South African Au Pairs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:South African profiles are the only ones who ever say they are not comfortable living with people of a different race (standard question on the ccap application). Even though we are Caucasian, I am not willing to bring that kind of racism in to my home. (We also won't take anyone not willing to live with same-sex couples for similar reasons)

Especially if the AuPair is from Joburg i can understand why they wouldnt want to live with a black family. Thr violence there and fear for personal safety due to the heinous crimes done by the primary black population is awful. I was there for 3 months for work and couldn't get out of there fast enough. Nothing like having "rape gates" that you lock at the top of your stairs at night. I have no idea how anyone can stand living in that country beautiful place, but the violence...nope. there is a huge segment of thr black population that openly loathes whites. White people did it to themselves, but it's a backwards devolved country

Nothing like apartheid to make people love white people.

Yep

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:South African profiles are the only ones who ever say they are not comfortable living with people of a different race (standard question on the ccap application). Even though we are Caucasian, I am not willing to bring that kind of racism in to my home. (We also won't take anyone not willing to live with same-sex couples for similar reasons)

Especially if the AuPair is from Joburg i can understand why they wouldnt want to live with a black family. Thr violence there and fear for personal safety due to the heinous crimes done by the primary black population is awful. I was there for 3 months for work and couldn't get out of there fast enough. Nothing like having "rape gates" that you lock at the top of your stairs at night. I have no idea how anyone can stand living in that country beautiful place, but the violence...nope. there is a huge segment of thr black population that openly loathes whites. White people did it to themselves, but it's a backwards devolved country

Are you making excuses for racism? In 2017?

My thoughts exactly!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have had 2 South African AP and they were awesome!
Abut 5 years ago when we entered the program South African's were the "hot" country and families were battling to get them. Now, not so much.

You have to realize there are many cultures in South Africa but primarily there are 3 most common looking to be APs.

Afrikaners are normally the white english (and afrikans) speaking; but of Dutch decent and have a thicker accent. They are normally a bit more hard core/intense than the white English South Africans. Work pretty hard, play very hard. The English APs is more like an Australian type culture. Not as up tight as, say, someone from the UK typically may be. Once you get to know a lot of both types of girls you see there is a difference.

There are a lot of tribes in SA but most common is Zulu. They also are native English speakers but with a harder accent to understand. We have not had one of these APs but from what we have learned is that in their culture it is more common to be physical with kids (spanking, etc) and can be very strict. Both our SA APs worked in child care facilities and both said that it was common and accepted in the most of the non-white cultures as acceptable.

One thing to know about SA, especially for whites females, is they are naturally guarded. South Africa is the rape capital of the world and obviously whites are a minority so while our APs were by no means racist; it is a very raced based society with blacks taking back what was taken from them hundreds of years ago during colonization (done legally as a land claim, not like just killing farmers and taking their house). It is a disaster of country, but then again most of Africa is pretty messed up economically.

We would totally have another if we found the right candidate; only down side is you lose learning another language at home. Both of ours had graduated university and were older, and excellent drivers.

Very helpful post- thank you. Which culture(s) were your SA APs from, and if you were to look for another candidate, would you choose from a particular culture again? How were their styles of discipline with your own children?

We have had both English and Afrikaans; but both had many friends of each culture. Some knew each other prior to arrival, some met here. It really comes down to the individual between the two and I would not say one is easier or better AP than the other. I will say that neither one had any black SA AP friends here. For the most part white SA are trying to leave the country; and the younger generations have no interest in trying to stay, and most agree that colonization was a bad and they need to get out of the country permanently.

Guess they can blame their ancestors for settling and destroying what isn't theirs

[Anonymous]

blah blah blah about the politics.

UK and a few others have been working to repatriate colonists for years but EU would not have it. White South Africans are in a good place now with Brexit and Trump. Trump folded on DACA so quickly because the next card to play is lax US visa policy for white SA and same in UK. Cannot blame the children for ancestors fault. America lets in 1M kids of bad decisions and about 2M great great great grand kids of bad decisions.

Take this to the politics section.

[Anonymous]

There is no way I could stand their accent for a full year lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is no way I could stand their accent for a full year lol

lol isn't this program a cultural exchange? There are dozes of English accents in the US alone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have had 2 SA APs and they were fantastic. Mature, grounded and knew what the AP program was all about and what was expected of them.

Driving was good/very good. I personally like matching with fluent English speaking APs because it helps with bonding I think. This is not to say I only pick English as first language countries. My first AP was from Brazil but fluent in English.

To the above poster, were your APs of British or Afrikaans heritage, and how were their styles of discipline? What were their ages and driving experience? Did they socialize with other APs, or did they prefer to hang out with HF? It seems that HFs either have a fantastic experience with AP from SA, or a terrible one.

They were both Afrikaans. Discipline style was very good. Firm, but playful. They were able to could control my kids well.

Ages 21 and 24. Good drivers. Had no issues with the left side issue.

They did seem to hang with other SA APs primarily, including a few black SAs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:South African profiles are the only ones who ever say they are not comfortable living with people of a different race (standard question on the ccap application). Even though we are Caucasian, I am not willing to bring that kind of racism in to my home. (We also won't take anyone not willing to live with same-sex couples for similar reasons)

Especially if the AuPair is from Joburg i can understand why they wouldnt want to live with a black family. Thr violence there and fear for personal safety due to the heinous crimes done by the primary black population is awful. I was there for 3 months for work and couldn't get out of there fast enough. Nothing like having "rape gates" that you lock at the top of your stairs at night. I have no idea how anyone can stand living in that country beautiful place, but the violence...nope. there is a huge segment of thr black population that openly loathes whites. White people did it to themselves, but it's a backwards devolved country

Are you making excuses for racism? In 2017?

