• 在美国的生活转折

    刚到美国时，我身无分文，交完第一学期的学费后，便所剩无几。为了办理签证所需的资金证明，我甚至从银行借来了证明自己在美国学习期间有足够经济能力的材料。然而，在美国，只要努力，生活总有转机。为了自给自足，我尝试了各种工作，其中做得最多的便是保姆。

    选择保姆这份工作，一方面是因为其需求量大。在加州湾区，双职工家庭众多，而美国老人很少帮忙带孩子，无论是全职保姆还是兼职小时工，都有大量的就业机会。另一方面，保姆的薪资也相对较高。由于我的签证限制，只能在校内从事兼职工作，但那份收入远远不足以支付学费和生活费。相比之下，保姆的时薪大约在20美金左右，而且大多数雇主会以现金方式支付，从而节省了报税的开支。此外，我的教育背景也与这份工作紧密相关。我学的是教育专业，而照顾孩子正是与我的学业紧密相连的实践机会。于是，我投身于这份工作，一干便是4年。

    即便后来在学校找到了工作，我仍然坚持每天下班后去一户单亲家庭照顾一个10岁的女孩。

    A Turning Point in My Life in America

    When I first arrived in the US, I was penniless. After paying my first semester's tuition, I had almost nothing left. To obtain the financial proof required for my visa application, I even borrowed documents from the bank to demonstrate that I had sufficient funds to support myself during my studies. However, in America, with effort, life always turns around. To support myself, I tried various jobs, the most frequent being a nanny.

    I chose nannying for two main reasons. Firstly, there was a high demand. In the San Francisco Bay Area, many families have dual-income households, and elderly people rarely help with childcare, creating ample job opportunities for both full-time and part-time nannies. Secondly, the pay for nannies was relatively high. Due to visa restrictions, I could only work part-time on campus, but that income was far from enough to cover tuition and living expenses. In contrast, a nanny's hourly wage was around $20, and most employers paid in cash, saving on tax expenses. Furthermore, my educational background was closely related to this job. I studied education, and childcare provided a practical opportunity closely connected to my studies. So I threw myself into this job, and did it for four years.

    Even after I found a job at school, I still insisted on going to a single-parent family every day after get off work to take care of a 10-year-old girl.

    保姆生涯与家庭挑战

    犹太家庭的饮食习惯和孩子的教育理念给我带来了不小的挑战。这个家庭是犹太人，一个典型的白人家庭，他们非常重视孩子的教育。孩子的妈妈是一位全职家庭主妇，而他们全家都是素食主义者，遵循着严格的vegan饮食。这种饮食方式不仅排除了肉类和奶制品，还包括了任何含有动物成分的服饰和护肤用品。这个家庭对我都很好，但我却过得并不开心。主要的原因是没有肉吃让我感到沉闷，而且因为没有车，我也无法外出就餐，而附近的餐馆又都在很远的地方。另外，我也不喜欢与全职妈妈一起带孩子。这个家庭有两个孩子，一个十个月大的婴儿和一个三岁的男孩。在我和孩子妈妈之间，孩子更倾向于选择妈妈。每当我和他们一起做手工、吃饭或上厕所时，只要妈妈在旁边，孩子就会尖叫着要妈妈，并让我走开。

    他们家信奉的是全和平式教育，我对此完全认同。尽管我自认为对孩子很有经验，也能很好地应对各种情况，但每天面对全职妈妈和两个孩子，我总感觉自己像是被夹在中间的夹心饼干，这种状态让我感到疲惫不堪。

    离开犹太家庭后，我迎来了新的挑战，这次是与一个印度家庭结缘。这个家庭的父母都是医生，父亲是出生并成长在美国的印度裔，他的思想和行为深受西方文化影响。而母亲则是在印度度过童年，之后赴美深造。幸运的是，这对父母都异常忙碌，他们几乎腾不出时间来与我共同照顾孩子。

    Babysitting Experience and Family Challenges

    The Jewish family's dietary habits and educational philosophy presented me with considerable challenges. This family was Jewish, a typical white family, and they placed great emphasis on their children's education. The mother was a full-time housewife, and the entire family followed a strict vegan diet. This diet excluded not only meat and dairy products but also any clothing and skincare products containing animal ingredients. The family treated me very well, but I wasn't happy. The main reason was that not eating meat made me feel bored, and because I didn't have a car, I couldn't eat out, and the nearby restaurants were all far away. Additionally, I didn't enjoy raising the children with the full-time mother. The family had two children, a ten-month-old baby and a three-year-old boy. Between me and the mother, the children preferred their mother. Whenever I did crafts, ate meals, or went to the toilet with them, if the mother was nearby, the children would scream for their mother and tell me to leave.

    They believed in a completely peaceful approach to parenting, which I fully agreed with. Although I consider myself experienced with children and capable of handling various situations well, the daily grind of being a full-time mother with two children always left me feeling like a sandwich filling, utterly exhausted.

    After leaving the Jewish family, I faced a new challenge: connecting with an Indian family. Both parents were doctors; the father, born and raised in the US, was of Indian descent, deeply influenced by Western culture. The mother, on the other hand, spent her childhood in India before pursuing further studies in the US. Fortunately, both parents were incredibly busy, finding almost no time to help me care for the children.

