Category Archives: Uncategorized

Camp Au Pair – Kids in the Kitchen

Camp Au Pair is in the kitchen next week! As always, have a discussion with your host family about allergens and any food preferences they may have before beginning. This is a great resource for you to work with collaboratively with your host parentsTrT!

Feeling creative? Check out the Au Pair in America Pinterest board for some great ideas to get you started!

Field Trips:

Visit a local farm, farmer’s market or artisan shop. Some allow you to order online and pick up on site. Check with your host parents first and always practice social distancing as directed by local, state and federal guidelines.

  • Sassafras Creek Organic Farm – Order online Thursday evening for Saturday pick up at the farm in Leonardtown.
  • Trossbach Family Meats – Follow them on Facebook for the weekly order options. Orders must be submitted in advance for Friday or Saturday pick up at the farm in Dameron.

 

Virtual Field Trip Options:

  • Take a virtual trip to the White House kitchen! Start at the 30 minute mark.
  • The American Egg Board has partnered with Discovery Education to bring modern egg farms into today’s classrooms through Virtual Egg Farm Field Trips. Join America’s egg farmers in exploring their farms! See where your eggs come from, then make an egg dish!

Videos:

Resources:

Let’s Create & Learn

Books:

  • Around the World Cookbook for Kids. Featuring more than 50 recipes for kid-friendly dishes from different countries, American Girl Around the World Cookbook will inspire young chefs to taste and learn about new cuisines while perfecting kitchen skills.
  • Bring Me Some Apples and I’ll Make you a Pie, by Edna Lewis. Edna Lewis was a prominent Black chef who championed the South’s regional cuisine, fresh ingredients, and farm-to-table before it was cool. Illustrations along with stories and songs about Edna and food guide kids through this book. Plus, there are five special recipes sprinkled throughout.
  • The Complete Baking Book for Young Chefs.Want to make your own soft pretzels? Or wow your friends with homemade empanadas? What about creating a showstopping pie? Maybe some chewy brownies after school? From breakfast to breads, from cookies to cakes (yes, even cupcakes!), learn to bake it all here. You can do this, and it’s fun!

Who says you can’t play with your food! Have fun in the kitchen with your host kids!

Photo credits: Ruth Hartnup {flickr}, USDA {flickr}, soapydishwater {flickr}

Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day in the U.S. is Sunday, May 10.

Mother’s Day recognizes mothers, motherhood and maternal bonds in general, as well as the positive contributions that they make to society. It was established by Anna Jarvis, with the first official Mother’s Day was celebrated at St. Andrew’s Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia, on May 10, 1908.

Mother’s Day was officially established by President Woodrow Wilson as a holiday in the United States in 1911. The celebration of mother;s in not unique to the United States, however. More than 40 countries celebrate in some way! How about your country? Do you celebrate Mother’s Day? If so, this is a good opportunity to share culturally how you celebrate. Compare and contrast between the two countries! You can read about how several countries celebrate Mother’s Day here.

You will find great ideas for projects you can make with your host children here on the Au Pair in America Mother’s Day pinboard.

How about printable cards to color? Or a tin can butterfly planter! Try making some salt dough to capture hand or footprints.

Photo: Mrs. Flinger (Flickr)

Smithsonian Folklife Festival

The Folklife Festival will take place June 27-July 1 and July 4-8. 

The annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival is an international exhibition of living cultural heritage. Attracting more than one million visitors yearly, the two-week long celebration is the largest annual cultural event in the United States.

The Festival is held outdoors on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., between the Smithsonian museums. There is no admission charge. Visitors should dress for hot and humid weather. Parking around the Mall is extremely limited, so visitors are advised to use public transportation. L’Enfant Plaza is the closest Metro station to the Festival site. National Archives, Smithsonian, and Federal Center stations are within a half-mile. For assistance planning how to get around, visit www.goDCgo.com. For general Smithsonian visitor information, http://www.si.edu/Visit or call 202.633.1000 (voice).

Festival hours are 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., with special events taking place most evenings beginning at 6:30 p.m. View the schedule here.

