Tag Archives: cultural

APIA NYC SCAVENGER HUNT

Sunday October 21 the New York and Connecticut Au Pair in America Community Counselors hosted a NYC Scavenger Hunt for 250 au pairs!

Everyone met on the steps of the main NYC Library for the send off.  They spent about 3 hours searching for the items on the list, snapping pictures of themselves in places all over the City. Each team had 6 au pairs.

When they returned to the library, the Counselors were ready with candy bars for each of them, raffle tickets for those wearing their APIA T-Shirts, and scoring teams to tally their lists. 

3rd Place

2nd Place

1st Place

The top 3 teams won cash prizes donated by the Counselors.  Everyone had fun and learned a lot about NYC.  We hope they return often to NYC to learn more about this great City. 

Community Counselors meeting while Au Pairs do the Scavenger Hunt

Young women from countries all around the world come to the USA as au pairs with Au Pair in America every year.  They live with a host family, take care of children up to 45 hours a week, learn our culture and share theirs with us. 

Happy Chinese New Year

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This is the Year of the Monkey, the ninth animal in the cycle. The monkey features prominently in many ancient Chinese legends. People born in the Year of the Monkey are said to be intelligent, clever, and gregarious, but also mischievous. They are skilled and smart, but shortcomings, like a quick temper and a touch of arrogance, tend to hold them back.

Have fun and enjoy the celebrations!

Good bye to Wonderful Au Pairs whose Year has Ended!

Au Pairs spend one or up to two years in the USA with host families.  They experience our culture, care for American children, study in USA colleges, visit places in our country and share their culture with us.  It is a rich, rewarding experience for all involved.  Here are some pictures of wonderful young women who have completed their time her in the USA.  Their Community Counselor, Cindy Garruba presents them with their education certificate and a good bye gift.  Some have also earned a Global Awareness certificate for teaching a lesson in their host child’s class about their country.

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AU PAIRS MEET, LEARN AND SHARE AT SEPTEMBER MEETING!

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September is back to routine and school month.  Many au pairs from Au Pair in America arrive to their new host in the summer and their first chance to meet the local au pairs is at the September meeting.

20150927_140953_resizedWe start by doing some peace ornaments that will be displayed our Au Pair in America International Peace Tree in the Stony Brook Holiday Promenade of Trees.  Everyone gets a chance to be creative and chat with each other during the craft project.20150927_140932_resized20150927_150037_resized

Then we moved inside to have a lesson on back to school routine, playground safety, school bus stop safety, driving tips, baby safety month and more.  Everyone introduced themselves, talked about when they arrived in the USA, about the kids in the host family and what they hoped to see in the USA.  Friendships are very important among the au pairs and many new ones begin at cluster meetings.

We talked about upcoming Cluster activities like a Scavenger Hunt in NYC and seeing the Radio City Christmas Spectacular!

Then some food and conversation, and a group picture!

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Happy Chinese New Year

chinese new year 2015We wish you a year full of Good Fortune, Good Luck & Good Health

Today starts the first day of the chinese new year, 2015 is the year of the goat/sheep! Chinese astrology says that each year is associated with an animal sign, occuring in a 12 year cycle. This is similar to the zodiac signs you may be familiar with that occur about every month or so, except these represent specific years. 
How is the holiday celebrated? In brief, the Chinese New Year celebration or “Spring Festival” lasts for about a week long. Fireworks are set off, dragon dances, ancestor worship, and traditional performances. Red is the main color of the festival and all types of decorations in this color will be seen. A popular practice is the giving of red envelopes (usually containing money) to youth and retired seniors.
Family and Friends are very important during this time and generally China is extremely busy, as people are racing home to see their loved ones! There are so many cultures in the world that it’s always interested to find out what people are doing elsewhere.
Lucky Numbers- 2 & 7

Lucky Colors – Brown, Red, Purple
LuckyFlowers- Carnations & Primroses
Lucky Months- August & November

