The Filipina Mom in Denmark

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

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

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

Last October 22 the Filipina au pairs were on the Spotlight when the Danish Parliament conducted a joint hearing regarding the au pair scheme. On that hearing they focus on the Filipina Au pairs because of many cases of abuse from their host families. Many of them were used a cheap house help which is not their duty as an au pair.

What is au pair?

The au pair scheme is a cultural exchange program where young girls stays with families with at least 1 child under 18 years old and are treated as equal by the host families. The au pair is a cultural/educational exchange program that will enhance au pair’s proffesionally by understanding the culture of it’s host country by learning the language and its people. They have a written contract wherein they site what responsibilities of the au pair and these are light household chores, taking care of the children and buying groceries. They are only allowed to work from min 15 to maximum 30 hours per week, one day off during week days and free during weekends and besides that they are allowed to have time to join or attend danish language lessons and practice religious activities

You can visit the Danish Immigration Service official website www.nyidanmark.dk for more information.

Why Filipina au pairs?

• This is because they represent the biggest chunk of au pairs here in Denmark. When I arrive in 2002 according to the Danish Foreign Service Statistics they were only 124 Filipinas out of 1,156 au pairs but last year there were 1510 Filipina au pairs out of 2,207 .

• Out of these numbers of Filipinas many are being abused by their host families by working more than the allowed maximum of 30hrs. per week.
• Some documentary programs exposed that this au pair scheme is being used as a work

VVF status

The danish status symbol before was VVV or 3V’s (Villa, Volvo & Vov) meaning that you live in a house or precise a villa, driving a Volvo and have a dog. But now it’s Villa, Volvo and Filipina Au pair that is the buzzword specially in the whiskey belt areas more specifically up in North Sealand where rich people lives.

Why are Filipinas are popular?

From what I know and other Danes are talking bybrowsing some forums they describe Filipinas that they

• communicates in English
• don’t complaint,
• they always says yes even they don’t fell like it
• sometimes they call their host Ma’am or Sir.
• good housekeeping skills especially those who had previous experiences from Hongkong, Singapore etc.
• they love children
• Most can cooked
• they don’t answer back even if you shout at them some they just sulk or cry

On that hearing they heard statements from people who show concern for the Filipino au pairs one from labor union, a catholic priest, a danish born Filipino . I said Filipino au pairs because there is also some male Filipino au pairs here. But what saddened me is that there was no Filipino women who speaks in that hearing since these problems represents the Filipina in bad image as well. No one can represent a Filipina problem but a Filipina itself.  So Filipina speaks up or Filipinos as whole should stand up and participate.

The goals of that hearing are the following :

• To proposed higher allowance of au pairs from minimum of 2,500dkk to 4,000 dkk.
• To encourage au pairs to take danish lessons.
• Propose that au pair should not be shown out of Denmark if there will be case against the employer.
• And many more like taxation, holidays and administration of au pairs.

There were a lot of media who were present but as I read all the news I was so sad because it seems like the press manipulated the stories away for the purpose of the hearing and maybe I’m wrong in my interpretation that the purpose was to stop the abuse of au pairs.

But they focus more on

• The au pair scheme is just being used by Filipinas to work since it is very hard to find job in the Philippines and the salary is so low.
• Many Filipinas are working black job meaning outside from their host families.
• Many became stays illegally after their stay as au pair in the country.

But I can clarify some of the above issues form my own knowledge:

• We are almost 90 million people so it is very competitive to find a job. But there are some who leave their jobs in the Philippines of the promise of some people about high salaries and better future here in Denmark. Almost all the Filipinas who came here as a au pair were highly educated although they don’t receive high salary but they do a gratifying job meaning they are not treated as slaves. They have different purpose of why they want to be an au pair.

Just to give a little glimpse of the working conditions in the Philippines

• Working hours is 8 hours everyday salary rates differs from the the national capital Region to the other provinces which lower but in Metro Manila the minimum rate is 300pesos/day around 7 dollars plus COLA (cost of living allowance). Thats around 10,000 pesos /month but its also depends on the position office like office job usually the salary is lump sum. Thats is a starting rate and some actually gets paid double more than the minimum rate. But we can not compare from here because we have different the standard of living. But still the Philippines economy always tied up to the oil prices so the cost of commodities are so expensive so most Filipinos wanted to work abroad.
• Most au pair receives 2,500 -3000 DKk around 550-600/month minus tax which by the way some host families just shoulder it but imagine what will happen if they go out the minimum fare is 20dkk and the sofdrinks cost 15-20 dkk. So I think most are tempted but I’m not saying that all of them are doing it. It’s not ok when someone is working black or illegally but isn’t more irresponsible and punishable if the host families are using au pairs to work as house help letting them work long hours and not paying them right. The host families have all the means while the poor girls hasn’t had any not even friends.
• I don’t know anybody who stays illegally after their term as an au pair. But I know most the Filipinas try to seek au pair jobs in other countries like Norway or Spain in that matter and I think that is not illegal.

It’s really sad to hear sad stories of au pairs not only Filipinas but I had a friend from Brazil who suffered 2 years of abuse without telling her problems to anyone because she don’t know where to turn to not even in the Immigration service. She thougt at that time that it was normal occurrence here in Denmark

I hope that what ever changes they will make or agree in the Parliament is for the benefit for all not only for the Filipinas but all the au pairs that comes in the country.

But to the Filipino Community get involved.

Another problem is we should inform our Kababayans that au pair scheme is not a an alternative to a real job because it is a cultural exchange progam not a job. It can not pay off especially if they have to shoulder all the payments to their recruiter and the corrupt immigration officials (remember au pair is not permitted in the Philippines).

And to the would be au pairs remember you don’t have to pay any amount more than 1 month of you allowance as an au pair so that will be minimum of 2,500 around 24,000 pesos. no more no less if that is a legitimate agency. If it is a private person who will try to be an agent for you don’t try to be fooled because actually there are no expenses here because you can actually download the application from the website www.nyidanmark.dk. Even if you negotiate directly to the host families in the internet beware! know you rights.

HUWAG PALOLOKO. DON’T BE FOOLED KNOW YOUR RIGHTS!!!

Update: as of this writing 7.04.10 the number of working hours is from 18-30 hours per week and the allowance or pocket money in Denmark is 3000/month from Jan. 01, 2010. Just visit their website for more details.