Yearly Archives: 2017

Avoiding Homesickness this Holiday Season

Homesickness can be a problem during the holidays, even if it hasn’t been at any other time of the year. Au pairs often miss their friends and family, familiar places and their own traditions and customs. The holiday activities in the United States seem, and may actually be, different just at a time when an au pair would welcome something familiar. 

It is common for au pairs’ emotions to be close to the surface during the holidays. Her highs are higher, her lows are lower. The enormity of what she has done–actually living in another country (which is an amazing thing when you think about it!)–hits her and throws her into a self-protective mode.

Host parents can help her through this unfamiliar territory by talking to her about what your specific family activities will be (gifts, meals, visitors, religious services, in-home traditions, or none of these, as the case may be.) In the spirit of cultural exchange, ask her if she has any favorite holiday traditions or foods that you might be able to incorporate into your family’s celebration of the season. Let her know what you will be doing, when you will be doing it, and what she can expect. Talk to her about what has to be accomplished and get her involved and interested. Don’t expect her to just “know” what needs to be done. Give her some clear, agreed upon assignments. Make her feel a part of things. And, let her know her contribution is needed and appreciated.

Photo: Sheila Sund (Flickr)

5 Thanksgiving Tips for Au Pairs & Host Parents

Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November each year. Even though a few other countries also celebrate Thanksgiving, it’s still considered a uniquely American holiday, one that the au pairs look forward to experiencing. You can learn more about it here.

“I really enjoyed Thanksgiving with my host family. It was as I imagined! So much food to try. Everyone got dressed up and shared what they were thankful for. It was so warm and special. The next day we began to prepare for Christmas. It was magical.” Selina from Germany

Below you will find some tips to help you have a terrific Thanksgiving experience.

 

Host Parents

1.  Please plan to include your au pair in your Thanksgiving celebration, if at all possible. Thanksgiving with an au pair offers an opportunity to consider the relevance of the history and meaning of Thanksgiving as you compare the hospitality offered by the Native Americans to the recently arrived Pilgrims and the hospitality you offer your au pair.

2.  If you are traveling or will not be able to invite your au pair to join you for Thanksgiving, give her plenty of notice and help her make alternate plans. You don’t want to leave your au pair alone over the holiday.

Au Pairs

3.  If you are invited to attend dinner, please let your family know within 5 days of the invitation, whether you are planning to attend. It is considered rude in America to accept the invitation for dinner and then change your mind later in the month. Please be thoughtful.

4.  Make sure to discuss time off during this holiday weekend. Many host families work the Friday after Thanksgiving so do not assume you have this day off or the entire weekend. Talk to your host family, BEFORE you make any plans.

5.  If your host family is unable to include you in their Thanksgiving plans, please let me know if you have trouble making other plans. You may be able to join a friend and their host family for the holiday dinner.

Bonus Tip for the Kids

If you are looking for a fun recipe to make with your au pair, check out these turkey cupcakes. Find more fun activities and recipes on the Au Pair in America Fall Holidays pinboard.

Photo: Tim Sackton (Flickr)

Volunteering at Super Saturday in City Park

Au pairs did a super job at Super Saturday in City Park on November 4, 2017. After recent rains, the trails in Couturie Forest were muddy and needed mulching to make them passable for hikers and joggers. The work started promptly at 9am with instructions from Tyler, volunteer manager. Together with other volunteers, au pairs picked up mulch with pitchforks from a mulch pile and loaded it on wheel wheelbarrows. Then they pushed the wheelbarrows to the trail to distribute the mulch over the ruts and hollows.

The weather cooperated and was mild and sunny. Despite a few mosquito bites and quite a few ant bites from the ants that occupied the mulch pile, au pairs enjoyed the experience and were happy to contribute to City Park beautification.

http://neworleanscitypark.com/super-saturdar

Au pairs Attend Krewe de Boo Parade

APIA au pairs who spend their year in the program with host families in New Orleans are amazed and delighted by New Orleanians’ fondness for street parades. Wow! So much excitement! So much FREE entertainment!

In order to explore this cultural characteristic of the Crescent City inhabitants, au pairs try to participate in as many parades as possible. That’s why they were delighted to attend Krewe de Boo Parade that rolled thru the French Quarter in anticipation and celebration of Halloween. Au pairs joined the festive crowd to vie for the throws and admire the fantastic floats and costumes. They listened to the music and cheered on the parading bands. Great time was had by all!

October Picnic at Sugar Roots Farm

Sugar Roots Farm, located on the outskirts of New Orleans, was the perfect place for au pairs to enjoy a bit of a country atmosphere on a lovely October day. After paying a visit to resident horses, a cow, a couple of turkeys and geese and a friendly lama, au pairs sat down to a nice picnic spread. General conversation soon turned toward highly anticipated Halloween, one of the American holidays that all au pairs heard about and were eager to experience for themselves. They shared ideas for different costumes and games they could enjoy with their host kids on Halloween.

https://www.sugarrootsfarm.org/

Louise and Lynnesse Say Goodbye

Louise from Sweden and Lynnesse from South Africa became fast friends during their time as APIA au pairs in New Orleans.

