From a drawer full of sketches to AupairLife

My au pair story in Pennsylvania 🇺🇸

In June 2025, I left France at 19 years old to become an au pair in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. I had no idea yet that it would become one of the most incredible experiences of my life 🤩.

I was lucky to land with a wonderful host family, and I felt at home right away 🏡. Over the months, I met people from all over the world : that's one of the magic things about au pair life 🌍.

Making friends without speaking English 🥹

But feeling at home doesn't mean it's easy. When I arrived, I didn't speak a word of English 😅. And making friends in a new country, when you can't really talk to anyone yet… is hard.

Little by little, I met other au pairs. They became my friends, and they are still my friends today, even after the end of my adventure 💛. That's when I understood how much it changes everything to have people around you who live the same thing.

A July evening, a few sketches… and a drawer ✏️

One evening in July, I started sketching an app : what it would look like, who it would be for, why it should exist. Page after page, the idea was taking shape 🤓.

Then I shared it around me, and some people told me :

"No, that will never be possible…"

So I put my sketches at the bottom of a drawer, and I left them there 😔.

"Just do it" : the push I needed 💪

One evening in March, I told my boyfriend about the idea. His answer was simple :

"Do it. Try to build this app, and you'll see what happens."

That motivated me more than ever 🔥. I took my sketches out of the drawer and got to work.

Then I shared the idea with my au pair friends in the USA. They supported me straight away, and they are still my biggest supporters 🫶. In the end, they took part in creating the app : they tested it with me, gave me ideas to make it better, and helped me spread the word. That's why, for me, AupairLife is a family 💕.

Built by an au pair, for au pairs ✈️

I built AupairLife from A to Z : from the very first sketch to its release on the App Store 📱. I also check every au pair profile by hand myself, so the community stays real.

Being an au pair starts long before you land : you have to choose an agency, talk to host families without always knowing what to ask, and then build a whole life in a country where you don't know anyone yet. I wanted one place for all of it : honest answers before you go, and real people around you once you're there.

What AupairLife helps you do today 💛

Today, the app allows future au pairs and au pairs in the USA to :

• Prepare with confidence : six of the main agencies side by side, and 64 questions to ask a host family before you say yes. 📋
• Ask the community : future au pairs post their questions, and au pairs already in the USA answer them honestly. 🤗
• Meet au pairs near you : verified profiles, whatever your agency — because making friends shouldn't depend on who placed you. Maybe another au pair lives just around the corner 🥹.
• Travel together : join a trip, see how many spots are left and plan it in a group chat, so you never have to travel alone. ✈️
• Explore the States : a guide to the 50 states with 2,000 places to visit, and a journal to keep every memory of your year. 🗺️

We keep improving the app every week, with ideas that come straight from au pairs.

Because being an au pair abroad is an incredible experience : but it's even better when you don't have to do it alone 🤩.