    这家有两个孩子，一个6岁的男孩和一个2岁的小女孩，他们都非常可爱。我的日常安排主要是早上送孩子们去学校，然后自己也去上课。下午上完课后再去接他们回家，一起享用点心，进行手工制作，辅导他们的作业，之后去公园散步，并享用晚餐。晚上还会进行阅读时间，通常这个时候家长们也快回家了。为了帮助我增加收入，孩子们的妈妈建议我教孩子们钢琴，并为我支付额外的时薪。

    然而，好景不长，孩子们的印度奶奶从中部搬到了加州。这位穿着纱丽的印度老太太，尽管在美国生活了40年，仍然坚守着许多印度传统。她认为保姆的工作就是为全家服务，因此每天都会准备复杂的印度菜肴，并要求我处理食材、清洗餐具和打扫厨房。此外，她还期望我能无微不至地照顾孩子们，包括倒水、倒牛奶和提供餐巾等日常事务。

    独立与成长

    我离开印度家庭后，在海边找到了短期的生活空间，这给予了我一段自我疗愈的时光。那段时间里，我除了欣赏海洋的壮丽景色外，还体验了烹饪、品尝早餐、观看日落等日常活动。我静静地观察着青旅里来来往往的人们，感受着这份宁静与自由。

    之后，我找了两个华人家庭的兼职工作。这段时间让我开始明确自己的需求和界限。我渴望赚钱，但同时坚决避免与大人共同照顾孩子。通过我打工的餐馆老板娘的引荐，我得以在两个不同的华人家庭中兼职。

    This family had two children, a 6-year-old boy and a 2-year-old girl, both very adorable. My daily routine mainly consisted of taking the children to school in the morning, then going to my own class. After class, I would pick them up, have snacks together, do crafts, help with their homework, then go for a walk in the park and have dinner. In the evenings, we would have reading time, usually by which time the parents were almost home. To help me supplement my income, the children's mother suggested I teach the children piano and offered me extra hourly wages.

    However, this happy period didn't last long. The children's Indian grandmother moved from the Midwest to California. This elderly Indian woman, dressed in a sari, despite having lived in the US for 40 years, still held onto many Indian traditions. She believed a nanny's job was to serve the whole family, so she prepared elaborate Indian meals daily and expected me to handle the ingredients, wash the dishes, and clean the kitchen. Furthermore, she expected me to provide meticulous care for the children, including daily tasks like pouring water, milk, and providing napkins.

    Independence and Growth

    After leaving the Indian family, I found a short-term living space by the sea, which gave me a period of self-healing. During that time, besides enjoying the magnificent ocean views, I also experienced daily activities such as cooking, tasting breakfast, and watching the sunset. I quietly observed the people coming and going in the hostel, feeling the tranquility and freedom.

    Afterwards, I found part-time jobs with two Chinese families. This period helped me clarify my own needs and boundaries. I wanted to earn money, but at the same time, I firmly avoided sharing childcare with adults. Through the introduction of the restaurant owner where I worked, I was able to work part-time with two different Chinese families.

    在工作中，我通过耐心与孩子们相处，不仅提高了英语口语，也加深了与家庭成员的关系。有一天，我接的小女孩在妈妈回家后对我说：“Bye joy，我爱你！”那一刻，让我深感温馨和被接受。

    职业反思与个人价值

    在这些不同家庭的相处中，我逐渐意识到，每种职业都有其重要性。无论职业如何，都应不卑不亢，尽职尽责。当我刚踏入这个行业时，曾为自己的身份感到些许羞涩。然而，正如犹太妈妈所言，在为他人创造价值的过程中，我们扮演着不可或缺的角色，这份工作理应得到尊重。

    在生活中与工作中，我经历了各种文化的碰撞与自我成长。在美国的这几年里，我尝试了各种不同的工作，从服务员到外卖员，从专职遛狗到家庭看护。我通过自己的努力，不仅积累了资金完成了学业、租了房子、买了车，还实现了许多个人的梦想。我的生活因此变得丰富多彩，而这背后，是我每一次努力工作的结果。

    所以你看，只要我们愿意付出努力，生活总不会过得太差。在这些看似平凡的工作中，我找到了自己的价值所在。我不仅为他人创造了价值，也为自己创造了美好的未来。我会带着这些宝贵的记忆和体验，继续努力成为一名优秀的孩子引导者。

    At work, through patient interaction with children, I not only improved my spoken English but also deepened my relationships with family members. One day, a little girl I picked up said to me after her mother came home, "Bye Joy, I love you!" That moment filled me with warmth and a sense of being accepted.

    Career Reflection and Personal Value

    Through these interactions with different families, I gradually realized that every profession has its importance. Regardless of profession, one should be neither arrogant nor humble, but conscientious and responsible. When I first entered this industry, I felt a little shy about my identity. However, as the Jewish mother said, we play an indispensable role in creating value for others, and this work deserves respect.

    In life and at work, I experienced the clash of various cultures and personal growth. During my years in the United States, I tried various jobs, from waiter to delivery driver, from dog walker to home caregiver. Through my own efforts, I not only saved money to complete my studies, rent an apartment, and buy a car, but also realized many personal dreams. My life has become rich and colorful, and behind all of this is the result of my hard work.

    So you see, as long as we're willing to put in the effort, life won't be too bad. In these seemingly ordinary jobs, I found my own value. I not only created value for others, but also created a bright future for myself. I will carry these precious memories and experiences with me and continue to strive to become an excellent child guide.