Dozens of New Canaan au pairs with Au Pair in America gathered to learn about, cook, and share Brazilian food one recent Sunday. Feijoada, the long-cooking pork and black bean stew which is the national dish of Brazil, was the main course, with rice, salad, pao de queijo (cheese bread) and brigadeiro (fudge balls) rounding out the menu.
Our cluster was very fortunate recently to have a demonstration in Thai cooking from a Bangkok native! We sampled spring rolls, made our own summer rolls with rice paper wrappers and a selection of ingredients, and then watched the making of Pad See Ew– stir fried noodles with chicken and Chinese broccoli.
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr.
Next Monday is a federal holiday in the USA– Martin Luther King Jr. day. Why do we clebrate him?
Martin Luther King, Jr. was a civil rights activist in the 1950s and 1960s. He led non-violent protests to fight for the rights of all people including African Americans. He hoped that America and the world could become a colorblind society where race would not impact a person’s civil rights. He is considered one of the great orators of modern times, and his speeches still inspire many to this day.
King was born in the segregated south, but at age 15 spent a summer working in tobacco fields here in CT. He wrote to his mother “I never thought a person of my race could eat anywhere, but we…ate in one of the finest restaurants.” He also wrote of attending church with white people. Later he wrote “After that summer in Connecticut, it was a bitter feeling going back to segregation. I could never adjust to the separate waiting rooms, separate eating places, separate restrooms, partly because the separate was always unequal, and partly because the very idea of separation did something to my sense of dignity and self-respect.”
Here is a link with information about the history of this holiday including a biography of Dr. King, a quiz for kids and a junior crossword. Maybe you can do something special with your host kids to acknowledge the day!
https://www.ducksters.com/biography/martin_luther_king_jr.php
To read the full I Have a dream Speech go to:
Almost everyone experiences homesickness and culture shock to some degree, when they come to live in a completely new environment. So much is different and it takes time to adjust.
It is normal to miss your own family, at home. Try to remember that they support you and want you to make the most of this experience. They will enjoy learning more about the U.S., through your eyes, as you share your adventures with them.
1. Make Friends – Don’t wait for other au pairs to reach out to you, reach out to them. There are other lots of new au pairs who are feeling the same way you are right now. Set a goal to reach out to a few of them each day. Some will respond and some will not. Don’t let that discourage you. No one will ever be mad at you for sending them a message to say hello or ask if they want to do something together. Make friends from various countries and you will also get a chance to practice your English skills together.
2. Stay in touch with your home country, but not too much. Skyping or talking on the phone every day with your family and/or friends back home normally makes homesickness worse. Try emailing instead and reduce the Skype and phone calls to once a week, until you feel stronger. It’s much harder seeing the faces and hearing the voices of those you miss.
3. Get out of the house (or your room specifically) – Go to cluster meetings, have coffee or movies with other au pairs, join a gym, go to the library, go for a walk, visit the mall, get a manicure, visit a museum. If someone invites you out, say “yes.” Also, don’t be afraid to do the inviting. If your host family invites you to do things with them, say “yes.” This will help you get to know each other and contribute to your overall happiness.
4. Realize that it definitely gets better – All au pairs experience homesickness and the vast majority of them get through it, stay and have a successful year (some even extend for a second year!) So, it must get better, right? Once you get past the initial homesickness, most au pairs report how quickly the year goes by.
5. Make Plans – Create your own Au Pair Bucket List (places you want to go, new foods to try, new things to experience during your year in the U.S.) and start doing them now. Post on our cluster Facebook group to find others who may want to join you on your adventures.
Photo by: Shimelle Laine (Flickr)
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Children are always watching their parents, teachers and caregivers as people they look up to, making it essential that we provide our kids with good opportunities and role models to help them understand differences and diversity among people. At a time when it is just as easy to communicate with someone in another country as it is to speak with our neighbors, it will help us all to improve our cultural awareness for success in a global society.
At certain ages, children become aware of and intrigued by how different other people look and behave. Their curious minds are always looking for answers to their questions, and many children react vocally and ask about an interesting characteristic of a person as soon as they observe it. This can be an embarrassing moment for parents or caregivers, and it may make the other person feel a bit uncomfortable. Rather than trying to avoid their questions and asking them to be quiet, take it as an opportunity to help your children understand and respect differences and similarities among those we come across.
Teaching children about different cultures and providing them with an informed, international perspective is not simply for an educational purpose. It’s also a way to encourage understanding and empathy for others. To transform slightly awkward interactions into friendly learning opportunities, it is important to have an open mind and stay calm when our kids find an opportunity to embarrass us with their curiosity. It may be hard for parents to explain to kids about a culture that isn’t their own, but just like most things, it becomes easier with practice.
