Each year around the world, International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8. Hundreds of events occur not just on this day but throughout March to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women.
Organizations, governments and women’s groups around the world choose different themes each year that reflect global and local gender issues.
To find out more visit: http://www.internationalwomensday.com
From the White House website:
“On Monday April 9, 2012, the First Family will host the134th annual White House Easter Egg Roll. This year’s theme is “Let’s Go, Let’s Play, Let’s Move” and more than 35,000 people will be joining us on the South Lawn for games, stories, cooking demonstrations and, of course, the traditional egg roll on the Lawn. Starting at 10 am EST on March 1 you can click here to enter the lottery and win a chance to join the fun (lottery opens on March 1 at 10 am EST and closes at 10 am EST on March 5, 2012).”
Enter for your chance to win a ticket to join the fun! Here is a picture of Ingrid at the Easter Egg Roll last year.
What is the White House Easter Egg Roll? (answer from recreation.gov)
“The White House Easter Egg Roll is a tradition that dates to 1878. Originally, young children in Washington, D.C. would flock to Capitol Hill every Monday after Easter for egg rolling and a day of activities. Members of Congress grew tired of the growing crowds and passed an Act of Congress which prohibited egg rolling on the Capitol grounds. The event was moved to the White House in 1878 after President Hayes was approached by young children to use his backyard to roll eggs. Nearly every Easter since, the White House has invited young children to roll eggs on the White House lawn.
Today, the Easter Egg Roll has grown from a few local children rolling eggs on the White House Lawn to become the largest event held at the White House, filled with live entertainment, sports and interactive cooking demos. And, of course, the traditional rolling of the Easter eggs.”
This year’s game features the New England Patriots vs. New York Giants. The Super Bowl is the annual American Football championship and a popular time for friends to gather in front of the TV. Each year millions of people watch the game, the half-time show – or just the commercials! People will be talking about the commercials for days. To learn more about football visit the “Life in the US” section of this website http://aupairinamerica.com/resources/life_in_the_us/football.asp
The 46th Super Bowl will take place on February 5, 2012. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 ET on NBC.
Click here to read the post on Wall Street Journal website
Check out this post on the Wall Street Journal online.
It’s written by reporter, John J. Edwards III and he talks about his thought process in deciding to hire an au pair.
He is planning to post updates as he and his wife continue in the process of becoming a host family.
Traditionally, the groundhog is supposed to wake up on February 2, and come up out of his burrow. If he sees his shadow, he will return to the burrow for six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t see his shadow, he remains outside and starts his year, because he knows that spring has arrived early. In the U.S., the “official” groundhog is kept in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania and is called “Phil.” Though not based in science, it is a fun US tradition.
A dozen au pairs from our cluster volunteered at Holy Trinity Church in Bowie on Sunday. The church was hosting a week of the Warm Nights Homeless Shelter Program. Our au pairs donated food and prepared bag lunches for the guests. We also led a few games of bingo, for an after dinner activity.
We had more donations than we needed for the number of guests. The bags of extra fresh fruit, bread, cookies, water bottles , peanut butter and jelly were donated to the Bowie Interfaith Food Pantry. So, it turned out to be a double service project.
Here are a few pictures of the lunch making assembly line…
Play dough is the perfect modeling material for children. Their small hands can pat, poke, pinch, roll and knead it into many shapes. Keep it in an airtight container to use another day, or let it air dry into favorite shapes.
Measure 2 cups of flour, one cup of salt and 4 teaspoons of cream of tartar into a bowl. Add 1/4 cup of oil to one cup of water in a separate bowl then add the mixture to the dry ingredients. Squeeze 10-20 drops of food coloring into one cup of water and add it to the mixture. Mix well to make it smooth and to spread the color evenly. Cook the dough at low heat in a wide pan, stirring constantly until it becomes rubbery. Remove the dough from the heat and knead it for a few minutes. When it cools the kids can play too!
