Tag Archives: Au Pair in America

Bringing the World Together

Please take a moment to read this wonderful story about a very special young woman, Winnie Ledwaba, who was awarded a scholarship from Au Pair in America in 2003.  It truly is heartwarming to  hear from our former au pairs and how the program impacts their lives.

Winnie says “I can’t believe it’s been almost 7 years since I returned from the US, it feels like yesterday. I still miss the food, people I met, friends, the snow, shopping, hanging out sports but mostly my host family”…click on the link below to read more…

http://www.globalawareness.com/2012/11/au-pair-in-america-a-life-changing-program/

An Important Holiday Message

As we approach the holiday season, I wanted to take this opportunity to remind you of the laws regarding alcohol consumption in the United States.  At this time of year you may be invited to holiday parties and events where alcohol is served.

It is illegal for anyone under 21 to drink alcohol.  Even if you are over 21 please be mindful if you are with other au pairs who are under 21 and the risk they take if they break the law.  Using fake id’s is also illegal.  Of course, drinking and driving is extremely dangerous and puts lives at risk.  You should never drink and drive and getting arrested for drinking and driving has very serious consequences in this country.   Also, be a good friend and don’t let your friends drink and drive.  You have invested a lot to be here to enjoy your experience in the United States and I want all of you to be successful.  Be safe and don’t take unnecessary risks.

Always put safety first and enjoy the holidays!

Au Pair Meeting at Bowling Alley

Last week, our au pair group met for flatbread pizza and bowling at Sacco’s Bowl Haven in Davis Square, Somerville.   We had a few new arrivals: Magda, Estelle, Bee and Asia, who were formally introduced to the group.  They enjoyed meeting and connecting with our more seasoned au pairs.

The flatbread pizza was amazing, and we shared many laughs while candlepin bowling.  Again, it was nice to observe the comraderie among a group of young women who are going through the same experience.

During dinner, I handed out information about winter driving which we discussed.    The most important job of an au pair is to keep the children and herself safe.  That is why we have these quarterly discussions regarding safety.   I encouraged au pairs to go home and talk with their host families about the handout.

For more photos of our bowling adventure go to Bowling.

The Holiday Season

It’s November which brings us into the holiday season.

We’re starting with Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 22  which dates back to the first European settlers in North America. After hardship, illness and hard work the Pilgrims celebrated a successful harvest that they shared with their Native American friends. This national holiday is a day to feast and give thanks.  Check out the recipe below for a nice Thanksgiving dessert.

I hope you can use the Holiday Season to truly experience cultural exchange.  Try to learn and participate as much as possible and also offer to share traditions from your home country.

As the Holiday Season gets into full swing, there is a lot of potential to overeat and gain weight.  Three tips experts agree on are 1. do not skip meals, 2. select small portions, and 3. stop eating when you are full.

Cranberry Apple Pie

Ingredients

PIE

  • 1 refrigerated pie pastry
  • 2 cups apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
  • 2 cups fresh cranberries (thawed if frozen)
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons flour

CRUMB TOPPING

  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

Instructions

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a 9-inch standard (not deep-dish) pie pan with the pastry, fluting the edge.

Thinly slice the apples crosswise and combine them in a large bowl with the cranberries. Add the sugar, lemon juice, and flour, mixing well. Transfer the filling to the pie shell, smoothing the top of the fruit. Bake for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and cinnamon for the topping. Add the butter, rubbing it into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

After 30 minutes, remove the pie from the oven and reduce the temperature to 375 degrees. Spread the topping over the pie and bake it for another 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is golden and the fruit thickens and bubbles around the edges. Allow the pie to cool for 2 hours before serving. Serves 8.

