My name is Marie-Carmen and I am 21 years old, I am from a rural suburban area nearby Hamburg/Germany and I am looking for a job as an Au Pair for 9-12 month in the US. At the moment I am working as an Au Pair in Gaithersburg/Maryland since November 2011, taking care of three children in the age of 3, 5, and 7 with the agency "Cultural Care". Unfotunately it didn´t worked out with this family, so I have to find a new host family in the next 2 weeks. I completed my high school education in June 2010 with the main emphasis on psychology and pedagogy. From then on I worked as a fitness trainer in a gym in Germany. So caused by my occupation one of my main interests is the fitness training. Other hobbies are dancing hip hop, plus swimming and skating that I mostly follow in spring or summertime because of the weather conditions. Furthermore I am a very creative person, so I love arts like photography and drawing, mostly portrayal. Added to this I also love to cook, preferably indian food, but also other international meals. I already have over 200 hours of childcare expierence, that I collected in Germany with non-relative kids in every group of age until 12. Among others I collected this experiences in 2 two-week practical trainings in the nursery school in the 8th and grade of school and in a occupational therapy that only works with kids, in the 11th grade. I startet babysitting in the age of 12 with just looking for them at night. In 2007 I started taking care of a family where I worked in until the time I went to America about 2-3 times per week, during daytime, evenings and nighttime, up to how they needed me. They have 4 kids now, which were in the age of 12/f , 10/f, 2/m and 2 month/m, when I stopped working there in October 2011. Furthermore I took care of 2 boys in the age 2 and 4 for about a half year before I left. Plus the past two month that I was spending with the family that I live with now. You can view more details and references in my application form of Cultural Care. My ambition to became an Au Pair and to go on with this occupation is first of all that I take for children since I am 12 years old and I love to see how they develop into grown ups and to support them on this way by teaching them new things. As well I would like to relieve your work with the kids and in the household wherever I can to make your life easier. I am very good at handling kids especially, because I am very patient and sensitive, but I can also be very strict when its needable. People aslo describe my nature characteristics as very helpful, open-minded, relieable, solicitous and honest.