Dominique and Kristina's Au Pair in America Blog

February 20th is President’s Day
School is closed today! President’s Day is a Federal holiday created to commemorate
the births of former Presidents George Washington (Feb. 22) and Abraham Lincoln (Feb.
12). Throughout America, Presidents’ Day is observed by big sales in the stores, closed
schools and no mail delivery.
Things to do with children: The United States has had more than 40 presidents. How
many can the children name? Who has been president during their lifetime? Take a look
at American coins and bills; who are the Presidents pictured on each coin and bill?

February 14  is Valentine’s Day .

Valentine’s Day is a time of love, friendship, giving,
and caring. Americans use Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to tell friends and family
how much they care. Children usually exchange cards at school.

“Who is St. Valentine”?

Legend has it that Valentine was a priest who served during third century Rome. The Emperor at that time, Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those that were married. With this thought in mind he outlawed marriage for young men in hopes of building a stronger army. Supposedly, Valentine, decided this decree was not fair and married young couples in secret. When Emperor Claudius II found out about Valentine’s actions he had his head cut off making him a martyr of love.  Another legend has it that Valentine was an imprisoned man who fell in love with his jailor’s daughter. Before he was put to death he sent the first ‘valentine’ himself when he wrote her a letter and signed it ‘Your Valentine’, words still used on cards today.

Perhaps we’ll never know the true identity and story behind the man named St. Valentine, but this much is for sure…February has been the month to celebrate love for a long time, dating clear back to the Middle Ages. In fact, Valentines ranks second only to Christmas in number of greeting cards sent.

For some fun children’s activities including crafts, coloring pages, games, puzzles and poems go to:

http://www.dltk-holidays.com/valentines/index.htm

http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/valentines-day/

Check out the kids page on this blog for more activities.

February 5- Super Bowl Sunday!
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 this website
http://aupairinamerica.com/resources/life_in_the_us/football.asp

Traditionally, the groundhog is supposed to wake up on February 2, and come up out
of his burrow. If he sees his shadow, he will return to the burrow for six more weeks
of winter. If he doesn’t see his shadow, he remains outside and starts his year, because
he knows that spring has arrived early. In the U.S., the “official” groundhog is kept in
Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania and is called “Phil.” Though not based in science, it is a fun US tradition.

The movie, starring Bill Murray is hilarious!

We just celebrated the start of the Holiday season with our au pairs this past Friday night. Over 50 au pairs joined the party and each one brought a delicious dish to share as well as some cookies for our cookie exchange.

Everyone enjoyed the time spent together and was even treated to a wonderful Sing-Along headed by Rianke of South Africa and  a piano concerto by french au pair Celia Moreau. Marissa from South Africa and Laura from Germany played the guitar and Christina from Germany played the flute.

Who knew we had so many talented au pairs in our group!

Dominique and Kristina.

A large group of au pairs turned up at yesterday’s cluster meeting with pumpkins in hand and ready to carve.

What a fine evening we had despite the threat of rain coming from the dark sky.

About 200 au pairs from Au Pair In America participated in a fun Scavenger Hunt all over Washington DC yesterday.The weather was perfect too and many au pairs got to enjoy the beautiful sites for the first time. A few pictures of this event below:

In the past few years Au Pair in America has experienced significant growth in the Arlington/Falls Church area thanks to the many host families and au pairs who have shared their positive child care experiences with friends, neighbors and co- workers.  Due to this growth we felt it would be best to hire an additional community counselor for the area.

Please join me in welcoming Kristina Jarosova who will be a wonderful addition to our  cluster. She will begin   as a co-counselor for the Arlington and Falls Church area on September 1^st and  will be working side by side with me to keep a strong cluster community between both clusters..

We both will  have a number of host families and au pairs to work with but the goal is to keep the au pairs connected through cluster meetings and events throughout the year.

Please,keep checking the blog for new updates on what our  two clusters are up too.

Dominique Ortiz.

Senior Community counselor

If you need to earn educational credit and want to visit Niagara Falls too…keep reading!

The Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC-CUNY) have asked us to remind you that Niagara Falls-The Flow of History educational course begins soon – AUGUST 28!

Tuition paid to BMCC-CUNY includes:
3 classroom sessions (held at George Mason University-Arlington, VA)
Tour to Niagara Falls
Certificate for 4.5 CEU’s – upon successful completion of course (course includes classes and the tour)

If you’re thinking of joining the Niagara course – don’t wait – sign up soon before the class fills! If you have friends who might be interested in joining – click below to forward this message on.

NIAGARA FALLS!
NIAGARA FALLS – The Flow of History
offered by the Borough of Manhattan Community College!*

Classroom sessions on August 28, September 10, September 18
Weekend tour: September 30 – October 2, 2011

*Classes held at George Mason University-Arlington, VA Campus

Sign up soon to guarantee your place in the course!

