Au Pair in America – Rhode Island

 Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the U.S. on February 14. It is a festival of romantic love and many people give cards, letters, flowers or presents. Common symbols of Valentine’s Day are hearts, red roses and Cupid.

Many people around the world celebrate Valentine’s Day by showing appreciation for the people they love or adore. Some people take their loved ones for a romantic dinner at a restaurant while others may choose this day to propose or get married. Many people give greeting cards, chocolates, jewelry or flowers, particularly roses, to their partners or admirers on Valentine’s Day.

It is also a time to appreciate friends in some social circles and cultures. For example, Valentine’s Day in Finland refers to “Friend’s day”, which is more about remembering all friends rather than focusing solely on romance. Valentine’s Day in Guatemala is known as Day of Love and Friendship. It is similar to Valentine’s Day customs and traditions in countries such as the United States but it is also a time for many to show their appreciation for their friends.

This year’s game features the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. the Green Bay Packers.  The Super Bowl is the annual American Football championship and a popular time for friends to gather in front of the TV. Each year millions of people watch the game, the half-time show – or just the commercials!  People will be talking about the commercials for days. To learn more about football visit the “Life in the US” section of the Au Pair in America website: http://aupairinamerica.com/resources/life_in_the_us/football.asp

On Sunday evening, January 23, our cluster meeting was scheduled at the Bank of Ameirca Skating Center at Kennedy Plaza.  Frigid, below-zero temperatures drew most of us across the street, though, where there is a warm, toasty Starbucks at the Biltmore hotel, just steps away from the skating rink.  It was a very comfortable place to be on a cold, winter, night.  There were a few who immersed themselves into winter sports, though, despite the cold weather.  Three au pairs (all from Thailand) not only enjoyed skating on Sunday, but also spent sometime snow-tubing earlier in the day!  They really enjoyed immersing themselves in our cold, winter weather.  We said “Farewell”  to Jade, from South Africa, who has successfully completed two years with Au Pair in America and is now moving on to her next exciting adventure!  Our next meeting is scheduled indoors, and it won’t matter how cold it is outside.  We’ll be enjoying a Zumba class….and the heat will be on!!!

View more photos at: http://www1.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=3640394017/a=13509975_13509975/

Maryna celebrates her 23rd birthday on January 12                                                                                                                                                    Mnohiya lita!

Mireille celebrates her 22nd birthday on January 25                                                                                                                                                          Joyeux Anniversaire!

This year’s au pair Christmas party was festive and fun…and a great opportunity for us to get together to celebrate the holidays! The heavy snowfall held off until the following week — which was very helpful!   View more photos: http://www1.snapfish.com/snapfish/photolibrary/owned_view=owned_2010/

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of another”.    -Charles Dickens

Au Pairs had the opportunity to practice yoga again at their November meeting.   Everyone brought non-perishable food items to the meeting so that a Thanksgiving Gift Basket could be donated to the Rhode Island Food bank.  Many thanks to au pairs and host families for your generosity!  A beautiful food basket was delivered to the RI Food Bank on Monday, November 22, along with a card and a photo of our group of au pairs.  The name of each au pair who attended our November meeting was placed in a drawing for a chance to win two tickets to the classic Charles Dickens play “A Christmas Carol” at Trinity Reperatory Theater. The winner of the tickets was Beverly, our newest au pair who just arrived from Brazil  — a great way to welcome Beverly to Rhode Island!  View more photos: http://www1.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=3318534017/a=13509975_13509975/

HAPPY THANKSGIVING ……On Thursday, November 25, most au pairs will be celebrating their very first Thanksgiving! The biggest holiday in America for family and feasting, Thanksgiving Day celebrates the traditional harvest after Pilgrims came to these shores to seek a new life. The very first Thanksgiving was observed in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621, when weary settlers were joined by Wampanoag Indians in celebration of a traditional Old World English harvest festival. The Thanksgiving tradition continues today with turkey, savory stuffing and cranberry sauce, plus generous helpings of pumpkin pie and other desserts usually prepared using family recipes handed down from generation to generation.

 Au Pair in America
Annual Host Family Event
For Host Parents, Children, and Au Pairs

Date: Sunday, September 26, 2010
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

23rd Annual Apple Festival
Johnston Memorial Park
1583 Hartford Avenue
Johnston, Rhode Island

You’ll find me at the Au Pair in America table (look for red balloons). I’ll be there all day — stop by when it’s convenient for you, and spend as little or as much time as you’d like! Festivities will be fun for the entire family, and will include:

Live Entertainment
Arts and Crafts
Pony Rides
Children’s Train Rides
Face Painting
Kids’ Zone
Games for all ages
Wellness Fair
Live Cooking Demos
Apple Pie Competition

Free Admission, Plenty of Free Parking and Shuttle Service, Easy Access to I-95 and I-295

Our January meeting was held at Madeira Restaurant (www.MadeiraRestaurant.com). It was a great way to start the new year — The food was incredibly delicious, and it looks like some of our au pairs will be returning to Madeira to enjoy more of that wonderful Portuguese food! We have two au pairs celebrating January birthdays – Aylin on January 1, and Nathalie on January 27. Unfortunately, neither Aylin or Nathalie could join us for dinner on this particular evening — so we are sending our birthday wishes to you via our blog. Happy January Birthday Aylin and Nathalie! We’ll look forward to seeing you in February – details of our February meeting will follow by e-mail.

This blog has been created to bring you the most current information about Au Pair in America’s Rhode Island branch (referred to as the Rhode Island “cluster” in Au Pair in America terms). As the Rhode Island representative and counselor for Au Pair in America, my goal is to provide information and support to my current au pairs and host families, and to be a source of information to those families in the community who may be interested in hosting an au pair – an experience which should provide not just child care, but an enriching, memorable cultural exchange experience.

I work with a network of community counselors throughout the country (about 180 in all), each provides support to au pairs and host families in their community. In turn, all of us have the support of our U.S. Corporate headquarters in Stamford, CT.

I plan to post up-to-date information for au pairs and host families, and would also like this blog to serve as a forum for all of you to post questions and comments that may be of interest to others in the Au Pair in America community. My sense is that these collective questions, answers, and comments will become a valuable resource for all of us.

Barbara Fetta
Community Counselor
Au Pair in America – Rhode Island Office
401-949-2427
(U.S. Headquarters: 800-928-7247)