My thoughts exactly!

Easy to pretend that you're okay with people being raped for their ancestor's crimes when you're safely ensconced in the US. Sectarian violence is real and it is horrific, even when it happens to white people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:South African profiles are the only ones who ever say they are not comfortable living with people of a different race (standard question on the ccap application). Even though we are Caucasian, I am not willing to bring that kind of racism in to my home. (We also won't take anyone not willing to live with same-sex couples for similar reasons)

Especially if the AuPair is from Joburg i can understand why they wouldnt want to live with a black family. Thr violence there and fear for personal safety due to the heinous crimes done by the primary black population is awful. I was there for 3 months for work and couldn't get out of there fast enough. Nothing like having "rape gates" that you lock at the top of your stairs at night. I have no idea how anyone can stand living in that country beautiful place, but the violence...nope. there is a huge segment of thr black population that openly loathes whites. White people did it to themselves, but it's a backwards devolved country

Are you making excuses for racism? In 2017?

My thoughts exactly!

Easy to pretend that you're okay with people being raped for their ancestor's crimes when you're safely ensconced in the US. Sectarian violence is real and it is horrific, even when it happens to white people.

So you understand why they wouldn't want to live with a black American family? All black people all over the world are raping white South Africans? That's racist propaganda they're learning at home, and you know it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

So you understand why they wouldn't want to live with a black American family? All black people all over the world are raping white South Africans? That's racist propaganda they're learning at home, and you know it.

No, that is the reality of South Africa and many parts of the world. Not propaganda; just the real world.

How about you get out of your bubble and send your 20 year old daughter to go ride a bus in Cape town or Johannesburg daily. No...expand your global perspective and have her ride a bus in New Delhi or Mumbai and let me know their willingness to live there for a year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:South African profiles are the only ones who ever say they are not comfortable living with people of a different race (standard question on the ccap application). Even though we are Caucasian, I am not willing to bring that kind of racism in to my home. (We also won't take anyone not willing to live with same-sex couples for similar reasons)

Especially if the AuPair is from Joburg i can understand why they wouldnt want to live with a black family. Thr violence there and fear for personal safety due to the heinous crimes done by the primary black population is awful. I was there for 3 months for work and couldn't get out of there fast enough. Nothing like having "rape gates" that you lock at the top of your stairs at night. I have no idea how anyone can stand living in that country beautiful place, but the violence...nope. there is a huge segment of thr black population that openly loathes whites. White people did it to themselves, but it's a backwards devolved country

Are you making excuses for racism? In 2017?

My thoughts exactly!

Easy to pretend that you're okay with people being raped for their ancestor's crimes when you're safely ensconced in the US. Sectarian violence is real and it is horrific, even when it happens to white people.

So you understand why they wouldn't want to live with a black American family? All black people all over the world are raping white South Africans? That's racist propaganda they're learning at home, and you know it.

South African girls who haven't lived in America have no frame of reference to understand our culture and the fact that white and black people live together in neighborhoods, get married, etc. You can't possibly expect them to understand this. We are an alien culture to them. Go meet actual South Africans and listen to them. I don't think it is racism as much as sectarianism. A S African man-- educated and older-- told me that prior to meeting me (a white person) and seeing me have genuine friendships with black Americans (we were all overseas), that he thought that the US was just like South Africa and that the movies showing integration were a utopian fantasy and not our real lives. Their lives are so defined by race they can't even conceive of our reality. Do you want to alienate them, or educate them? Which do you think will create the most change in the world?

[Anonymous]

What about South Africans that are of Indian/Hindu descent? Anyone have experience with that profile?

[Anonymous]

The blatant lies about SA especially JoBurg on here is absolutely astounding. Rape culture? Hard to walk down the street? You should be ashamed of yourself for perpetuating these stereotypes and lies.

I just spent 6 months in SA for work (February- July).

Unfortunately, SA is like America in the 40's and 60's. Although they are post apartheid, the rampant racism and inequality is sad and exhausting.

I would not want an AP from SA because I would not want to expose my children to the backward "Alabama" type views of most non-Black SA people. The one point above that I do agree with is that a lot of Black SA's seemed to more "harsh" re: the interaction and engagement with their kids (from what I experienced).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The blatant lies about SA especially JoBurg on here is absolutely astounding. Rape culture? Hard to walk down the street? You should be ashamed of yourself for perpetuating these stereotypes and lies.

I just spent 6 months in SA for work (February- July).

Unfortunately, SA is like America in the 40's and 60's. Although they are post apartheid, the rampant racism and inequality is sad and exhausting.

I would not want an AP from SA because I would not want to expose my children to the backward "Alabama" type views of most non-Black SA people. The one point above that I do agree with is that a lot of Black SA's seemed to more "harsh" re: the interaction and engagement with their kids (from what I experienced).

Okay, well, here’s an actual South African magazine article about how the rape rate is among the worst in the world. So it’s not a silly American perception. http://www.cosmopolitan.co.za/celebrities/conversation-starters/sas-rape-stats-may-theyre-still-way-high

[Anonymous]

We've had two SA au-pairs, both Afrikaans from the cape. Very different personalities, but both good drivers and handled discipline in a firm but kind fashion with two boys. One of the plusses of SA au pairs is that they will be street smart and aware of their personal security - not the sort to forget to lock up or set the alarm. The economic and security situation in SA causes many SA au pairs to treat the year in the US as a test run and you might find she's spending a lot of free time investigating student visas, etc.

A potential issue is that huge fraction of young people in SA smoke. Many lie on their applications and find it quite difficult to quit when they come to the US, although the price of cigarettes in relation to the au pair stipend provides a strong incentive to do so.