A small but mighty group went touring in our own town. We tried a new tour company and hit the streets to hear about what we didn’t yet know. They told us great stories of Seattle octopus, revealed the real “first Starbucks” location, talked through the Seattle fire and the newly built city and told tales of a man named Ivar and his eccentric ways (leading him to start the first fish and chips chain in the city.). 
Au pairs from China, Luxembourg, Guatemala, Thailand, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Poland, Germany, and South Africa gathered at Gates Foundation to learn about the work they are doing around the globe. Our gracious tour guides expertly talked through the data on world hunger, equity, pollution, parental leave, sanitation and disease. The young women of Au Pair In America (who will soon be adding their voices and efforts to the good fight for justice) learned about birthing methods and patient treatment around the globe, as well as water free toilets ready soon for market to combat ringworm. It was a great learning morning and wonderful part of this group’s journey while here in Seattle. They had smart insights and intelligent responses. The future is in good hands.
The World Health Organization estimates that 1 in every 3 women in the world experience violence and these stats have not improved over the past decade. Women living overseas are an especially vulnerable population, in that they are learners of a new language, surrounded by different values and behaviors. Those who have lived overseas know day-to-day interactions can feel foreign and understanding threats can get lost in cultural misinterpretations. Step in Officer Craig of the Bellevue, WA (the largest majority-minority city in the US) police department.
Officer Craig has been teaching women’s self defense classes to his local community for just a few months now. What the Bellevue Police are doing is fairly unique according to Officer Craig, and last Sunday, our au pair population was able to be a part of his teachings first-hand. Officer Craig slowed down what transpires in the “mechanics” of an unequal struggle, describing how women can use the space between and their own bodies as leverage if it is not their own physical strength that will serve in the moment. He talked through body positioning for finding the best balance, defensive tactics, illegal in boxing since they don’t serve the goal of being able to strike an opponent. He later shared links to reinforce the moves:
Officer Craig demonstrated with care and precision these defensive moves to 30 au pairs from 12 different countries. The women then practiced how to guard against an assailant, lessons they can take with them to their own home countries.
Conversations around law enforcement between citizens from various parts of the globe are always interesting and what it means to “serve and protect” has taken on various interpretations, both at home and abroad, depending on the experiences or the traumas we each hold. Officer Craig learned everyone’s names in the short amount of time we spent with him, he created a space of trust with the local police for a woman far from home, and with humility, he left us offering future support, saying that he was, “grateful to be in a position to help in a small way.” At the Bellevue, WA police station in a closed City Hall office on a Sunday, we found a person who was “serving and protecting” in a very proactive and caring way.
A good chocolate bar is a global effort. Theo reminded us of that this past Sunday. And a culture shock cure for au pairs might very well be chocolate. Theo also agreed with us when asked this past Sunday. A peaceful community is also a global effort. APIA Au Pair representatives from Mozambique, Italy, Colombia, Thailand, Brazil, Germany, Mexico, Luxembourg and Peru gathered together in the Fremont (the center of the universe) neighborhood of Seattle to taste and vote on their favorite chocolate bars. The building itself once housed the first trolley cars in the city and then the first Redhook Brewery, but now the building is a buzz with chocolate and the global connections the au pairs brought. And darn if chocolate and connection wasn’t delicious.
APIA host families from around the Greater Seattle area and their au pairs participated in our annual cultural fair and family day (after a two year hiatus). So lovely to have the community together again to do word searches, tattoos, face painting, cultural bingos, water balloon tosses and a cultural fair put on by delegates from six countries. The kids had a blast learning about Poland, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Germany. Thanks to all who came and to this little one from Vashon Island who fell asleep on the host for an hour. A real gift to be together.
Au pairs from over 10 counties ferried over from Seattle to Bainbridge Island this month to participate in a photo scavenger hunt. We ended with a taste of the world famous Mora ice cream. 
Check out the pictures from our community gathering of over 60 au pairs in our multi-cluster event. It was a special night with a pool just for us! Celebrating J-Day, the community brought shoes to donate – over 100 pairs! Click here to see more about Exchange Day: https://www.alliance-exchange.org/events/celebrate-exchange-day/.
We played just a few ice breakers before deciding to simply have a dance party with the top US summer hits in the pool with no agenda. And some high diving for fearless women was had!
Well, we are sure playing ball now, metaphorically speaking. Watching a Mariners v Red Sox baseball game with over 110 APIA au pairs was a great kick-off to our first multi-cluster event in over 2 years. We are coming back stronger than ever in our community of interculturalist community counselors, globally-minded host families and adventurous au pairs. We had a seventh-inning stretch with a childcare safety quiz tossed in the mix, since we know full well how to play hard and work hard. A lovely day at the ball park had by all
Here’s to summer and more fun in person together! Go APIA!
Au pairs met up for a conversation about child safety, a get to know you, a conversation about what it means to be a woman across cultures for International Women’s Month and a stroll through the sculpture park in downtown Seattle. 
Au pairs were asked this and many more questions in our zoom reflections of the year. Here were some highlights of what was shared:
What were your good moments and gratitudes? travel, northern lights, snowfall, culture sharing with my host family, learning English…
What did you do right or how did you grow as a person? learned to say goodbye, improved communication, got the courage to speak up and talk about tough moments…
What are your 2022 plans or mottos for the new year? “ask myself, ‘why not?'” “stay safe, live more,” make more friends, say yes not no, volunteer, exercise, use social media less, be more generous,…
And speaking of 2022, we are thrilled to report that APIA again has been named the top au pair agency from VeryWell Family. Proud of our state, regional and national team of dedicated employees!
