Kid Notes: The Au Pair in America Blog

Spotlight on Community Service: Au Pair Sandra Robles Ortega

June 20th, 2017

We are so impressed by how many of our au pairs donate their time and talents to community service work. This week’s spotlight is on Sandra Robles Ortega. Sandra is an au pair from Colombia living with her host family in Texas and a State Winner for the 2016 Au Pair Community Service Awards. She shared the following about her volunteer work feeding hungry people in the community and plans to do more.

I always have had the desire to help people in need, and volunteering is one of the best experiences to do it. I am enrolled in several volunteer places waiting for the moment they need a hand, including a volunteer program at my host kids’ school and Citiimpact.org.

The best volunteer job I have ever done was “The Raul Jimenez Thanksgiving Dinner” in San Antonio, Texas. Nothing is better than to bless those hungry people on a day that most of us will have a big and happy dinner with our family. It was a great opportunity to give more than food and share LOVE!

Contact us to view profiles of au pairs like Sandra and to learn how Au Pair in America can be a rewarding cultural experience and child care solution for your entire family.

by Au Pair in America | au pair, au pair in america, au pairs from Colombia, community service, community service awards, cultural exchange, Texas au pairs, volunteer in Au Pair Stories,Community Service | No Comments

A French Au Pair’s Dream Comes True

June 14th, 2017

French au pair wearing host mom's dress to prom

Moana wears Maura’s dress to attend an American prom!

Allison, a Community Counselor in Indianapolis, shared this great cultural exchange success story about a French au pair who was able to live out a dream experience thanks to her host family in Indiana.

Moana, one of the au pair’s in my cluster, had a strong desire to see and experience an American prom up close. She recently started her extension year with the same family and had been talking about prom since she arrived.

Maura, Moana’s host mom, said it was one of those iconic events that Moana wanted to experience, so she reached out to a family member that works at her old high school and arranged for Moana to chaperone the prom this year. Maura had all of her old prom dresses from her high school days and let Moana try them all on to select one to wear for the night. Read the rest of this entry »

by Au Pair in America | au pair in america, cultural exchange, French au pair, prom, special events in Au Pair Stories,Cultural Exchange,Host Family Stories | No Comments

Spotlight on Community Service: Au Pair Hannah Maier

June 5th, 2017

We are so impressed by how many of our au pairs donate their time and talents to community service work. This week’s spotlight is on Hannah Maier. As an au pair from Germany living with her host family in New Jersey, Hannah was a State Winner for the 2016 Au Pair Community Service Awards. She shared the following about her volunteer work helping women prepare for the workforce with Dress for Success.

My favorite part about volunteering? Meeting lots of interesting and new people and giving back to the community I live in.

I can remember my first day in the boutique like it was yesterday. My first client was a woman who had lost her job and was getting back into the work field. She gained weight and that’s why she needed a new wardrobe. We found her a great suit and some nice accessories to go with it. I remember that she walked out in her new clothes because she felt so confident and happy. This was the moment I realized why people say helping out others and giving back to the community pays back and leaves you feeling happier and better about yourself in return – and this is exactly what happened to me that day at Dress for Success. Read the rest of this entry »

by Au Pair in America | au pair, au pair in america, community service, cultural exchange, German au pair, New Jersey au pairs, volunteer in Au Pair Stories,Community Service | No Comments

Au Pair Outings: A Day at the Ballpark

May 30th, 2017

Our Community Counselors organize many fantastic cluster events for au pairs and host families to gather, get to know one another and participate in cultural exchange. Summertime traditions like regional fairs and festivals, cookouts and sporting events are great opportunities for these meetings. Read the rest of this entry »

by Au Pair in America | au pair activities, au pair in america, Au Pairs, baseball, cluster meeting, community counselors, cultural exchange, culture, host families, host family, summer in Cultural Exchange,Events | No Comments

#ThrowbackThursday: Au Pairs Enjoy Spring in New York City

May 25th, 2017

Here are some fun photos Kaylan, a Community Counselor from Hudson, New Jersey, shared with us at about this time last year. She organized an event for a group of au pairs to visit Central Park Zoo on a lovely spring day. The au pairs ate gyros for lunch in Central Park and had a great time getting to know each other better. It looks like these au pairs enjoyed their time in New York City very much! Read the rest of this entry »

by Au Pair in America | au pair activities, au pair in america, Au Pairs, central park zoo, community counselor, cultural exchange, new jersey, new york city in Au Pair Stories,Cultural Exchange | No Comments

