Category Archives: Fun Things We Do

September Clustermeeting

We had an amazing meeting today at my house with many new aupairs who arrived over the summer and needed to get to know each other.

We had to say good bye to Linda from Germany who will return home in October and who shared her great time here as aupair for one year with us.

In addition we worked on an art project for the International Peace Day which will be on Sept 21. Everybody was pretty busy with the project, chatting, eating and  enjoying our sunny New England weather outdoors.

Jana, a standart aupair, Lara an educare aupair and Franzi an extraordinaire aupair. All from Germany

Jana, a standart aupair, Lara an educare aupair and Franzi an extraordinaire aupair. All from Germany

Victoria, Lovisa and Caroline from Sweden working on the art project together

Victoria, Lovisa and Caroline from Sweden working on the art project together

Amy-Louise from South Africa with Monike and Vanessa from Brazil

Amy-Louise from South Africa with Monike and Vanessa from Brazil

First pieces come together for our cluster project for International Peace Day on Sept 21

First pieces come together for our cluster project for International Peace Day on Sept 21

Jamie from South Korea with Natalie and Kristina from Germany

Jamie from South Korea with Natalie and Kristina from Germany

Katja and Michelle from Germany with Lovisa from Sweden

Katja and Michelle from Germany with Lovisa from Sweden

Anais from France and Vanessa from Brazil

Anais from France and Vanessa from Brazil

Nina from Austria with her friend Esther from Germany

Nina from Austria with her friend Esther from Germany

Here is our almost finished project for the International Peace Day competition within Au Pair in America

Here is our almost finished project for the International Peace Day competition within Au Pair in America

For many more pictures please go to cluster meeting September 2012.

Kayaking for our August cluster meeting

We met with our aupairs in our cluster today for a  kayaking event as our August cluster meeting at the Charles River.

Many new aupairs who just arrived last week had a chance to get connections to others and saw the Boston skyline for their first time. We had wonderful weather and it was dry and not too hot to paddle along the river through the salt and pepper bridge that connects Boston with Cambridge.

After signing in we waited for everybody to be there

After signing in we waited for everybody to be there

Lu from Brazil with Jessica and Hannah from South Africa

Lu from Brazil with Jessica and Hannah from South Africa

Franzi, Theresa and Lara from Germany who arrived just 2 days ago in Boston

Franzi, Theresa and Lara from Germany who arrived just 2 days ago in Boston

Sammi and Jamie from South Korea shared a kayak together

Joyce from China and Jamie from South Korea shared a kayak together

Vanessa from Brazil with her friend also shared one kayak

Vanessa from Brazil with her friend Mayara also shared one kayak

Afterwards we had a pic nic together to share information about education together

Afterwards we had a picnic together to share information about education and other parts of the aupair program

For some aupairs it was also their last cluster meeting because they will go home after being an aupair for one successful year like Maria from Germany does in the Educare program. Or like Hannah from South Africa who will extend her stay as an aupair in the standart aupair program for another year in a different area of the US.

It was a wonderful meeting to share memories, exchange experiences to give out hints and tips for new aupairs and to enjoy the outdoors together. To see all pix please go to Kayaking August cluster meeting 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

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.

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.

Aupairs in our cluster volunteered at local school fair

Last Saturday  on May19’th au pairs from our Boston cluster volunteered at the Dexter Southfield fair to experience some American traditions with Children.

Vanessa from Germany did face painting with Coco Mueller

Vanessa from Germany did face painting with Coco Mueller

Katrine from Denmark with Milli Mueller

Katrine from Denmark with Milli Mueller

Katrine’s hostmother Karen Mueller, mother of five children  in Chestnut Hill told us why she choose this childcare program for her family:

“We chose the au pair option for childcare because it is a very flexible way to get the childcare help we need, and at the same time bring someone into our family to whom the children can look for love and companionship.”

Vanessa from Germany comments about her stay with Au Pair in America:
“My Au Pair experience so far is awesome. I’m enjoying every minute of it. Living with a host family, experiencing the American way of life, getting to know a different culture is just great. I enjoyed my first year so much that i decided to extend for another year. I like the exchange program because it has so much to offer and I always felt well supported! It gives me the opportunity to improve my English, travel and discover new places and I even got the chance to take classes at an university. I met so many new people during my stay in the US and i found a second family for a lifetime!”

“One of the most touching elements of the au pair program is that our girls are always very willing to reach out and give back to the community,” explains Au Pair in America’s Brookline local community counselor Heike Kriszun  heike_kriszun@hotmail.com or 617-650-2565.

Au Pair in America Au Pairs visit Fenway Park

Red Sox Tour 2012

This month,  our Boston area au pairs had the chance to join a group tour at Fenway Park.  Under bright blue skies and perfect temperatures, 64 au pairs, host parents and children headed off with a knowledgeable and loud guide. They were entertained and educated about the history of the ballpark as well as that of the Red Sox (originally known as the Red Stockings!)

Valentine’s Day Clustermeeting

We had a wonderful Valentine’s Cluster meeting on Sunday to celebrate this special day within our cluster.

Many aupairs contributed with sweets and other home made food to our international buffet.

At this meeting we were also talking about taxes, the aupairs have to file.

It was really great to see so many of our growing cluster at this meeting. We also discussed some questions about education and driving as an aupair.

Katrine from Denmark who brought her home made yummi cookies

Katrine from Denmark who brought her home made yummi cookies

Candice from South Africa and Susanna from Costa Rica

Candice from South Africa and Susanna from Costa Rica

Laura and Leonie from Germany

Laura and Leonie from Germany

From left to right: Jessica from South Africa, Julia from Germany, Fernanda and Rafael from Brazil, Anita and Linda from Germany

From left to right: Jessica from South Africa, Julia from Germany, Fernanda and Rafael from Brazil, Anita and Linda from Germany

Camille, Charlene and Jennifer from France and Christina from Germany

Camille, Charlene and Jennifer from France and Christina from Germany

For more pictures please go to Valentine’s Day 2012.

Snow Tubing in Nashoba Valley

Maria and Vanessa from Germany and Anna from France

Maria and Vanessa from Germany and Anna from France

Multiple clusters went yesterday to experience  snow tubing in Nashoba Valley together.  This was a fun event especially since some aupairs have never done anything like it before.

Laura and Ashleigh from the UK and Katrine from Denmark

Laura and Ashleigh from the UK and Katrine from Denmark

The slopes were pretty icy and therefore it was a fast trip down the hill.  Everybody had a great time.

Jaqueline, Gabriela and Camilla from Brazil

Jaqueline, Gabriela and Camilla from Brazil

Jaqueline just arrived a few days ago from Brazil and made already some friends during this cluster event.

This was one of our regional events which we offer to our aupairs in the greater Boston area next to our cluster events.

To see all pix please go to Nashoba Valley snow tubing 2012