Monthly Archives: August 2020

Camp Au Pair – Under the Sea

Now for some under the sea fun!! Most of these activities are easily created using items likely already around the house, but you may need to plan ahead a bit to have supplies on hand! Check with your host family about getting supplies to use!

 

Play with your food:

Field Trips & Virtual Field Trips –

**As always, please confer as a family before deciding upon activities. Follow all federal, state and local guidelines pertaining to COVID 19 and check to make sure you are able to visit locations as some are restricted to county residency or require pre-purchased, timed entry passes.**

 

  • Calvert Marine Museum: At the Calvert Marine Museum pre-history, natural history, and maritime heritage come together to tell a unique story of the Chesapeake Bay. This is a family-friendly museum that offers live animals, fossils, interactive exhibits, daily activities, and a furnished cottage-style lighthouse – something for every age.
  • Calvert Marine Museum Paleo Prep Lab: Visit Kevin in the CMM Paleo Prep Lab to learn about unique fossils in the museum’s collection!
  • Calvert Marine Museum Paleo Prep Lab Megalodon Shark Teeth: Join CMM Exhibits Interpreter Kevin in the museum’s Paleo Prep Lab, as he shares a few fossilized meg teeth and talks about why these massive sharks may have journeyed into the Chesapeake Bay.
  • Calvert Marine Museum Sharkfest:  This year, in lieu of our annual Sharkfest event, we celebrated sharks on Facebook, Instagram, and here on our website during the week of July 6 – 10. We featured brand new footage of the sharks in our care, as well as several educational videos from our museum curators. Downloadable activities to do from home, like instructions for a DIY Megalodon tooth bracelet, will also remain available online!
  • Calvert Marine Museum Otter Cam: Otter indoor cam.
  • Calvert Marine Museum Otter Cam: Otter outdoor cam.
  • Calvert Marine Museum River Otters: Located outside at the head of the Marsh Walk, the River Otter habitat is sure to please. Watch how otters frolic and engage in playing with their favorite enrichment item. You may find one diving into the 8,000 gallon freshwater pool or taking an afternoon nap beneath a favorite hollowed out log. River otters are well suited for life in and around the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, though often go unnoticed. In the wild, they tend to be more active during the dusk and dawn hours, their dark fur blending seamlessly into the background. During the day, river otters are often sleeping in their den or mud-bank cave. Healthy otters will generally avoid humans. In nature, otters are atop the food web with few predators. They will eat most anything including fish, insects, birds, reptiles, amphibians, crustaceans and even other mammals. “Squeak” does not have to bother with hunting as all of his food is provided for him. Fish, shrimp, hard-boiled eggs, carrots and various fruits round out their main diet.

Webcams – You can visit aquariums and such around the globe to observe sea creatures. The Monterey Bay has a wonderful collection of options to explore!

Videos –  Movies like Finding Nemo, Dolphin Tale, Moana and the Little Mermaid go well with this theme.

Books – Check your local library or book stores for books on sea creatures and the ocean!

  • The Rainbow Fish is a classic children’s book, your host kids may already own.
  • Ocean Anatomy – Julia Rothman’s best-selling illustrated Anatomy series takes a deep dive into the wonders of the sea with Ocean Anatomy. Follow Rothman’s inquisitive mind and perceptive eye along shorelines, across the open ocean, and below the waves for an artistic exploration of the watery universe. Through her drawings, discover how the world’s oceans formed, why the sea is salty, and the forces behind oceanic phenomena such as rogue waves. Colorful anatomical profiles of sea creatures from crustacean to cetacean, surveys of seafaring vessels and lighthouses, and the impact of plastic and warming water temperatures are just part of this compendium of curiosities that will entertain and educate readers of all ages.

 

Photos by: Cynthia Chan; marneejill {flickr}; Michael Ravodin {flickr}

Around the World in 80 Days – Norway

NORWAY

Europe
Capital: Oslo
Languages: Bokmal Norwegian, Nynorsk Norwegian, small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Diet

  • Most young people in Norway eat meat.
  • Vegetarianism is not common.
  • The typical diet in Norway includes seafood, meat, dairy and fruits.

