Yesterday was the first time that I heard of the going-away or goodbye book via this video (German). I really didn’t know it was “a thing” and maybe you don’t know either. But I quickly thought to myself that this is a super cool thing to do when you are planning to be an au pair. I obviously did not do this, but I would have if I had know about it.
What am I talking about?
The going away book is a book that you create BEFORE you go abroad. It´s a book that gives family and friends the opportunity to connect with you during the journey. Depending on which country you go to and your personal taste, what you do is:
- Buy a plain note-book.
- Decorate the outside/ cover the way you like. A lot of girls glue the shape or the flag of the country they are going to. Or they write “Au Pair Year 2017/ 2018”.
- Then you begin with the book.
Inside the book:
- Describe your host country and your host family.
- Write why you have decided to be an au pair.
- Write a letter to yourself and read it in the end of your au pair year.
- Write down the rules of this book: fx please feel free to write, draw, be creative, don’t take too long, glue a picture of yourself in here (its up to you).
- At the end you can give family and friends the opportunity to write down all their contacts and if you like you can give them the chance to write you a private letter. You can attach something like a “private postbox” to the book, which I think is a really cute idea.
- Then you can send the book out to the people who are meant to write in it, hence family and friends.
- Make sure you start this project with plenty of time ahead, because depending on how many people are going to write in it, it could take a while.
Most girls keep this book and don’t look at it until the departure date. They read it on the airplane which I think is a cool idea!
Don´t forget to check out my book: Rock Your Au Pair Year. Available on all Amazon platforms around the world.
