Tag Archives: au pairs

Au Pairs visit Nahant Beach

We had a lovely afternoon at Nahant Beach last Saturday.  The weather was just perfect!  Summer is usually a time when a lot of my au pairs are traveling, but we still had a fairly big group.

This cluster meeting gave my new arrivals the chance to meet other au pairs from my group.    A couple of them had just arrived 2 days ago.   It was a nice mixture of new and more seasoned au pairs.  A lot of connections were made and phone numbers exchanged.

Welcome all newcomers!

For more photos of our meeting, please go to August 2013.

Au Pair Barbecue

For our cluster meeting this month we congregated in my backyard for a barbecue.   We had a nice big group of au pairs, lots to eat and many good conversations.

Summer is a big change-over time in the au pair world, so for many of my au pairs it was their last meeting and for some their first.   It was so nice to see how the more seasoned au pairs gave advice to the newer au pairs.  It is not easy leaving your family and friends in your home country.  My cluster meetings are an excellent opportunity for au pairs to establish a new social network.

For more photos, please go to July Barbecue.

Au Pair picnic and canoe in historic Concord, Massachusetts

The big group

The big group

Bettinas au pair group

Bettina's au pair group

For our June meeting, we met two other au pair groups at the North Bridge in Concord for a picnic.   The weather was beautiful and we enjoyed cookies, fruit, lemonade and a good-bye cake.   We said good-bye to Carmen, Linda, Victoria, Julia, Natalie and Sophie who will be returning to their home country over the summer.   It was nice to acknowledge their accomplishments and for them to share their experience with other au pairs.

After the picnic, we headed to the South Bridge to rent canoes.   Au Pairs went in groups of 3 or 4 and enjoyed their trip on the Concord River.

For more photos, please visit June 2013.

Free Friday movies at the Boston Hatch Shell


Free Friday Flicks at the Hatch Shell 2013Now a beloved, summertime tradition for New England families, Free Friday Flicks are classic & popular, family-oriented movies shown each Friday night throughout the summer at the DCR Hatch Shell on the Esplanade for FREE!

People of all ages flock to the banks of the Charles River with their own chairs, blankets and picnics to enjoy these Free movies under the stars.

All movies are shown rain or shine at sundown (approximately 8:30pm). But come early to grab your spot on the lawn…and visit the WBZ Tent for lots of free giveaways, food samples and fun interactive games!

2013 Schedule – What’s Playing This Week?

Friday July 12, Sunset (8:21 pm) – Despicable Me
Friday July 19, Sunset (8:16 pm) – Wreck It Ralph
Friday July 26, Sunset (8:10 pm) – Here Comes The Boom

Friday August 2, Sunset (8:02 pm) – Madagascar 3
Friday August 9, Sunset (7:53 pm) – Rise Of The Guardians
Friday August 16, Sunset (7:43 pm) – Jack The Giant Slayer
Friday August 23, Sunset (7:33 pm) – Oz The Great & Powerful

For more information or cancellation due to weather, call the Free Friday Flicks Hotline: 617-787-7200 or visit wbz.com

Au Pairs learn about self-defense

This month we joined another cluster for a self-defense class with “Not Me” (www.not-me.org) .   We gathered at Panera Bread in Lexington.   Au pairs learned that healthy boundary setting is the first step toward defending yourself.   Presenters Erik, Lisa and Melissa talked about their own experiences with boundary setting and talked au pairs through situations they might encounter.   It was helpful to hear the signals we give to others unknowingly that indicate if we are an easy target or not.

We also discussed summer safety with children of different ages.  This is an important component of the au pair program that aims at providing safe, quality childcare to our host families.

After the class, we said good-bye to Natalia who finishes her year next month and will go back to Costa Rica.  We also said good-bye to Dennis who is moving to another Boston cluster.  Good luck with your future endeavors!

For more photos, please go to Self-Defense

Many of our au pairs from the greater Boston area participated in our annual May regional event, The Walk for Hunger. Many of them walked the whole course of 20 miles: from Boston through Brookline, Newton, Cambridge and back to Boston.  CONGRATULATIONS!  And thanks to Boston counselor Heike Kriszun for organizing!

The weather was perfect despite some early morning chill.

To walk for a good cause and to have family and friends sponsoring them is an American tradition and new to many au pairs who come from so many different countries to experience the American way of life.  With this walk, our au pairs raised more then we expected to help the hungry in Massachusetts.

Many more pix can be seen at : Walk for Hunger 2013

Coffee Meeting at my house

Early this month I decided to spontaneously add an extra meeting to connect more with my au pairs.   The summer is coming and I have to do a lot of year end business with au pairs that are leaving.   It was nice to have the extra time to do this.  It was also nice for those of au pairs whose schedule prevents them to come to some of the evening meetings.   Some au pairs came with their children and it was nice to watch them interact.

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