Breaking the ice.....and luckily not the household appliances

I have moved to Brisbane to be a nanny for a lovely family with 2 boys age 4 and 6.  I met the mum, on an au pair website where she and I both had profiles, several months ago.  We have kept in touch for over 6 months and the timing has finally worked out for the both of us.  I had a bad experience in finding a job in Airlie and she had a bad experience with her last au pair.  Perfect for me!  The mum picked Jenni and I up from the Brisbane airport and I have lived in their beautiful home ever since.

Ok, so that is the update, but please brace yourself for what comes next......

Mind you I have several years experience in being a nanny and have yet to have too many stories to tell of "things gone wrong".  Also those of you who know me well know that I am good at laughing things off and it takes a lot for me to actually feel "embarrassed".  I may feel silly at times but only "embarrassed" a couple of times that I can recall.

Well here it goes: The tale of March 24th, 2011.  The family let my friend and myself stay for no cost in hopes that it will work out, after meeting, for me to be their au pair.  That was very kind, and trusting, of them and they put us up in a beautiful room and we ate all our meals here, let alone the fact that they picked us up from the airport after our late night flight arrived.  In return, as a "thank you", I decided that, even though I was to do drop off and pick of the kids Thursday, I was not expected to do any of the light housework until the following week but I would do it anyways.  We all know that it is common sense, if you are staying in someone's home, that if the dishwasher is full.....you start it.  So I did.

There are several things different about Australia then from the States.  Some I expected, some things less different than I had anticipated, and some things unexpectedly different considering it is the country closest, in similarities, to our own.  So one thing I have learned over the last five months is never assume anything.  


After searching the kitchen, the pantry, the laundry room, any storage closets I came across, and consulting in Jenni we (I) decided that liquid detergent must be what Aussies use in their dishwasher unlike the powder or pellets we use.  When in Rome, eh?!  I'm sure you can all guess where this story is going....yup....it ends with me walking downstairs to a kitchen full of mid calf high bubbles (right out of a movie) and the mum mopping it up with a smile on her face.  Despite the smile I am sure she was thinking "what in the hell have I got myself into?!"

Now we laugh about it because everything has gone perfectly since for 2 1/2 weeks.  I am very happy with the arrangements and the family and they are very happy with me.  I could have died of embarrassment that day, but in a way it was a good way to break the ice :)