French Illusions: My Story as an American Au Pair in the Loire Valley
( Prologue)
One week after placing my ad for a French teacher in the local newspaper, I met Rob at a local café.
“Linda, your plan may backfire,” he warned, furrowing his brow.
My eyes searched his face. “I guess I’ll take that chance.”
“All right then, I’ll help you.”
Most lies are told with the expectation that no one will uncover them. In the summer of 1979, I told a monumental lie, fully aware that mine would be discovered.
I was twenty-one and working as a medical assistant for a busy family practice clinic in Seattle. Every morning at seven o’clock, I dragged myself to the office and performed the same mundane tasks—answering phones, scheduling appointments, and escorting patients to examining rooms.
My roommate’s burgeoning career presented a dazzling contrast to my dull job. Carline, an aspiring model, returned home from auditions bubbling over with enthusiasm as her glamorous vocation took off. Dressed in stylish clothes, she dashed in and out of our apartment from one appointment to another.
Cindy, my other close friend, seemed poised for stardom. She took to the stage, blowing audiences away with her strong voice and artistic abilities, her years of hard work finally paying off.
Months passed and I grew increasingly disenchanted with my career.
“That’s it. I’ve had enough,” I mumbled, frowning at my reflection in the mirror. “I’m finding a new job.”
Intrigued with the notion of overseas travel, I researched my options and decided to pursue a flight attendant position with an international airline. I imagined myself on sojourns in cities around the globe, meeting fascinating people and living life to its fullest.
My resume landed me an interview with World Airways, Inc. and three weeks later I flew to California for the event. The panel of two women and two men voiced their approval as I answered a battery of questions, but their smiles vanished when they discovered I didn’t speak a second language.
“I’m sorry, Miss Kovic, but World Airways requires all flight attendants to be bilingual.” The interviewer’s words struck like daggers in my heart. “However, if you learn another language, we might consider you for a position in the future.”
“Which one would you recommend?” I held his gaze to emphasize my sincerity.
“Spanish, French, or German.”
“Thank you.” I replied, rolling back my shoulders as I left the room, already contemplating my next move.
French appealed to me more than the other languages because I loved the way it sounded, and total immersion seemed the best way to become fluent in the shortest amount of time. Once I learned the language, I would return home and reapply for a flight attendant position with World Airways. But where would I get the money? I only had a few hundred dollars in my bank account.
A coworker came up with a remarkably simple solution. “Maybe you can become an au pair for a family in France?”
Unsure what this would entail, I wrote to several agencies and received applications along with informational brochures detailing the job expectations. My primary responsibility would be childcare, twenty-five to thirty hours a week, along with some light housework and cooking. In return, I would have my own bedroom, a small allowance, and one day off per week. One brochure boasted “the au pair becomes almost like a member of the family as he or she is immersed in a new cultural experience. Often both parties remember the experience fondly for the rest of their lives.”
Reading on, I discovered a colossal problem. All the agencies required prospective au pairs to have familiarity with the language, conversational French at the very least.
How will I get around this, I thought. Maybe I could fill out the applications as though I spoke French. I would hire a private tutor and learn some common phrases before I left. Once I arrived in France, I would somehow persuade my host family to allow me to stay.
Aware that the hoax would upset my parents, I kept this element of my plan a secret, confiding in only a few of my closest friends. Both Carline and Cindy questioned my judgment on more than one occasion, but I dismissed their concerns. I had set my mind to go.
With Rob’s help, I completed four applications. A month later, one of the agencies replied detailing a possible match. The response read like this:
We have found you a host family living in a real-life castle in a small town called Songais within the Loire region of France. Monsieur and Madame Dubois have two children, with another one expected very soon. They are excited to welcome their first American au pair and they are especially impressed with how well you write and speak French. How soon can you make the trip to France? Can you stay for a full year?
The Dubois family sounded perfect, but a shudder ran through my body as I formed my next thought. I hope they’ll forgive me when they learn that I lied.
Pulse jumping with anticipation, I wrote back, agreeing to all their terms, with an expected arrival date in August. I purchased my ticket, sublet my apartment and gave notice to my employer.
Three weeks later, captivated by French illusions, I boarded a plane for Europe.
***
Please connect with Linda on her website, become a fan on her Facebook Page, and join her on Twitter @LindaKovicSkow
A great book trailer for French Illusions.
Linda Kovic-Skow resides in Gilbert, Arizona. She earned an Associate Degree in Medical Assisting in 1978 from North Seattle Community College and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Seattle University in 1985. She has been married for 27 years and has two daughters. An enthusiastic traveler, Linda also enjoys boating, gardening and socializing with friends. French Illusions, her debut memoir, is the culmination of a three-year project.
Sonia Marsh Says: What an exciting “gutsy” thing to do. You took a risk and it paid off. Now I want to read french Illusions to see how you handled your “lack of” French, and how Mr. and Mme. Dubois treated you. Can’t wait.
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Do you have a “My Gutsy Story®” you’d like to share?
NOW is the time to submit your “My Gutsy Story®.” Please see guidelines below and contact Sonia Marsh at: sonia@soniamarsh.com for details.
