Tag Archives: au pair in denmark

Filipino Au Pair’s In Denmark Story

26 Nov

I’ve been really bothered when you hear about the sad plight of Au pairs here in Denmark I always thought that it’s sole Filipina problem but I found out that there’s also a handful of male filipino au pair and I contacted this former au pair here in Denmark his name Almay Aguirre. He had been carrying her bad experience for a long time but by telling his story in his blog it lightens his heavy heart now he is with me in au pair awareness advocacy. Please read his story and tell me what you think.
Almay Aguirre, The Filipino Au pair

Almay Aguirre, The Filipino Au pair

Let me tell you a story about me being an Au pair in Denmark, In the Philippines before I have applied as Au pair, I was told by a close friend of mine that if I was interested to work in Denmark, she was able not mention what type of work it was and at that moment I was not so knowledgeable of what type of work I was dealing with, with me at that time hearing even just a word “abroad” is just too far from a dream come true because thousands and thousands of Filipino graduates are striving hard and to find employment locally and abroad. As I have heard from my friend telling me if I was interested working abroad, my mind was just instantly blown away and I have not wasted a seconds to reply “yes” I am very interested. After that I had started asking her what to do, what are the thing needed for me to qualify, I also told her “in a joking way” that I am very willing to sell anything or even my “underwear” if I had too hehe! just for me to go abroad, you should know the facts that even if you grow old working in a supermarket or any Shopping Mall in the Philippines the salary of an Au pair in Denmark or was it called “Allowance” at 2500 dkk.


according to http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi:

is much bigger than a salary of a company ranked Manager, well it depends actually which company manager, if the company is just a local and newly established company then it is little a higher but if it is an international based company then it’s a little close on some of the companies in the Philippines. so then this good friend of mine has financed me everything from the start from gathering requirements expenses, visa fees, travel expenses and up to the time that she was also the one who bought me my ticket from Manila to Denmark. the only problem with the situation is that it cost me and her so much for I was not expecting it would reach up to a hundred thousand pesos and more of a total expenses. anyway I was under an informal Au pair agency where she has also undergone before. let me tell you in a simple mathematical ways:

Applying as Au pair from the Philippines depends on your logic, inside contacts and strategy:

Travel Expenses: (from your local province or city up to Departing the country)

  1. Plane Ticket from your local province before passing an application
  2. Lodging Allowance: (if you don’t have any relatives living near the Embassy or Consulate)
  3. Embassy Fee: (According to embassy)
  4. Plane Ticket returning to your local province after passing an application
  5. Plane Ticket for having a visa stamp on your passport
  6. Here comes the Plane ticket expenses
  7. Not to mention Fees for Exiting the country hahaha!
  8. before I forgot the Fees for the one who finds your host family or employer :) (very unlawful but some people has no choice)

Please take note: that it is very unlawful that someone will ask for a payment for finding your host family but in reality it really happens, It is like a commission for them that their reason is they are the one who finds your host family and some people says that it is their responsibility of finding another one who will be replacing you after your contract has ended, well let me tell you that you can report them to the police for it is very unlawful for us, never let it happen to you or to anyone, some people sell their properties and some sell all of their live stock just for them to afford to pay in going abroad but scammers are so nasty and please be aware always, and last thing you have to wait for your approval from the Danish Immigration in Denmark maybe mostly for 1-2 months if your lucky.