Religion

  • The most common religion in Norway is Lutheran.
  • Most young people in Norway do not practice their religion regularly.

Education

  • Approximately 50% of young women continue their studies at university.
  • Those who do not attend university study in professional schools, or work in offices or retail stores.
  • The academic year in Norway starts in August and ends in June.
  • University is free is Norway. The most important educational opportunity is to improve their English.

Famous Things:

Norway is famous for it’s fjords and the northern lights! No where else can match Norway on the fjord front – there are more than a thousand of them dotting the country’s coastline. Most people visit at least one, but it’s worth trying to visit classics like Lysefjord and Hardangerfjord (home to the Trolltunga rock formation). No trip to northern Norway would be complete without spotting the northern lights. You can see the aurora pretty much anywhere in the central or northern parts of the country, as long as the weather is good.

Photos by: Patrick Nouhailler {flickr}; Gunnar Hildonen {flicker}

Around the World in 80 Days – Spanish Shrimp & Rice Recipe

Spanish Shrimp and Rice: 

Ingredients:  

  • 3 tablespoon olive oil 
  • 2 cloves garlic 
  • 1 small onion (chopped) 
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric 
  • 1 medium tomato (chopped) 
  • 1 small carrot (diced) 
  • ½ red pepper (diced) 
  • 1 lb. of shrimp 
  • 1 ½ cup converted rice 
  • 1 tablespoon parsley 
  • ½ cup peas 

Instructions: 

  1. Heat oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, turmeric and cook for about 3 minutes. 
  2. Add tomato, carrot, and bell pepper and cook until tender.
  3. Add ¾ teaspoon of salt and pepper and shrimp. Cook for about 1 minute.
  4. Add 2 cups of water, rice, ½ tablespoon of parsley and bring to a boil.
  5. Lower heat to medium low, and cover skillet for about 15-20 minutes.
  6. Add remaining parsley and ½ peas and cover skillet for 5 minutes.
  7. Fluff rice and serve. 

Photo by: www.bluewaikiki.com {flickr}

Around the World in 80 Days – New Zealand

NEW ZEALAND 

Oceania
Capital: Wellington
Languages: English, Māori

Au Pairs in General

  • The idea of being an au pair is not well-known in New Zealand.
  • Applicants from New Zealand are motivated by cultural curiosity.
  • The job potential of an au pair improves upon her return to New Zealand.
  • Applicants do not have difficulty affording the program fees.
  • Young people in New Zealand have the freedom of their family to socialize and date.
  • Curfews are not common.
  • Young women are accustomed to sharing in household chores.
  • The people of New Zealand describe themselves as reserved, friendly, and hard working.
  • Others may consider New Zealanders’ style of communication confrontational. This stylistic  cultural difference should be taken into consideration when they are encouraged to speak their mind.
  • The academic year in New Zealand starts in February and ends in November.

Photos by: Pedro Szekely {flickr}, John Fowler {flickr}, Bernard Spragg NZ {flickr}

Around the World in 80 Days – Polish Chrusciki

Polish Chruściki (Angel Wings) Recipe: 

Ingredients: 

  • 2 cups of flour 
  • 4 egg yolks 
  • Pinch of salt 
  • Small spoonful of vinegar 
  • 2 tablespoon of sour cream 
  • Oil for frying 

Instructions: 

  1. Mix flour, egg yolks, salt, vinegar and sour cream. 
  2. Beat the dough with a rolling pin once ingredients come together. 
  3. Roll the dough as thin as possible
  4. Fry pieces in deep oil.  

Photo by: Blazej Pieczynski {flickr}

Around the World in 80 Days – Netherlands

NETHERLANDS

Western Europe
Capital: Amsterdam
Languages: Dutch, regional languages
Predominant Religion(s): Christianity

COMMON CHARACTERISTICS:

  • Dutch applicants are open and down to earth.
  • They are hard workers.
  • They are polite, friendly and social.

FUN FACTS:

  • The colors of the Dutch flag are red, white, and blue. Red stands for the people, white for  the church, and blue for nobility.
  • Dutch people are on average the tallest people in the world. (Women 5 ft 7 and men 6 ft).
  • The total length of all roads together in the Netherlands is 132,397 km. That’s about four times around the world!

