Fabienne, 18, au-pair, Bournemouth: |
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It happened quickly. Very. From Conches-en-Ouche to Bournemouth, without a stop for a big breath inside. On the day after my 18th birthday, my photograph was on the au-pair website. "French au-pair. I wish to come to England, preference London. I help you with children and housework". Then there was no time for thinking. My mother said, "The English sit at table without washing their hands". (Years ago she had a pushing-pushing fight in Stratford with a waitress.)
My friends were all next month to university and my boyfriend had been a cheater and I wanted away from him. So this is some of the reasons I said quickly to Bournemouth, England. On the train I was not thinking - that is the best
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| A French au-pair is shocked by the demands of her English hosts. By john hind |
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way, because you cannot predict. I was only told one child is at school, one child at house, the man is making machines, the woman is in the solicitor's office for afternoons and I am replacement for French au-pair who has gone home 'after happy experience'. But she had not gone home. And she was not happy. This was the suprise I could not expect. She was still in the room promised for me and she was very hurting, down here.
They are expecting her to leave the house and she is saying the six months they promised her is not finished. It is not fair because she is soon for an operation on big cyst on her ovary in Bournemouth. You understand? She had hospital booking and was with pain and sometimes lying on bed. But there is no sympathy. So I was now sharing the bed with her and they are telling me "Now she is your problem as
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