Monthly Archives: March 2013

APIA Community Service Award

We are thrilled to announce the 2013 winners of our first Community Service Award competition.  We asked au pairs to tell us about their volunteer experience in the United States.  We identified state winners and 3 national winners, 15 in total.  All au pairs who submitted entries will receive a certificate to acknowledge their contribution to the community.  Winners will receive an Amazon gift card and an engraved award.

This is has been a great project and we hope to do it on an annual basis going forward. It’s such a good feeling to recognize the au pairs who really embrace the experience and give back to their communities, they are true ambassadors of their countries.  Read the winning entries on the website:

http://www.aupairinamerica.com/communityservice/2013_winners.asp

Maple Sugaring Tour

Maple Sugaring Group

Maple Sugaring Group

It’s maple sugaring time again!   As our March regional event, we offered a tour at the Belmont Habitat to our Boston area au pairs.  In addition to our regular monthly meetings, these regional events offer all au pairs in the area a second opportunity to meet other au pairs and engage in cultural experiences.

Introduction

Introduction

On a cold, sunny day, 35 of us gathered inside the visitor’s center.  Before talking about maple sugaring, our tour guides talked with au pairs about their favorite sweet from their country.

We then split up in three groups and through our very knowledgeable tour guides, learned about the history and the process of maple sugaring.  We also learned how to identify a sugar maple and how to tap a tree.

We took a walk through the Habitat, looking at different maple trees, including tapped ones.   We tasted maple sap directly from the tree and compared it with samples of maple syrup.

Our tour included a taste test to see if we could differentiate real maple syrup from chemically produced syrup that consists mostly of corn syrup.  In the end, we were treated to Vanilla ice cream with maple syrup.

For more photos of our tour, please go to Maple Sugaring

A View From Above: Au Pairs Visit Prudential Center

This month my au pair cluster joined two other local clusters for a visit to the Prudential Center Skywalk.  From the 52nd floor, we enjoyed a 360 degree view of Boston and its surroundings.

We welcomed Madhvi, Jessica, Yann Ling and Jaqueline to our cluster.   They were happy to meet and connect with other au pairs.   It is nice to observe how they find their peer support during  a time when they’re missing the one they left at home.

After our visit to the Skywalk, we gathered at Vapiano restaurant for some food and good conversations.

For more photos of our meeting, please visit Prudential Center