Dear Au Pair candidate,

Thank you for taking the time to read our letter! We are the Zeeuw van der Laan - Steins family, a Dutch couple with a passion for and experience with cultural exchange. Having lived in countries like Singapore, Indonesia, the United States, Spain, France, Switzerland, and China, we truly value the richness that different cultures bring to our lives. We are excited to welcome you into our family and introduce you to our delightful baby boy, Roman, who is now 10 months old.

About Us:
Lisette is 38 years old and loves to travel, hang out with friends, do yoga, cuddle with Baloe, read, and spend time in the garden. She is a very open person, who started exploring the world at age 17 when she spent 3 months with a host family in Paris to learn French and 6 months with another host family in Barcelona to learn Spanish. She might have been inspired by her mom, who spent a year as an au pair in Paris when she was 19. Lisette works for the Dutch government and spends about half her working days in The Hague and half of them in her home office. She loves spending time with Roman and is looking forward to welcoming a new au pair into their lives.

Peter is 37 years old and loves to play soccer, cuddle with our cat Baloe, and swim in the Amsterdam Forest lake. He is a very nice guy who likes to hang out with his friends and family but also needs his space to “recharge” at home. Peter successfully started his own company a few years ago that helps other companies find qualified professionals for leadership positions. The company office is a 10-minute bike ride away, but he also likes to work from his home office. Peter enjoys being a dad to Roman, truly appreciates all the support an au pair brings and is looking forward to welcoming you into our home.

Roman is our 10-month-old baby boy. He is a very happy and healthy baby who loves to explore the world around him and make jokes. He enjoys playing with his toys, laughing with people and throwing things on the ground. We are looking for a loving and responsible au pair to help us care for Roman and be a part of his growth and development.

And then there is Baloe, our 4-year-old cat. He loves to eat, sleep, sniff at things, follow us around the house, play with balls, and cuddle. He is both very curious and a bit anxious around new people, but after some time, the curiosity always wins.

Our current au pair, Erika, is fantastic, has an amazing relationship with Roman and is a tremendous help around the house. We have witnessed the valuable support and cultural exchange she has brought to our family. Unfortunately in the Netherlands, au pairs can only stay for 1 year. Therefore,we are looking for someone to take over when her stay with us comes to an end.

Our Location:
Our beautiful and spacious (200 m2 3-storey) house has a lovely garden, filled with vibrant plants and a sunny lawn. It is a peaceful oasis near the Amsterdam Forest where you can unwind and enjoy the outdoors. At the same time, it is very close (20-minute bike ride or a bus ride) to the vibrant city of Amsterdam, with its beautiful canals, lively streets, and broad cultural offerings. There are 3 beautiful parks within walking distance and a shopping center a 5-minute bike ride away. There is quite an extensive network of au pairs here in Amstelveen, so it will be relatively easy to build a group of friends here!

Accommodation:
You will have your own room with a private shower and toilet (12 m2 excl. shower and toilet), offering plenty of space and privacy. The room is on the ground floor and there is a separate entrance next to your room, so you can come and go very discretely. The room includes a comfortable bed, enough storage for your belongings, a desk to sit at, a television and Wi-Fi for entertainment. We have bike for you to facilitate transportation. We will do our utmost to make sure it will provide you a comfortable space to relax and recharge. The rest of the house is spacious yet cozy and will provide you with a peaceful and welcoming environment to call home during your stay.

We hope that by joining our family, you will not only build a relationship with and provide excellent care for Roman but also have the opportunity to get to know more about Dutch culture, enjoy Amsterdam, and connect with other Filipino au pairs in the area. Having lived abroad for many years ourselves, we know what an enriching experience a year abroad can be. We are here to support you and help you make the most out of your year in the Netherlands.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about us, please don't hesitate to reach out. We are looking forward to meeting you and welcoming you into our home and family!

With warm regards,

Peter, Lisette, Roman, and Baloe

Your Role:
As our au pair, your primary responsibility will be to care for Roman. This includes babysitting, feeding, changing diapers, bathing, and ensuring his general well-being. Additionally, we would appreciate your assistance with basic tidying and cleaning around the house. Although cooking skills are not the most important thing, being able to prepare fresh meals would be a big plus.

Experience and Expectations:
Prior experience with taking care of babies is a requirement for this role. We appreciate structure and organization, so if you share these qualities, you would be a great fit for our family. Open communication is important to us, as we believe it will be key in fostering a positive and enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

Schedule:
Both Peter and Lisette work full-time in demanding jobs, with Lisette spending 2-3 days in The Hague and Peter normally working from home or his company office close to home. We have therefore arranged 3-4 days of daycare a week, which is a 3-4 minute walk away. Lisette’s super nice mom (the former au pair) also takes care of Roman one day a week. Both Lisette and Peter have their own home office rooms upstairs.

In terms of schedule, we would like you to help during the beginning and end of the day (e.g. getting Roman ready and bringing him to daycare as well as picking him up) and a few evenings, frequently including Fridays. Additionally, in our current schedule the au pair also looks after Roman 2 afternoons a week, after picking him up at daycare. Peter and Lisette frequently work from home, which will make it easy to check in with them if you have any questions or concerns.