I highly recommend that you visit their website to plan your visit http://www.festival.si.edu/

Homesickness

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:

  • Be a tourist, get to know where you live, visit the local sights and explore just as you would if on vacation.  Start a list of favorite places. Check out the blog for ideas.
  • Plan a trip with a friend, a day trip or a weekend, get excited about doing something new with a new friend and before you know it you will be excited and chatting about the trip instead of talking about what you are missing at home.
  • Post in the cluster Facebook group that you are off on Saturday or Sunday and that you are looking for a buddy to hang out with! Don’t wait for someone else to plan it, take the initiative!
  • Go to your cluster meeting. It’s not just a requirement of the program, it’s a beneficial part of your experience. Cluster meetings are a great way to meet new friends and get a hug and support!
  • Not everything has to change.  If you loved jogging at home, do it here. There are some habits you love that you can keep. Played soccer at home? Love basketball or singing or digital photography? Ask me, I can help you find activities within the community to join!
  • Create a routine.  Having a routine will help you feel at home and settle into life here. It’s tempting to sleep in on the weekends, but you’ll miss out on fun! It’s okay some times, but remember, you only have 52 weekends here! Make the most out of them!
  • Get enough sleep! Go to bed at a reasonable time. Planning a quiet activity for the hour or so before bed can help you establish and maintain good sleep habits.
  • Get involved in activities that will help you meet Americans! Other than classes, consider finding a church with a young adult group, volunteer, join an interest group! Building friendships is important and you will have a richer cultural exchange as a result!
  • Do not stay home.  Get out and about, go to the gym, the park, a coffee shop, a movie, staying home alone will not help homesickness.
  • Tell your me that you are feeling homesick. I can help you! It may be a first for you, but it isn’t for me. I can help connect you with another au pair who was also homesick. There’s nothing better than talking to someone who has been in your shoes.
  • Start an American Dream album on Facebook, write your memories in a private blog, save a few special reminders – ticket stubs, postcards, small souvenirs, etc. from your year.  It will give you something to work on when you have quiet time alone and as your year progresses you will be able to see what an amazing experience you are having.  You’ll have a wonderful keepsake to have of you year (or two).
  • Most importantly, talk to someone, if you feel sad or homesick, talk to your host family, call me, or a friend.  Being part of a cluster enables us to help and support each other.
  • If you aren’t homesick, reach out to others who you think might be. Be a friend. We were all new once. That new girl nearby would love for you to pick her up and go to a movie or for coffee or ice cream. Dare to be bold. Dare to be fearless!
  • Keep the circle wide open for everyone to join in. Building friendships with people outside of your culture will richly reward your year here and your life in general. It’s a wonderful thing to watch au pairs maintain their cross cultural friendships after they go home.

A little inspiration from a former au pair… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3IBmRWGnwA

Education Requirement Explained

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!  CollegeDegrees360

The APIA Advantage UCLA Course is the only State Dept. approved class with an online component. No other online classes are accepted.

  • NOTE – Au pairs are allowed to take one weekend course for up to half their education requirement per contract year.  The Department of State views our program as a cultural exchange experience and an au pair going to a campus over the length of a semester alongside her American Peers facilitates this while promoting the spirit of the program.  

Photo Credit: CollegeDegrees360 (flickr)

Where to go for urgent medical care

In a true emergency, seek medical attention as soon as possible at the hospital emergency room.

What I am talking about here are places where you can go when you have a medical problem and would like to be seen the same day, but you do not feel that it is an emergency. If you go to the emergency room for something that is not an emergency (like for a sore throat or pink eye), they will see you and treat you, but will not admit you to the hospital. In a case like that, there is an additional $500 deductible by the insurance company. The emergency room is not to be used as your regular doctor.

Here is the link to the medical insurance information and claim forms: APIA Medical
You may go to any doctor or clinic you choose, but if you go to an in-network doctor you are less likely to be asked to pay up front. If you do have to pay up front, you can be reimbursed by submitting a claim form to the insurance (providing you have met your deductible, if applicable.)

***ALWAYS bring your printed First Heath Network card with you when getting medical care*** This card was emailed to you during your FIRST week in the US.

Here’s how to find the Urgent Care Centers near you who accept our insurance (First Health Network.)

  1. To find the one nearest to you, go HERE on our Insurance Website.
  2. Type your zip code and click on “urgent care”.

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You will receive results like the example below and have the option to get information on each one. You also have search options on the left, if you are looking for more specific choices.

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What if you know of another Urgent Care Center near you and it doesn’t appear on the insurance search results? You may call the facility and ask if they accept First Health Network. If they say yes, you may go there also. Urgent Care Centers are popping up everywhere and they don’t always get added to the insurance listing immediately.

Winter Driving

Driving in the snow and ice can be a challenge even for experienced drivers. If you don’t have to go out in bad weather, stay home. If you do have to go out, here are some tips from AAA. Check out the full article on the AAA website. Steve Pisano (Flickr)
Tips for driving in the snow:

Accelerate and decelerate slowly…
Drive slowly…
The normal dry pavement following distance of three to four seconds should be increased to eight to ten seconds…
Know your brakes…
Don’t stop if you can avoid it…
Don’t power up hills…
Don’t stop going up a hill….
Stay home.

