GARY

I was born in the US to a single mother psychiatrist who never had much time for me. I had a German Au-pair for a few years when I was little, I really loved him, I still miss him and I know how important your work can be.

I studied the piano for two years but I decided that I didn't like the United States. There was lots of craziness and division, more value placed on things than on people, always war and perversion on TV. I came to Chile when I was 20, I like it better. I think the people are less complicated and more in touch with what is important now, and better connected to each other.

I spent some time studying Spanish, French and mathematics privately, and now I am a medical student. My wife is a psychologist. She comes from a poor farming family, her father had to become a mechanic after they lost their property in a land dispute. She is the first one in her family to get a college education. She is very big-hearted and hard-working. I met her while trying to teach English in a school where she was working, and I saw the compassion she had for the students there. She gave up working to raise our children and develop our farm business.

We have two children, a two year old son and a one year old daughter. They are happy, social, intelligent, adorable children, because we take good care of them.

We live on a farm about 45 minutes away from Valdivia. It's beautiful, and peaceful when we don't have family visiting, which happens from time to time. We like peace, nature, open space, good food, musical instruments, flowers, and quiet, loving, uncomplicated people. We've put a lot of effort into building an environment like that so that our children could grow up in it.

If you like the fast life and lots of socialization, you will not be happy here. If you like to play around outside and read and listen to the grasshoppers at night, maybe you will be happy here. That is what is important. It is good that you will be able to save some money, but you should choose our family because you will enjoy your life here. Also, because you want to learn Spanish, and you will be in a Spanish speaking environment but with me, an English/Spanish speaker, in case you need help.

Most families looking for an Au-pair don't have time to spend with their children. We do, so there isn't as much stress and alienation as you will find in most homes. We just really want them to learn to speak Mandarin while they are young, because we think it is a very rich and meaningful language that will open opportunities for them in their lifetime. If you want to learn Spanish and you are happy being in quiet countryside, maybe this is the right place for you.