Yearly Archives: 2012

July cluster meeting at the counselor’s house

Summer is the time when many aupairs leave and many arrive in the US. A fantastic opportunity for them to exchange their experience as aupairs and living in our wonderful city Boston.

At our July Cluster meeting last Sunday we had a wonderful time to help the new arrivals to get to know each other.

As always we have had an agenda for our meeting which was this time: Healthy snacks for kids.

Not so healthy but delicious was the contribution of Katrine from Denmark to our meeting :

What a cluster......:)

I love my cluster 🙂

Some pictures of the meeting are below and more you can see at : July cluster meeting 2012

Left: Nina from Germany arrived to Chestnut Hill last Thursday, right: Vanessa from Brazil moved with her host family to our Chestnut Hill area

Left: Nina from Germany arrived to Chestnut Hill last Thursday, right: Vanessa from Brazil moved with her host family to our Chestnut Hill area

From left to right: Laura from the UK had to say good bye to two good friiends: Katrine from Denmark and Ashleigh from the UK. She also made new friends with Amy-Louise from South Africa and Lovisa from Sweden who just arrived 3 days ago

From left to right: Laura from the UK had to say good bye to two good friends: Katrine from Denmark and Ashleigh from the UK. She also made new friends with Amy-Louise from South Africa and Lovisa from Sweden who just arrived 3 days ago

left to right: Nat from Thailand moved recently to Boston and Katja from Germany and Nina from Austria just arrived last Thursday to the Chestnut Hill area

left to right: Nat from Thailand moved recently to Boston and Katja from Germany and Nina from Austria just arrived last Thursday to the Chestnut Hill area

left to right: Nat from Thailand welcomed one of our new aupairs: Warin from Thailand who also just arrived this week to Chestnut Hill

left to right: Nat from Thailand welcomed one of our new aupairs: Warin from Thailand who also just arrived this week to Chestnut Hill

Free concert series at the Emerson Park in Brookline

To come together with families and kids some of our aupairs joined the fantastic atmosphere of the free concert series in Brookline last Wednesday. Our aupairs introduced other families to our program and families had a chance to speak directly with questions to our aupairs.

Lisa from Germany

Lisa from Germany

Vanessa and Lisa from Germany

Vanessa and Lisa from Germany

This boy had a lot of fun with the beach balls we handed out to play

This boy had a lot of fun with the beach balls we handed out to play

Meeting at the Vapiano restaurant in Boston

Lisa, Mareike and Linda from Germany

Lisa, Mareike and Linda from Germany who will go home after one year of being an aupair

We got together with a group of aupairs to say good bye’s to many of them who will go back to their home country soon after spending one or two years in Boston as an aupair with their hostfamilies.

We shared many great experiences and new friendships developed easily with new arrivals who came for their first meeting.

Left: Anika form Germany who just arrived in our cluster, Right: Vanessa from Germany who will start her travel month soon after being an aupair for 2 years.

Left: Anika form Germany who just arrived in our cluster, Right: Vanessa from Germany who will start her travel month soon after being an aupair for 2 years.

Christina from Germany with her boyfriend Wes from Brazil. She also spend two years as an aupair in Boston. We will miss her already

Christina from Germany with her boyfriend Wes from Brazil. She also spend two years as an aupair in Boston. We will miss her !

From left: Maye from Mexico, Susanna from Costa Rica and Candice from South Africa.

From left: Maye from Mexico, Susanna from Costa Rica and Candice from South Africa.

For more pictures go to meeting at the Vapiano restaurant 2012.

Childcare focus – Summer Safety Topics

water bubblerDehydration The little ones, especially, forget to drink or to tell you that they need to drink. If you find the children not looking well and/or getting cranky toward the afternoon, it might be because they’re tired, or it might be because they’re dehydrated. Remember: By the time a person feels thirsty, he’s already partly dehydrated, so drink to prevent thirst, not to quench it. Common symptoms of dehydration are crankiness, headaches, aches in the joints and weariness. And don’t allow your child to fill up on juice or soft drinks; these are dehydrators. Water or child-appropriate hydrating drinks are best.

