Tag Archives: world

Martin Luther King Day

“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

Martin Luther King Jr. was an important leader of the civil rights movement here in America 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.

Here are some links about the history of this holiday including a biography of Dr. King, a quiz for kids and a junior crossword.  Maybe you can do something special with the kids to acknowledge the day.

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/mlkbiospot.html

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/mlkjrday1.html

To read the full I Have a dream Speech go to:

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm

Happy Thanksgivukkah!

untitled (5)Hanukkah begins at sundown this evening, which means Thankgiving and Hanukkah are celebrated together this year.  A new term Thanksgivukkah is being used to honor both holidays!
The next time Thanksgivukkah will be celebrated is in 79,043 years from now, according to one estimate. Another suggests Thanksgivukkah will take place in 2070 and 2165.

For fun and educational activities for children go to http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/hanukkah/

Directions to play the Dreidel game.  Play for Hershey kisses, a great way to have fun with the kids when they are home from school! http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/hanukkah/dreidel-game.html

Happy Hanukkah!

Make It The Best Year Ever

There are so many new faces in the cluster.  You must have heard “make this the best year ever”, but what does it really mean?  Here is a list of suggestions I gathered from my former au pairs.  They all agree that the year goes by really fast and despite having some bad days, they do miss being an au pair.  When I asked them what suggestions they wanted to share, here is what they told me:

1.  Take good care of the kids (this really was their first response!)

2.  Listen and respect your host family, be honest about your mistakes, don’t try to hide them….it will only make things worse.

3.  Travel as soon as you can, don’t procrastinate.

4.  Meet new people, try not to hang out with only au pairs from your country

5.  Enjoy every moment

6.  Be open-minded, don’t compare

7.  Don’t spend all your money on the stuff you don’t need.  It’s not easy to take it home

8.  Give it a good chance, even it you are feeling homesick, shy or nervous. Stick it out because its definitely worth it

9.  Take advantage of your free time, volunteer and help out.  The reference letter may help you get a job in the future.

10.  Pick your classes carefully.  There are some options that you will find interesting.

Enjoy your journey!

Hurricane Sandy (Frankenstorm) is Coming – Be Prepared.

Do not worry about the hurricane, but it is important to be careful.

• Stay home with your host family during the storm and follow their advice and direction
• Keep your own families at home informed about your location and personal status during/after the storm
• Talk to your host family about any travel plans you or they have for this week and cancel/reschedule

Do not be afraid, but it is good to go over emergency procedures with your host parents.

We may lose electricity during the storm. Sometimes it takes a few days to get the power back on. Please know that you will be safe and that your host parents are prepared for these kind of situations. Stay inside in a hurricane and stay together.

Here is a list of things to have on hand in the event of a natural disaster like a hurricane:
• Food and water
• flashlights and batteries
• a battery operated radio
• charge your cell phones before the storm
• cooler and ice for food to be stored
• hand wipes
• a first aide kit
• activities to occupy the children
I hope the storm isn’t too bad, but if you lose electricity, do not worry, it will come back on. Trust your host parents to know what to do and help anyway you can, especially with the kids!
If you have to evacuate with your host families to another location, you must:
Take your important documents. This includes passport, Form DS-2019, Form I-94, Social Security Card, Financial Records, plane ticket, checks, credit cards, etc.)
Take contact numbers and e-mail address of your community counselor
Take SEVP and Department of State contact information. SEVP email address: SEVIS.Source@dhs.gov.; Department of State e-mail address: Jvisas@state.gov.

Culture Fest 2011!

                                  Host Families, Au Pairs, Children and all friends are invited to attend

 

Cultural Fest!

2011

Sponsored by Au Pair In America

 

Hosted by Hatboro-Horsham Educational Foundation (HHEF)

 Visitors will be treated to the sights, sounds, and flavors from the many cultures that make our world go around.

Area restaurants will provide tastes of their own special cuisine.  There are many international flavors all around us and we will bring them together for this very special celebration.

  Date:  Sunday – May 15, 2011

 Time:  12pm to 3pm

 Place:  Hatboro-Horsham High School

             899 Horsham Road

             Horsham, PA  19044

 Website for directions: 

www.hatboro-horsham.org/domain/190

 Please RSVP to your Counselor

Janet Kratzke: jckratzke@yahoo.com

 (Host Family Workshop requirement will be fulfilled by attending this event)

A Very Merry Christmas!

