Tag Archives: au pair in america

Resolutions – Conflict and New Year’s – Jan 2017

Au pairs gathered in my home to think about their new year’s resolutions, get to know one another more and discuss conflict resolution skills.  (We really just had a nice, long brunch together as a family away from family!)

New Year’s resolutions included:  saving money, being more positive, playing more sports, studying more English, taking a course that helps a resume, extending the program on the east coast, traveling more, making more friends, meeting as many people as possible, passing the TOEFL, reading one book per month, having fun in Canada, meeting more au pairs, planning the travel month, jumping from a bungee, shopping less, seeing a friend in Atlanta, learning as much about the US as I can, teaching my host kids more about my culture, staying true to myself and becoming confident,  making the best of the rest of the au pair year.

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Rainier and her Marmots

This past Sunday was a bit cloudy, a bit rainy (some of us thought the sun may come out and donned shorts…ok one of us and it never did…), but a cheery day for an international community to come together to get to know one another.  We found fewer views, but a plethora of animals.  Chipmunks and marmots posed for us on rocks as the au pair crew of this 2016 hike ascended to new heights.  Also of note, a nice sing-along to the top 40s, including our own Seattle boy, Macklemore.  They are true Seattle-ites now!fullsizerender-13 fullsizerender-14 fullsizerender-15 fullsizerender-16

Falling for Snoqualmie – April 2016

The world went to Snoqualmie this month to see the power of the falls, breathe the fresh air of the state and hike as a community of international friends.  South Africa, Poland, Brazil, Croatia, Portugal, Italy, Mexico, Thailand, Germany, Sweden, New Zealand and Costa Rica all representing!  We capped our luxurious hike with a summer safety quiz – clearly all passed with flying colors.  Summer, we are ready.FullSizeRender(3) IMG_0558

Gates Foundation, An American Tradition – Feb 2016

The au pairs headed this month to the Gates Foundation to hear about the work this important group is doing both here in WA and abroad.  The interactive museum and our guide helped to focus our attention on the areas of most concern such as clean water, malaria and education.  The work done by the Gates family and US. entrepreneurs throughout our nation’s history made for an interesting back drop on the current capitalist discussion and how this idea of altruism differs around the world.  Through simulations, we were able to try our own hand at lifting and envisioning how children would carry water to their village for miles and make it last for a full day.  We might now better empathize with the need for resource management and shut off the tap when we brush our teeth each day.

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Baking our Wishes at 425 Degrees – Jan 2016

Our au pair cluster – and a big portion of our au pair cluster! – came to my home last Sunday to make some 2016 wishes, symbolically bake those wishes into a topping and eat those delicious 2016 wish pizzas.  After this ridiculousness, we just talked about taxes.  It was just a fun party with girlfriends in the new year.  Thanks to all those who brought a dish and came this past Sunday.  That is a fine group, right there.

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Salmon Spawning – October 2014

Another gorgeous day with our au pair community.  A big group of APIA au pairs milled around the Issaquah Salmon Days festival this past Sunday, shopping, eating and connecting.  Some of us watched the salmon swim, while others just ate them, loving the PNW all the while.

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Salmon Take Flight – October 2012

Au pairs gathered in Issaquah at the Salmon Hatchery to learn how important these fish are to our ecosystem here in the PNW.  They saw the salmon as fry all the way to those set free in the ocean to be dinner for our orca whale population.  And in perfect Seattle fashion, the rain came down on our event!  Thanks to the group who came and who stayed…and later enjoyed some pizza and conversation in a dryer environment.

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