However, if you or your child has severe dehydration (dry mouth, sunken eyes, reluctant to drink, unable to pee or cry, high fever, lethargy), call for emergency help and have your child sip an electrolyte-replacement fluid (such as Pedialyte).

Hot Cars: Don’t EVER leave children alone in the car — not even for a moment. Besides the danger of abduction, the temperature in a car can skyrocket in minutes. And, if you see an unattended young child in a vehicle, please call 911, the police or other emergency personnel. Your call could save the child’s life.

Drowning: Always actively supervise children in and around water. Infants and children can drown in bathtubs, swimming pools, ponds or almost any other water. Toddlers aren’t strong enough to lift themselves back out of a toilet, bucket, container or wading pool.

sunscreenSun Protection: Children’s skin and eyes are more sensitive to ultraviolet rays. Babies should be protected from direct sun entirely. Toddlers, preschoolers and older children should be covered well in sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) at least one half hour before going out in the sun. Sunscreen should be reapplied every hour or so, and it should be reapplied after the child has been in water. Don’t forget ears, hands, feet, lips and under the eyes. Also, make sure your child wears a hat and sunglasses when out in the sun for any length of time.

Upcoming holiday: Independence Day

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Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, family reunions, and political speeches and ceremonies, in addition to various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States. Independence Day is the national day of the United States

Our Boston firework takes place at the Charles River

  • Boston: Hatch Shell opens at 9 a.m.; Boston Pops broadcast begins at 8 p.m.; Fireworks begin at 10:35 p.m.

Please go to Boston July 4th celebration for more info.

Massachusetts Drivers License for German Au Pairs

For Au Pairs with A German Driver’s License– How to get a Massachusetts License

German au pairs may obtain a Massachusetts drivers license without having to take the test. Please follow the following instructions (first in German- then in English):

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GERMAN INFORMATION: In Massachusetts benötigen Sie für die Umschreibung Ihren Pass, Social Security Number, den deutschen Führerschein mit Übersetzung und einen Registerauszug des Kraftfahrtbundesamtes. Bitte beachtet, dass die Uebersetzung des deutschen Fuehrerscheins keine VerkehrsverstoeBe enthalten darf. Anträge für Registerauszüge vom Kraftfahrtbundesamt können unter http://www.kba.de/cln_015/nn_125874/DE/ZentraleRegister/VZR/Auskunft/vzr__auskunft__inhalt.html heruntergeladen werden (wenn der link nicht funktioniert, bitte copy and paste…). Bitte drucken Sie das Formular aus und senden Sie es an die angegebene Adresse, zusammen mit einer Notiz, dass Sie Ihren Registerauszug in Englisch benoetigen und dass er an Ihre amerikanische Adresse geschickt werden soll. Dies kann bis zu zwei Wochen dauern und sollte daher zuerst beantragt werden.
Die Übersetzung Ihres Führerscheins wird im Generalkonsulat (3 Copley Pl # 500; Boston) vorgenommen. Bitten bringen Sie dazu Ihren Führerschein und Ihren deutschen Pass mit. Eine vorherige Terminabsprache ist nicht notwendig; die Gebühr beträgt derzeit 22,- US $.

Umschreibungsstelle in Boston: RMV, 10 Park Plaza (Transportation Building, T-Station Boylston oder China Town), Tel.: 617-973-8860. Anträge für Umschreibungen deutscher Führerscheine können dort nach vorheriger Terminabsprache erfolgen. Die Gebühr betraegt $100.

Führerscheinübersetzung und Registerauszug dürfen nicht älter als 30 Tage bei Beantragung der Umschreibung sein!
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ENGLISH INSTRUCTIONS: In order to convert your German license to a Massachusetts license you will need your passport, social security number, German license with the official translation, and a clear German driving record from the “Kraftfahrtbundesamt.”

