Yearly Archives: 2018

International Education Week and a “Sort of” Thanksgiving – November 2018

We had an important week last month in the year of a J-1 visa exchange – IEW was Nov 13-17!

This taken from the Department of State link:
International Education Week (IEW) is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. This joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education is part of our efforts to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences. Learn more about it here:


https://eca.state.gov/programs-and-initiatives/initiatives/international-education-week

In light of this IEW, our cluster event was about how best to share our cultures. Thanksgiving itself was the celebrations of two cultures getting to know more about one another, starting from common ground with the most basic of human needs. Food!  Nearly 40 au pairs brought money, flags, stories of their sisters and grandmothers, and many other items that represented home to them.  And one au pair from Brazil shared how she shared – her tips and tricks for the Global Awareness presentations that APIA supports and encourages.  Thank you, Danielle!

Mutual respect for diversity and this inclusive community are inspirational to watch in action.  That, after all, is the heart of the Thanksgiving holiday…

A Spooky Night at the Circus – Oct 2018

Au pairs gathered at the Emerald City Trapeze Arts Studio to enjoy an amazing (and really spooky) show.  Strong women from Costa Rica, Brazil, Germany, Austria, South Africa, and Poland watched as more strong women from around the globe dazzled us with their balance and strength.  (The guys were pretty good too.)  Taking their cues from popular music and movies and music movies, the performers were true artists.  It’s a lesser known fact that Seattle hosts one of the largest circus school in the US, but these au pairs now know the truth.

Scavenger Hunting on Bainbridge Island – October 2018

This fun loving group ran the streets of this gorgeous island this month, taking selfies at various vendors and getting to know new APIA community members.  Au pairs worked on teams and raced to the finish line for ice cream prizes.  We took some time beforehand to talk about how to best talk through conflict when you work where you live and how to support one another through the most rewarding, but most challenging year many will face.  Together we are stronger!

The Yearly Rite of Passage on Our Volcano – September 2018

Au pairs ascended the Mt Rainier volcano this past Sunday and another class of young women came down from that mountain stronger than ever.  We had a nice day getting to know one another on the long bus ride there, playing a state trivia game and sleeping on the bus ride home.  These pictures tell the rest of the story…

 

Host Family Day and Culture Fair – August 2018

Over 100 people- parents, au pairs and kids joined our casual picnic and culture fair this year on the east side!  We had a wonderful location this year and as a J-Day add, donated clothes and shoes to Treehouse.   All this alongside the amazing contributions by the au pairs from Thailand, Brazil, Germany, Austria and The Czech Republic, our APIA host kids got stickers for their passports, tattoos, face paint and dined around the globe. We ended the day with some diversity bingo and our enthusiastic water balloon toss.
This year is the best thus far in their young lives say 85% of our APIA au pairs and events like these with cultures and families coming together, are a big reason for this.

Hellos and Goodbyes – July 2018

This gorgeous group humored me and my phone’s new portrait mode as we strolled through the Bellevue Botanical gardens.  These young women from around the globe, some just arrived, some headed home after a year, ate ice cream and summer safety quizzed.  It was casual and it was nice.

Lake Talks and Pride Parades – June 2018

A smaller group of au pairs headed to the lake to have brunch and soak our toes just talking and another crew headed to show their support and experience the Pride Parade in Seattle.  The lake crew discussed some highlights and lowlights of their experience so far on program and what they have learned, experiencing all of them.  We shared cross-cultural frustrations, memories of travel adventures, and personal growth moments.  I personally appreciate the small group setting for getting to better know one another, but also loved there being a group experiencing the zeitgeist of Seattle.

10 Tips for Summer Safety

  1. Remember to bring along drinks, especially water. Try to get children to drink water every 20 minutes, when they are outside in hot weather.
  2. Pay attention to surfaces that can be hot against children’s skin, such as metal slides and other playground equipment in the sun.
  3. Safety around water is particularly important. A child can drown in just a few inches of water. Whenever you are near water you must never leave a child alone – if the phone rings, take them with you or let it ring! Always stay within arm’s reach when the children are in or near water.
  4. Young babies should be kept out of direct sunlight. Keep the baby in the shade or under a tree, umbrella or stroller canopy.
  5. Dress babies in lightweight clothing and use brimmed hats.
  6. Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside, even if it appears overcast (cloudy).
  7. Try to keep children out of the sun in the middle of the day when the sun is strongest.
  8. Learn what poison ivy looks like and keep children out of it. A good rule to teach the children is “leaves of three, let it be.”
  9. Use insect repellent spray to keep away mosquitos and ticks. Ask your host parents before applying.
  10. Check for ticks when you bring children in from playing outside, especially if you’ve been in tall grass or the woods.

Photo: Scott97006 (Flickr)

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Au Pairs Tour Century Link Stadium

Getting an insider view on the Seahawk’s home turf, these au pairs got to see the press room, media center, locker room, jersey wall, and special box seats during our day at the field.  We learned more about the #12 fans ability to create seismic earthquakes with their enthusiasm and see the city from the gorgeous views of the stadium’s upper decks.  A beautiful day together being 12s from around the world.

Au Pairs Fall for the Falls – Snoqualmie, that is – April 2018

What was more gorgeous – these falls or the new found strength of these globally-minded women?  Au pairs headed to see the famous Snoqualmie Falls this past sunny Sunday.  We “hiked” down the hill, allowing the strong water to mist our faces as we talked about the impact of the program and the confidence and voices gained when challenged by differing languages, cultures and styles.  We bid a fond farewell to three special friends from Poland, Germany and China who had great advice for the group.   To paraphrase, “Put yourself out there and don’t be afraid.  This year will be what you make it!”