USEFUL PHRASES:

  • How are you?             Hoe gaat het?
  • Fine, thanks.               Goed, dank je wel.
  • My name is…              Mijn naam is…
  • Nice to meet you.        Leuk je te ontmoeten.
  • Thank you.                  Dank je wel.

“It’s a life changing experience. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about everything I’ve learned, all the amazing times I spent with friends and family and all the people I met. Being an Au Pair in America is my story of success so far – more are to come!” – Jodie – au pair from the Netherlands

Photo by Crash71100 {flickr}

Around the World in 80 Days – Brazilian Lemonade

Let’s get cooled off with some Brazilian Lemonade!

Brazilian Lemonade Recipe

Ingredients: 

  • 4 juicy limes
  • 4 cups cold water 
  • 1 can sweet condensed milk 
  • Ice 

Instructions: 

  1. Wash your limes and peel two of them. Cut them into 8 wedges and remove the white pith.
  2. Combine the lime wedges and water in your blender and pulse for a few seconds (10  seconds maximum). 
  3. Strain the juice through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing on the pulp to extract all the juice.
  4. Return the liquid to the blender and add the sweet condensed milk. Blend until creamy and frothy. 
  5. Serve immediately with ice!

And there you have it — Brazilian lemonade!

Camp Au Pair – Pirates!

Ahoy! Save yourself from walking the plank of summertime boredom but checking out Au Pair in America’s summer fun theme PIRATES!

Virtual Field Trips:

Books:

  • How I Became a Pirate.  Pirates have green teeth—when they have any teeth at all. I know about pirates, because one day, when I was at the beach building a sand castle and minding my own business, a pirate ship sailed into view.
  • How to be a Pirate. CeCe dreams of being a pirate. When the neighborhood boys tell her that she can’t, she wonders where to begin. Luckily, she suspects her grandpa must know something about being a pirate–why else would he have all those tattoos?
  • Pirates Magnified! Ahoy, shipmate! Explore the lives of 10 real pirates and learn about life on the high seas, whilst using the magnifying glass—included inside the book’s foil-accented cover—to spot more than 200 pirate-themed items in 16 eye-boggling illustrations.
  • Pirate. A DK Eyewitness Book.Take a close-up look at the colorful–and cruel–robbers of the sea. Sink into this exciting introduction to the world of sea-thieves – their origins, adventures and blood-thirsty battles. Learn who devised the terrifying Jolly Roger, how a surprisingly disciplined life was maintained aboard pirate ships, and what cunning ruses pirates used to lure merchants to their doom. Everything you ever wanted to know from why European kings and queens encouraged piracy to what pirates ate at sea.

 

Photo by: Leonid Mamchenkov

 

Around the World in 80 Days – Mexico

MEXICO 

North America
Capital: Mexico City
Languages: Spanish
Predominant Religion(s): Christianity (Catholic)

COMMON CHARACTERISTICS:

  • Mexican people describe themselves as hospitable, family oriented and warm.
  • Most Mexicans have very strong family ties.
  • Tradition, culture and Mexican food are very important for Mexicans.

FUN FACTS:

  • Mexico is the 14th largest country in the world!
  • The Aztecs used cacao seeds as a form of currency.
  • The world’s largest pyramid is in… Mexico!

USEFUL PHRASES:

  • How are you?             ¿Cómo estás?
  • Fine, thanks.               Bien, gracias.
  • My name is…              Me llamo / Mi nombre es…
  • Nice to meet you!        ¡Qué gusto conocerte!
  • Thank you.                  Gracias.

 

Around the World in 80 Days – Chinese Children’s Books

Lon Po Po, by Ed Young, is the Chinese version of Little Red Riding Hood.

The Seven Chinese Sisters, by Kathy Tucker, tells the story of six sisters with unique talents who must use them to save the seventh sister after she’s kidnapped by a dragon!

The Seven Chinese Brothers, by Margaret Mahy, is a retelling of the classic Chinese tale about a family of brothers who must work together to triumph over the corrupt emperor.

Dim Sum for Everyone!, by Grace Lin, is about a family with three daughters visiting a resaurant for a meal of dim sum. Childrean learn about Chinese culture and traditions.