Au Pair: Olga Radko from Ukraine
Host Family: Ganz Family in Wisconsin
Words cannot begin to describe what a wonderful addition Olga (Olya) has been to our family. We have had some “interesting” experiences with past au pairs, so we were pretty critical about what we wanted in our next au pair. During the matching process, we reviewed countless applications before we finding Olya’s. It took one look at her video and information for our whole family to decide she was meant for us. My husband, who is usually quite reticent about the whole process, insisted I call and get Olya before another family spotted her application.
When we picked her up at the airport, she came bounding up to us with an exuberant smile and hugged us as if she was already a part of our family. We arrived home, had dinner together¸ then gave her the opportunity to rest after her exhaustive travels. She sweetly laughed and told us she could sleep any time, but for now, she wanted to spend time getting to know “her” children.
The next morning, she invited us into her room to present us with gifts from her country. Her bed was covered with special treasures, and she had given each gift so much thought to make sure it was perfect. Every gift had a special meaning, from the Ukrainian toys and candies for the little girls, to homemade honey her father had harvested especially for my husband, to a beautiful handmade traditional Ukrainian shirt she had someone in her home village make for me.
Olya embodies the spirit of intercultural exchange. She has an incredible thirst for knowledge and wants to be immersed in American cultures and traditions. In turn, Olya has taught us about Ukrainian history and traditions, helped us to learn Russian, and has delighted us with wonderful Ukrainian delicacies, such as borscht and galubtsi. We've learned about the Orange Revolution, International Women’s Day, and the Day of Independence. Olya celebrated Easter in Cleveland, July 4th in Colorado, Christmas in our home town of Madison, and we are looking forward to celebrating a traditional Ukrainian Christmas together in January. She has had the opportunity to travel with us and meet all of our family. We have gotten to know her family through skyping, and are hoping her parents will be able to come and visit us this summer.
Looking back on our year with Olya, we realize we were sent an angel.
She is gentle, thoughtful, and kind, and understands the profound impact she has on our children. She takes her responsibilities seriously, but approaches everything she does with an abundant joy. Not only does she love our children, she is not afraid to redirect them when needed. She seeks out advice, but does not hesitate to give suggestions. Many times over the year, we've asked Olya if she feels she has too much work and responsibility. Every time, she answers with her delightful sense of humor, “This is not work! When I was in the fish factory, THAT was work!” We are so fortunate that Olya will be spending a second year with us.
Olya deserves to be nominated for Au Pair of the Year because she truly represents the best of what being an au pair is all about. She came to America wanting to experience firsthand what living with an American family was like. Although she grew up hearing many negative stereotypes about Americans, she didn't blindly accept them. She came to us with an open mind, eager to learn as much about our family and our country as we were willing to teach her, and she has enriched our lives beyond measure. She taught herself English and studied American History and child development in preparation to join us. She was ready to work hard and genuinely wanted to be treated as a family member. She's never been a "clock watcher", and happily helps with dinner and getting the girls settled. Her bedroom door is always open, and she wants the girls to know they are always welcome to come an see her. There are so many little things she does, from reminding me about appointments or school functions, to making me a cup of tea when I've had a long day at work and get home late.
When Olya returns home, she will be able to tell Ukrainians what Americans are really like, and this will be more valuable for spreading goodwill than sending over thousands of American diplomats. For our family, she will leave behind a love for Ukrainian people and traditions. For us, Olya has not been the "Au Pair of the Year", but the "Au Pair of a Lifetime".
When we picked her up at the airport, she came bounding up to us with an exuberant smile and hugged us as if she was already a part of our family. We arrived home, had dinner together¸ then gave her the opportunity to rest after her exhaustive travels. She sweetly laughed and told us she could sleep any time, but for now, she wanted to spend time getting to know “her” children.
The next morning, she invited us into her room to present us with gifts from her country. Her bed was covered with special treasures, and she had given each gift so much thought to make sure it was perfect. Every gift had a special meaning, from the Ukrainian toys and candies for the little girls, to homemade honey her father had harvested especially for my husband, to a beautiful handmade traditional Ukrainian shirt she had someone in her home village make for me.
Olya embodies the spirit of intercultural exchange. She has an incredible thirst for knowledge and wants to be immersed in American cultures and traditions. In turn, Olya has taught us about Ukrainian history and traditions, helped us to learn Russian, and has delighted us with wonderful Ukrainian delicacies, such as borscht and galubtsi. We've learned about the Orange Revolution, International Women’s Day, and the Day of Independence. Olya celebrated Easter in Cleveland, July 4th in Colorado, Christmas in our home town of Madison, and we are looking forward to celebrating a traditional Ukrainian Christmas together in January. She has had the opportunity to travel with us and meet all of our family. We have gotten to know her family through skyping, and are hoping her parents will be able to come and visit us this summer.
Looking back on our year with Olya, we realize we were sent an angel.
She is gentle, thoughtful, and kind, and understands the profound impact she has on our children. She takes her responsibilities seriously, but approaches everything she does with an abundant joy. Not only does she love our children, she is not afraid to redirect them when needed. She seeks out advice, but does not hesitate to give suggestions. Many times over the year, we've asked Olya if she feels she has too much work and responsibility. Every time, she answers with her delightful sense of humor, “This is not work! When I was in the fish factory, THAT was work!” We are so fortunate that Olya will be spending a second year with us.
Olya deserves to be nominated for Au Pair of the Year because she truly represents the best of what being an au pair is all about. She came to America wanting to experience firsthand what living with an American family was like. Although she grew up hearing many negative stereotypes about Americans, she didn't blindly accept them. She came to us with an open mind, eager to learn as much about our family and our country as we were willing to teach her, and she has enriched our lives beyond measure. She taught herself English and studied American History and child development in preparation to join us. She was ready to work hard and genuinely wanted to be treated as a family member. She's never been a "clock watcher", and happily helps with dinner and getting the girls settled. Her bedroom door is always open, and she wants the girls to know they are always welcome to come an see her. There are so many little things she does, from reminding me about appointments or school functions, to making me a cup of tea when I've had a long day at work and get home late.
When Olya returns home, she will be able to tell Ukrainians what Americans are really like, and this will be more valuable for spreading goodwill than sending over thousands of American diplomats. For our family, she will leave behind a love for Ukrainian people and traditions. For us, Olya has not been the "Au Pair of the Year", but the "Au Pair of a Lifetime".