Potluck and gift exchange were on the agenda for the December cluster meeting. Just for the fun of it, au pairs unwrapped the presents while wearing oven mitts. It was a challenge, but they completed the task with great alacrity. They also had fun swapping tips on Christmas shopping and discussing holiday plans and winter break activities with their host kids.

To find out more about educational opportunities in New Orleans and get a closer look at an American college campus, au pairs visited Tulane University.

They saw lecture halls and sports facilities, watched students toss ball in the quad, checked out the Tulane Victory Bell at McAlister Auditorium Plaza, and stopped at the Newcomb Art Gallery to view Prospect.2 exhibition.

It would be fun to study at Tulane, they decided.

Alligators, herons, turtles and raccoons were just some of the animals au pairs had a chance to observe while traversing the Manchac swamp with the Cajun Pride Tours.

A lively and informative commentary, in both English and French, by the guide, and a visit from a baby alligator made for a fun and interesting outing.

With their host families, tour companies, friends, or all by themselves, au pairs love to travel across the United States. This summer, Laura decided to leave hot and humid New Orleans for a vacation in Alaska. She said her experience was “awesome” and we can well believe, judging by her pictures.

(As per the Department of State rule, each au pair gets two weeks of paid vacation during the one-year-long match with her host family.)

The most crucial step that a host family and au pair must take to avoid problems is to talk to each other often and honestly! This point cannot be over-emphasized.  Many families and au pairs have found out that a small problem had grown to major proportions simply because it had not been discussed in a timely manner.

(APIA guidlines for a successful year…)

Au pairs’ visit to Satchmo Fest on the grounds of the LA State Museum’s Old U.S. Mint in the French Quarter started with sunshine and ended with pouring rain but was fun from beginning to end. In addition to enjoying local music, cuisine, laughter, and camaraderie, au pairs also visited current museum exhibition, “Race, Are We So Different.”

Goodbye, Joe, me gotta go, me oh my oh.
Me gotta go, pole the pirogue down the bayou.
My Yvonne, the sweetest one, me oh my oh.
Son of a gun, we’ll have big fun on the bayou.

Audubon Park was the setting for our annual Host Family International Day.

Host families and au pairs enjoyed the meeting in the beautiful surroundings while partaking of the delicious food prepared by au pairs.  A presentation by Juliana, our au pair from Columbia, encouraged everybody to visit her country.  A leaflet with tips on how to help children transition to a new au pair at the end of match invited host families to share their own experiences and suggestions.

It was a fun  get together on a gorgeous day. Thank you to all who participated!

Au pairs had a lot of fun at The New Orleans School of Cooking class. They also had… gumbo, jambalaya, bread pudding with whisky sauce, and pralines. Yum!

A lively and educational commentary provided by the master cook included historical and culinary tidbits, including explanation of the name jambalaya – surprise with rice.

Carnival is the time of festive celebrations just before the start of Lent, which in turn is the period of fasting and penitence preceding Easter.  Although Carnival is tied to the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church and used to be enjoyed in Catholic countries only, it is now celebrated all over the world…BUT… nobody does it better than New Orleans!! (even though we do get a bit of competition form Rio).

Huge, lavishly decorated floats start rolling down the New Orleans streets more than two weeks before Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday).  Parades, dress up parties, fancy balls, King Cake eating contests, costume competitions, and the jostles to catch Mardi Gras beads and doubloons get more intense as Lent and the need for sobriety approaches.

For au pairs in our cluster the carnival season is the time to get their purple, green, and gold outfits ready and join their host families in a quintessentially New Orleans experience.

Have fun and SEE YOU AT THE PARADES!!

For parade schedule please consult http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/schedule.html

P.S. Although gluttony is the order of the day during Carnival, for the health-minded a delicious and nutritious Mardi Gras Coleslaw recipe follows. Have it with your King Cake, lol.

MARDI GRAS SLAW
INGREDIENTS:

1/3 c frozen orange juice concentrate – thawed
1/3 c unseasoned rice vinegar
1/3 c canola oil
1 – 8 oz bag green cabbage
1- 8 oz bag purple cabbage
4 ears fresh corn or 2 cans niblet corn
2 med carrots peeled, grated
6 med green onions
1/2 c fresh cilantro chopped

PREPARATION:
Whisk orange juice concentrate, rice vinegar, and canola oil in small
bowl, season salt pepper – do ahead, cover refrigerate.

Combine slaw, corn, carrots, green onion, and cilantro in large bowl,
toss with dressing, coat well, let stand for 15 min for flavors to
blend. Toss again.

ENJOY!

A splash in the pool provides best respite from the late September heat.