Tag Archives: USA

5 Thanksgiving Tips for Au Pairs & Host Parents

Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November each year. Even though a few other countries also celebrate Thanksgiving, it’s still considered a uniquely American holiday, one that the au pairs look forward to experiencing. You can learn more about it here.

“I really enjoyed Thanksgiving with my host family. It was as I imagined! So much food to try. Everyone got dressed up and shared what they were thankful for. It was so warm and special. The next day we began to prepare for Christmas. It was magical.” Selina from Germany

Below you will find some tips to help you have a terrific Thanksgiving experience.

 

Host Parents

1.  Please plan to include your au pair in your Thanksgiving celebration, if at all possible. Thanksgiving with an au pair offers an opportunity to consider the relevance of the history and meaning of Thanksgiving as you compare the hospitality offered by the Native Americans to the recently arrived Pilgrims and the hospitality you offer your au pair.

2.  If you are traveling or will not be able to invite your au pair to join you for Thanksgiving, give her plenty of notice and help her make alternate plans. You don’t want to leave your au pair alone over the holiday.

Au Pairs

3.  If you are invited to attend dinner, please let your family know within 5 days of the invitation, whether you are planning to attend. It is considered rude in America to accept the invitation for dinner and then change your mind later in the month. Please be thoughtful.

4.  Make sure to discuss time off during this holiday weekend. Many host families work the Friday after Thanksgiving so do not assume you have this day off or the entire weekend. Talk to your host family, BEFORE you make any plans.

5.  If your host family is unable to include you in their Thanksgiving plans, please let me know if you have trouble making other plans. You may be able to join a friend and their host family for the holiday dinner.

Bonus Tip for the Kids

If you are looking for a fun recipe to make with your au pair, check out these turkey cupcakes. Find more fun activities and recipes on the Au Pair in America Fall Holidays pinboard.

Photo: Tim Sackton (Flickr)

St. Patrick’s Day Parades in Suffolk County

62nd Annual Friends of St. Patrick Parade

Rocky Point, NY st pat

Sunday, March 11 at 1:00 PM.

Location
Route 25A Rocky Point, NY
Parade starts steps off at Harrison Avenue in Miller Place travels east on Route 25A to Broadway in Rocky Point, then north to Gracie’s Restaurant (Broadway and Prince Road), viewing stand at corner of Broadway and Route 25A.   2.5-mile-long parade route includes at least five marching bagpipe bands, fire departments from six surrounding communities, Stony Brook University marching band, cheerleaders and mascot Wolfie, Peconic Warpipes Bagpipe and Drums, Longwood and Rocky Point high school bands, Irish step dancers, 25 floats and nearly 50,000 spectators.
 

Sunday, March 11

Long Island’s oldest and largest parade of its kind, the 77th Annual Huntington St. Patrick’s Day Parade starts at 2 p.m., north of the Huntington Station along New York Avenue, then turns west onto Main Street, and ends at Saint Patrick’s Church.

 

Annual Westhampton St Patrick’s Day Parade   

Sunday, March 11 Noon
Westhampton Beach, NY
Phone: 631-560-6392
Website: http://whbstpats.com
 Steps off at intersection of Mill Road and Oneck Lane in Westhampton Beach, travels down Mill Road to Main Street, then west on Main Street, ends at corner of Sunset Lane and Main Street

Parade includes six pipe bands, Samba de Escola Boom, Irish step dancers, Wells Fargo Stage Coach, Rough Riders Calvary of the Nassau-Suffolk  Horsemen’s Association, Civil War re-enactment groups, floats and the ever-popular Coneheads satirical float.

A few more parades:

  • Huntington- Sunday March 11, 2012 @ 2pm
  • St. James- Saturday March 17, 2012 @ 1pm
  • Montauk – Sunday March 25, 2012 @ 10am – 5oth Annual Parade!

    • 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!

    Holidays Around the World

    On Monday, December 20th au pairs from China, Brazil, Thailand, Guatemala and Brazil visited the HELP Suffolk Homeless Shelter’s daycare center.   They did a Global Awareness lesson called “Holidays Around the World” for the children.  The class of 3 – 5 year olds loved the passports and stickers.  There were stickers for each country with a greeting of Happy New Year or Merry Christmas in the language of the au pair.  The kids learned how to say the greetings.  Marie from Germany told the kids about the Christmas tree and how the tradition began in Germany.  Then the children decorated foam trees with colorful decorations.  We ended with a story about Santa Claus and a lively round of” O Tannebaum” (O Christmas Tree)!

