Tag Archives: au pair new orleans

Ana from Colombia Shares Her APIA Advantage Experience

All au pairs participating in the State Department approved au pair programs are required to complete 6 credits hours of academic work during a year-long match.

Au pairs who participate in Au Pair in America program can satisfy this educational requirement by taking APIA Advantage course offered online by UCLA. https://www.uclaextension.edu/aupairs/Pages/default.aspx

Part of the UCLA course consists of Community Involvement segment. Many au pairs find it especially interesting and enjoyable. Here Ana from Colombia shares her experience with APIA Advantage – American Studies Online.

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Global Awareness and Volunteer work

I had the opportunity to share my culture and Language with a great class of children at The Chapel Church in Baton Rouge, LA.  The kids belong to 3rd to 5th grade. They learned about my country, geographic information, customs, food and interesting facts. Also they learned some Spanish words and greetings. They had a lot of questions for me and I answered gladly. It is great to know that the kids in USA are very interested in different cultures.

I have been volunteering with this class since the beginning of May and I will stay with them for the summer term and maybe more time. This opportunity has gave me to me the chance to get involve with The Chapel community, other teachers and leaders who have supported my staying here in USA.

Cultural and Historical activities

Reef Bay Trail: This is one of the best hiking trails in the world, located in St. John USVI, it contains a great historical richness. The trail goes crossing the Reef Bay Valley in the island and during the way you can find ruins and old buildings from the colonization age. Sugar plantains, old houses, workers houses and Petroglyphs made by the ancients natives in the island, time before the colonizers arrived to the Americas.

Cemetery Tour New Orleans: New Orleans cemeteries have a great history and architecture, the thumbs belongs to very important and historically recognized families in the state.

Mardi Gras 2014: The famous festival in New Orleans and Baton Rouge shows in a fun way the history of the kings in Louisiana. Music, customs and food all at the same time at the same place.

St. Patrick’s Day: This is not an American date but they celebrate as own. All the Irish culture celebrate and shows to the world their culture.

5 de mayo: this is a Mexican day but USA has adopted it it. Mexican music and food is the celebration theme for this day.

Memorial Day

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Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.
The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states then others followed.
It is now celebrated on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays).
Americans honor those who have lost their lives for their country by visiting cemeteries, placing flags and flowers on graves, flying the U.S. flag at half-staff until noon and attending parades.

Children can be a part of Memorial Day too.  Here are some links to children’s activities:

Au Pairs Enjoy Bayou Boogaloo

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One of the more popular spring festivals is Bayou Boogaloo on the banks of Bayou St. John in mid-city. Au pairs enjoyed zydeco music, food and the art market where they spied many beautiful items to admire and a few to purchase (on au pair’s budget).

Zydeco is a musical genre evolved in southwest Louisiana by French Creole speakers which blends Cajun music, blues and rhythm and blues.

Kayaking on Bayou St. John

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After meeting at NOMA, some au pairs decided to continue to Bayou Kayaks launch pad on bayou St. John. Paddling along they didn’t spot any local alligators, but saw plenty of fish, ducks, ducklings, geese, goslings, kayakers and yolo boarders.

Kayaking was so much fun it will definitely be a repeat experience.

http://www.bayoukayaks.com/

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Kirsty Completes Two-Year Match with Her Host Family

After two years with her host family, Kirsty will be going back home to England in the middle of April. Here she reflects on her “amazing” experience.

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What made you decide to join Au Pair in America?

I have always loved to work with children, and wanted to travel! Joining Au Pair in America was my best opportunity to do both of the things I love to do!

You obviously enjoyed being with your host family because you extended for another year. What was the biggest difference between year 1 and year 2?

When I first became an au pair for my host family I worked every day taking care of my 2 year old boy whilst my older 4 year old boy was at school. Where as in my second year both boys were in school and so this was the biggest change! Having both boys in school in the mornings! I also went to the gym in my second year and not in my first year!!

What are some of the favorite activities your host children and you have enjoyed?

There have been so many activities we have enjoyed together! Some of the favorites are baking (cookies, cupcakes and decorating a gingerbread house) colouring and making Christmas decorations out of salt dough for their special tree 🙂

What’s your favorite American food?

My favorite American food would have to be the Cheese Braid Bread that my host mom has made for Christmas morning the last 2 years! It is delicious!!!
But also I tried Sushi for the first time when I got to Louisiana, and this has also become a favorite food of mine!

You traveled quite a bit in the States. Which city or area impressed you the most?

I have seen some beautiful places whilst traveling! The most breath taking sight I’ve seen so far would have to be Niagara Falls! It was amazing to see such a beautiful place! I still have a lot more places to see with my last 2 weeks traveling the West Coast which I’m very much looking forward too 🙂

What will you remember ‘forever’ about your au pair experience?

I will remember all the amazing people I’ve met on my journey! Especially my host family, my cluster counselor, and my friends from all over the world!

Also all of the beautiful places I’ve visited and all the special occasions that I have celebrated whilst being here for 2 years! 🙂 I’ve had the time of my life being an au pair in America and I am so glad that I had this amazing opportunity!

Spring Is Coming!

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Au pairs joined the crowds in City Park to enjoy a delightfully warm and sunny day heralding the arrival of spring.