Source: http://www.norway.ph/visa+announcement/new+visa+fee+010208.htm

After I had arrived in Denmark I was not aware that I will be staying out of my host family (another expenses) and paying for my own food (another expenses), I arrive January 17, 2007 and I lasted for ten months with my first family that means that I have been paying my own food for ten (10) months which is unlawful, paying my apartment which is another very unlawful for me, there was no problem with my first family actually but the problem is they have no spare room for their Au pair, they were giving 210 dkk for a bus card and that’s it. well my friend has given me some extra for my spare time in the morning that had helped me in my daily expenses but it was not enough and that extra (Black Money) I was talking about was unlawful and could get you in big trouble and be deported if caught by the local police automatically. I had to change three (3) apartments in just a ten (10) months for the reason I was looking for a place where it’s cheaper, The first apartment had cost me 1200 dkk monthly that lasted only for three (3) months, my second apartment had cost me 1600 dkk monthly and the last apartment of mine had cost me 2000 dkk (this one is a whole house I have rented for they are friends of my first host family) but then after all things that had happen I have realise that I was working had but all of my earnings are not for me but all had come to my expenses. even my salary I had to pay it for my rent, boy! I can tell you how sorry I was for me having a situation like that, and I was always saying to my self I was supposed to be in abroad to uplift myself but lucky me I was in pain hard work and misery, so then a few months later I decided to find a new host family and talked to my first host family about the situation that there was no problem having them as my host family but the problem is of me living out of the family paying my own rent and food which is supposed to be their responsibility. I have waisted no time and transferred as soon as possible to m new host family and I was happy having my own room and privacy, no more apartment fees, food allowance from your sweat and no more “Black Money“. I have just ended my contract last 26 of October 2008 and went home to my homeland Philippines.

Quick Tips:

For Au pairs, please if you have any problem regarding any situation either financially or personal with your host families talk to them politely about the problem, if they listen to you and understand you they will make a solution for the problem but if they will just do nothing and your salary is always delayed and etc…, waste no time find a new one which you feel comfortable to live with. If I could help about anything, please send me a mail via my email:

almayaguirre@gmail.com

or leave a comments to this post.

For Families, Please do not delay the salary of your Au pairs for they have a family depending on them either they are the one who pays for the tuition of their sibling’s or the bread winner of the family. please be aware that your Au pairs are not the “murmuring type” for if we don’t like the way you treat us, we just stay quiet and find a new host family signed a contract before we tell you about the problem, of course we analyze first the situation for there are so many different types of problems faced by the Au pair and the families they are living with.

Au pairs always be informed, don’t be scammed, don’t pay for anyone who you think is not authorized for finding you a host family.

Well all for now and GOD Bless you all always,

Brew :)

You can visit his blog www.aupairdanmark.blogspot.com
His blog is very informative for those who are aspiring to work as au pair her in Denmark and other parts of the world.

Do you have any au pair stories to share here or in his blog happy or sad stories are welcome.

Update from Cathy’s Story
Good news!!!She started with a new host today so lets hope and pray for her that her new family will treat her nice and respect her rights and that she will enjoy her stay here in Denmark and finally learn the culture and visit the museums and nice historical places that she had not experienced before.
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Filipina Au Pair in Distress-

22 Nov

Cathy a sweet Filipina Au pair

Cathy, The filipina au pair

This is Catherine when she was in Holland, her picture reflects sweetness and contentment of her experience with her host family in Holland. But she asked me not to published her present picture because she lost weight because she don’t want her family to worry when they see her now.

Catherine story is one of the many Filipina sad stories about the bad aupair situation in Denmark. I met her last Saturday sobbing while telling me her sad flight, her sad experiences with mind you 2 danish families.

The 1st danish host family

Catherine came to Denmark almost 5 months ago hoping to broaden her cultural horizons since she already worked as an aupair in Holland for 1 year she want to extent her stay in Europe. Nearing the end of her contract in Holland she tried to find possible au pair job in Denmark and she made contact to a family in Hellerup and they hired her as their au pair or offer (that’s danish for victim).

She received 2,500 dkk monthly in allowance thats the minimum allowance set up by the state but she worked more than the allowed maximum of 30 days per week. She was asked to baby sit for many hours sometimes 10 hours per week and she tried to talked to them and they said that they will see until she noticed she was already five months. It is not only long working hours but it’s more of how they treated her badly like she was not a part of the family but a house help. For along time she can not sleep and lost so much weight and she cannot take it anymore then one day while she was crying in the train station wondering what kind of hell she end up with. Another au pair approached her and gave her a telephone number of a family who is looking for an au pair. When she informed her host that she will transfer to a new family they immediately asked her to leave and sign a paper that she is transferring to this and that but it also written there without her knowledge (it was in danish) that her service as their au pair were paid but actually they owed her at least more than half a months salary but they told her that they will send it to her new address. They gå væk translated go out go out while laughing and shouted you will work your head and ass anywhere. Well maybe she’s witch because it became true. Just read on.

