Category: Ireland

Finding an Au Pair Position

On By EmilyinEarnestIn au pair, Ireland, Travel, VisasLeave a comment

Hello all! So I’ve been getting all of my materials together to send in my visa application (hopefully it’ll be ready to send out this week), but in the meantime I thought I’d talk a bit about how I got my Au Pair position.

I used a website called aupairworld.com, which I would recommend to anyone who serious about pursuing this option or who just wants to see what’s out there. I first came across the website after googling “au pair,” with no prior knowledge on the subject or how I would go about finding a position.

Firstly, I would say to make a profile, even if you don’t want to fill out the various “about me” sections or any of your information yet, a basic profile will allow you to narrow down your search and see real and available families. They have you enter your age, gender and a few countries you would want to work in, and with this information you can see the many different options.

When you become serious, make sure you take the time to personalize your profile! Don’t just write one word answers to the questions. Talk about your interests and your passions and make sure you actually have a reason for why you want to be an au pair. Also, be honest, don’t say you’re a champion horseback rider if you’re not! It’ll be much easier to find a family that matches up with your passions and plans if you are straightforward.

Another big thing is put up a picture! It’s hard to trust some anonymous person on the internet to be who they say they are. If you want to attract real families and be an appealing hire, make sure you use a picture of yourself. Bonus points if you’re doing something you mentioned you’re interested in in your bio. Plus, it’ll assure them that you are, in fact, a normal human being.

Once you’ve made your profile suitable, reach out to people! Don’t be afraid to contact the families, even if you just send the pre-written “I’m interested” message they provide for you. The more people you talk to, the more opportunities you’ll have at your doorstep. I sent out multiple messages, just to feel things out. If you receive messages yourself, make sure to answer. The website shows the percentage of applications you respond to and a low percentage may make you look unavailable.

Finally, be conscious of where you’re looking to go/which positions you’re accepting. Look up visas and things of that nature (here’s my guide to Visas for Americans, and specific info on Ireland Working Holiday Visas). Many times I found that au pair positions that were open in Italy or Spain are mostly for the summer (3 months or less), which you wouldn’t need a visa for. However, if you’re looking to go for longer, you’ll need a visa for that specific country.

If you have any questions, feel free to comment! Happy searching, and may the odds be ever in your favor.

 

International Flights

On By EmilyinEarnestIn Flights, Ireland, TravelLeave a comment

After scanning flights and prices for the past few weeks, I have finally booked my trip to Dublin! While I thought booking my flight would easy, I was sadly mistaken. I searched multiple comparison sites, weighed fees and ticket options and by the end of it seriously considered just swimming to Ireland. Here are a few tips and tricks on navigating the dangerous waters of international flights…

  1. If your destination is Europe, BOOK EARLY.

I cannot stress enough how important this one is. The longer you leave it, the higher the prices will go, and trust me, they’ll only get higher. If you’re planning a trip to Europe I would recommend booking a flight around 6-8 months in advance. I’m internally kicking myself for waiting until three months beforehand.

**Side note, if you’re looking on the same price comparison website for the same flight multiple times do so on a private browser. Many websites use cookies to track which flights you’re looking at. The more you look at a certain one, the more they think you’ll buy it and then they don’t show you if the price goes down.

2. Fly into (or out of) a cheap city.

If you’re going to Europe, consider flying into one of the more affordable airports instead of directly into your destination. Some of the cheapest include Paris, Copenhagen and Dublin.

For example, if you were to fly from JFK in New York to Heathrow in London, it would be $443 dollars one way. Flying from JFK to Copenhagen on that same day would be $263. From there the flight to London would be $55, for a total price of $318.

Thats over one hundred dollars you could save and spend in pubs!

3. Fly midweek or during the off season.

Traditionally, it will be cheaper if you fly out on a Tuesday or Wednesday as opposed to any weekend day. This may be inconvenient, but if possible could save you money and time waiting in lines.

Try to plan your trips during the off season as well. Flying to Europe at basically any time that isn’t the summer is always a solid plan. That is, except for Christmas time, in which case all bets are off. If you have the opportunity, travel towards the end of the summer or spring, when the weather will still be relatively nice, but the crowds will have died down.

 

That’s all for now, if you’re looking into flights I recommend skyscanner.com, it’s my favorite search engine!

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Working Holiday Visa – Ireland

On By EmilyinEarnestIn Ireland, Travel, Visas3 Comments

IMG_1078My last post was about ways to live internationally in general. This one however, will have a focus on the visa that I will (hopefully) be getting and using in order to be an au pair in Ireland.

The Working Holiday Visa is an option that seems tailor made for college students or recent graduates. Essentially, due to the US and Ireland having good international relations, it is possible to travel there and work for up to 12 months if you are currently enrolled in college or have graduated in the last 12 months. You don’t need to have a job beforehand or a sponsor.

First of all, you need to figure out which of Ireland’s consulates in the United States is yours. There are six of them throughout the US including in Washington DC, New York, Boston, Atlanta, Chicago and San Francisco. Each of these has certain surrounding states that they also service, so make sure you’re sending your application to the right one. I personally will be sending my info to New York.

There is an application form that everyone who intends to do the working holiday must fill out. It’s not extremely complicated, just basic info. Besides that the rest of the requirements are as follows…

  • Valid US passport (make sure it will be valid throughout the entirety of your planned stay.)
  • 2 identical passport photos with your name written on the back (these can be taken at any CVS)
  • A resumé with references (not sure how many references would be standard, but I’m going to include at least two)
  • A bank statement saying you have $2,000 and proof of a return ticket OR just $4000***
  • Originals of school qualifications or a letter from your university (I’m probably just going to put a copy of my official transcript)
  • $337 visa fee along with $13 fee if you would like the consulate to mail your documents back to you (which is far more convenient)

*** So, here’s my side note. It says that you must prove that you have either $2000 and a return airline ticket or $4000. However, it is much better to just produce your return ticket when you’re applying because later on it says they cannot officially issue your visa until you prove you have the airline ticket.

Additionally, I have contacted the consulate in order to ask whether the “return ticket” must be from Ireland back to the US, or if it would be possible to simply buy a plane ticket out of the country (to some other European nation). I was planning on doing some traveling once my 6 month position had ended and it would be far more complicated if I were required to book my flight back to the US directly from Ireland and this far in advance.

More to come on the application process and the answer to this question! In the meantime, here’s the link to the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, where all the info I just stated is laid out.