BONISIWE TSHABALALA

     Achiever of the week: 

       Bonisiwe Tshbalala

        Dec 23, 2020  | By Nqobile Mdima

This week’s feature is Bonisiwe Tshabalala. Bonisiwe is from South Africa. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of the Free State and an Honours degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Bonisiwe is currently working as a nanny (au pair) in Chicago, IL, USA. She has been working and living abroad for a little over a year. Before she moved to America she worked as a Life Skills Facilitator for 4 years at the University of Free State (Qwaqwa Campus). She came across the au pair program when she was searching for different work and travel opportunities abroad on Google, then she decided to apply for this program because she was more attracted to it. Bonisiwe has visited 6 cities in America (NYC, Philly, DC, Harrisburg, Baltimore and Chicago) and her favorite city is New York City. 

Bonisiwe shares with us her au pair journey, the pros and cons of au pairing, the pros and cons of living in America and her future plans.  

When did you move to America and what are you doing there? 

What were you doing before you moved to the USA?

In South Africa I worked as a Life Skills Facilitator for 4 years at the University of Free State, Qwaqwa Campus.

How did you find opportunities in America?

I came across this program as I was researching different work and travel opportunities abroad on Google. Soon after that, I started getting a lot of Facebook Ads about different opportunities (teaching abroad and working on a cruise ship). I started applying for about 3 of them and being an au pair just seemed to be what I was more attracted to at that time. I work for Cultural Care au pair, they are one of the largest agencies.

Where can others find similar opportunities in America? 

There’s a lot of information online. You can search “au pair in America” on almost a lot of social media platforms and you’ll get different options. There’s also a lot of Facebook groups that one can join to ask questions and weigh their options.

What do you love the most about your job? 

This program teaches one a lot about independence, responsibility, and the authentic American culture (not like the one we see on TV 😂). You also get to travel and see all the beautiful places in America. Lastly it allows you to make friends from all over the world.

What do you dislike about your job? 

What I dislike is that you live and work at the same place.

Do you pay rent or do you have free housing?

The agency I work with and the state that I live in doesn't require me to pay rent.

Are you allowed to have multiple jobs? 

The contract doesn’t allow to apply for any jobs, but with the availability and growing online community, one can easily make extra by using those platforms.

What are the advantages and disadvantages about living in America? 

Advantages:

-Things are easily accessible here. 

-There are so many resources and information available to better your life. 

-America makes you want to work hard.

Disadvantages:

-Issues related to the unhealed social ills that we saw consuming every part of our lives in 2020.

-The food quality is not good. 

-Health care is expensive.

Do you sometimes miss home? How do you deal with being homesick? 

When I am feeling homesick I usually exercise, pray, eat South African food, dance to ‘amapiano’, and call my friends and family.

How often do you visit home? 

The program is set up for 2 years and you can only visit home in your first year. 

Which apps, websites and social pages/groups have helped you navigate life in America? 

There is an app for everything in America 😂. There are a couple of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp groups for South Africans living in America (au pairs) and also there are other online apps for Africans in America where you can make friends. You can use google maps, Apple maps, etc. 

What do you do for fun in your city and outside your city? 

When I was in New York City I used to go sightseeing, visit different museums and travel from state to state.

How many cities have you visited in America so far? Which one is your favorite and why? 

I’ve visited 6 cities (NYC, Philly, DC, Harrisburg, Baltimore and Chicago). There's no place like NYC, there’s just so much to see and do. I like the culture, fashion and people. I tell everyone “You have to see NYC”.

What tips would you give to someone who is planning to move to America? 

Be as open-minded as you possibly can, take it easy, remain true to yourself and the journey will be smooth.

What are your future plans? 

I'm hoping to continue with traveling and working abroad.