The 2nd danish host family

She then contacted that family in Holte where they promised her 3000 DKK allowance and a bus ticket to the city in her free time but it turned out that this 2nd family was worse than the first one. She starts to work 7.15 prepare breakfast and pack lunch, feed the kids, prepare the clothes and bathe and clothe them. She has to clean the house pick up the kids in Hellerup, do the laundry, help with the assignment, cook dinner, feed kids, prepare clothes for the next day etc. until around 8 pm. Wow that’s more than 10 hours everyday. For few days she don’t even have any break for meal just drank some tea that’s all. So when she received her schedule she reminded the lady of the house that she should only work max. 5 hours and also give her some breaks according to the contract they both signed but the dot the answer “You should see a doctor,I think you are depressed”, who will be depressed with that schedule just take a look below.

Cathy's Schedule

Cathy's Schedule

She managed to keep a copy of it. The worst part is they claim that they just copy their neighbours another Filipina au pair schedule which 5 or more pages thick and she also had a copy of that.
I gave her a contact number of a au pair counselor and she was really decided that she doesn’t want to stay with that family so now Cathy is trying to find a new family so she will have happy memories of Denmark before going back to the Philippines.
At the Foreign Service (Immigration Service)
  • When she went to the Foreign Service office to submit her new contract for the 2nd host she told them about her 1st host and showed the paper that she signed but they said that she can not used it for anything and ask them about her salary they said that they going to write them that they have to pay her.
  • Sunday she told the 2nd host that she don’t want to stay with them because of the long hours and it’s ok with them. Monday she went back again to the Foreign Service office with the lady (2nd host) to cancel the contract Cathy had submitted in the weekend but before that Cathy had to prepare breakfast and lunch of the children. I advised her that she make it sure that the conversation is in English but no they spoke in Danish and she tried to but the lady said that they will translate to her later. She asked the one worker or attendant from the foreign service if she can state the reason why she’s leaving the answer is”IT DOESN’T MATTER”. That I can not understand because according to their supervisors all au pairs that will change families should state why so if they are abused then they can reprimand the family or banning them to use the au pair system. If they heard her reasons they can tell that woman to do what is right and respect the right of the au pair. Now that lady is in the internet also looking for au pair but one Filipina she had interviewed said she wa offered only 2,500 DKK only and she thinks badly of Filipina then why she wants filipina? duh.
Cathy’s Life in Holland
She came to Holland thru a Au pair agency which she was very thankful because she did not pay exhorbitant fee like what some agency here in Denmark takes. The owner was also an au pair so she understand what are the problems of au pair. Before she flew to Holland she underwent a training for au pairs free of charge where she learned how to use vacuum cleaners, proper cleaning of the house and what types of cleaning chemicals to use, a short introduction of Hollands people and culture, caring for children etc.
The family she stayed with were nice and treated her like a member of the family. They also invited her to come with them in their holiday but when she declined they give her extra allowance. It is also included in her contract and its normal in Holland that they give 30minutes to 1 hour call to au pairs family in the Philippines and also mobile phone. Although the maximum stay is only 1 year au pair experience gratitude for the work or service of their offer like making a special day where the children gives some presents to their au pair. I think I haven’t heard of that here no matter how good or hardworking their au pairs were.
The pictures above was Cathy’s host family in Holland where as a loving family where they shown how they appreciate Cathy by making some memorable artworks for Cathy to treasure the rest of her life. You can obviously see how the Holland host family treat their au pair in contrast to the danish families.
Right now Catherine is still in Copenhagen and some kind hearted people are giving her accommodation and she is still looking although she’d been interviewed a lot of times she’s too careful now. Although she don’t have money she can sleep at night and if she can not find a family who will respect her as a person she can always go back in the Philippines because she can always find work. Even she said low paying but her dignity still in tact and she is respected. She has a degree in elementary education and taught in private school and also worked in a government office in her Town where the famous Mayon volcano lies.
If any one is interested to hire her you can leave contact me and I will give her your message.
If you have the same story good or bad just write to me and I will also feature you in this blog to make an au pair awareness so that the danish people become aware that slavery is dead and the Filipino people will know that working abroad is not always a bed of roses and AU PAIR IS NOT A DOMESTIC HELPER.
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