Au Pair: Boniswa Portia Maduna from South Africa
Host Family: Verite Family in Maine
Boniswa, now 'Bo' to my children, left her homeland of South Africa on October 17th of 2010. She embarked on a twenty hour flight to New York for Au Pair training school. Bo had never been on a plane before, though it had been her dream since 2006 to be an Au Pair. Five days later, with tears in her eyes, she rode the escalator down and was greeted by myself and my four children at the Portland Intl' Jetport.
I believe Bo was meant to join us. Seven weeks before, the family in Georgia who had hired Bo as their Au Pair came across a financial hardship, and just a few days before she was scheduled to leave, she was informed that she would not be able to. At about the same time, we had to let our Au Pair, of just three weeks go, due to his lapse in judgement and his decision to drive himself and another Au Pair home from the bar after drinking. I gave birth to a fourth child a week after this incident and was put on bed rest due to postpartum complications. On top of all this, my husband and I had separated a few months before. At the time it seemed as though much was falling apart.
A week later, the local coordinator of our Au Pair agency came over to my house to assist me in the interview process of finding a new Au Pair. I was exhausted and overwhelmed at the thought of having someone new come in. Training someone else seemed like way more than I could handle. Little did I know my fears and concerns of hiring someone new would be laid to rest so gracefully and with such a nurturing warmth, that there was never really any need to fret. Boniswa could come quickly because she had already obtained a visa. Her pictures were sweet. She was surrounded by children in them. Within a week, she was coming to join our wild household.
Boniswa has far exceeded my expectations of what this experience would be. She dove right in, and immediately and instinctively became a part of our household. She navigates tantrums and tea parties with the same calm grace. She joins me at my five year old daughters gymnastics class when it is her time off. She cheers my nine year old son on as he cruises down the slopes on his snow board. She is teaching my children Zulu and about South African traditions and culture. She can read a board book to my toddler, with the new born in her arms while playing American Girl Doll and watching my eldest do flips on the trampoline. All the while, she peacefully smiles. She does more than watch my children and keep them from harm. She has taken the time, in the few short months she has been here to learn about each of them. She meets them where they are, as individuals. In a big family, this can be a challenge, and Bo makes it look easy. All of my children love, trust and adore her. They bring her breakfast in bed and want play dates with her instead of their classmates. I feel extremely lucky to have been in the right place at the right time to have the opportunity to share our lives with such a kind and loving young woman as Boniswa Portia Maduna.
I believe Bo was meant to join us. Seven weeks before, the family in Georgia who had hired Bo as their Au Pair came across a financial hardship, and just a few days before she was scheduled to leave, she was informed that she would not be able to. At about the same time, we had to let our Au Pair, of just three weeks go, due to his lapse in judgement and his decision to drive himself and another Au Pair home from the bar after drinking. I gave birth to a fourth child a week after this incident and was put on bed rest due to postpartum complications. On top of all this, my husband and I had separated a few months before. At the time it seemed as though much was falling apart.
A week later, the local coordinator of our Au Pair agency came over to my house to assist me in the interview process of finding a new Au Pair. I was exhausted and overwhelmed at the thought of having someone new come in. Training someone else seemed like way more than I could handle. Little did I know my fears and concerns of hiring someone new would be laid to rest so gracefully and with such a nurturing warmth, that there was never really any need to fret. Boniswa could come quickly because she had already obtained a visa. Her pictures were sweet. She was surrounded by children in them. Within a week, she was coming to join our wild household.
Boniswa has far exceeded my expectations of what this experience would be. She dove right in, and immediately and instinctively became a part of our household. She navigates tantrums and tea parties with the same calm grace. She joins me at my five year old daughters gymnastics class when it is her time off. She cheers my nine year old son on as he cruises down the slopes on his snow board. She is teaching my children Zulu and about South African traditions and culture. She can read a board book to my toddler, with the new born in her arms while playing American Girl Doll and watching my eldest do flips on the trampoline. All the while, she peacefully smiles. She does more than watch my children and keep them from harm. She has taken the time, in the few short months she has been here to learn about each of them. She meets them where they are, as individuals. In a big family, this can be a challenge, and Bo makes it look easy. All of my children love, trust and adore her. They bring her breakfast in bed and want play dates with her instead of their classmates. I feel extremely lucky to have been in the right place at the right time to have the opportunity to share our lives with such a kind and loving young woman as Boniswa Portia Maduna.