Both had much fun living with their host families, getting to be friends with their host kids and learning about daily life in the United States.

Asked what they liked best about their experience, they agreed that matching with the right family made the experience “perfect”.

They enjoyed “having a lot of opportunities” in the city where “there’s always something to do”. And, of course, they loved Mardi Gras!

The only downside was having to say good bye to host families and friends after a year “that went too fast.”

Making Safe Decisions about Driving – Tips for Au Pairs

  • Ask your host parents where the insurance and registration documents are in the car.  These documents should always be in any vehicle you are driving.
  • Make sure you have a clear understanding of the car use rules with your host family, if not talk to them about it or call your counselor
  • Make sure you know how everything in the car works! Ask questions, even if you have to ask twice, that’s okay!
  • Find out about areas that may not be considered safe, especially in and around cities, ask your host family or me for guidance if you are not sure
  • Be extra careful at night, park in well lit safe places, avoid empty looking car parks and indoor garages when you are alone
  • Do not use your phone or any electronic devices while driving, pull over in a safe spot if you need to send a text or check your messages
  • Let your host family and/or me know immediately if you get into an accident so we can help you
  • Drinking and driving is extremely dangerous. It puts lives at risk.  If you are arrested for drinking and driving there are very serious consequences.   Be a good friend and don’t let your friends drink and drive.   If you are caught drinking and driving you will go home
  • Reminder! drinking under 21 years of age is illegal in the United States
  • Always lock the car and the trunk when leaving the car unattended
  • If there is public transportation available where you live, find out how to use it and give it a try!
  • Download the apps for Uber or Lyft ~ both taxi services will pick you up and take you anywhere you need to go

Be safe and make smart decisions.  We want you to have a wonderful and safe time in the United States.  Call me if you have any questions.

Drive safe!

Hints for Success – Overcoming Homesickness

Almost everyone experiences homesickness and culture shock to some degree, when they come to live in a completely new environment. So much is different and it takes time to adjust.

It is normal to miss your own family, at home. Try to remember that they support you and want you to make the most of this experience. They will enjoy learning more about the U.S., through your eyes, as you share your adventures with them.

Top 5 Tips for Dealing with Homesickness

1. Make Friends – Don’t wait for other au pairs to reach out to you, reach out to them. There are other lots of new au pairs who are feeling the same way you are right now. Set a goal to reach out to a few of them each day. Some will respond and some will not. Don’t let that discourage you. No one will ever be mad at you for sending them a message to say hello or ask if they want to do something together. Make friends from various countries and you will also get a chance to practice your English skills together.

2. Stay in touch with your home country, but not too much. Skyping or talking on the phone every day with your family and/or friends back home normally makes homesickness worse. Try emailing instead and reduce the Skype and phone calls to once a week, until you feel stronger. It’s much harder seeing the faces and hearing the voices of those you miss.

3. Get out of the house (or your room specifically) – Go to cluster meetings, have coffee or movies with other au pairs, join a gym, go to the library, go for a walk, visit the mall, get a manicure, visit a museum. If someone invites you out, say “yes.” Also, don’t be afraid to do the inviting. If your host family invites you to do things with them, say “yes.” This will help you get to know each other and contribute to your overall happiness.

4. Realize that it definitely gets better – All au pairs experience homesickness and the vast majority of them get through it, stay and have a successful year (some even extend for a second year!) So, it must get better, right? Once you get past the initial homesickness, most au pairs report how quickly the year goes by.

5. Make Plans – Create your own Au Pair Bucket List (places you want to go, new foods to try, new things to experience during your year in the U.S.) and start doing them now. Post on our cluster Facebook group to find others who may want to join you on your adventures.

Photo by:  Shimelle Laine (Flickr)

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Helpful Webinars for APIA Au Pairs

Au Pair in America continues to offers webinars for Au Pairs six times a month.  Au Pairs receive emails from the head office several times a month inviting them to attend the webinars.  They are offered at various times and are 30 – 40 minutes in length.  

The webinar are designed for Au Pairs who are currently in the country to help them manage their year in America.  Au Pairs can register and attend for free.

Some of the recent webinars that au pairs enjoyed were: “Teenagers: The Love and Hate Relationship” and “Travel Tips for Au Pairs.”

Magie Talks about APIA at Baby and Child Expo

Au pair, Magie, from Mexico, was happy to share information about Au Pair in America with interested parents. She answered questions about the program and talked about the great opportunity the program provides both for young women from abroad who learn about life in the United States and for host families who get culturally enriching childcare help for their children.