IAPA Au Pair of the Year Award 2017 – Meet our three finalists

The 13th edition of the IAPA Au Pair of the Year Award has again provided us with great stories that were shared with us through our member agencies.

After reviewing the 50 host family essays, all describing their rewarding experiences with their au pair, we have selected our three finalists for the IAPA Au Pair of the Year 2017 Award.

The jury has reviewed the stories the finalists have sent to us, in order to select our winner who will be announced at WETM-IAC 2017 in Munich on the 25th of March

Meet the finalists

Georgina Pinson (19), France /UK nominated by the Zhao family, China	Laura Garcia Garcia (27), Spain nominated by the Tanner family, USA	Lee-Anne Gower (21) South Africa nominated by the Dijkstra-Bosma family, NL

Georgina Pinson

At a  very young age she went to China embracing the different culture and language and sharing her  culture with her Chinese host family:

“Everyone in our family loves Georgina because she is also a careful and responsible person. She was a role model in various aspects for my daughter. My daughter loved being with her, they were just like true sisters. She could already speak five languages before she came to China, and now she can speak six, including Mandarin!”

– Zhao family, Beijing, China

Receiving agency                                                                                             Sending agency

Laura Garcia Garcia

Laura is taking care of 5 children from ages 4 to 14. Coming from the warm Canary Islands she stepped right into winter in North Dakota.

„I call Laura Garcia a gift. She is a gift to myself and to my children.

She has welcomed us in her heart and her life. She included us from day one in sharing her dreams and experiences in America. It was her openness in sharing her life with us that made it so easy to love her and make her a part of our family.”

– Tanner family,Bismarck, North Dakota USA

Receiving Agency                                                                             Sending Agency

Lee-Anne Gowers

Even though Lee-Anne has had some diffult times in her life she has a  very positive attitude. After having mastered obstacles in the beginning she turned her Au Pair stay into a great success.

“Thinking about all that she has done for us brings tears to our eyes and although we miss her badly, we know that she will always be part of our family no matter where she is in the world. At the same time, Lee-Anne knows that we will be with her every step of the way“

– Dijkstra-Bosma family, Zuid-Beijerland, The Netherlands

Receiving Agency                                                             Sending Agency