My Story

Hello Internet,

Consider my cautionary tale about Au Pair in Argentina, a Buenos Aires-based agency run by a couple of British expats, and then make sure you nor anyone you love ever works with them.

I paid them $250 to place me as an au pair. After months of blaming the “flakey” Argentines and apologizing for unreturned emails because “it’s been busy around here!”, they finally placed me a family that that told me a week later they can’t afford an au pair. I signed no contract and have no family placement. Yet I never even received a refund or apology from the agency’s representatives, Isabel Glover and Anna Templeton. They refused to grant me even a partial refund if I did not sign a gag order that would prevent me from speaking about this experience. Last time I checked, you pay for a service. If you don’t get that service, you get your money back. Without being bullied into signing gag orders. Here is my story:

Who I am

I’m a recent college grad and I decided to spend a few months in Buenos Aires to learn Spanish and get introduced to Latin American culture before I get too old for that kind of thing. I found this agency. It’s supposed to place young ladies like me with families in Buenos Aires looking for someone to work with their kids, babysit, etc. It’s all standard au pair stuff- the family provides you with a room, food and ~$60 a week in exchange for your time with the kids. This was all pretty appealing. I like kids, I didn’t have any friends or contacts in BA, I don’t have thousands of dollars to blow on volunteer programs and besides, the small cash would be helpful travel money.

Before Buenos Aires

I sent in an application in August after the ladies at the agency told me that they’d definitely have a family situation ready for my October 21st arrival, since it usually takes about a month. So I sent them $250 via Google Checkout and waited. And waited. Over the course of 2 months, I followed up seven times and always got lots of positivity and zero substance (“I’m confident we’ll have something for you in time…!”). I never got any information about any family. No interviews. This was pretty suspicious, but I took my chances because I was pretty paranoid about being on my own in South America. A week before my flight, I followed up once more and this time the agency came…kind of clean: “You might want to get a hostel for your first few days here.” This is code for “We don’t really have anything for you.”

Upon Arrival

Well, I touched down in BA, found my way to a hostel and called the agency. Nothing. Emailed the agency. Nothing. What exactly did I pay $250 for? They promised me a SIM card, a transportation guide and help finding alternative accommodations. Nothing. I sent a pissed off follow-up email and got an apology from the agency director/owner Anna Templeton, who would later prove to be a giant prick. She helpfully advised that I “sit tight” in a hostel and pull money out of my ass indefinitely until they find me a prospective family. Days? Weeks? Months? Should I get an apartment? She didn’t really have an answer. Instead, I lost hundreds of dollars paying hostels.

Finding a Placement

Finally, I met Isabel Glover, a co-worker of Anna Templeton, who told me she had a great family for me to meet. Well, that’s nice. We went down to the suburbs to meet them: the mom Ileana, and her two daughters, Marti & Val. I told Isabel I’d like to work with them. They did the same. I moved in. Things were good but rocky that first week. Ileana was annoyed at some of my habits and I was annoyed at some of hers. But we all really liked each other. The next step would be to sign a placement contract.

We never signed anything because after only a week, something unexpected happened: Ileana pulled me aside and told me she can’t afford to pay me. The agency was aware of that. She had told Isabel repeatedly that it was a lot of money for her and wasn’t sure about it. They weren’t even upfront about their placement fees, so she was actually facing 3 times more than she was expecting to pay. She also was never sure she wanted an au pair, but Isabel and the agency pressured her into a no-strings attached “trial period.” The agency knew this was not going to be a successful placement. That’s what I paid $250 for. The agency left me without a job, and without the kindness and friendship of Ileana, I would have been homeless too.

Battle for a Refund

When I emailed the agency for a full refund, I received accusations and legal threats instead. They refused. They told me I’m not entitled to a refund since I was a bad au pair. That’s not true- Ileana told Isabel repeatedly she liked me but couldn’t afford this before she even met me. She even let me stay with her family until I found a new place. Director Anna Templeton did offer a partial refund as a “gesture of good will” because the rest of it is conveniently non-refundable.

I don’t need gestures of good will. I paid for an honest family placement that I assumed was fully vetted, able and willing. I didn’t pay $250 to be homeless twice and be placed with a family that couldn’t afford an au pair. You don’t get to not do your job and then keep part of $250 as “non-refundable.” That is not logical nor ethical. That is a racket. I’m not rich, I could use that money. How did I go from the hope of living and working with an Argentine family to being bullied into signing gag orders and battling with a civil lawyer? I don’t know. But there’s a reasonable chance this could happen to you too.

Please pass this story around, link to it in your blogs, put it up somewhere, visit my blog, whatever. I’d like the internet to know what’s up with this agency. Do not work with an agency like this. Do not even be friends with people in agencies like this.

Thank you for your time. Peace.