A fantastic group of au pairs – seasoned and new – braved the rain and joined me at the rollerskating rink in Bellevue for a quick lesson for some of us less equipped on 8 wheels. We informally discussed safety elements of being an au pair outside of work hours. Online dating, buddy systems, and the recent issues at the UW fraternity parties. Safety is number one with our the kids in our trust, and also number one with those who take care of those kids!
Our sweet (pun intended) group of au pairs arrived ready to tour and eat our way through Theo Chocolate last Sunday. Despite the hairnets, it was a delight to learn the chocolate making process and do it with a group of wonderful young women. Then we got to sit by the fire for 1:1 chats about how the year was going and ways to cope through the winter doldrums….we can all agree, chocolate helps…
Our cluster of au pairs gathered in my home this past Sunday for a customized webinar by one of the official APIA trainers. The APs were polled and selected the topic, “Activity Time – Infants and Toddlers”. We got great ideas on how to entertain our host babies (keeping them safe above all), using puppets and potato stamps with toddlers and making wonderful Valentine’s projects with children of all ages. We then took a snack break to get to know one another more and circled back again to talk about TAXES. A nice discussion about a complex topic…with more on this to come…
Over 10 countries shared their unique holiday traditions this past Sunday in a host family home in Kirkland. We heard about beach Santa’s shorts in Mexico and South Africa, St Lucia’s red (blood) belt from Sweden, St Nikolas’s shoes from Germany, and many more stories of holiday spirit around the world. Then we stole gifts from one another in good fun and shared homemade sweets to take home and devour.
I’m the luckiest counselor around to have this crew of au pairs!
A nameless group of au pairs set out on a quest to answer clues and find stores in Bellevue Square Mall. It was a spirited game with two groups vying for first place, but when there is leftover Halloween candy, everyone is a winner!
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.
Over 60 au pairs and the APIA counselors of WA climbed to the top of Paradise on Mt Rainier this past weekend. The hike was short, but hot this weekend (same weekend last year was hailing!). We chased chipmunks, smelled wild flowers and made new friends. Thanks to all who came and made our community day together so special.
A very spectacular day for our APIA community. Over 125 people – host families and au pairs – tattooed the children, threw flyers around a beach, colored the world, sang a happy birthday, scavenger hunted the cultural way, ate dishes from around the globe and ended our fun with a good ole’ water balloon toss with kids and their sweet care givers. What fun! Thank you all who attended and made this day so wonderful!
Au Pairs from over 12 different countries spent a good portion of their hard-earned Saturday off to help the hungry of WA state. This past November, our cluster of au pairs helped to collect over $14,000 for NW Harvest at a Seahawks game and this past weekend another group of au pairs helped to pack over 13,000 pounds of apples that will be distributed to centers around the state to assist hungry families. Apples were purchased or donated from farms in Eastern WA and our group made, labeled, filled and closed up boxes of these apples that will then go out in refrigerated trucks around the Greater Seattle and Tacoma areas helping those who need help. (WA is the 15th hungriest state in the US.) These au pairs pictured below should be very proud of this hard work and the time and energy donated to something larger than any one of us!
Au Pairs hit the rink at Southgate Rollerrink in West Seattle this month. We took the lesson and then joined the families to skate around to the hits. Very American!