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    Au Pairs Holiday Party

    Suffolk Au Pairs celebrated the holiday season with an International Feast.  The au pairs all prepared something from their country for the feast.  A storm was raging outside with high winds and pounding rain, but in Cindy’s home the atmosphere was cheery and warm.  The feast was yummy and everyone enjoyed the bountiful desserts!

    After dessert, the au pairs exhanged grab bag gifts they each brought.  Cindy handed out gifts and then it was time for pictures.  Everyone took turns modeling the Santa hats and posing by the Christmas trees.  We shared our plans for the season, some of the au pairs are traveling with their host families over the holidays, some are going off on vacations of their own, and some are taking day trip into to the city to see the holiday decorations, visiting Santa with their host families.  Everyone is enjoying the season!  Happy Holidays one and all!ap 2010 holiday 012

    Au Pairs Decorate Homeless Shelter for the Holidays!

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    The Suffolk County Cluster of Au Pair in America decorated HELP Suffolk Homeless Shelter for the holidays!  They transformed the recreation room into a WINTER WONDERLAND filled with snowflakes suspended from the ceiling, 2 snowpeople and some cheerful packages on the walls!  The decorate the holiday tree, too!  The residents and staff were thrilled with the results!!

    HELP decorating 012HELP decorating 015HELP decorating 010

     

    HELP_logoHELP Suffolk is a 76-unit transitional housing facility for homeless families housing a maximum of 100 adults and 200 children at any given time.  Units are available for people with disabilities.

    HELP Suffolk is the largest housing facility for the homeless on Long Island.  The complex sits on seven acres of property and consists of four residential buildings, a community building, two playgrounds and a baseball field.

    Since its inception in 1990, HELP Suffolk has served over 4,000 families and places approximately 60 percent of families into permanent housing.

    International Holiday Tree in Stony Brook Village

    021The Suffolk County Au Pair in America Cluster decorated a tree for the Stony Brook Festival of Trees.  The theme of the tree is “We bring the World Together.”  Each ornament on the tree was decorated by an au pair.  Some created designs from their country, others made ornaments representing their time here in America, all are colorful and beautiful.  Our tree is right in front of Talbot’s in the Inner Court of the Village.  The inner court has many trees decorated by Girl and Boy Sout troops. 

    Come see the tree until January 2, 2011!!015

    Au Pair in America freezes Prices in 2011 to Celebrate 25 Years of Legal Au Pairs!!!

    The nation’s largest au pair agency celebrates the 25th anniversary of America’s legal au pair program by freezing their prices in 2011.

    AP Scavenger HUnt 2010 003

    D-2010 –STAMFORD, CT – December 3, 2010 – To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the United States’ legal au pair program in 2011, Au Pair in America (www.aupairinamerica.com), the nation’s first au pair program, announced today that they will not increase their fees for a second straight year.

    “We are delighted to offer families the high quality child care that has become synonymous with Au Pair in America at our affordable 2009 prices,” said Ruth Ferry, Sr. Vice President and Director of Au Pair in America. “We have been honored to work with the Department of State over the last quarter of a century to help the au pair program emerge as a child care solution for all types of American families.”

    At just $347 per week (regardless of the number of children in the family), parents can utilize the flexible program at a cost that can be less expensive than day care arrangements.

    Founded in 1986, the U.S. Department of State’s au pair program allows 18 to 26-year-old international visitors who travel to the U.S. 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.

    “Au Pair in America gave this program its foundation to build to where it is today,” states Stanley S. Colvin, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Private Sector Exchange, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. “Au Pair in America is one of the founding members that introduced the model, advocated for it and established it.”

    The United States Information Agency (USIA) designated the American Institute For Foreign Study (AIFS) Scholarship Foundation as one of two sponsors of an au pair program for a two-year trial period beginning in 1986. AIFS then launched Au Pair in America which has served as the definitive au pair program in the U.S. for the last 25 years, helping set U.S. program regulations as well as placing more than 85,000 au pairs in the homes of American families.

    Au Pair in America matches potential au pairs that meet the different criteria posed by host families. Both au pairs and families complete a thorough application and matching process to ensure the best situation for all parties.

    To learn more about the program, contact Au Pair in America at (800) 928-7247 or visit them on the web at www.aupairinamerica.com.
     

     

    The nation’s first and largest au pair program, Au Pair in America combines live-in child care and cultural exchange for a mutually rewarding and enriching experience for the entire family. Since 1986, they have placed more than 85,000 au pairs in 43 states. Headquartered in Stamford, CT, Au Pair in America maintains offices in 5 countries and has a network of more than 600 employees worldwide.