Photo: Gina Guillotine
I recently asked the au pairs in my cluster to share their favorite holiday memory from fall/winter 2011. I expected to have a lot of replies about Christmas, New Years and maybe Hanukkah. I was surprised that I received more replies about Thanksgiving than any other holiday. I suppose I take Thanksgiving for granted because growing up in the United States, I have celebrated every year of my life.
Below are some of the responses I received when I asked,
“What was your favorite 2011 holiday memory?”
Šárka from Czech Republic:
“Why THANKSGIVING? Well first of all we don’t celebrate this holiday in my country (Czech republic) so it was new for me. Second it was first holiday which I celebrated with my host family. Third Thanksgiving Day was simply perfect! I met relatives of family, I was the sous chef in the kitchen (haha). The food which I didn’t know was absolutely delicious. And the most important thing – the day I felt like a part of family which was great! I was talking to everyone, I wasn’t shy or something like this at all… I was just really happy that I have the opportunity to be in the US. Day after Thanksgiving I left to New York and guess what? I was thinking of my host family all the weekend and I missed them. Every holiday was really good but Thanksgiving was special to me! I am grateful for that.
Lili from Mexico:
“Thanksgiving!! My first real American Thanksgiving. In many ways this it’s my favorite one because I met the grandparents from my kids, they’re so lovely “abuelitos”. They reminded me what is to have a grandpas, all the sweetness in the world. Then my host dad made an awesome turkey and meal, everyone enjoy it. Third I made my first apple pie as gift to my host family, as a symbol of gratitude to them, for the hospitality and great family they are. I was very happy to see all the family together it was so peace and I really feel like in home. Ahh and everybody loves my apple pie. It was really good. I feel happy cause for the dad of my host mom was like the apple pie her mom used to make when little. For last the season was great. The leaves from the trees falling. Ahh my, it’s so nice. Now my favorite season for sure its fall, all the different colors, brown, yellow, red…was the perfect Thanksgiving. I’m really happy and lucky to be here and experience it myself.
Alex from Austria:
“Guess what my favorite holiday is in the States? again.. THANKSGIVING!!!
Christmas was always my favorite holiday, but maybe that was because we don’t have Thanksgiving in Austria. I cooked with the family, we ate all together. I met a lot of new family members, we were playing a Thanksgiving play that my host child got from school. We danced to a silly song and just had fun. The best part was their family tradition – they have every Thanksgiving the same table cloths. They are white with a lot of things written on it… every year everybody who is there has to write something on it: something they are thankful for, a few nice words or just the name – it doesn’t matter. But it’s really cool. I got to write something on it too. It was great.
“They are the ugliest but most beautiful table clothes I have ever seen” (like everybody says in the family.)
Swantje from Germany:
“Mine was Thanksgiving too. Firstly it was my first holiday with the whole family in America. Secondly, the whole family came together. All aunts and uncles and their kids came to grandma’s. We played football with all of them, including grandma and grandpa. It was the first time I played it and it was so much fun for all. We had a great dinner with all the typical thing you can imagine … it was deeeelicious! It was so great to be with such a big family and I really enjoyed that day. I will remember it my whole life, I hope.
At our Cultural Fair on Sat, 2/25, we will be collecting donations for Children’s National Medical Center. Several families in our cluster have children who have received care at CNMC. My youngest son has also spent some time there. Being in the hospital is a difficult experience for a child and their family.
One small thing that we can do to help is donate items to help kids pass the time during their hospital stay. Below are some suggested items. You will find the full CNMC Wish List here on their website. All items should be new.
Here are some popular items from the CNMC Wish List as suggestions.
What: Au Pair in America Central Maryland Cultural Fair
When: Saturday, February 25, 1-3 pm
Where: Bowie Library (Large Meeting Room)
15210 Annapolis Road (Rt. 450), Bowie, MD 20715
Local au pairs from countries around the globe, will share their cultures through visual displays, food samples, games and performances. Children will receive passports and have them stamped as they visit each country. Admission is free. If you have any questions, email me at cconnallyaupair @ gmail.com (without the spaces.)
We are collecting Wish List Items for Children’s National Medical Center, see details HERE.
Here is a video from a previous year’s Cultural Fair