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Look forward to reading your memoir. I wonder if you learned to speak fluent French after that one year, and if you returned and got a job as a flight attendant.
Sonia Marsh recently posted..“My Gutsy Story®” Linda Kovic-Skow
Thanks so much for allowing me to enter my French Illusion’s prologue in your “My Gutsy Story” contest. The answer’s to your questions will come in my sequel – French Encore. I experienced so many challenges and adventures while living with the Dubois family in France, I have to write a second memoir to finish the story!
Linda Kovic Skow recently posted..My Five Favorite Writing Tips
Dear Linda,
I’m so glad to see your story here. FRENCH ILLUSIONS definitely delivers on your promise for a very gutsy and intriguing story. I’m so happy to hear of the sequel FRENCH ENCORE so I can share in the rest of the story. I’ll be standing in line to read it! Sonia and everyone, you will love this memoir 🙂
Kathleen Pooler recently posted..Thinking Inside the Frame: Using Photographs to Tell Your Story ~ A Guest Post by Cate Russell-Cole
Thanks Kathleen for your kind words. I’m just now starting to outline the rest of my diary for French Encore, so it’ll be a while before it’s finished.
Linda Kovic Skow recently posted..My Five Favorite Writing Tips
Thanks Kathy. As you know anything to do with life in a foreign country intrigues me. I look forward to reading French Illusions.
Sonia Marsh recently posted..“My Gutsy Story®” Linda Kovic-Skow
Ah Linda, you are gutsy in more than one way. Not only did you lie your way to France, but you left us hanging, sniffing a baited hook at the end of your story. Well told and intriguing!
Sharon Lippincott recently posted..Writing Compelling Description
Thanks for your comments, Sharon. Yes, looking back, it’s hard to believe I was so naive to think all would be well given my deception. I suppose that’s what makes the story so intriguing.
Linda Kovic Skow recently posted..My Five Favorite Writing Tips
It must take real guts to leave friends, family and even your Country behind to take on an adventure like that one.
David Prosser recently posted..Rhyme and Reason?
Hi David. Yes, I’ll admit that I still enjoy a good adventure. As a matter of fact, I autograph all of my books with “Life’s for Living.”
Linda Kovic Skow recently posted..My Five Favorite Writing Tips
Very gutsy, indeed. Having lived in several countries without knowing the language, I can well imagine how hard it must have been living with your host family without speaking French!
Miss Footloose | Life in the Expat Lane recently posted..Living Abroad: A French Lady, Stilton Cheese and an Uzbek Body Builder
Hello Miss Footloose (love that name, by the way). Yes, I struggled with the language barrier during my entire stay with the Dubois family. If you read French Illusions, you’ll see how much I regretted my deception.
Linda Kovic Skow recently posted..My Five Favorite Writing Tips
I can’t wait to find out what happened next!
Lady Fi recently posted..The Yin and Yang
Hi Lady Fi. I hope you enjoy French Illusions. Thanks so much for your interest.
Linda Kovic Skow recently posted..My Five Favorite Writing Tips
I wish I had your courage. I spend 3 months in Mexico and decided I wanted to travel the world. By this time, I was a young single mother. Anyway, I finished my teaching degree with the idea of teaching overseas. Instead I fell in love, got married and moved to a small town in NW Colorado. We both love to travel the world now that he is retired. There is still a part of me that would like to spend extended periods abroad. I look forward to the rest of your story.
Hi Cathy,
Thanks for coming over. I just wanted to let you know that I am like you, and want to travel and discovered this week long idea about teaching English conversation in Spain. You pay your flight, and they pay your hotel for one week and you get to interact with locals. Here is the link.
http://volunteers.grupovaughan.com/
Sonia Marsh recently posted..“My Gutsy Story®” Linda Kovic-Skow
Hi Cathy. Looking back on my adventure in 1979, I still can’t believe how “gutsy” I was. It was a big deal for a young woman to travel to Europe alone. I still remember the fluttering in my stomach when I walked off the plane at Heathrow Airport in London. Life can certainly take us on different roads. I’m so glad you’re enjoying your travels now – good for you!
Linda Kovic Skow recently posted..My Five Favorite Writing Tips
Linda, I happen to be French and I loved your post. What a gutsy thing to do! It must have been quite a shock. Some people have such dreams but they never really act on them. Well, you did and that’s simply great!
MuMuGB recently posted..Are The French Dirty?
MuMuGB I’m so happy you enjoyed my prologue. I really think you would enjoy French Illusions as well given your background. If you speak the language, you’ll feel right at home because there are sprinkles of French throughout my memoir.
Linda Kovic Skow recently posted..My Five Favorite Writing Tips
Wow! That IS gutsy! I can’t wait to find out what happened next. I would love to travel and learn a language but so far I have ended up in relationships with men who either don’t want to travel, or as things are now – have kids based here, which keeps us at home. But it’s a long old life and hopefully we will get the opportunity in some years time.
Lucy Loo recently posted..Bugaboo Vs iCandy Review
aupair, Making traveling to other countries much more social. Find someone who has a spare room or a friend to show you around. Promote your town or event./
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Julie recently posted..Julie
I am curious as to where you inherited the Skow name. Just curious. If you reply;thanks.