Au Pairs and Host Families Make a Difference Together

May 16th, 2017

Our Community Counselors do such a great job planning activities and events for au pairs and families to meet up and get involved in their local communities. The following details are courtesy of Roberta Dittoe about a volunteer service event in Cincinnati, Ohio:

Au pairs, host families and Community Counselors joined forces for a fun day spent working together to make a difference. Read the rest of this entry »

by Au Pair in America | Au Pairs, community service, cultural exchange, disaster relief, giving back, host family, recycling, volunteering in Au Pair Stories,Community Service,Cultural Exchange,Host Family Stories | No Comments

Celebrating Volunteers in America

May 10th, 2017

National Volunteer Week 2017 may have passed, but it’s important to carry on the spirit of volunteerism throughout the year. During their time in the U.S., many of our au pairs develop a strong interest in volunteering, finding it both personally rewarding and a great part of the American culture.

At Au Pair in America, we celebrate our au pairs, host families and Community Counselors for their year-round efforts to set a fantastic example of service.Through individual efforts and organized events, our participants engage with their communities nationwide, donating their time and talents to help others. Read the rest of this entry »

by Au Pair in America | au pair in america, Au Pairs, community service, cultural exchange, hosting an au pair, national volunteer week, volunteers in Au Pair Stories,Community Service,Cultural Exchange,Events,News | No Comments

How Cross-Cultural Communication Empowers Interconnectivity

May 2nd, 2017

How Cross-Cultural Communication Empowers Interconnectivity | Au Pair in America

Our interconnectivity is fundamental to how people form conceptions and understanding of society and our place in the world and the universe at large. What has defined the human race throughout history is how we communicate with each other, how we learn from one another and how we influence each other.

Our energies—curious and creative—fuse and collide from person to person, family to family, neighbor to neighbor, town to town and so on until the world resounds with the buzz of human interaction. This leads to many discoveries and opportunities, but unfortunately, this energy can also lead to dangerous and disturbing places through misunderstandings.

This is why opportunities for cultural exchange are so important. Read the rest of this entry »

by Au Pair in America | au pair, au pair in america, communication, cultural exchange, davis family in Cultural Exchange | No Comments

9 Reasons to Choose Au Pair in America

April 25th, 2017

9 Reasons to Choose Au Pair in America | Au Pair in America

As America’s first au pair program, you’ll find we have set the standard for screening, selection, support and success. If you are considering au pair child care for your family, here are nine reasons you’ll want to choose Au Pair in America.

1. You appreciate outstanding service.

Our comprehensive service includes a personalized support team of experts to assist you and your au pair every step of the way, from getting started and finding a match, throughout your exchange term and transitioning from one au pair to another.

2. You’re looking for flexible and dependable child care.

With an au pair, you gain the flexibility and convenience of live-in child care to simplify your life. An au pair helps take the stress out of dealing with sick days, school closings, doctor appointments, soccer practice and other things that cause your schedule to fluctuate a little bit from day to day. Your children will have a trusted caregiver in the comfort of their own home, and you will have someone that can transport them to and from activities and appointments without hassle. Read the rest of this entry »

by Au Pair in America | au pair in america, child care, cultural exchange, host family, international exchange in FAQ | No Comments

What You Should Know About Au Pair in America Community Counselors

April 18th, 2017

What You Should Know About Au Pair in America Community Counselors | Au Pair in America

The most important thing you should know about Au Pair in America Community Counselors is that they are there for you. Our Community Counselors live nearby and are there to help you and your au pair navigate the intricacies of cultural exchange to reap the rewards of live-in, intercultural child care.

Au Pair in America Community Counselors are an important part of the exceptional support and service our participants receive. They live in your community to provide personal guidance in addition to mandatory program support. When you have a question or need assistance, your Community Counselor is a friendly, knowledgeable and capable resource that is just a phone call away—available for house calls and in-person meetings, as you prefer. Read the rest of this entry »

by Au Pair in America | au pair, au pair in america, community counselor, cultural exchange in Meet the Counselor | No Comments