March and April are great months to enjoy the outdoors in New Orleans. They are also the perfect time to engage kids in garden activities. Planting veggies, building a snail farm, digging for worms, or painting a rainbow trellis are just a few of many fun projects that will keep them busy and entertained. For inspiration and instructions you can visit:

http://spoonful.com/crafts/gardening-crafts-gallery

http://www.thecraftycrow.net/garden/

Also, for those of you who are not squeamish (kids seldom are) here is another activity: Building a snail farm.

http://www.kidspot.com.au/kids-activities-and-games/gardening-for-kids+31.htm

Build a Snail Farm

Get the kids outside and into the garden during the holidays and weekends with this fun kids activity. Building a snail farm is easy as you most likely already have everything you need sitting around the house. So get the kids ready for some slimy fun as you establish your farm today.

What you need:

  • clear plastic bottle
  • scissors
  • clear tape
  • soil
  • lettuce or weeds

Activity:

Seal the bottle top onto the bottle.

Carefully cut a 10cm long and 5cm wide opening in the side of the plastic bottle.

Lie the bottle on its side with the opening at the top.

Place moistened soil and some lettuce or weeds inside the bottle.

Find some snails in your garden and place them in the bottle.

Tape over the opening with tape, but make sure to punch holes in the tape to allow for air.

Enjoy watching your snail farm for a few days before releasing your snails and replacing them with new ones.

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Motor Development in Children

Motor development is the process of acquiring movement skills and abilities. Motor development is divided into group types: gross motor, which involves the large muscles, and fine motor, which involves the small muscles. Gross motor skills develop before fine motor skills. Fine motor skills are less developed in younger children than in older children. Both types of motor skills are important in the child’s development.

Motor development occurs in a predictable, orderly sequence. This pattern of development is universal in children all over the world. For example, most children sit up around seven months, walk around 12 months, hop by three years, and skip at five years of age. It is important to remember that each child will develop at his or her own rate, and that different children will have different abilities in both gross and fine motor development. Children should not be pushed to perform motor skills before they are ready.

During the first two years of life, motor development is rapid. Motor development proceeds from the head down to the toes. The muscles closest to the head are the first muscles an infant learns to control. Next shoulder, arm, and stomach muscles develop, followed by the muscles in the legs and feet. Most motor skills are developed by six or seven years of age. Giving infants, toddlers and children opportunities to move their bodies and develop their muscles is critical to physical development as well as social, emotional and intellectual development.

Handedness is the area of motor development that involves hand preference. This preference may occur

in children as young as two years of age and is usually established by age five. Hand preference is deter- mined by the brain. As the brain develops, one side of the brain becomes dominant. If a child’s hand preference is left, then the right side of the brain is dominant. If the left side of the brain is dominant, then the child will be right handed. Children should not be encouraged to change their hand preference.

Depending on the age and development of the child, gross and fine motor activities should be encouraged. Activities that include running, jumping, skipping, kicking, walking, climbing, throwing and catching become the foundation for children to learn more complex motor skills as they get older. Some suggestions for large motor development include playing Follow the Leader, jumping over things, dancing to music and playing with balls.

Fine motor development occurs when children have control over the finger muscles. Children should be offered manipulative activities that are age-appropriate to develop this skill. Activities for young children include putting together puzzles, zipping, stringing beads, using scissors, playing with Duplos or Legos, scribbling, drawing, and painting.

Every day age-appropriate activities to promote motor development should be encouraged for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children. These activities should include indoor and outdoor play. Interact and play along with the children while you are supervising them. Make sure children have adequate time and space as well as safe equipment and materials that are age-appropriate. Each time you provide these activities and interact with the child, you are contributing to their development.

Valentine's Day

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Through the ages, many cultures have paused to celebrate love and romance in mid-February, but Americans use Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to tell almost everyone how much they care. Children usually exchange cards at school. Even more importantly, the observance of this day encourages a spirit of goodwill and respect for fellow human beings. Valentine’s Day truly is a time of love, friendship, giving, and caring.

See the links for Valentine’s Day ideas and games:

http://blackdog4kids.com/holiday/valentine/index.html

http://www.heart4home.net/2014/01/valentine-ideas/

http://www.ivillage.com/valentines-day-crafts-kids-0/6-b-142009#142011


A History Lesson at Laura Plantation

Laura Plantation in Vacherie, La is one of the many Creole plantations sitting alongside the Mississippi River outside of New Orleans.

The main building has a colorful façade reflecting Caribbean influences and compared to other plantation houses is less grand and nearly contemporary in look.  Located behind the main compound are old slave quarters displaying old time farm implements and a few pictures.

The fascinating story told at Laura focuses in equal measure on the plantation owners and slaves, giving visitors a fairly rounded picture of what life was really like on a Creole plantation in the nineteenth century.

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Following a lively and informative tour by our excellent guide, Dough, au pairs repaired to a nearby shelter to have some refreshments and enjoy the rest of the meeting.

We gave a big round of applause to Kirsty who is finishing her second very successful year with her host family and getting ready to return to England.

We also greeted two new au pairs, Desire from South Africa and Charlotte from France. Desire is a first time au pair, but Charlotte is a returning au pair who rejoined her former host family after a two-year hiatus back home in France.

We wish Desire and Charlotte a great year with their host families!

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Extension au pair:

Au pair who decides to extend her participation in the program either with her current host family or a new one. Au pair can extend for 6 months, 9 months or 1 year.

Returning au pair:

Au pair who decides to rejoin the program after a required two-year break. Au pair can match with her former host family or a new host family.

Martin Luther King Day

Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 he was an important leader of the civil rights movement in the United States during the 1950s and 60s. The holiday was created as a day to remember his fight for the freedom, equality, and dignity of all races and peoples and as a time to remember the message of change through nonviolence. He gave his most famous speech  “I have a dream” during the March on Washington in 1963. He was assassinated in 1968 but his legacy lives on. MLK Day is always celebrated on the third Monday in January.

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”
– Martin Luther King, I Have a Dream quote

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