For the second year in a row, an au pair from Cultural Care Au Pair Agency has received the International Au Pair Association (IAPA) Au Pair of the Year Award.

Out of nearly 50,000 au pairs worldwide, Ricardo, a male au pair from Brazil, has been awarded the prestigious award as a result of his dedication to the care of the special needs son of a Richmond, VA host family. He will be traveling to Vienna, Austria to receive this very special honor.

We will report more details of this breaking news story after the award is presented at the IAPA conference that takes place at the end of March.

Last year, Linda Falter, a German au pair (also from Cultural Care), received the award for the special and dedicated service she gave to her California host family.

(http://www.culturalcare.com/aboutus/pressroom/au-pair-of-the-year-2008.aspx)

IAPA is the global trade association for qualified au pair agencies and companies, and since 2004, their Au Pair of the Year award has highlighted the positive impact au pairs have had on their host families. Each year, IAPA receives thousands of nominations, from host families worldwide, who believe their au pair to be deserving of this honor.

We are very excited to get the news before the actual press release and awards ceremony and we send our congratulations to Cultural Care, Ricardo and his very lucky family!

UPDATE: July 2 2009

Ricardo decided to leave his family, the Boyers, and the exchange program and return home to Brazil before his 2 years were over (November 2009 is the end date of his visa).  He gave no explanation except that the decision was based on personal reasons.