“Rest and be thankful.” – William Wordsworth

Holidays and vacations are a great opportunity to rest, recharge and explore the U.S.

Spring break is a busy travel season for host families. Here are some reminders about program rules regarding holidays and vacations.

Holidays

• Host families are not required to give au pairs any specific holidays.
• Each host family will make different arrangements on holidays, some au pairs will be off and others will be required to work.
• Au pairs should not make plans for holidays without checking with your host family first.

Vacations

• Au pairs earns 2 weeks of paid vacation during the course of her year.
• Vacation time should be mutually agreed upon.
• All vacation should be preplanned (at least 4-12 weeks in advance.) This can allow time to coordinate the au pair’s weekend off for the month that she will also travel.
• All au pair’s friends and/or family visits/vacations should be pre-approved prior to purchasing tickets. Some host families will not be comfortable with your guest visiting during your work hours. You may need to coordinate your vacation with your guest’s plans.
• If an au pair travels with her host family, it should be discussed in advance whether this is the au pair’s vacation or if she is working.
• If an au pair travels with the host family to work, the host family is required to pay for her transportation, lodging and meals. Her Lodging should ensure her privacy.

Important: If an au pair is traveling outside of the U.S., she must have her DS2019 signed (travel validation) PRIOR to her departure from the US. A visitor’s visa may also be needed for the country you are visiting.  More information about this may be found here on the Au Pair in America website.

It is normal for an Au Pair to feel a little bit homesick, especially after the holidays have ended. Our long rainy, wet winter has all of us singing the blues! Here are some tips for making it through the roughest days. 

  Here are some things to do if you are feeling a little blue:

 

• Be a tourist, get to know where you live, visit the local sights and explore just as you would if on vacation.  Start a list of favorite places.
• Plan a trip with a friend, a day trip or a weekend, get excited about doing something new with a new friend and before you know it you will be excited and chatting about the trip instead of talking about what you are missing at home. 
• Go to your cluster meeting, This will definitely help you.
• Not everything has to change.  If you loved jogging at home, do it here.  There are some habits you love that you can keep.
• Create a routine.  Having a routine will help  you feel at home and settle into life here.
• Do not stay home.  Get out and about, go to the gym, the park, a coffee shop, a movie, staying home alone will not help homesickness.
• Ask your counselor to connect you with another au pair who was also homesick, there’s nothing better than talking to someone who has been in your shoes.
• Start planning a digital memory book. Collect pictures and mementos from your year in a special online folder. Online sites like Shutter Fly and  Social Print Studios offer great deals on photo books.It will give you something to work on when you  have quiet time alone and as your year progresses you will be able to see what an amazing experience you are having.  You’ll have a wonderful keepsake to take home with you.  You’ll feel so proud of your memory book! 
• Most importantly, talk to someone, if you feel sad or homesick.  Being part of a cluster enables us to help and support each other. 

A little inspiration from a former au pair… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3IBmRWGnwA

 

Have a great year, this is your dream, make the most of it! 

 

 

 

 

 

Au Pair –  New Place, New Culture, Now What?

This class is for the Au Pairs or students of other cultures who already speak English quite well and want learn more about the place in which they have chosen to live, The United States.  There will be in depth discussions about adjusting to live in the United States and the stages of cultural adjustment. What are the popular holidays and how do we celebrate them? Learn new vocabulary, idioms and maybe even some of our good ole North American humor and slang. Students will keep journals of different experiences for discussion in class.

March 4 – May 20

No Class:

March 11: Professional Development Day

April 1-5: Spring Break

Alpharetta and Gwinnett Campus

Mondays & Wednesdays

9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

10 weeks

7.2 CEU’s

72 hours

Early Registration deadline: February 27

Early Registration fee $500

Regular Price: $530

To Register: https://aceweb.gwinnetttech.edu/wconnect/CourseStatus.awp?&course=193CED9072

Au pairs must finish all educational classes one MONTH BEFORE their year end. The State Department will deny any request to extend your au pair term, if your education is not finished by the 11th month. 

CEUs, Semester Credits, Continuing Education Credits are all different ways of measuring time in a class. Every au pair will need 72 classroom hours of education. For example: In order to have 72 hours of class time an Au pair must have 7.2 ceus. Count the number of hours you have attended class to add up to 72 hours. 

 

Options for care- What an au pair needs to know!

Au pairs can go to mini clinics for a number or illnesses:

Colds, flu, Cold sores, ear infections

Coughs, headaches, migraines, insect bites, head lice

Urinary tract infections, Sinus infections, rash, Ringworm,

Upper respiratory infections, Pink eye, skin irritations

Stomach aches, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting

Seasonal Allergies

Some examples of mini clinics are:

Urgent Care Center

Walk in clinic

CVS Minute Clinics

Walgreens Take Care Clinics

Primary Care Physician office (This is will require an appointment and might not be available on the same day or after hours)

Mini clinics are open after hours and late hours and do not require an appointment. When visiting these clinics or physicians office please direct receptionist to look on back of card for details of your net work. You are a part of the First Health Network.

To Search for a doctor or clinic in your immediate area go to use the U.S Search Provider Tool.

 

Au Pairs should avoid using the Emergency Room if the condition is not life threatening.

Three Reasons you should avoid using the Hospital emergency Room for non-threatening illnesses:

1. A 500.00 deductible will be added to your charge ( by the insurance company) for an emergency room visit for a non-emergency-related illness.
2. Typically the wait for treatment in an emergency room will be long.
3. Hospital emergency rooms are for those with true life-threatening injuries or illnesses. It is important to keep medical coverage available for those who need this care.

Of course, if you are experiencing a true, life threatening emergency, treatment should be sought in an emergency room!

Information was obtained at 
www.culturalinsurance.com

 

 

After the decorations are put away, the celebrations are over, the New Year has begun: and the post holiday winter blues are starting to hit you and your host family.  What can you do to get through the long cold winter months happily.

1. Get outside every day with the kids, bundle up and play outside.  Go to the park, take a walk, ride bikes; we have been having an unusually warm winter, so enjoy it!  If it snows, build a snowman, go sledding, have fun outside!
2. Stay on routine with the kids; get up on time, have breakfast, get to the bus stop on time.  Make sure homework is done and everyone gets to their activities on time.  Bedtime routines are important, make sure everyone gets enough sleep and that includes YOU!
3. Register for your classes, and get ready to start learning something new!
4. Call a friend and meet for coffee and conversation if you feel housebound. 
5. Ask your host mom to help set up a play date with another au pair and her host children (similar ages) and enjoy a day together! 
6. Join a gym with another au pair!
7. Use the library in your town.  Sign the kids up for free programs (talk to host parents about the programs!)  Join the English conversation group, improve your English and meet people!
8. Prepare a Global Awareness presentation for one of your host kids’ classes, ask me for help!
9. Volunteer at a local hospital, school, animal shelter, food bank or other social service agency, if you have extra time on your hands and need to do something!  Doing for others is always an answer for the blues!!
10. Come to our meeting in, January 23rd to meet new friends and make plans. 

Appeared first on Cindy Garruba’s Long Island Blog.