1. Do immediately: Get your German driving record. Click on the following link http://www.kba.de/cln_015/nn_125874/DE/ZentraleRegister/VZR/Auskunft/vzr__auskunft__inhalt.html (if link doesn’t work, please copy and paste…) Print out the form and send it to the given address. You also need to include a note saying that you need the document in English and that they need to send it to your American address. It takes about two weeks so this should be done first.*

2. Wait the required two weeks in the USA: Apply for social security number in person.

3. Once you have your social security number in hand: Get your license translated: German Consulate Boston (3 Copley Pl # 500; Boston). Please bring your German passport und license. It is not necessary to make an appointment. The fee is $22.

4. Finally: Convert your license: RMV 10 Park Plaza, Boston (Transportation Building, T-Station Boylston or China Town). Call 617-973-8860 to make an appointment. The fee is $100 for the cost of the license.

*Please note that the driving record and translation may not be older than 30 days in order to be able to get your license converted.

Kayaking on the Charles River for aupairs from the greater Boston area

Sabine from Austria, Candy from China and Jane from Germany are ready to start their boat trip

Sabine from Austria, Candy from China and Jane from Germany are ready to start their boat trip

Kayaking with the skyline of Boston in the background

Kayaking with the skyline of Boston in the background

Many aupairs from the greater Boston area were invited to join this regional event on the Charles River. With wonderful temperatures after our heat wave  they all had a wonderful time to get together.

June cluster meeting in the Boston Common

Sabnine from Austria together with her hostchild

Sabine from Austria

Charlotte from France

Charlotte from France

Paula from Colombia with Charlotte from France

Paula from Colombia with Charlotte from France

Sammi from South Korea, Joyce from China and Anne from France

Sammi from South Korea, Joyce from China and Anne from France

We spend our June cluster meeting at the Frog Pond in the Boston Common. We welcomed Sammi, a new aupair from South Korea to our cluster and shared some experience to deal with the heat wave we had in Boston for some days.

For more pictures go to June cluster meeting 2012.

Free events at Hatch Shell in Boston at the Charles River

Hatch Shell Events 2012The Boston department of Conservation & Recreation, presents summer, fall, winter and spring concerts and events in the parks which they manage and maintain.

View 2012 Event Schedule

From summer concerts & performances free family movies on Friday nights – Come enjoy some free family entertainment at the Hatch Shell this year!

The Hatch Shell and surrounding Esplanade area is a renowned venue for free outdoor events and programs. From classical music concerts and Free Friday Flicks to the treasured Boston July 4th celebration, this calendar offers something for everyone.

Plus, just steps away – kids & families can enjoy the brand new climbing playscape. This totally unique rope structure is a great way to burn off some energy along banks of the Charles River.

May Cluster meeting in the Boston Common at Memorial Day weekend

With lots of sunshine we had a wonderful clustermeeting at the Boston Common at our Memorial Day weekend.

We celebrated that many of our cluster walked for 20 miles at our regional event the “Walk for Hunger” on May 6 to raise awareness of the hunger in MA.

For some aupairs this was their last cluster meeting and we had to say good byes to them.

We also could welcomed a new arrival from Colombia: Paula who  resides in Beacon Hill and loves it already.

From left: Anita from Germany, me, Jessica and Hannah from South Africa

From left: Anita from Germany, me, Jessica and Hannah from South Africa

Three aupairs from Austria, Theresa and Sabine are in our Boston cluster

Three aupairs from Austria: Theresa and Sabine are in our Boston cluster with their friend of the Washington cluster here in Boston to visit

We enjoyed the warm temperatures at the Frog Pond in Boston today

We enjoyed the warm temperatures at the Frog Pond in Boston today

We also covered a topic that will soon be important since summer is around the corner: ” How to keep children safe during the summer at the pool”.

Every quarter we will introduce an agenda for children’s safety to our aupairs.

Many aupairs who volunteered at schools or school fairs got rewarded as well with a certificate and everyone who completed their education with 6 credits or the equivalent of hours.

Taking part of the education at an accredited school is part of the aupair childcare program.

For more pictures please go to: Memorial Day cluster meeting at the Boston Common 2012.