Dear host family

It’s good to meet you, my name is Maria Camila and I come from a beautiful place in the world
called Colombia. I live with my parents and my younger brother in Bogotá, Colombia. I recently
received my degree as a professional in international business at the Piloto University. My dad
is pensioner of the police and my mom worked in the past in sales but she doesn’t work
anymore and my brother also study social communication and journalism at university actually
at Grancolombiano Polytechnic University Institution, he is in seventh semester is the same as
in his fourth year.

Since a few years I enjoy caring for children in my free time, on the one hand for some extra
pocket money on the other hand it is a very enjoyable side job. Due to my exchange in Chile
my friend community is a lot more international than it was before. Therefore, I’d love to
combine both, my passion for children and my eager to learn. During my time as an Au pair I’d
like to take the opportunity to get to know a complete new culture while also improving my
English.

I have had some exchanges and all have been related to the care of children, then I tell you a
little about each one: my first trip out of my country was to Brazil it was a volunteer
interchange for care children between 4 - 15 years old that have a several problems with their
families and their environment like drugs, poverty and violence. It was a shocking experience
and full of love at the same time, I learned a lot.

My second experience was in Chile; I did an exchange of students with my university but I
worked at the same time. I met Ninoska Paulina online and she told me that she needed
someone to take care of her 2 years old son while she working as a police officer. I accepted
the job and started working with Jose Pablo of 2 years. I fed him, I bathed him, I dressed him, I
took him to sleep, I changed his diaper and took him to his garden, I also took him to the park.
It was a wonderful experience full of love and company in a country far from mine I found a
Chilean family.

The last experience was in my country, but it really was my first experience with taking care of
children in kindergarten. I worked for 6 months with children from 2 - 5 years old. I was young,
so I worked with someone else while I was learning.

I tell you a little about me my lifestyle in general is healthy, I love sports, balanced food, I love
the gym one of my passions is photography even though I’m still an amateur. I like sports a lot,
in particular I like cycling, football, table tennis/Ping-Pong and Volleyball. During whatever I do
I am listening to music, but wait!! Don’t get scared, keep calm I listen on low volume. :)
In my free time I also practice drawing while listen to soft music like Jazz, Pop and Soul. I know
how to cook, drive a car and now I'm learning how to drive motorcycle. In general I enjoy
learning new things all the time.

My intention with the Au Pair exchange program is to work with children while learn a lot
about your country, your language, your culture and everything you want to show me. I have a
young and energetic personality, so I have a lot of energy for you and your family while I wish
to see a new world for me. I am very excited to meet a positive family that has columns based
on love. For me personally is a fundamental value of my life and it would be beautiful if we
could connect via that kind of values. I love sharing time with children, they have such pure
innocence, with a joy that does not go away, they see the world differently. I have a lot of
experience working with children and I feel very comfortable with their company.

This is a small summary of my life, my family and my experience in childcare so I hope to find a
family with a good harmony between you and me so we can get most out of the experience
from both sides. If the family would like to I’m also willing to teach you more about my culture
like the language (Spanish), dances (Salsa, Cumbia and many more) or food (a typical food is
corn bread called Arepa).

I’m very looking forward to meet you and get to know you better. Whatever interests you feel
free to let me know.

Best regards,

Maria Camila
Querida familia de acogida

Es un placer conocerte, mi nombre es María Camila y vengo de un hermoso lugar en el mundo

llamado Colombia. Vivo con mis padres y mi hermano menor en Bogotá, Colombia.
Recientemente recibí mi título como profesional en negocios internacionales en la Universidad
Piloto. Mi padre es pensionado de la policía y mi madre trabajó en ventas en el pasado, pero
ella ya no trabaja y mi hermano también es profesional en comunicación social y periodismo
de la universidad Politécnico de Grancolombiano.

Desde hace unos años disfruto cuidar a los niños, por un lado, para obtener un poco de dinero
extra, por otro lado, es un trabajo muy agradable. Busque la oportunidad de ser Au pair
porque puedo combinas una de mis pasiones que es cuidar niños y por otro lado mi intención
es aprender inglés conversacional puesto que del idioma sé muy bien leer, escribir, pero
sinceramente se me dificulta un poco hablarlo ya que en Bogotá no se practica mucho y no
mucha gente sabe inglés. En la entrevista pido un poco de paciencia para expresarme
correctamente, sería de gran ayuda si la familia hablara un poco español o conociera alguien
que hablara español y así podernos apoyar en la entrevista. Lo agradecería muchísimo.

En cuanto al cuidado de los niños me siento muy segura gracias a la experiencia que he tenido
años atrás, he tenido algunos intercambios que les contare un poco de cada uno: Mi primera
experiencia al cuidado de niños fue en mi país Colombia en el jardín de infantes. Trabajé
durante 6 meses con niños de 2 a 5 años. Era joven, así que trabajé con otra persona mientras
aprendía. Los niños eran pequeños y algunos no sabían hablar así que tuve mucha paciencia
con ellos para saber que querían, porque lloraban, saber si tenían hambre o tenían sueño, fue
complicado y frustrante al principio, pero después de los meses sabía perfectamente que
querían y fue un logro para mí porque los niños terminaron amándome y yo a ellos después lo
complicado fue dejar el jardín.

