Category Archives: Fun Things We Do

World Oceans Day Event – Cluster Fun!

World Oceans Day, June 8th,  was the United Nations-recognized day of ocean celebration and action. This summer, people all over the world are celebrating under the theme of Healthy Oceans, Healthy Planet. Organizations and individuals are promoting prevention of plastic ocean pollution with events in their communities, special announcements, and everything in between!  As a part of this special program, au pairs from APIA have participated in several activities over the summer to bring awareness and work together to preserve our oceans.

Au pairs from Southern Maryland planned a day at the Flag Ponds Nature Park. Together, we hiked to the Chesapeake Bay, picking up trash along the trail and along the shore line, participated in fossil hunting and enjoyed a picnic! Many treasures were found, including a very big sharks tooth found by Alisa from Germany!

 

 

Cluster Fun – Bert’s 50’s Diner and Sending Smiles Community Service Project!

We spent a fun Sunday afternoon enjoying tasty treats at Bert’s 50’s Diner while continuing to work on our community service project for Sending Smiles.

Sending Smiles was created by local children to bring happiness to sick children and families. Postcards are decorated by Smile Makers (children and the young at heart) and sent across the USA.

This week we welcomed four of our newest arrivals – May from Thailand, Tania from Spain, Anna from Germany and Sophie from Austria!

DC Metro Area Cultural Fair 2016 at Nationals Park – HUGE success!

What a fantastic event!! Over 200 au pairs, representing 36 countries, proudly created amazing displays about their homelands! Many sang or danced or shared other skills. Samples of foods were very popular too with the guests! Over 1000 guests and visitors also attended! There were smiles and laughter, great conversations, sharing of time and talents! Our au pairs worked very hard to convey what is interesting, magical and special to them from their home country. Many of their own family members supported them by sending traditional clothing, personal items and even foods!

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Allison, from the Netherlands, did a fantastic job representing her country! Allison resides with a host family in Northern Calvert County.

Over 30 Au Pair in America Community Counselors panned and executed this year’s Cultural Fair. Our Community Counselors hailed from all regions of the greater Washington DC area from as far south as Richmond, north to Baltimore, east to Bowie and Annapolis,  south east to Southern Maryland, over to Cabin John, throughout Northern Virginia and even from Virginia Beach! They worked from March to May to organize all the pieces that went into the Cultural Fair.

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Enjoy the following photos from our amazing event!

52 Weeks – An Au Pair Adventure Plan

52 weeks…   365 days…   8760 hours…   525,600 minutes…

A year in the US, full of new and interesting experiences, this is what every au pair dreams of. Live with an American family, learn American culture and customs, experience American life, be a big sister to the host kids, improve their English. So many things you want to see and do, only 52 weeks to accomplish it!

It’s important to make your lists of adventures you want to have, from the simple to the amazing! Everyone has wishes and desires – make your lists so you don’t miss out on experiences! Our cluster meeting yesterday was a great time to talk with my au pairs about the things they want to see and do while they are in the US. In many cases, they have already checked off items from their lists.

A deck of cards has 52 cards,  the same number of weeks an au pair has in the US. I shuffled my deck of cards and dealt each au pair a few cards. As they went around the tables sharing what their cards said, it was fun to see the excitement of a coveted card like Travel to California or Carve a Pumpkin. Hearing these young women relate stories of experiences they had already had to the newer arrivals, offering tips and encouragement, to hear the plans for trips to Florida this spring, so wonderful!

We laughed and even cringed a bit while several au pairs discussed trying rootbeer floats, or shared their excitement at seeing a football or baseball game! We agreed that trips to Chicago or Las Vegas or Hollywood would all be awesome. Dressing up for Halloween was another must do experience! The ideas just kept flowing. I am excited to see where their journeys take them!

Cynthia Chan - 52 Weeks, An Au Pair's Year of Adventure

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Making Pinch Pots

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Corn husk dolls and pinch pots

 

 

 

 

 

This year we celebrated our Host Family Day by attending the American Indian Heritage Day hosted by Jefferson Patterson Park in Calvert County. Many host families and au pairs braved the rain to enjoy the festivities! There were displays, artisans, dancers and plenty of things to make and touch! Highlights were corn husk dolls, pinch                                                    pots, grinding corn and fire making demonstrations!

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Learning how to make fire

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Learning how to shoot a bow and arrow

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Au Pair in America au pairs from all over the greater Washington DC/Baltimore region gathered recently to join in on a scavenger hunt at the National Zoo in Washington DC! The au pairs (and counselors) braved the cold to enjoy a morning hunting around the zoo. Afterwards, we gathered on a hill for a picnic! It was a great event!