Au Pair Visits Pre-School Class

ALICE BROWN EARLY LEARNING CENTER -Ms. Caligiuri’s pre-k class had a visit from Andrea Vargas Guerrero.  Andrea is an Au Pair with Au Pair in America in Huntington, Long Island. Ms. Caligiuri wrote this about Andrea’s visit: andrea picsThis morning, Charlotte’s Au Pair, Andrea, visited the class to speak with the Pre-K 3 children about her home country Colombia! Andrea explained to the children about the several differences between the United States and Colombia. Colombia is a Much Smaller Country Than America Andrea showed the children on a map how small Colombia is when compared to the United States. The Colombian Flag VS. The American Flag Andrea also spoke about the Colombian flag and how different it is from the American flag. Breckin: The flag of America is red, white, and blue. Mason: And there are stars and the stars are for each of the states. Andrea showed the children what the Colombia flag looks like. Andrea: The Colombian flag has three colors…yellow, blue and red. She then gave each child their own sticker of the Colombian flag.                                                                                                                      At the end of Andrea’s visit, she taught the children how to count up to ten in Spanish. She showed a book of numbers, and while the children said each number in English, Andrea said it in Spanish. After going through the whole book, Andrea played a game with the children, where she said a number in Spanish and the children were asked to jump that number.    Thank You Visiting Our Class Andrea!!!!!

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Sometimes host families are confused about the things au pairs can do.  As requested by a host family, I am posting this information from the APIA website Au Pair responsibilities.  Please note these responsibilities are CHILDCARE related only.  The au pair is also responsible for cleaning up after herself and helping as a family member when eating or traveling with the family.  Au Pairs should remember they are role models to the children in their care.  Good hygiene and keeping your room clean is expected.

Child care is a meaningful way for an international visitor to get insight into American life.

The au pair’s responsibilities may include:

  • Waking the children
  • dressing infants and toddlers
  • bathing and playing with the children
  • preparing meals for the children
  • looking after the children’s belongings
  • making the children’s beds and straightening their rooms
  • doing the children’s laundry
  • cleaning up the kitchen after the children eat
  • straigtening up the playroom once playtime is over
  • driving children to and from school, appointments or outings as requested by the host family
  • an au pair on the standard or Extraordinaire programs may be home while children are absent from school due to illness or holidays

The au pair/companion’s responsibilities do not include housework unrelated to the children such as cleaning the home or doing all the laundry. They are not professionally trained child care workers or capable of running an entire household when parents are absent for business or personal travel. Responsibility for the welfare of the children always remains with the parents.

First Steps to Becoming a Host Family

New to Au Pair in America?

Applying is fast and easy with Au Pair in America! First, create a free account at http://www.aupairinamerica.com/applying/  This will give you risk-free access search our pool of au pairs available now and start your application online. The first phase of the online application will only take approximately 15 minutes to complete. You can return at any time by logging into your personal account.

Already have an Au Pair in America account?

If you are currently hosting with Au Pair in America, or have hosted in the past, and wish to reapply, please login to your account at http://www.aupairinamerica.com/applying/

Choosing your au pair

Once your have registered, you will be matched with a personal Placement Coordinator who will help you select the best au pair for your family. You will also be able to browse au pair applications online!

Interview in your home with your Community Counselor

Once your have registered   Your Community Counselor will contact you to schedule an interview in your home.  The Counselor will ask and answer questions, discuss the program and how APIA can help you with your childcare needs, meet everyone in your immediate family, and see the room intended for the au pair.  It is the beginning of an important relationship that will continue throughout your time with APIA.

What is an Au Pair?

“Au pair” means “on par” or equal. Au are international visitors who travel to the United States on a J-1 Visitor Exchange Visa to acquire a better understanding and appreciation of American life while living with an American family and caring for their young children.

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Hosting an au pair provides a rewarding experience to both the au pair and the family.  You and your children will learn first hand from an international visitor and you will share our culture with your au pair.  Give your children childcare “with a cultural flair.”  It is very affordable.  Take a look at our website at www.aupairinamerica.com for current fees and promotions!

Au Pairs Had A Wonderful Year

Click on the link below for a video of 2010 Au Pairs

Suffolk County Au Pairs

The Au Pair in America Au Pairs in Suffolk County enjoyed 2010 in the USA. They got together every month for meetings and fun activities. Au Pairs went to NYC often, ice skating in Bryant Park, seeing a Broadway Show, walking across the Brooklyn Bridge, and competing in a Scavenger Hunt with lots of other au pairs from Au Pair in America. Au Pairs enjoyed Long Island Beaches, a Long Island Ducks Baseball game, cluster meetings at Senior Community Counselor Cindy Garruba’s home, doing Global Awareness presentations in Suffolk County classrooms and libraries, decorating a holiday tree in Stony Brook Village, and decorating HELP Suffolk Homeless Shelter’s recreation room for the holidays.

Best of all, Au Pairs enjoyed the time they spent with their new friends and their host families. Happy New Year!! May we all learn from each other and have a peaceful and prosperous New Year!