This post used to contain pictures, but due to new storage limitations from WordPress, I had to fix the problem and decided to create a new blog that works as an archive for all the posts from my two years in California. This full post can be found here.

I apologize for the long novella today, but this is huge and I have so much I want to write down!

I am finally here. Many months of waiting is over! If the waiting part went so fast, I don’t even want to think about how fast the waiting-for part will go… Anyway, I will do my best to get the most out of my year as an au pair here.

Yesterday started at usual at the training school. But as soon as we finished breakfast everything became very hectic. We had a meeting where we were got all the information we needed for the day. I was done with my packing, so the only thing I needed to do before I got to my bus that was going to get me to LaGuardia Airport in New York was take all my sheets and towels down to the basement.

On the airport I had a pizza slice from Famiglia, really good! And for desert, my very first donut from Dunkin’ Donuts. I, once again, understand why people in America get fat so easily. Sooo delicous and unhealthy!

I was really nervous about my luggage as I mentioned in my last post. I took out as much as possible from my checked-in bag and put it in my two hand luggages. On American Airlines you can bring one personal item and one carry-on bag. So I brought a personal item in form of a big bag, and my carry-on full of clothes. The personnel at the airport looked weirdly at me, but I could get on the plane with that much luggage. And my checked-in was okay, 41lbs, 50 was the limit. So when that was cool, I started to think about what would happen in about eight hours. I was going to meet with my host family for the first time! I tried to sleep on the plane, but no. Wide awake all the way.

When me, Anna Maria and Nasly (Anna Maria is living in Encinitas, very close to me, and Nasly is living in San Diego) went off the plane we were so nervous! We walked toward the baggage claim and I didn’t expect to see Pia there, so I wasn’t even looking for her and I stumbled in the escalator down to the baggage claim and dropped my two bags while stumbling. And when I regained control I saw Pia, my host mum. That was a great first impression.

My bag came right away, we said goodbye to Nasly and Anna Maria and went to Carlsbad. It was a 30 min drive and in the car I learned that Malin, their old au pair still was living with them. I didn’t know that and was really surprised. But it is very good and comforting to have an experienced au pair teaching me a lot of things for a week. And she answers all of my millions of questions. It’s really nice to have her here until Thursday. Only thing is that I am living in the play room until then. But on the other hand, the sofa bed is so comfortable so I don’t mind. But it will be nice when I have unpacked all my bags so I can start to feel at home here.

I was awake until 3 am. I talked with Pia and Bill and Malin and her friend Ida who’s visiting now. And the children were so energetic, wanted to show me things all evening until they went to bed. They are really sweet and I think this year, taking care of them, will be the best year ever!

Today was fun and exhausting at the same time. I went with Malin and Ida to Fashion Valley in San Diego. There we met three other Swedish au pairs and they all bought clothes and things. I didn’t buy anything, I have lots of time to do that later.

We had dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. That was another first! I had pasta with meat sauce, delicous. And for desert; White Chocolate Caramel Macadamian Nuts Cheesecake. Delicous as well! I think I will go there often, and I’m gonna try to try new cheesecakes every time!
There are some major differences between Sweden and USA. For example, the food we didn’t ate we took home in doggy bags. That includes the cheesecake. And you do that all the time. It’s weird if you don’t take the leftovers with you home! And we got as many free refills of our drinks as we wanted. Weird, but totally nice!

There are so many new impressions all the time, it makes me awfully exhausted. So now I am going to go to bed, pretty early and I won’t have to get up until eleven tomorrow. I will go to my first LCC (Local Child Coordinator) meeting at 1 pm. We are going to play laser tag. Good night!

White Chocolate Caramel Macadamian Nuts Cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory in Fashion Valley, San Diego.

Me in front of San Diego downtown. The photo is taken by Malin and we are on an island called Coronado.