Yearly Archives: 2013
Veteran’s Day is Monday, November 11th!
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Many people confuse Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Do you know the difference?Memorial Day is a day for remembering and honoring those who died serving our country.On a Veterans Day we thank and honor those who served in the military.Veterans Day is observed on November 11th of each year. This day used to be called Armistice Day.What can children do for Veterans Day?
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Suffolk County, Long Island is home to the largest population of veterans in New York State, and has one of the largest veterans’ populations of any county in the United States.
Au Pair Orientation
Au Pair in America provides a comprehensive Orientation for all our au pairs before they go out to their host families. When each au pair arrives at the NY airport, she is welcomed and transported to the the Hilton Doubletree Hotel in Tarrytown, NY. There she is met by an Au Pair in America Orientation staff member, given some valuable information, room assignment and a chance to check into her room for rest. Three full days follow started each day with early wake up calls. The importance of being on time is emphasized so the meeting run smoothly and au pairs learn to understand the importance of time in America.
Noelle from Germany was welcomed to America by their Community Counselor, Cindy Garruba. She is going to a family in Pt. Jefferson, LI, NY and will be joining a cluster of about 30 au pairs.
At Orientation the agenda includes:
- An Introduction the United States and Au Pair in America
- “The Three No’s” – No drugs, no alcohol under 18 and never while driving or caring for children, no child abuse (Au Pairs are sent home if they abuse drugs, alcohol or children!!)
- The Role of the Community Counselor
- Living in America – Cultural adaptation and communication with their American families
- Childcare safety and media
- American Red Cross Child Safety Workshop
- The American Family
- Child Care in America – managing American Children – Communication and discipline
- Living in America – auto insurance and health insurance
3 meals a day, time to socialize with the other au pairs and the Orientation Staff. There is even an evening tour of NYC! Au Pairs submit questions anonymously all week and every question is answered by the staff to the group before they go home.
Au Pairs leave Orientation on Day 4 at 3 PM and head out to 35 states and hundreds of host families. Everyone is excited to depart and begin a year as an Au Pair in America!
Halloween in Stony Brook Village!
Stony Brook Village hosted a fun filled Halloween for families this year! Au Pair in America Senior Community Counselor Cindy Garruba invited host families and au pairs to join her at the festivities. Cindy handed out Halloween coloring books to the children who stopped to see the Au Pair in America Scarecrow.
There were crafts and games for the children and a really big crowd. Everyone loved the scarecrows and the entertainment from the local dance school. Even Walkie Bear from radio station 97.5 was there with the DJs from the station. It was a great place to spend a safe and happy Halloween!
Au Pair in America Halloween in Stony Brook
Meet Cindy Garruba
Suffolk County Senior Community Counselor
for Au Pair in America
Halloween in Stony Brook Village
3:30- 4:30 PM
Check out the APIA Scarecrow near the Post Office
Costume Parade for the Kids
October 31, 2013-October 31, 2013
(02:00 PM-05:00 PM)
23rd Annual Halloween Festival
Join us in the Stony Brook Village Center for our 23rd Annual Halloween Festival! Trick or treat in the shops, meet Walkie Bear from WALK-FM Radio, enjoy a performance from Spotlight Dance Academy, receive a free mini pumpkin, participate in a Halloween costume parade with Monster Merlin, and play games in Inner Court. This event is free!
Location: Stony Brook Village Center
631-751-2244
More Info
Halloween Safety Tips
Ghouls and goblins will take over the night. But even scary creatures need to be safe and celebrate Halloween right. Halloween’s greatest hazards aren’t vampires and villains, but falls, costume mishaps and automobile collisions. The Red Cross wantsyour family to have a safe Halloween so we’re providing these tips,
the Lucky 13:
- Map out the route that you plan to roam, so adults are assured you will find your way home!
- From the bravest of superheroes to the noblest of knights, everyone should remember to bring their flashlights!
- If you visit a house where a stranger resides, accept treats at the door and, please, don’t go inside.
- When you get ready to put on your disguise, use face paint instead of masks, which will cover your eyes.
- Always remember, before you embark, to wear light-colored clothing to be seen in the dark! (And remember to use reflective tape, even on bikes, and brooms and the edges of your cape!)
- Whether you walk, slither or sneak, do it on the sidewalks and not in the street.
- As you roam through the neighborhood collecting your treats, please look both ways before crossing the street! (And speaking of streets, the corners are the place for trick or treaters to cross no matter their pace.)
- Wigs, capes and costumes are flammable attire, so avoid open flames to prevent a fire!
- Use a glow stick instead of a candle so your jack-o-lantern isn’t a safety gamble!
- You may fly on a broom or a space ship from Mars, but please be on the lookout for drivers in cars! (Between parked cars is no to hide, be sure that you’re seen whether you’re a clown or a bride.)
- Monsters and zombies should stay off the lawn, and only visit homes with their porch lights turned on!
- You may be dressed as a werewolf, a cat or a frog, but be cautious around strange animals, especially dogs.
- For additional information on how you and your family can be prepared for emergencies on Halloween or on any day of the year, please visit www.RedCross.org
October Cluster Meeting with a Spooky Maze!
The Suffolk County Au Pair in America au pairs spent Sunday meeting together at their counselor’s beach house. Cindy Garruba, Senior Community Counselor. talked about the upcoming American holiday season including Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas & Hanakkuh, and New Year’s Eve. We discussed childcare, gift giving, and how the holidays are celebrated in the USA.
After our discussion we had a some pizza and then visited the local Spooky Maze at Harbe’s Farm. The au pairs enjoyed the Halloween spooky fun for the 45 minutes they worked their way through the maze. Click here to learn more about the maze!
International Day of the Girl – October 11th
Theme for 2013: Innovating for Girls’ Education
On December 19, 2011, United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 66/170 to declare October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child, to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world.
Girls face discrimination and violence every day across the world. The International Day of the Girl Child focuses attention on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights.
Au Pair in America promotes education through the Global Awareness Program exclusive to APIA! Au Pairs are encouraged to share their culture to promote international understanding in American classrooms around the USA. If you are interested in learning more about Au Pair in America’s Global Awareness program click here.
Homesick? Tips to feel better!
Feeling Homesick? Top 10 Tips to feeling better…
- Do not stay in your room, go out with a friend for coffee or a movie
- If you have not met anyone yet, call your counselor and ask her to connect you with another au pair
- Talk to an au pair who has been here for a while and understands what the first few weeks are like
- Talk to your host family about how you feel, join in family activities and focus on getting to know your new family
- Go to the gym or work out, exercise is a natural stimulant and will make you feel better
- Remind yourself that it is normal to feel homesick on and off throughout the year
- Being homesick shows your love for your own family and country but learning to love your new life is okay too
- Check in with people at home who will support you, make you laugh and remind you why you wanted to do this
- Go to the next cluster meeting and meet other au pairs
- Make a list of all the things you dreamed of doing during your year as an au pair…and get started doing them!
Scarecrow Contest in Stony Brook Village
The Suffolk County Cluster of Au Pair in America has entered the Scarecrow Contest in Stony Brook Village. The au pair scarecrow and her host baby scarecrow are dressed all in pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
You can see all the Scarecrows now through Halloween in Stony Brook Village! To learn more about the contest and events on Halloween in Stony Brook, on the link below:
http://www.stonybrookvillage.com/events-calendar