By Ceiledh Monk I caught the travel bug when I embarked on my first overseas adventure to France on a three month student exchange when I was fifteen years old. Now, I amnineteen and I have visited fourteen countries and counting. I believe travelling is the one of the few things in the world that you pay for and receive more than your money’s worth in return. Any adventure outside of my little “box” that I like to call home, has allowed me to discover myself, push my personal boundaries, and become a stronger, more independent, woman. As I was preparing to enter my first year studying inter- national business at Carleton University, I decided that I wanted to spend my next summer break doing something that pertained to my degree and aligned with my passion for travelling and embracing culture. After some research and self-reflection, I decided to take the opportunity to live in Spain working as an au pair for a family with four children. For those who are unfamiliar with the “au pair” program, it’s essentially an online platform where live-in nannies connect with host families in foreign countries. If you are interest- ed in becoming an au pair, I encourage you to speak to others who have au pair experience. They will most likely be honest with the difficulties they faced but give you amazing tips to help you through the entire process. I would never discourage anyone from this incredible opportunity, but my goal is to be as informative as possible about the positive and negative aspects of the job. To start my journey, my beautiful Mom and I spent ten days together in Ireland which turned out to be the adventure of a lifetime! We decided to explore Dublin and Galway where we indulged in the folk music, great food, and sightseeing adventures. If you are headed to Galway and have not set your itinerary, be sure to include half a day to explore my personal favourite: the overgrown, abandoned, and whim- sical, Menlo Castle. There is no shortage of beautiful sights
to see and friendly people to meet in Ireland!
After our amazing adventure together, I was off to Madrid to meet my new, chaotic, and exhausting, yet eventful and rewarding lifestyle. The kids were in school and daycare my first few weeks so I worked in the mornings and the evenings which was ideal for me to adjust to the culture, area, and
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SEPTEMBER 2018 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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