Canoeing The Concord River

We had so much fun last weekend at our August cluster meeting.  We met at the boathouse in Concord and rented 3 canoes.   In groups of 4 or 5 we canoed up the Concord River.  There were lots of laughs involved.   Afterwards, we had a nice picnic by the riverside and enjoyed Thai food, snacks and Lemon Pound Cake.

Some of the new au pairs had a chance to talk to the more seasoned au pairs about courses they are interested in taking.   As part of the au pair program, au pairs are required to take 6 credits or 80 hours in the classroom.  Many au pairs take ESL classes to improve their English, or courses where they learn about American culture.  Of course many au pairs are excited to be part of the Harvard Extension School experience.

Going down the river

For more pictures of our meeting, go to Canoeing Pictures

Barbeque Group

This month, my au pairs joined me for a traditional American barbecue at my house.   Despite a threat of rain and cooler temperatures, we had fun barbecuing sausages, chicken, pork and steak.  Side dishes included chips with guacomole and salsa, smoky pasta salad, sweet potato salad, corn and grilled vegetables.  For dessert we enjoyed strawberry mousse and fruit salad.

The summer is a big transition time in the au pair world.  Our meetings give new au pairs the opportunity to meet other au pairs in my group, and it gives us a chance to say farewell to au pairs who will be leaving.

For more barbecue pictures please check out June Barbecue

Mini golfing group

American history came alive for my au pair group last weekend as we went mini golfing at  Golf on the Village Green in Natick, which carries a patriotic theme.  Among miniature historical builidings,  life-size statues and other Colonial replicas, au pairs were educated in the history of the freedom trail and had plenty of picture taking opportunities.

Now that it is summer time, our meetings provide a perfect opportunity for new au pairs to connect with peers and for au pairs that are leaving to say good-bye to the group and take care of last minute business with their counselor.

Once a quarter, Au Pair in America counselors are required to hold a childcare/safety meeting with their au pair groups.  This month’s meeting included a discussion about summer safety.  You can find the document under “Au Pair Info.”

For photos of our meeting, please go to Mini golfing photos

Mexican Table

Chinese Table

On Sunday, March 21, Au Pair in America brought the world to the Boston Children’s Museum.   Boston area counselors organized a Cultural Fair, open to their host families and to the public.

Au pairs from all over the world did an amazing job putting together information about their countries and presenting it at country tables.  They seemed very excited to share their culture with others. Parents and children talked to au pairs, played games, enjoyed crafts, danced, watched performances and learned words from different languages.   Children received passports and collected country stickers at each table.

Ukrainian Table

This event provided an entertaining and educational afternoon for children and adults.  It also satisfied the State Department requirement that counselors offer annual host family workshops for their host families.  Au Pair in America prides itself in providing an excellent cultural exchange opportunity for host families and au pairs in addition to offering affordable and flexible child care.

Brazilian Dancing

FrenchTable

For more Cultural Fair photos, please visit Cultural Fair Photos and Heidi’s Photos

Beautiful view of Boston

Last Sunday, on a beautiful sunny day,  my au pairs joined other Au Pair in America clusters in the area for a visit to the Prudential Center Skywalk.   Au Pairs enjoyed a bird’s eye view of Boston and the surrounding area and learned a lot about Boston’s history during the audio tour.  Since the weather was so nice we had a great turnout and about 50 au pairs showed up.   When we organize our meetings, we try to keep the cost down for the au pairs.  Thanks to the Prudential Center Skywalk staff who got us a very affordable group rate!

Au Pairs at the Prudential Skywalk

For more photos of our meeting, please visit Prudential Center Skywalk Photos

Valentine's Au Pair Meeting

For our February cluster meeting, I invited my au pair group for a Valentine’s Extravaganza at my house.   Au pairs had a choice of making heart-shaped pizzas, decorating heart-shaped cookies and making a heart craft.  After eating their pizzas, many au pairs decorated cookies and made a captured heart craft as  Valentines for their their host children.

It is a requirement of the Au Pair in America program that one of the monthly cluster meetings each quarter focuses on child care, child development and/or child safety.  During this week’s meeting, we discussed cultural differences and how they can affect child care as well as the relationship between au pairs and host families.  We discussed problems that might come up and how to prevent them.

Check out those hearts

For more photos of our cluster meeting, check out Valentine’s Cluster Meeting.

Bettina's Au Pairs enjoy the tubing

The cold weather did not deter over 60 au pairs from having fun going snowtubing at Nashoba Valley this week.  Bundled up and nourished by hot chocolate provided by their counselors, they were well-prepared.  Bettina’s au pair group joined other local Au Pair in America groups for their January meeting.  These monthly meetings, organized by the community counselors, give au pairs another social networking opportunity, especially important in the winter months which can be isolating.  This group certainly left in good spirits!  Check out pictures from Bettina’s group at Snowtubing Photos

Bettina's Au Pairs Meet Santa

This week, several local Au Pair in America counselors joined forces and held a holiday party for their au pairs in Concord, Massachusetts.   Au pairs enjoyed an international potluck dinner, a visit by Santa, carolling in many different languages, and exchanging small presents.  Over 70 au pairs attended and seemed to enjoy sharing various holiday traditions.  Check out more pictures at Bettina’s Holiday Party Pictures as well as Tina’s Holiday Party Pictures

Brazilian Au Pairs sing a Christmas Song

Boston area au pairs take self defense class

Au Pair in America counselors Bettina Velona, Joyce McGovern and Heike Kriszun thought it important for their au pairs to practice verbal and physical boundary setting.  That is why their November meeting took place at “Together in Motion” in East Arlington, where owner Erik Condo taught his Not-Me! self defense class. During the class, au pairs learned the 5D’s of self defense: decide, deter, disrupt,  disengage, debrief.   Erik’s class focused a lot on how to set verbal and physical boundaries with a potential aggressor and au pairs practiced different methods on how to escape an aggressor.

In order to assure quality service to host families and au pairs, Au Pair in America  counselors are required to hold safety meetings for their au pairs every quarter.  This class satisfies this requirement.

Check out pictures of this event at AuPairSelfDefense

For more information on Erik Kondo’s Not-Me! self defense classes, check out “Not-Me!”

Harvard Tour Regional Event

Each month, local Au Pair in America counselors offer a regional event to all their au pairs in the area.  In September, about 70 au pairs participated in a student-led Harvard tour.  Many of our au pairs study English or other topics at Harvard Extension School and it was interesting for them to find out more about this prestigious university.  Check out the photos at My Cluster Photo Album