Photo: Steve Pisano (Flickr)

Article: Christine Connally

Social Media – Unplugged

Phones, tablets, and laptops are wonderful tools to stay connected and informed, but we need to be careful not to let them become distractions from real life interactions and most importantly our responsibilities.

jason-howie-flickrAu Pairs – Imagine for a moment that you went to the hospital and you were in the care of doctors and nurses.  How would you feel if those doctors and nurses who were there to care for you were more interested in texting or using their personal computer than caring for you?  How would that make you feel, about yourself and about them?  Would you think that you were getting good treatment Would you feel like paying the bill?

Life as an au pair, it is a fine balance between employee and family member. You live with your host family and participate with them as a member of the family, but you also have clear responsibilities as a childcare provider. Being a childcare provider is truly one of the most important jobs I can think of, because you are helping to shape our next generation.  What message are you sending them when you would rather interact with a computer than with them? How will they feel about themselves and about you? Children feel as though everything is about them. They will see this as a rejection of them and they will be more likely to act out.

It also poses a safety concern when you are not paying enough attention to the children in your care.  Accidents happen, but when an adult care giver is close by and appropriately supervising the chances of a major injury dramatically reduce.

During work hours, the following would not be considered acceptable:
-Texting
-Talking to friends on the phone
-Chatting with friends online
-Using Skype or FaceTime
-IMing
-Emailing
-Updating your status on Facebook
-Using Snapchat, WhatsApp or any other app or social media site
-Watching videos on YouTube, Netflix, etc.
-Tweeting on Twitter
-Uploading photos on Instagram
-Anything else online unless it is going to approved child sites such as Nickjr.com together with your host children

Think about this — even if you work 45 hours a week, that leaves you 123 hours per week for all of that other stuff, or about 70 hours (if you are getting the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep per night). Your host parents will give you guidelines for your use during work hours, please follow them.

Host Parents – You need to be clear about what you consider acceptable during work hours to avoid misunderstandings.  Taking a short phone call while still being attentive to the children, checking email during nap time, researching activities to do with the kids, etc. Set clear expectations and be specific to your au pairs. Also, please understand that you are dealing with a new generation of people who are very accustomed to being plugged in at all times.  Their intention is not to be rude, they don’t necessarily realize how their actions will be perceived.  Please use this information as an opportunity to begin a dialogue on the issue.

Save

Fall Leaves

wsilver

One of the most beautiful things in fall is watching the leaves change. The green fades and is replaced by the most amazing colors – yellows, oranges, reds, browns…. Now is the time to drive along some of the country roads, go for a hike, or simply go out into your backyard! Really look at and enjoy the beauty of it. If you enjoy photography, take some pictures. Mid morning and late afternoon tend to have the best light. Sometimes the leaves fairly glow in the sunshine!

You can check out these cool ideas for leaf oriented crafts and activities –

And don’t forget to check out the Fall Bucket List! So many fun ideas!

Photo by: wsilver

Urgent Care Resources

I am sick or hurt! Now what? If you find that you need medical care, please remember these important things:

All au pairs are covered under a medical insurance policy arranged by Au Pair in America. The cost of this policy is covered by the program fees that the host family pays. Details of the medical insurance, including the policy number, dollar limits of coverage, and exclusions are available in the Insurance Brochures, which you can download below.

Download the Insurance Brochure
Click here if you arrived in 2015
Click here if you arrived in 2014

Need to file a claim?
Click here here to get the form. Submit form and attachments to:

Cultural Insurance Services International
1 High Ridge Park
Stamford, CT 06905

For claim submission questions, call (800) 303-8120 ext. 5130 or e-mail claimhelp@culturalinsurance.com

List of Preferred Physicians, Hospitals and Medical Centers
To access a listing of preferred physicians, hospitals and medical centers in the U.S., please visit http://www.culturalinsurance.com/usprovidersearch/. If there is no participating provider in your area, then you may use any physician or hospital.

Southern Maryland Resources –

Calvert County:

Calvert Memorial Hospital Dunkirk Urgent Care
10845 Town Center Blvd Ste 108
Dunkirk, MD 20754-2712
410-286-7911
Calvert Memorial Hospital Prince Frederick
130 Hospital Rd Ste 102
Prince Frederick, MD 20678-4029
410-535-8911

Calvert Memorial Hospital Solomons Urgent Care

14090 HG Trueman Rd
Solomons, MD 20688-3151
410-394-2800
Charles County:
Use St. Mary’s resources at Charlotte Hall
St. Mary’s County:
St Marys Hospital Express Care:
37767 Market Dr
Charlotte Hall, MD 20622-3188
301-290-1499
For more on insurance, check the au pair resources on the APIA website.