Experiences Of Latin American Au Pairs In El Paso, Texas: Perceptions And Challenges In A Border Context

Author

Nathaly Carolina Hernandez Garcia, University of Texas at El Paso

Date of Award

2021-12-01

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Communication

Advisor(s)

Frank G. Pérez

Abstract

For the last three decades, the French term Au Pair has been used to name the exchange program that allows foreign young people (primarily women) the possibility to immerse themselves in American culture while living, working, studying, and traveling in the United States. Within the context of globalization in which we live, this program has experienced significant growth in Latin America and Europe, among others. The purpose of this exploratory study was to explore and make visible the concerns raised by female Au Pairs from Latin America who participate in the program in El Paso, Texas, a border community along the US-Mexico Border. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken via Zoom with a convenience sample of seven women to reconstruct their cultural exchange experiences, exploring their perceptions, challenges, and realities under intersectionality and acculturation theories lenses. The study provides meaningful results regarding the Au Pair program and identifies key challenges of living in a binational city.

Language

en

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

Copyright Date

2021-12

File Size

276 p.

File Format

application/pdf

Rights Holder

Nathaly Carolina Hernandez Garcia

Recommended Citation

Hernandez Garcia, Nathaly Carolina, "Experiences Of Latin American Au Pairs In El Paso, Texas: Perceptions And Challenges In A Border Context" (2021). Open Access Theses & Dissertations. 3419.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/open_etd/3419