Mi primer viaje fuera de mi país fue a Brasil a un intercambio social voluntario para el cuidado
de niños entre 4 y 15 años que tienen varios problemas relacionados con las drogas, la pobreza
y la violencia. Fue una experiencia impactante y llena de amor al mismo tiempo. Cuando llegué
a Joao Pessoa – Brasil yo tenía 18 años y no sabía portugués tampoco sabía cómo cuidar niños
más grandes que 5 años, sentí muchos nervios y a la vez emoción de esta nueva experiencia en
mi vida, poco a poco haciendo las cosas con mucho amor y paciencia aprendí el idioma en dos
semanas y ya sabía cómo tratar chicas de 10 – 15 años fue todo un logro para mí y me fui muy
feliz y agradecida con ese país. Hablando con ustedes sinceramente en este momento siento
los mismos nervios y la misma emoción que cuando estaba a punto de viajar a Brasil porque
ahora no hablo mucho inglés y porque es un año fuera de casa, pero estoy segura que va a ser
igual de increíble que Brasil.

Mi segunda experiencia fuera de casa fue en Chile; Hice un intercambio estudiantil con mi
universidad por seis meses y trabajé al mismo tiempo. Comencé a trabajar con Ninoska una
policía en Chile y su hijo José Pablo de 2 años. Ya con la experiencia pasada del jardín y la de
Brasil, esta experiencia con José Pablo fue mucho más segura y más tranquila, cada tarea yo la
disfrutaba mucho, sobre todo cuando yo le daba una ducha a él era muy divertido, también
cuando le ponía su pijama porque él le encantaba escoger cual quería entre 7 opciones de
pijamas diferentes. Me encantaba hacerle su tetero en las noches y ver películas hasta que él
se quedaba dormido, también disfrutábamos ir al parque con su tren y todos sus 50 carritos de
juguete, ya se imaginarán que era recogerlos todos y volver a la casa. Pasábamos el día
completo jugando hasta que ensuciaba su pañal y teníamos que volver para cambiarlo. Fue
una experiencia maravillosa llena de amor en donde encontré una familia chilena que me
acompaño por mi tiempo de estudio en Chile lejos de casa.

Ya saben mi experiencia con niños ahora un poco sobre mí, mi estilo de vida en general es
saludable, la comida equilibrada, aunque como de todo, una de mis pasiones es la fotografía,
aunque todavía soy aficionado. En cuanto a los deportes y la actividad física, me gusta el
gimnasio, practico como hobby el ciclismo, el fútbol, el tenis de mesa / ping-pong que
actualmente soy la campeona en mi empresa. Me encanta escuchar música siempre y disfruto
mucho la cocina sobretodo intentar nuevas recetas que aprendo por Youtube, para mi cocinar
es gozar cada olor, cada sabor, cada color y cada textura de los ingredientes, es otra de mis
pasiones.

En cuanto a la conducción aprendí en el año 2014 con un carro Mazda 323nx mecánico y fue
mi sufrimiento porque la palanca de cambios era muy dura, después de practicar mucho bajo
la enseñanza de mi padre, compramos una nueva camioneta mucho más cómoda y suave, con
el tiempo aprendí después con un carro automático y descubrí que hay cosas mucho más
sencillas que aquel Mazda que me saco canas a mis 18 años. Me encanta conducir y a mi padre
le gusta también porque ahora tiene conductora personal todos los fines de semana y en los
paseos familiares cuando hay que conducir por más de 8 horas por montañas, llanuras y
túneles que tiene la geografía de Colombia. Me gustó tanto conducir automóvil que también
aprendí a manejar motocicleta, mucho más sencillo cuando ya se manejar una caja de
cambios. En general disfruto aprendiendo cosas nuevas todo el tiempo.

Mi intención con el programa de intercambio Au Pair es trabajar con niños mientras aprendo
mucho sobre su país, su idioma, su cultura y todo lo que quiera mostrarme. Tengo una
personalidad joven y enérgica, así que tengo mucha energía para tu familia. Estoy muy
emocionado de conocer una familia que tenga una estructura basada en el amor, y brindarles
toda mi ayuda a esos padres, esa madre que están ocupados en sus trabajos o simplemente
quieren una mano adicional para el cuidado de sus hijos, tenga certeza que lo haré con mucho
amor, paciencia y dedicación. Si la familia le gusta llevar las cosas muy organizadas y
estructuradas con horas, tareas y otras especificaciones no tengo ningún problema, me adapto
muy rápido. Así que espero encontrar una familia con una buena armonía entre usted y yo
para que podamos aprovechar al máximo la experiencia de ambos lados.

Tengo muchas ganas de comenzar esta aventura. Cualquier interés que tenga no dude en
hacérmelo saber.