Here are five great tips to help kids understand diversity:
1. Speak to youngsters at a level they will understand.
Ask questions to assess a child’s level of knowledge and curiosity. This gives you an opportunity to learn and share information about other cultures as you help satisfy their youthful curiosity in a respectful way. Use language children can understand to help answer questions and educate them on the topic.
2. Introduce a foreign language and vocabulary.
Teaching your children words in another language, perhaps a language from your family’s heritage, can introduce them to other cultures and even learn about your family history. Have fun learning words in another language and exploring similarities and differences, but be sure to teach your kids the proper words and to be aware of regional differences.
3. Play games and have fun while learning.
Get a world map, atlas or globe and ask your children to choose a country to learn about. Depending on their age, ask them what they would like to know or suggest topics of interest such as music, schools, topography, environment, clothes, housing, language, population statistics, etc. Puzzles are a great option for educational fun—look for these and other games and toys that encourage diversity.
4. Explore cultural events in your community.
Exposure to other cultures is important for learning and practical in today’s ever-connected world. Luckily, parents can find plenty of opportunities to introduce different cultures to their children. Books are a great way to open children’s eyes to differences, but actual experiences have direct influence for better understanding. Some ways to expose your children to real life experiences are by attending cultural activities or events that celebrate a particular ethnic group in your community or child’s school. Cooking and trying foods from different cultures at regional festivals is also a fun way to help kids learn and make friendships across differences.
5. Welcome different cultures into your home!
Participating in cultural exchange programs like Au Pair in America and hosting an au pair is a great way for children to learn about cultural awareness. Just as parents are role models to their children, au pairs can have as much influence. Children become culturally sensitive and respectful when they see adults and those close to them being sensitive and respectful to other people’s cultures, appearance, beliefs and abilities.
The Workman’s Holiday ~ Dedicated in honor of the worker, Labor Day is also known as the “workingman’s holiday”. The holiday is dedicated to all workers in the United States in respect and appreciation for the work they do in or outside of the home, union or non-union, big companies and small companies, and au pairs too! As long as you work somewhere at something, this holiday is for you! It is a day to celebrate your contribution to American working life and the work youdo.
The First Labor Day ~ The first Labor Day was celebrated in New York City on September 5, 1882 and was started by the Central Labor Union in New York City. In 1884, it was moved to the first Monday in September where it is celebrated today. Labor Day quickly became popular and one state after another voted it as a holiday. On June 28, 1894, the U.S. congress voted it a national holiday.
The End of Summer ~ Labor Day is also viewed as the unofficial end of summer. While the Fall Equinox is still a couple of weeks away, kids go back to school and summer vacations are over. This day is celebrated with a long weekend off from work and union-sponsored parades. Many people celebrate this weekend with one last picnic. It is also the date that many people close up the swimming pool, and put away their boats.
Was it McGuire or Maguire? Either Peter McGuire or Matthew Maguire is the Creator of Labor Day. Peter J. McGuire, was an active labor organizer. He was also general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a co-founder of the American Federation of Labor. He was believed to be the first to suggest a day be dedicated to American workers and their accomplishments. Matthew Maguire however, was secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York in 1882 and many believed that he proposed the holiday in 1882.
So What do Americans eat on Labor Day? Picnics and barbecues are popular ways to celebrate Labor Day. Old standards are hamburgers, corn dogs, coleslaw, potato salad corn on the cob, baked beans and sliced tomatoes. Finish up with sliced watermelon, apple or blueberry pie and freshly churned ice cream ?
What can you do with the kids on Labor Day? Schools are usually closed on labor day so the children are home for the day. Generally Americans love long weekends and it is an extra special time for families to be together. Join in and be part of the family activities. Enjoy your first Labor Day Weekend in the United States. If you recently arrived this is a great weekend to bond with the kids and get to know them. Go for a bike ride, play in the back yard, go to the park or enjoy the beach and the pool before the fall weather arrives. For indoor quiet activities try these:
Click here for Labor Day coloring pages:
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/coloring-pages/labor-day/
Click here for Labor Day short stories for children:
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/labor-day/short-stories/
Enter the Au Pair in America 2015 Photo Contest and you could win up to $200!
Photos are due by November 3, 2014. Download the official entry form here.
A $200 gift card* to Amazon.com will be awarded for the best in the following categories:
*Only one prize per person.
A $25 gift card* to Amazon.com will be awarded to the runners up for each category listed above.
Contest Details:
For detailed rules and regulations, download the official entry form here.
*Please note that if you have departed the U.S. and we are unable to ship to you in your home country, a prize of equivalent value will be awarded.
Questions? Send an email to aupairphotos@aifs.com with a subject line of “Question.”
