u/Jeffffff__

I’m a 25-year-old woman, and I know this might sound pathetic, but I’ve been feeling really lonely lately and I think I just need somewhere to say it.
I feel like I’m always the person people come to when they need someone to listen. I genuinely care about people and I don’t mind being there for them, but sometimes I wish someone would do the same for me. I want someone who actually asks how I’m doing, listens to the things I don’t usually say out loud, and genuinely cares about what’s going on in my life.
I’ve always wanted a relationship and to have someone I can be emotionally close to, but honestly, my experiences with men have made it really hard to believe that I’ll actually find someone who wants the same things I do. Every time I start to have hope, something happens that makes me think, “See? This is why I don’t trust men.”
And I know obviously not every man is terrible. I know there are good men out there. I just haven’t had enough experiences with them to believe it easily anymore.
I don’t just feel like I need that kind of connection anymore. I feel like I crave it. I crave having a person. Someone I can tell things to, someone I can call when something happens, someone who genuinely wants to know how my day was. Someone who notices when something is wrong without me having to explain everything. I think I just really want to feel like I have a person in this world who is my person.
Maybe that sounds needy, or maybe I’m just having a lonely night, but it’s genuinely how I feel. I’ve spent so much time being there for other people, and I think I’m just tired of feeling like I have to carry everything by myself.
I don’t even necessarily need someone to fix anything. I just want someone to be there. Someone who actually cares.
I wanted to put it somewhere instead of keeping it all in.

Hi everyone 😊
I’m a 25-year-old South African and I’ve been working as an au pair abroad for the past 4 years — 1 year in the Netherlands, 2 years in the US, and I’m currently in Belgium.
I’ve absolutely loved the experience and working with kids, but I’m starting to think about what’s next. I’d really like to stay abroad, whether that’s continuing as an au pair in another country or moving into other childcare-related roles (like kids clubs, nannying, etc.).
I keep hearing about different opportunities, but I don’t personally know anyone who has actually done them. A lot of the time I’ll hear about something, start looking into it, and then realise it’s not actually possible. So I would really appreciate advice or help from someone who has successfully moved to another country and managed to keep working.
I just wanted to ask — for other South Africans who’ve done this, what countries have you been able to au pair in? And are there other jobs or pathways you’ve used to stay abroad after au pairing?
I’d really appreciate any advice, experiences, or suggestions 💛