Atentamente,

Maria camila
Dear Host Family

It is a pleasure to meet you, my name is María Camila and I come from a beautiful place in the
world called Colombia. I live with my parents and my younger brother in Bogotá, Colombia.
Recently I received my degree as a professional in international business at the Pilot
University. My father is a pensioner from the police and my mother worked in sales in the past,
but she no longer works and my brother is also a professional in social communication and
journalism at the Polytechnic University of Grancolombiano.

For a few years I enjoy taking care of children, on the one hand, to get some extra money, on
the other hand, it is a very nice job. I look for the opportunity to be an Au pair because I can
combine one of my passions that is to take care of children and at the same time my intention
is to learn conversational English since the language I know very well to read, write, but
honestly it is a bit difficult for me to speak it since in Bogotá doesn't practice much and not
many people know English. In the interview I ask for a little patience to express myself
correctly, it would be helpful if the family spoke a little Spanish or knew someone who spoke
Spanish and thus being able to support us in the interview. I would greatly appreciate it.

As for the care of children I feel very safe thanks to the experience that I have had years ago, I
have had some exchanges that I will tell you a little about each one: My first experience in
childcare was in my country Colombia in the kindergarten I worked for 6 months with children
from 2 to 5 years. I was young, so I worked with someone else while learning. The children
were young and some did not know how to talk so I had a lot of patience with them to know
they wanted, why they cried, to know if they were hungry or sleepy, it was complicated and
frustrating at first, but after months I knew perfectly well what they wanted and It was an
achievement for me because the children ended up loving me and me too, then the
complicated thing was to leave the kindergarten.

My first trip outside my country went to Brazil to a voluntary social exchange for the care of
children between 4 and 15 years who have several problems related to drugs, poverty and
violence for 3 months. It was a shocking and full of love experience at the same time. When I
arrived in Joao Pessoa - Brazil I was 18 years old and I didn't know Portuguese, I didn't know
how to take care of children older than 5 years, I felt very nervous and at the same time I was
excited about this new experience in my life, little by little doing things with a lot of love and
patience I learned the language in two weeks and I already knew how to treat girls from 10 -
15 years was an achievement for me and I left very happy and grateful to that country. After
this I continued my studies in Portuguese and now it is a language that I love. Speaking with
you sincerely at this moment I feel the same nerves and the same emotion of traveling to the
United States as when I was about to travel to Brazil because now I do not speak much English
and because it is a year away from home, but I am sure it will Be as amazing as Brazil.

My second experience away from home was in Chile; I did a student exchange with my
university for six months and worked at the same time. I started working with Ninoska Paulina
a police officer in Chile and his 2-year-old son José Pablo. Already with the past experience of
kindergarten and practice in Brazil, this experience with José Pablo was much safer and calmer,
every task I enjoyed it a lot, especially when I showered him, it was very fun, also when I put
him his pajamas because he loved to choose which one he wanted to use among 7 different
pajama options. I loved to make his bottle in the evenings and watch movies until he fell
asleep, we also enjoyed going to the park with his train and all his 50 toy cars, you can imagine
that it was to collect them all and return to the house. We spent the whole day playing until he
dirty his diaper and we had to go back to change it. It was a wonderful experience full of love
where I found a Chilean family that accompanied me for my study time in Chile away from
home.

You know my experience with children now a little about me, my lifestyle in general is healthy,
the food balanced, although I eat everything, one of my passions is photography, although I'm
still amateur. Of sports and physical activity, I like the gym, I practice cycling, football, table
tennis / Ping-Pong as a hobby that I am currently the champion in my company. I love to listen
to music always and I really enjoy cooking especially trying new recipes that I learn on
YouTube, for me to cook is to enjoy every smell, every taste, every color and every texture of
the ingredients, is another of my passions.

As for driving, I learned in 2014 with a mechanical Mazda 323nx car and it was my suffering
because the gearshift was very hard, after practicing a lot under my father's teaching, we
bought a new truck more comfortable and soft, with time later I learned over time with an
automatic car and discovered that there are much simpler things than that Mazda who took
my hair at my 18 years. I love driving and my father also likes it because now he has me as his
personal driver every weekend and on family trips when I have to drive for more than 8 hours
through mountains, plains and tunnels that the geography of Colombia has. I liked driving a car
so much that I also learned to ride a motorcycle, much easier when I already drive a gearbox.
In general I enjoy learning new things all the time.

My intention with the Au Pair exchange program is to work with children while I learn a lot
about their country, their language, their culture and everything they want to show me. I have
a young and energetic personality, so I have a lot of energy for your family. I am very excited to
meet a family that has a structure based on love, and to give all my help to those parents, that
mother who are busy in their jobs or simply want an additional hand for the care of their
children, be sure that I will do with much love, patience and dedication. If the family likes to
take things very organized and structured with hours, tasks and other specifications I have no
problem, I adapt very quickly. So I hope to find a family with a good harmony between you and
me so we can make the most of the experience on both sides.

I really want to start this adventure. Any interest you have do not hesitate to let me know.

Best regards,

Maria Camila