Au pair of the year – Winner

IAPA Congratulates Georgina Pinson

 Winner of the IAPA Au Pair of the Year Award 2017

French au pair Georgina Pinson (19)  was presented with the IAPA Au Pair of the Year 2017 Award during our Opening reception held at the Künstlerhaus in Munich during the Work Experience Travel Market and IAPA Annual Conference (WETM-IAC) 2017.

An international jury of five people had selected her from 50 nominations.

Georgina was placed by receiving agency Lopair from China. Her sending gency had been Solution Au Pair & + from France. Her Chinese host family Zhao from Beijing – where she had lived for 6 months – had nominated her for the award.

During her passionate and moving speech she proved what an exceptional person she is and how she had grown from the once-in-a-lifetime  au pair experience in China.

The audience was thrilled with her speech and when Georgina was presented with the award and a short greeting video from
her ” little sister” in China no one – including the happy winner – could stop their tears.

“Everyday was different and exciting and had its challenges, but everyday was new opportunity to teach and be taught something incredible or something completely normal. China is home to one of the seven wonders of the world, the Zhao family (and there’s the Great Wall too!). I know today that I am a much better person than before I became an Au Pair and for that I am so grateful.

– Georgina Pinson

Well done Georgina! The whole au pair community is proud of you and we wish you only the best for your future!

Read Georgina´s au pair of the year essay

Runners up 2017

Lee-Ann Gower (21), South Africa

Host country:         Netherlands

Sending agency:    House o Orange South Africa

Receiving agency: House o Orange Au Pairs NL

“During my year, I spent time building beautiful bonds, making new friends and discovering other cultures and peoples. This has given me new perspectives, confidence and determination to continue along this path of discovery. I am grateful for being given this opportunity.”

-Lee- Ann

Read more about Lee-Ann here


Laura Garcia Garcia (27), Spain

Host Country :       USA

Sending agency:  Au Pair in Spain Culture and Friends, Spain

Receiving agency: Au Pair International, USA

“Being an au pair is a cultural immersion. It means experiencing the politics, the food, religions, and the racial diversity. This has made me grow up, be more appreciative and tolerant about people, I’ve learnt how to live and how to see life from a different perspective, out of my comfort zone.”  

– Laura

Read more about Laura here

 


Previous winners 

2016 – Robert Isemer, Germany

2015 – Lena Halberstadt, Germany

2014 – Irene Buijing, Netherlands

2013 – Femke Meyer, Germany

2012 – Birte Klusmann, Germany

2011 – Luna Vazquez de la Rosa, Spain

2010 – Mayumi Yano, Japan

2009 – Ricardo Silva de Araujo, Brazil

2008 – Linda Falter, Germany

2007 – Emilie Terryn, France

2006 – Alexandru Valentin Darziu, Romania

2005 – Mariela Poveda, Ecuador

2004 – Lenuta Tedora, Romania