My name is Christine Connally and I have been an Au Pair in America Community Counselor since 2003. My service area includes: Takoma Park, Silver Spring, Prince George's County and Southern Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
Au Pair in America is the nation's first legal au pair program. Since 1986, we have provided the best child care opportunities to host families across the US and au pairs from around the world.
Posted by Christine Connally on Jan 31, 2012No Comments
A dozen au pairs from our cluster volunteered at Holy Trinity Church in Bowie on Sunday. The church was hosting a week of the Warm Nights Homeless Shelter Program. Our au pairs donated food and prepared bag lunches for the guests. We also led a few games of bingo, for an after dinner activity.
We had more donations than we needed for the number of guests. The bags of extra fresh fruit, bread, cookies, water bottles , peanut butter and jelly were donated to the Bowie Interfaith Food Pantry. So, it turned out to be a double service project.
Here are a few pictures of the lunch making assembly line…
Posted by Christine Connally on Dec 12, 2011No Comments
Rockledge Elementary had their Annual Holiday Shop on Friday, 12/9. Au Pair in America sponsored the arts & crafts activities: providing the craft supplies as well as some volunteers to assist the children. Three au pair volunteered: Alex from Austria, Šárka from the Czech Republic and Sabrina from Germany. The students kept us busy! One of the volunteers, Šárka said, “I´m glad I was there, it was a nice time with the kids.”
You can see more pictures from the Holiday Shop here in the article on the Bowie Patch.
Posted by Christine Connally on Nov 8, 2011No Comments
On Sunday, 11/6 we had a great cluster meeting at The Castle Laser Tag in Bowie, MD. It was the first time most of the au pairs had played laser tag. Before the laser tag, there were a few very competitive games of air hockey too. My au pairs surprised me with some cupcakes and a card to celebrate my birthday, which was two days earlier.
Posted by Christine Connally on Oct 25, 2011No Comments
On Sunday, we had beautiful weather and a great turnout for our Annual Host Family & Au Pair Pumpkin Patch Visit. Queen Anne Farm remains an authentic pumpkin patch where kids get the chance to pick their pumpkin right off the vine. There were also animals, a corn maze and a hayride.
Click on the pictures to view them full size in our Cluster Photobucket Album.
Posted by Christine Connally on Oct 5, 2011No Comments
We had a cold, rainy day at the Bowie International Festival this year. Even in those less than perfect conditions, all of my fabulous ladies who volunteered to help showed up.
Posted by Christine Connally on Aug 15, 2011No Comments
A few brave au pairs showed up for the baseball game last night. We had rain off and on all day. So, we were really lucky that we had no rain at all last night for the game. It was not the most action packed baseball game, but they can all say they have been to an American baseball game. I have the pictures to prove it. The fireworks were a nice way to end the evening. Click on any of the photos to view them full size in our Cluster Photobucket album.
Posted by Christine Connally on Jun 14, 2011No Comments
When the kids are out of school for the summer, one place to cool off is at the movie theater. Below are three theaters in different parts of our cluster area that are offering $1 or free kid’s movies each week of the summer.
Tips to maximize your free movie enjoyment:
Movie admission is $1, but bring additional money for popcorn and/or drinks, if desired.
I suggest you arrive at least 15 minutes early to get a good place to sit. Some of the movies can be very popular and fill up.
Have all the kids make a bathroom stop before going into the movie.
Do your homework and google the movie that’s playing in advance to make sure it will be a good one for your child/ren.
As with any outing, ask your host parents before taking the child/ren to the movies.
If you take the kids to the movie in Silver Spring, check out the fountain in Silver Plaza afterwards. Bring a towel and a dry change of clothes for the kids. It’s hard to resist splashing in the fountain.
After the movie, do activities related to the movie:
Ask the children what were their favorite parts of the movie.
Find crafts related to the movie to complete with them.
Let the children act out parts of the movies. Use household items as props and dress up in costumes to make it more fun.