HERE’S WISHING A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM MY FAMILY TO YOURS!

Christmas around the world

Millions of children around the world are familiar with plump and jolly Santa Claus, much loved of North America, with his red suit, black boots and twinkling eyes. He arrives Christmas Eve bearing gifts from the North Pole in a sleigh pulled by reindeer. Other countries have their own native gift bearers of the holiday season as well.

 

Christmas Customs

Christmas around the world: In Italy, children receive gifts from the good witch La Befana, old, bent and dressed in black. La Befana was a widowed, childless woman when the Three Kings passed on their way to see the Christ child. When they asked her the way to Bethlehem she was busy cleaning and sent them away. Realizing her mistake, she left to search for the Baby Jesus. To this day she is still searching going from house to house on Epiphany, January 6, leaving a gift for good children.

Russian children await gifts from Babouska, a farmer’s wife who offered food and shelter to the Three Wise men on their journey to Bethlehem, Baboushka declined their offer of travelling with them to visit the Christ child. Realizing her error on the eve of Epiphany, she tried unsuccessfully to find them, but handed the presents she had intended for the infant Jesus to children she passed along the way.

In Spain, Mexico, Puerto Rico and South America, the Three Kings or Wise Men bring Christmas gifts to children, while in France children eagerly await the coming of Father Christmas or Pere Noel who brings their gifts.

In some cultures, Saint Nicholas travels with an assistant. The old bishop Sinterklass arrives in Holland on December 6 in his red bishop’s costume astride a white horse. In many port towns, he is said to have sailed in on a ship from Spain. Beside him walks Black Peter with a black sack and a book recording each Dutch child’s behavior through the year. Good children receive a gift from the bishop while bad children may be carried away in Black Peter’s sack

 
In Germany Saint Nicholas also travels with a helper, known as Knecht Ruprecht, Krampus, or Pelzebock, and comes with a sack on his back and a rod or switches in his hand. Saint Nicholas gives gifts to good children, while those who have been bad are punished by the assistant with a few hits of a switch.

Swedish children wait for the gnome Jultomten, also called Julemanden or Julenisse, who dresses in red and carries a sack of gifts on his back. He flies in his sleigh pulled by the Julbocker, the goats of Thor, the god of thunder. Elves, called the Juul Nisse, hide in the attics of families throughout the year, eagerly waiting to help him. Children leave bowls of milk or rice pudding in the attic for the elves, hoping they will be empty in the morning.

In Austria and Switzerland it is Christkindl or the Christ Child who arrives bearing gifts. In some towns children await the Holy Child and in others Christkindl is a beautiful girl-angel who comes down from heaven bearing gifts.

And in England a thinner version of Santa Claus known as Father Christmas, wearing long red robes with sprigs of holly in his hair, delivers gifts to children.

Merry Christmas around the world

Afrikaner (Afrikaans) ~ “Geseënde Kersfees”
Argentine ~ “Felices Pascuas”
Bohemian ~ “Vesele Vanoce”
Brazilian ~ “Boas Festas”
Chinese (Cantonese) ~ “Saint Dan Fai Lok”
Danish ~ “Glædelig Jul”
Dutch ~ “Vrolijk Kerstfeest”
English ~ “Merry Christmas”
Filipino ~ “Maligayang Pasko”
Finnish ~ “Hyvaa Joulua”
French ~ “Joyeux Noël”
German ~ “Froehliche Weihnachten”
Greek ~ “Kala Christouyenna”
Hawaiian ~ “Mele Kalikimaka”
Hebrew ~ “Mo’adim Lesimkha”
Icelandic ~ “Gledileg Jol”
Indonesian ~ “Selamat Hari Natal”
Irish ~ “Nollaig Shona Dhuit”
Italian ~ “Buone Feste Natalizie”Natale italiano
Japanese ~ “Kurisumasu Omedeto”
Korean ~ “Sung Tan Chuk Ha”
Lithuanian ~ “Linksmu Kaledu”
Malay ~ “Selamat Hari Natal”
Maori ~ “Meri Kirihimete”
Norwegian ~ “God Jul”Jul i Norge
Romanian ~ “Craciun Fericit”
Peruvian ~ “Felices Fiestas”
Portugese ~ “Boas Festas”
Slovakian ~ “Vesele Vianoce”
Spanish ~ “Feliz Navidad”Cyber Navidad
Swedish ~ “God Jul”Jul i Sverige
Welsh ~ “Nadolig Llawen”