Friday nights with your friends from around the globe sometimes look like this! For some it was their first bowl and for everyone it was an opportunity to come together and chill after a long week with their American kids.
St Mark’s is one of Seattle’s oldest and most beautiful cathedrals in the city and the community (members and non members alike) gather weekly for a yoga practice and sound bath to unite the spirits and senses and share in a calm meditation. The practice is non-denominational and yoga is healthy for most bodies. Our au pairs enjoyed the sights and the sounds at St Marks and felt gratitude for our global community this month. Together we are stronger!
We are going on four years of our partnership with the Bellevue Police Department and Officer Craig’s innovative style of protecting and serving the community with his self defense community classes. This is the only police department in the world to offer such classes. Au Pairs learned how to not get involved with someone who is not making good choices by using three “C”s – Communication, Confidence and Crazy. Use your outstretched arms to indicate that you do not want that person to approach you. Say “back up” very loudly in a clear voice. And then use a “crazy” tone if needed to stop the perpetrator from thinking you will go quietly and easily with what they want. Au pairs learned moves to leverage the weight of someone off of them if they held a weapon. Saying “you don’t need the knife, I will do what you say” could help the situation. It was an informative and educational day practicing our power.
We strolled through the Bellevue Botanical gardens again for Garden Lights, shared what is happening in the end of the year in our own countries and ended with an anonymous white elephant gift exchange. Fun to have everyone in tow! Peace on earth.
This cluster meeting is quiet and calm. It’s a time for us to gather and just be. We got our craft on at Paint the Town and made some tiles, ornaments and pottery and it was good. https://www.paintthetown.studio
The APIA peace keepers in our corner of the globe gathered up this past Sunday. We had 8 countries representing for our culture fair and the kids “traveled the world” to meet the au pairs and hear more about their countries. The weather kept dry and we had sunshine in our hearts, playing scavenger bingo, doing a spirited water balloon toss and getting to know one another. Thanks to our amazing au pairs and families who make the program all it is here in WA!
What fun it was to meet in Gasworks Park, get to know one another better with speed dating questions and decorate (and sign one another’s) trucker hats.
Nearly 75 au pairs from around the globe now living in the Greater Seattle area came together to witness another Mariner’s victory. Our game had a home run, a salmon race, fly balls and sunshine! It was great to gather the areas Community Counselors and their clusters to kick off summer together. New friends were made and an American pastime experienced!
A group of au pairs spent their hard earned free time on a weekend to learn life-saving skills they will carry with them forever and wherever. Together with our Red Cross partnership, APIA Au pairs received hands on instruction in CPR, wound care, and emergency preparedness. So proud of those who earned the certificate and happy Au Pair in America can provide these scholarships to hard-working and dedicated au pairs. The beat of “Pink Pony Club” takes on all new and important meaning for this amazing group.
Please excuse the springtime pun in the title, but it’s gorgeous out with budding trees and we had a wonderful night as a global community of buds. We practiced English and made new friends while trying out a new sport for some of us. A great Friday night learning an American tradition.
