come back to Galicia in the future!
I would really recommend being an au pair with Destino Idiomas, as Ana made sure the entire process went smoothly and I knew that Ana would be able to help with any issues I had (although I didn't have any issues during my time out there!)

Thank you Ana!

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!
Being an au pair is not easy, getting used to a completely different country and family can be scary but luckily my host family were very supportive and helped me fit in with them as quickly as possible! They have taken me to several places across Valencia. I have also improved my Spanish a lot and learnt a lot I’d have never learnt in a class room.
As well as this, I’ve formed a very special bond with my host family, especially the children which I will never forget. My host family were very helpful especially when I began to miss my family, they supported me.

Therefore, I 100% recommend destino idiomas as Ana is very helpful and there is no fee unlike other au pair programmes. Just have in mind that there will be other expenses including your DBS check, passport, flights, travel insurance etc!!

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. I was able to go to socially distanced concerts, outdoor cinema, visit Castles and Churches, historic sites, go hiking, swim in a stream by a waterfall, eat lots of paella and get to know a family really well!
Ana is very professional but also very kind, I can't thank her enough!

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 Idioms 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. My host family was very understanding during such a difficult situation, and my host mom and I shared the responsibilities of taking care of the kids. Ultimately, we spend 6 weeks indoors and were able to get even closer through the experience.
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!

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!

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.

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.