Click here to read detailed instructions on how to sign up for the educational course:

The 4th of July celebrations in Washington, DC are among the most attended events of the year and many people arrive early to stake out a seat on the lawn. There are plenty of activities scheduled throughout the day to keep the whole family busy.

Washington, DC’s Independence Day Parade
Parade Start Time: 11:45 a.m.
Parade Route: Constitution Avenue and 7th to 17th Sts.
See a map of the parade route

Washington, DC’s 4th of July Parade features marching bands, military and specialty units, floats, and VIP’s. The parade draws a large crowd, so plan to arrive early to stake out a good viewing spot. Read more about the National Independence Day Parade

Smithsonian Folklife Festival-DON’T MISS THIS FESTIVAL WITH THE COUNTRY OF COLOMBIA BEING FEATURED THIS YEAR!
The annual event includes daily and evening music and dance performances, crafts and cooking demonstrations, storytelling and discussions of cultural issues. The themes of the 2011 program will be: Colombia, Peace Corps and Rhythm and Blues. The hours on the 4th of July are 11 a.m to 5 p.m. Read more about the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

4th of July at the National Archives
The National Archives celebrates the 4th of July with special family programming celebrating the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Visit the National Archives Building for this special birthday party from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. See the schedule of events.

White House Visitor Center Family Events
Between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., stop at the White House Visitor Center and enjoy games, crafts and other activities celebrating America’s Birthday. National Park Service rangers and volunteers will give you the opportunity to sample the sights, sounds, activities and personages that helped finalize the Declaration of Independence and create the United States of America on July 4, 1776.

Concert on the Washington Monument Grounds
Beginning at 6:00 p.m. the U.S. Navy Band perfroms on the Southwest corner of the grounds of the Washington Monument. The concert includes the talents of the U.S. Navy Concert Band, the Sea Chanters chorus, and the Cruisers, their rock and top-40 ensemble. That portion ends at 7:30 p.m., to be followed by a vignette by the National Park Service. At 8:00 p.m., the Navy Band Commodores Jazz ensemble will perform. This portion promptly concludes at 9:10 p.m. for the fireworks display.

A Capitol Fourth Concert-You can also attend a rehearsal on Sunday ,July 3rd t 8pm without the huge crowd of the 4th.
Time: 8 – 9:30 p.m. (Admittance begins at 3 p.m.)
Location: West Lawn of the U. S. Capitol

A 4th of July tradition in the nation’s capital includes a live concert by the National Symphony Orchestra and several pop artists performing patriotic music on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building. The concert and show is followed by a spectacular display of fireworks over the Washington Monument. The concert is free and open to the public. No tickets are necessary. The annual event will be broadcast live on WETA TV 26 with a repeat airing at 10:00 p.m. See photos of A Capitol Fourth

4th of July Fireworks on the National Mall
Fireworks Time: At dark, usually around 9:15 p.m. Rain Date: July 5th
Launch Location: The fireworks are launched from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and light up the sky over the Washington Monument. See Photos of the Fireworks

Spectacular views of the national fireworks from Arlington

Popular spots in Arlington to watch the national display are the Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima) , and areas along the Virginia side of the Potomac River that can be reached from George Washington Memorial Parkway.

If you plan to watch the fireworks from Iwo Jima, take Metro’s Orange line to the Rosslyn Metro station. Approximate walking distance from Rosslyn Metro to Iwo Jima is 0.2 mile.

To reach the George Washington Memorial Parkway’s Gravely Point parking lot, head south on the Parkway until you reach Reagan National Airport. At the airport, circle back to head north onto the Parkway towards the 14th Street Bridge. About a quarter of mile before the bridge, turn right into the parking area. No glass bottles, alcohol or fireworks are allowed at the Gravely Point parking lot or anywhere along the Parkway.

Another place people can go to watch the fireworks is Gateway Park in Rosslyn and the Key Bridge, which crosses the Potomac River between Georgetown and Arlington. Take Metro’s Orange line to the Rosslyn Metro station. Get there early to grab a spot at the bridge. There’s no seating at the bridge, and you can stand on the sidewalks only.

A great place to watch fireworks is from the Air Force Memorial, located on a hill on Columbia Pike. Closest Metro stations are Pentagon and Pentagon City. You can park at Navy Annex parking lots (enter from Joyce Street or Columbia Pike) or park at Pentagon Mall; be sure to be parked no later than 7:30 p.m.

Traffic alert: a number of streets will be closed on July 4th. Take Metro where possible.

Arlington County residents and visitors are also reminded that:

Alcoholic beverages, grills, and fireworks are prohibited on county and federal parkland during Independence Day events.
Vendors will not be allowed in the area of the Iwo Jima Memorial.
Coolers and backpacks will be subject to search.

Independence Day event attendees are strongly encouraged to use public transportation. The Rosslyn Metro stop on the Orange Line is approximately 5 blocks north of the Iwo Jima Memorial, and the Air Force Memorial is within walking distance of the Pentagon City Metro station.

From AboutTown.com and Arlington Insider