September National Prepardness Month

Au Pair in America cares about safety and has a partnership with the Red Cross. We want to help keep our families safe and prepared all year. The American Red Cross has named September as National Preparedness Month. The purpose of National Preparedness Month is to stress the importance of creating a family disaster plan in order to be prepared in case of an emergency or national disaster. Families should be prepared for all types of emergencies, this includes a fire, winter storm, tornado, hurricane, etc. Developing a national disaster  plan is extremely important for every family to have. Every household should have the following covered:

  • Where to meet if a disaster happens (be prepared to lose cell service)
  • An emergency kit prepared for the home and car

Your emergency kit should include:

  • Identification for all family members (Social Security card, passport, license, etc.)
  • First aid kit
  • Water
  • Food
  • Flashlight
  • Batteries
  • Local Maps
  • Manual can opener
  • Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
  • Cell phone with chargers for car and basic outlet
  • Dust mask

To find more detailed information provided by FEMA click here!

Au Pair in America Annual Host Family Picnic

This year, 8 Boston area counselors organized the annual host family picnic at Carver Hill Orchard in Stow, MA.   This event gives host families and au pairs the opportunity to meet other families and au pairs in the program.  It also satisfies the State Department requirement to offer a host family workshop at least once per year.    We offered handouts and discussions about topics related to the host family-au pair relationship, such as the adaptation process.

On a beautiful fall day, host families and au pairs enjoyed apple and pumpkin picking, mingling with each other as well as freshly baked cider donuts, apple cider and hayrides provided by Au Pair in America.  The children had a choice of different art tables, which included fall coloring sheets and stencils, wood cut fall stamps as well as apple prints.

Not only do events like these bring people together, but it also provides an opportunity for our host families to share this New England tradition of going out into the apple orchard in the fall with their au pairs, many of who just arrived over the summer.

For more photos of the picnic, go to Host Family Picnic 2012 and Host Family Picnic – 2012

For a slideshow of the event, please visit Host Family Picnic slideshow

Au Pairs Visit Harvard

Over 80 Boston area au pairs attended the Harvard tour, our September Regional Event.  On a beautiful September day, they came to Cambridge to learn about student life and the diversity of one Americas oldest and most prestigious schools.

John Harvard #3 Statue of Liberty #1 Lincoln Memorial #2

Tour guides provided them with historical facts and stories.  Did you know that the statue of John Harvard (which by the way is not John Harvard, but a student who was asked to model, in the absence of any known pictures of John) is the 3rd most photographed statue in the country?   Want to guess what the top two are?    Needless to say the day was full of interesting facts and sights of Harvard!

For more photos, go to Harvard Tour 2012

Au Pair Breakfast

This month our monthly meeting was a breakfast at my house.    It must have been my biggest meeting ever!   19 of my au pairs attended, and since many of them take care of children during the day, some of them even brought their children.  As you can see, it was a crowd!   Fortunately we had a nice day and could sit out in the backyard, and the kids had the chance to run around and play.

With many new au pairs arriving over the summer, this meeting was a chance for the new arrivals to meet each other and the more seasoned au pairs in the group.    We said good-bye to Ramata who will go back to France and to Karolina who is going back to Poland.    Both of them gave advice to the new au pairs on how to have a successful au pair year.

This month we also had our required child care & safety discussion.  As per State Department regulations, we need to offer this at least once every three months.    We discussed discipline and au pairs were able to bring in their own experiences and listen to what others had to contribute.

For more photos from this meeting, go to Au Pair Breakfast.

Au Pairs go Mini Golfing

Our August meeting took place at McGolf in Dedham for a nice round of mini golfing.    We had a smaller group, as August is a big month for transitions and vacations in the au pair world.    The afternoon was beautiful and we had a fun game.

The group consisted mostly of newly arrived au pairs.  It was nice to watch them make new connections and starting to build their life here in the US.  They also had the chance to talk to an au pair who has been here for a while and who can be a good resource for them as they are adapting.

 

 

 

ice cream after the game!

ice cream after the game!

 

 

 

 

 

for more pictures of our meeting, please go to mini golf.