I met up this week with Anna from Germany as she prepares to return home at the end of her au pair year. Among her loves from this year (after her host family) were catching and eating Maryland blue crabs, making friends from across the globe, and studying calculus at St. Mary’s College of Maryland! Anna also enjoyed many trips with her friends and host family! Best of luck, Anna!
Saying goodbye is truly the hardest part of summer! Over the year (or more) I forge strong relationships with the au pairs in my group! I try to meet one on one or in small groups with everyone before they leave to talk about their experiences, plans moving forward as the return home and how to take the skills and experiences from America and transfer them to their future! Here are a few stories of some of the young women heading home this summer!
I met up with Solymar and Kenia (both from Panama) recently. Solymar is finishing her year in just a few weeks and Kenia is just a few months into hers. We talked about the impact of our program and the American experience as well as discussed transitioning home and how the skills developed in their time here relate to their lives and careers back home in Panama. It has been lovely having both of them in my cluster and watching them become friends!
I had the pleasure of meeting with one of my German au pairs, Nadine, who is finishing up her 21 month stay in the US in just a few weeks.
We had the opportunity to discuss her experiences here in Maryland and with her first year family in Georgia, how her skills developed and used here relate to her employment as she returns home, how much she has grown through this time, etc. We even brainstormed a few more things to experience before her time in the US is over.
Saying goodbye to Lisa and Lina, both from Germany, as they complete their year in Southern Maryland this month! We had a great visit discussing the impact the Au Pair in America program had on them and how it helped shape their plans for the future. Both young women had many wonderful things to say about their experiences as we chatted.
I gave them a list of 52 things they might have done during their year here, from trying Maryland blue crabs or root beer floats, to seeing a baseball or football game, to visiting amazing cities such as New York or Chicago. It was rewarding to see them cross off so many things and add to the list with their own unique experiences! They brought me lovely flowers as a parting gift! I will miss their infectious smiles and laughter, but I look forward to seeing what their new adventures bring!
This past weekend we braved the heatwave and experienced the Ladybugs Alive Sunflower Gardens and Maze in Chaptico! Such a beautiful experience! The sunflowers were amazing, the maze was challenging, but not too hard, the staff was wonderfully friendly! We can’t wait to visit again next summer!
Oh, the places you’ll go!!! Your au pair year is full of experiences! Some even chose to travel abroad during this time! Before you travel outside the U.S. during your year, you must send your DS2019 and a travel request form to the Connecticut office for a travel validation signature. Once the form has been signed one time, it does not need to be sent in again. One signature is valid for the entire year.
**Plan to send this at least three weeks before your trip departure.***
If you plan to travel outside the U.S., it is very important to check with the consulate of the country you are planning to visit at least one month before your trip to find out whether you need a visitor’s visa or a transit visa for any stop-overs. Regulations change frequently, so it is important to check for current visa requirements. If you are an extension au pair planning to travel outside of the US, please see the travel visa section for more information.
For a list of countries whose citizens require a visa to visit Canada, click here. If you need a visa to visit Canada, you can find the form and further information here. You may need to apply for an eTA – Electronic Travel Authorization.
Please note: the Canadian consulate no longer accepts in-person applications for a temporary resident (visitor’s) visa. All visa applications for Canada must be mailed and can take more than 30 days to process. Plan your trip accordingly.
All visitors to Mexico must have a tourist card that can be obtained at the border. You can find details about this card here. As long as you hold a valid U.S. visa (J-1) in your passport, you will not need any additional visas to travel to Mexico. Au pairs in their second year who want to travel to Mexico may need to obtain a tourist visa in advance from a Mexican consulate in the United States. You should have at least six months of validity left on your passport in order to apply for a visitor’s visa to Mexico.
Check here for the consulate closest to you. Contact them as far in advance as possible to find out if you need a visa and how long it will take to get one.
Extension Au Pairs: In your extension year, travel outside the U.S. is restricted. Please contact me before making any plans to travel outside the U.S. in your extension year.
Have a great trip!
Photo – 7th Groove {flickr}
This past weekend several clusters with Au Pair in America met in DC for a tour of the United States Capitol. This building is the most widely recognized symbol of democratic government in the world. It has housed Congress since 1800. The Capitol is where Congress meets to write the laws of our nation and where Presidents are inaugurated and deliver their State of the Union messages.
This was very exciting day for several hundred au pairs in our region as we received a very informative tour by our tour guide! Thanks to everyone that participated!
Anna, 20, from Germany, is in her second year as an au pair in Dunkirk, MD. She regularly volunteers her time to support the local volunteer rescue squad. Anna spent many hours training to prepare her to ride in a rescue squad as a support person. Her community service is quite valuable, as the Southern Maryland region is almost exclusively volunteer staffed for fire and rescue. Anna also volunteers in other ways to support the department, such as community events, fundraisers and general support. Anna’s volunteer service has provided her the opportunity to gain new skills, help others and build friendships with American citizens from teens to seniors!
Solymar, an au pair from Panama, recently created a memorable birthday for one of her host children, a little girl turning 6!
Solymar created a wonderful balloon display in the little girls room so when she woke up in the morning she would be greeted with a magical sight! This is just one example of the love and care our au pairs have for their host kids!
Believe in Your Dreams:
It is completely normal to feel homesick sometimes when we are far from home. Homesickness comes from feeling disconnected from people, places and routines. It is an emotion that passes with time. Remember: It.is.normal.
Here are some things to do if you are feeling a little blue:
Photos: Mark Hesseltine – Flickr, U.S. Embassy Tokyo – Flickr
Halloween is fast approaching! There are many ways that you can make this time fun and interesting for both you and the children you care for!
Au Pair in America has captured a wonderful array of projects you can work on together. You can find them on our Halloween Fun Pinterest board! Try making a collection of glowing pumpkins using jars from the host family’s recycling! You’ll need clean jars, liquid glue, orange tissue paper, some paint, black construction paper or cardstock and a strand of lights or battery operated tea lights.
If you have a collection of plastic pumpkins for trick or treating, place them on a shelf or table and dress them up! baseball hats, party hats, tiaras, fire fighter hats, pirate hats and more will help you create a fun display! Dig through the dress up collection for some great options or make some of your own with craft supplies!
Check out the Pinterest board for some other great ideas like ghost bowling using toilet paper! How about adding some fun to lunchboxes by slipping a Halloween joke in? Try making some glowing cups – Frankenstein, ghost and pumpkin! Try transforming some acorns into pumpkins using paint!
Photos by Philip James and Mootsie
Au pairs are required to complete 6 credits or 8 CEUs or 72 or more hours. I will work with your au pair to ensure that she earns the appropriate amount.
You may take credit or non-credit classes from an accredited college. If you want to take a class at a school not listed here on my blog, please check with me first to make sure it is accredited. Otherwise, it would not count toward your education requirement.
Your host family will pay an education allowance to assist you in completing your education requirement. They will also ensure your transportation to class (access to a car and gas expense will be covered). The education allowance is $500.
There are ways to get your credits for close to your education allowance, but it will not give you a lot of choices. Normally au pairs will contribute some of their own money ($200+) towards their education. I can help you plan out your year of classes to make it fun, interesting and educational! 
The APIA Advantage UCLA Course is the only State Dept. approved class with an online component. No other online classes are accepted.
Photo Credit: CollegeDegrees360 (flickr)
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