Aparte de las típicas preguntas para la Host Family que suelen figurar en las sugerencias de las agencias, acá van algunas que yo considero importantes para conocer más sobre la familia, las cosas que podrían hacer juntos, sus expectativas y la clase de actividades para hacer con sus niños:
Importante tener en cuenta qué preguntas hacer en la primer entrevista y cuáles se pueden hacer una vez que ya hay un interés marcado de ambas partes.
Primeras entrevistas (también considerar que algunas preguntas requieren el pensar un poco su respuesta por lo cual es recomendable mandarlas vía email una vez que con la familia se acuerde llevar a cabo este método):
- Why did you decide to do the Au Pair Program?
- Why did you consider my application?
- Have you had an Au Pair/ Babysitter or Nanny before? Tell me about your experiences with them.
- What is the most important charasteristic an au pair should have to work well with your children?
- What kind of activities do you
like to do together? What about your typical weekend as a family? What do you
like to do on Sundays?
- How's your children's schedule?
- How's your daily schedule?
- How many hours per week do you work?
- What special dates do you celebrate?
- What do you know about my country?
- What do you know about my country?
- What do you consider most challenging about taking care of your children?
-What do you and the kids like to eat? (and food restrictions)
- How do you discipline the kids?
- Do the kids have any responsabilities with the household duties?
- About the kids: tell me about their personalities and how they get along with each other.
- Would you need me to drive the kids to their activities?
- What are you expecting from
this experience?
- What kind of activities would you like me to do with the kids?
Para entrevistas cuando ya hay un interés mutuo fuerte:
- Describe your neighborhood. What kind of activities can I do there? What could I study in your city?
- How would my schedule be?
- What are the main rules of the
house?
- Will I have access to the internet? Is there any
restriction with it?
-Are there the kids allowed to watch TV? Are there any
TV shows they are not allowed to watch?
-Are they allowed to go to their friends house (of
course, friends whose family you know)? Are they allowed to invite their
friends over?
- Besides taking care of the kids, what are my other
duties?
- When something bad or upsetting happens in your
family, how do you handle it?
- What do you consider most challenging about the au
pair program as a family?
- What do the kids like to do together?
- What kind of outdoors/indoors activities do you like to do as a family?
- Do you like to travel?
-Can you tell me what you typically eat on an average
day? And what types of food you have for special occasions with your
family?
- When are your birthdays?
- When are your summer vacations?
- Do you have days off?
- What specific activities are you expecting me to do with the kids?
- Do the kids have friends that they usually invite over to your house? Or do they usually go to their friends' houses?
- When are your birthdays?
- When are your summer vacations?
- Do you have days off?
- What specific activities are you expecting me to do with the kids?
- Do the kids have friends that they usually invite over to your house? Or do they usually go to their friends' houses?
- What do you like to do on Saturday night?
- What kind of activities do you do while you are on vacations? What kind of places do you like to visit? Do you plan everything you do on vacations?
- Do you plan activities for the weekend?
Preguntas para cuando ya están confirmados como HF:
- I'm not planning to take my laptop, may I
use the family computer until I buy my own?
- Will I have my own cell phone?
Preguntar acerca de las reglas de la casa con más detalle. Reglas relacionadas a:
- El uso de la computadora, celular
- El uso de lugares/artefactos de la casa (TV, teléfono)
- El uso del auto
- Horarios de llegada (curfew)
Todo, todo lo que se considere necesario para conocer las expectativas de ambas partes, el estilo de vida que llevan, qué tipo de cosas le gustan hacer como familia, qué comen, qué responsabilidades vas a tener.
