Au Pair: Mariana Santamaria Rivas from Venezuela

Host Family: Lauria family in Washington, DC

Every parent wants things for their kids. Some are tangible -- a nice house, good school, memorable vacations -- and some are more complicated. For me, the most important thing my child can learn is tolerance, open-mindedness, and acceptance of diversity and multi-culturalism. Having an au pair is one way I teach this to my child. Having someone different than us as a care giver creates a new set of options and opportunities.

For us, there is no better au pair to teach these values than Mariana Rivas. Mariana is from Venezula. She is outgoing and intelligent and she loves the outdoors, playing games, and trying all kinds of food. She wakes up every day with a great attitude and brings creativity and authenticity to everything she does. Mariana also happens to be a proud lesbian.

By spending time with Mariana and her girlfriend Claudia, my son Jesse has learned about love, relationships, and respect in ways no book or lecture could ever teach him. Mariana is a great role-model for any kid, but I am especially proud of her ability to model self-love and self-acceptance to my child.

I definitely think she is an exceptional au pair and deserves to win the Au Pair of the Year Award.

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