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By Steve Roberts, Marketing Coordinator at AuPairCare
A version of this story was originally published on the AuPairCare website.

Stefan, an au pair from Germany

Stefan had two goals in mind when he planned his stay in the United States: to be a great au pair for a very special family and to share his passion for the sport of handball with others in his new home. Having played handball since the age of five back in Germany, he felt that involving himself in something familiar would help ease the transition of moving to a new country.

Upon arriving in New York City, Stefan quickly learned that handball did not have the same following in the United States as it did abroad. Many, including his host family (who he likes to think of as his “family away from home”), had never even heard of the sport. This motivated Stefan, as he wanted to share his joys and passions with his new family.

“My host family was not aware of handball at all. After I introduced them to the sport, they really liked it. They saw me play many times. We watched handball games on TV, and now my host child wants to possibly play some day,” said Stefan.

Stefan playing handball

Stefan joined a local handball team in New York City and felt the experience helped to enhance his year as an au pair.

“Handball made my transition to the U.S. so much easier,” he said. “I came to the U.S. not knowing anyone, so joining the handball team really helped me to get to know people. There were many different nationalities on our team, so every single person represented a different nation and culture. Handball, both back home and in the U.S., is identical when it comes to the rules and how to play. Culturally, it’s an entirely different story; you have teammates from all over the world playing together. So that’s how I learned about various traditions in different countries.”

Stefan, and the New York City handball team, take on Boston

Together, the team shared a common goal, and each member had a more enriching experience because of the time they spent together. Stefan’s handball team eventually wound up playing in the U.S. National Championship game, and they were even invited to play another tournament in Argentina, featuring many more Olympic handball athletes from various parts of the globe.

Stefan had an incredible time while in the United States—he gained an amazing new host family who supported him every step of the way, while also winning a U.S. National Handball Championship trophy!

Categories: Program Spotlight