Below is a gorgeous group of giving girls. This past weekend was beautiful outside and here in Seattle, we wait for those sunny, winter days. But this crew went inside and for their precious time off, helped pack thousands of pounds of peas for those hungry around WA state at NW Harvest. It is not the most popular of our cluster events, but it is a favorite for those who feel its true meaning and impact on the community this global village shares together for one or two years. 
How many branches does the US government have? How often are Senators elected? What date is the President sworn in every 4 years? These and many other questions were answered in our video presentation and trivia game last weekend in Redmond. Au pairs walked away with more knowledge, but were admittedly impressively wise from the start! Then we ate pizza…
Nothing better than the power of a strong woman! We were 90 au pairs strong from 30 countries watching these young UW college basketball athletes. Our joint cluster event was an inspirational success this January. Go Huskies! http://gohuskies.com/index.aspx?path=wbball
Our crew came together to dine, draw, describe celebrations of home and dream of new adventures to have here in the US during the holiday season. The au pairs cooked their hearts out and we shared goodies and stories from Thailand, Austria, Netherlands, Brazil, Sweden, France, China, Germany and Canada. Stories of the beaches of Brazil, Chinese New Year, Austrian music and wreaths, French foie gras, German Krampus and Thai lanterns were a part of the evenings activities as was drawing on our heads, a white elephant gift exchange and packing up plates of cookies to savor later. It was a special night with a special class of au pairs.
Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November each year. Even though a few other countries also celebrate Thanksgiving, it’s still considered a uniquely American holiday, one that the au pairs look forward to experiencing. You can learn more about it here.
“I really enjoyed Thanksgiving with my host family. It was as I imagined! So much food to try. Everyone got dressed up and shared what they were thankful for. It was so warm and special. The next day we began to prepare for Christmas. It was magical.” Selina from Germany
Below you will find some tips to help you have a terrific Thanksgiving experience.
1. Please plan to include your au pair in your Thanksgiving celebration, if at all possible. Thanksgiving with an au pair offers an opportunity to consider the relevance of the history and meaning of Thanksgiving as you compare the hospitality offered by the Native Americans to the recently arrived Pilgrims and the hospitality you offer your au pair.
2. If you are traveling or will not be able to invite your au pair to join you for Thanksgiving, give her plenty of notice and help her make alternate plans. You don’t want to leave your au pair alone over the holiday.
3. If you are invited to attend dinner, please let your family know within 5 days of the invitation, whether you are planning to attend. It is considered rude in America to accept the invitation for dinner and then change your mind later in the month. Please be thoughtful.
4. Make sure to discuss time off during this holiday weekend. Many host families work the Friday after Thanksgiving so do not assume you have this day off or the entire weekend. Talk to your host family, BEFORE you make any plans.
5. If your host family is unable to include you in their Thanksgiving plans, please let me know if you have trouble making other plans. You may be able to join a friend and their host family for the holiday dinner.
If you are looking for a fun recipe to make with your au pair, check out these turkey cupcakes. Find more fun activities and recipes on the Au Pair in America Fall Holidays pinboard.
Photo: Tim Sackton (Flickr)
Over 60 au pairs on a program representing over 60 countries made some time this past Sunday to focus on self care, while they carry out the important work of childcare, culture sharing and adapting to life here in the US. The Au Pair In America community took a ferry over to Bainbridge as a multi-cluster event. Starting the day getting to know one another, talking about coping strategies for homesickness, scavenger hunting to know this beautiful island better and ending the day with an ice cream before ferrying home again. It was perfect and everyone is just where they are meant to be. #beingthechangetheywishtosee
It was a long way around to get ourselves safely into the park area, but dodging fires and smoke, nearly 80 au pairs made it to their destination. Mt. Rainier. This multi-cluster event has become a wonderful kick off to a new year with many au pairs arriving in summer.
The weather was gorgeous and this new cluster did a great job making new friends, sharing stories and having fun! The marmots even came out in droves to welcome them to town.
If only we had more time…always..
Over 150 kids, au pairs and host parents gathered in West Seattle to share stories, pot luck dishes from around the globe, donate shoes for J-1 day and partake in an international scavenger hunt and water balloon toss. Our Au Pair In America programs are all about trust between peoples and nations and this year’s water balloon toss was symbolic of the gentle communication and actions required to make a strong match and a connection based in trust. This group of young women and the families who welcome them into their homes to share in their family life is simple inspiring.
Nothing beats some fro-yo on a hot day regardless of international taste buds! Au pairs this month were treated to some tasty bites while we discussed the WA APIA Best Of’s. Best place to go with kids, best classes, best hikes, etc… A casual cluster event with friends during the heat of summer.
It was just a handful of us, but it was one of the most powerful cluster events of the year, I might say. We got to go deep and really get to know more about each other. What has been learned, what has been surprising, and what we hope is yet to come. Thanks to this group of powerful, brave global travelers who put themselves out into the world and are now discovering the power they always had inside of them, but maybe never knew so well. Seems fitting we had this chat at the birthplace of Seattle here on Alki-New York where the first European settlers landed (cried out of homesickness), but were met by Chief Seattle and a new life in this corner of the U.S.
