packing and aupairing

hi guys, im about to move to england as an aupair and am so stressted lately with organising visas and such so quickly that i have a few areas i need help in.

firstly i am soooo stuck with packing - what does one need in england at this time of year? i mean im having this melt down so hte only obvious thing is clothed but even then its like what clothes? what is the temperature likely to do as i get over their becasue id really rather my first stop wasnt new clothes as money is bothersome enough without a new wardrobe.

also does anyone know what i should be expecting as an aupair in england? ive heard so many scary or contradictory stories that i have no idea anymore.

any help would be brilliant.

Currently the English "summer" is more mildly warm (avg. early 20c to 25c MAX) and quite wet with scattered showers and some storms throughout the week. I don't think we're likely to have a good summer this year by the way it's going. It's cool breezy some mornings and quite humid at times throughout the day. Jeans and T-shirt is comfortably worn in the current weather, but you could get away with shorts/skirt as well. Although with the cool breezes shorts/skirt might be a little too adventurous if you're from the warmer parts of Oz (like Cairns/Darwin). My girlfriend often wears jeans with a t-shirt/singlet at the moment and open toed shoes ... no problem, at night she'll take a light cotton jacket with her.

You wont need a jumper or heavy jacket at night, though probably best to bring one with you as it will begin to cool down towards the end of September and it'll save you money in the long run if you have one already. During winter all you will need is a good heavy coat, jeans and a scarf - no need for thermals, etc. It rarely gets below zero in London, which may sound cold but once you've acclimatised it's not so bad - unfortunately that means it also doesn't snow! :(

Clothing wise, I would bring a mixture. The summer weather here is unpredictable and it can rain or turn cold suddenly. Casual summer wear in the UK tends to shorts, t'shirts and vest tops, short skirts, cropped trousers, sandals, flip flops etc. Going out wear there is a selection of short dresses and skirts and tops. However, there is no formal dress code and some women wear tiny bra tops, but your employers might prefer you to cover up a bit if wandering around the house.

However, it can turn cold or rain quickly even in summer. A waterproof jacket will not go wrong, and a warm fleece or sweater and trousers/jeans will also help. For winter wear, plenty of warm clothes and a good coat will help.

If you find you need new clothes but have little money and cannot afford London designer shopping, there are places where you can buy new clothes very cheap - supermarkets like ASDA, Tesco and Sainsburys, and chains like Primark, Matalan and New Look. The quality is not very high and they may fall apart in a few months (and in Primark be prepared to fight your through hundreds of 12 year olds), but ideal if you need something super cheap to start you off. Thousands of charity shops provide used clothing very cheap, of varying quality.

I cannot comment on au-pair life in England but there are thousands, especially in the London area, so you won't be alone. Sign up on nannyjob. They have a message board for nannies, au-pairs and mothers helps, with everything from asking for advice on problems wihth employers to jokes and social event meetings.

Hi lillylu.

Have you already found an aupairing position, or are you looking? I'm currently an au pair just outside London, but am moving to London in September to start with a new family. If you're looking for work, www.greataupair.com, www.newaupair.co.uk and www.gumtree.com aren't bad places to look.

The kind of time you're likely to have depends greatly on who you are, and who the family you work for is. If you want my opinions (such as they are) on how to pick a family, or how to make the best of the one you've got, let me know! I don't have any deathly horror stories to report, just a lot of bratty, irritating kid ones, so don't fear.

Good luck!