BOWIE STADIUM 14 (Movies are $1)
15200 Major Lansdale Blvd, Bowie, MD 301-262-9133
Doors open at 9:30 am, movie starts at 10 am
6/21-6/22 – ASTRO BOY (PG) & MEGAMIND (PG)
6/28-6/29 – DESPICABLE ME (PG) & HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (PG)
7/5-7/6 – BARNYARD (PG) & CHRONICLES OF NARNIA (PG)
7/12-7/13 – MARMADUKE (PG) & YOGI BEAR (PG)
7/19-7/20 – RAMONA & BEEZUS (G) & SHREK FOREVER AFTER (PG)
7/26-7/27 – ALPHA AND OMEGA (PG) & KARATE KID (PG)
8/2-8/3 – NANNY MCPHEE RETURNS (PG) & TALE OF DESPEREAUX (G)
8/9-8/10 – DIARY OF A WIMPY KID (PG) & OPEN SEASON 3 (G)
8/16-8/17 – CLOUDY W/ MEATBALLS (PG) & PIRATES WHO DON’T DO ANYTHING (G)
MAJESTIC STADIUM 20 (Movies are $1)
900 Ellsworth Drive, Silver Spring, MD 301-565-8884
Doors open at 9:30 am, movie starts at 10 am
6/21-6/22 – ASTRO BOY (PG) & MEGAMIND (PG)
6/28-6/29 – DESPICABLE ME (PG) & HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (PG)
7/5-7/6 – BARNYARD (PG) & CHRONICLES OF NARNIA (PG)
7/12-7/13 – MARMADUKE (PG) & YOGI BEAR (PG)
7/19-7/20 – RAMONA & BEEZUS (G) & SHREK FOREVER AFTER (PG)
7/26-7/27 – ALPHA AND OMEGA (PG) & KARATE KID (PG)
8/2-8/3 – NANNY MCPHEE RETURNS (PG) & TALE OF DESPEREAUX (G)
8/9-8/10 – DIARY OF A WIMPY KID (PG) & OPEN SEASON 3 (G)
8/16-8/17 – CLOUDY W/ MEATBALLS (PG) & PIRATES WHO DON’T DO ANYTHING (G)
Harbour 9 (Movies are FREE)
2474 Solomons Island Road, Annapolis, MD 410-224-1145
Doors open at 9 am, movie starts at 10 am
6/21-6/22 – MEGAMIND (PG)
6/28-6/29 - YOGI BEAR (PG)
7/5-7/6 – DIARY OF A WIMPY KID (PG)
7/12-7/13 – MARMADUKE (PG)
7/19-7/20 – RAMONA & BEEZUS (G)
7/26-7/27 - PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS (PG)
8/2-8/3 - CHRONICLES OF NARNIA (PG)
8/9-8/10 - GULLIVER’S TRAVELS (PG)
8/16-8/17 - SHREK FOREVER AFTER (PG)
Posted by Christine Connally on Dec 15, 20101 Comment
We had a full house for our Cluster Holiday Party on Sunday, December 12. Below is a photo of the au pairs modeling their “I Love DC” t-shirts I gave them.
Posted by Christine Connally on Aug 25, 2010No Comments
We had fun at the Bowie Baysox baseball game on Sunday. For many of the au pairs, it was their first baseball game they have attended. A group of my au pairs charmed a kind usher into allowing them to move down from general admission to some really great seats.
If anyone got pictures of the post-game fireworks, please share them with me, so I can post them here. Thanks!
There are a variety of colleges located in and around our cluster area. Scroll your mouse across the names of the colleges listed below, to find which ones to consider for where you live.
“Au pair” means “on par” or equal. Au pairs and 18-26 year olds from over 60 different countries who travel to the United States on a J-1 Visa to acquire a better understanding and appreciation of American life while living with an American family and caring for their young children.
A dozen au pairs from our cluster volunteered at Holy Trinity Church in Bowie on Sunday. The church was hosting a week of the Warm Nights Homeless Shelter Program. Our au pairs donated food and prepared bag lunches for the guests. We also led a few games of bingo, for an after dinner activity.
Fun Things We Do
au pair, Bowie, cluster meeting, homeless, Maryland, service project, volunteering, Warm Nights
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