Why Britain?

Great Britain is the ideal country to become an au pair - learn English as you earn, and apply your skills to new and exciting social situations. Please consult the links found at the bottom of this page for more information on English language and culture. This page has kindly been contributed by our guest editor Kenny Boyle, Commercial & Marketing Services Director, Visit Britain Dear Au Pair, Thinking of coming to work in Britain? It's a great choice and working as an au pair is a fantastic way to discover the country, which we think is the greatest in the world! You'll enjoy the enormous diversity to be found in Britain - from glamorous, exciting cities to gorgeous countryside; and all with the invaluable opportunity to improve or perfect your English - an asset which, since this is the global language of business, will enhance your personal and professional life for years to come. Britain has something to offer everybody; but young travellers and workers are particularly spoilt for choice! A global trend-setting music and dance scene; great student/youth nightlife and many fantastic pubs, bars, and theatres; some of the world's finest museums and galleries; cutting edge fashions and food - it's all here. What's more, many of the most enjoyable things are free - museums, galleries, public parks, picnics and outdoor events and festivals...so come and experience it for yourselves! For the traditionalists, there's a wealth of history, culture and ancient traditions to discover. Wherever you are based in Britain, you'll never be far from something fascinating to explore and discover. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland all have fascinating and ancient castles, houses, royal residences, parliaments and landscapes to visit. There's also the chance to witness famous events, such as the races at Ascot, the annual Oxford and Cambridge boat race, London's Notting Hill Canival or the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, to name just a few... Travel, make friends, feel at home. The UK is an easy place to travel around - even on a budget; with plenty of bus and rail networks offering discounts for young travellers. It is easy to meet other people, and it is likely that there will be other au pairs working in your area. One of the best ways to find them is to enrol in a language course. Many courses are free of charge for EU Nationals, ask for the nearest EFL or ESOL courses, often organised in a local college by the local authority. If you are interested in sport, you'll find a fantastic range of activities available to you, including British favourites such as football, rugby, tennis, horse riding and sailing amongst others. If you have a particular hobby or passion, make sure that you indicate it on your profile, and you can share your talent and interests with your host family. Taking part in these types of activity is an excellent way of making friends - through a shared interest. Equally, if you like animals, almost half of all British households have a cat or dog as 'part of the family', so please indicate your preferences in your profile. Find out more To find out more about the country or region where you are going, please visit www.visitbritain.com. There you can discover more about your visit, buy maps, passes and tickets for where you are going, and sign up for a newsletter with all the latest information about Britain. Best Wishes Kenny Boyle Commercial & Marketing Services Director Visit Britain English Language and Culture If you want to get started with some fun English lessons in preparation for your arrival, try these websites. This site is the most popular with our au pairs, as it's the most fun: Ellie's English - English for Crazy people www.elliesenglish.com These websites are very informative and more serious regarding learning English: www.learnenglish.org.uk and www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish There is also a great site about English culture with icons, such as Stone Henge, Cricket and the Crown Jewels, have a look at www.icons.org.uk. Would you like to see on the map where it is you will be going? To find out, enter in the name of the town or the postal code of your host family on www.multimap.com.