We’ve got gamers, hikers and readers. Au pairs will be finding their special interest groups for 2024. The things they love will be more fun with friends this year!
Tag Archives: west seattle
As American as Baseball – August 2023
As American as baseball…the remarkable APIA family of au pairs from all WA clusters gathered to watch the Mariners beat Kansas City in a sunshine filled stadium. We got to know one another a bit more in seventh inning stretch and won some big league chew. A gorgeous day of global, peace-seeking, adventure-driven community at the ball park.
Pools and Shoes – Exchange Day Celebrations – July 2023
The au pairs in WA state gathered up for some swimming, singing and donating of shoes for the J-1 exchange day national celebrations. They played a water safety quiz and listened to their joint Spotify global jam mix. Summer fun!
Exchange Day is coming soon on August 7, and APIA is excited to celebrate with a shoe drive. Held on the first Monday in August, Exchange Day is a nationwide celebration of the power of international exchange. Program participants come together with their American hosts to share cultural experiences, give back to their communities, and have some fun. This day is also an opportunity to raise awareness of international exchange programs and spread the word about the power of cultural exchange.
APIA has historically celebrated Exchange Day in August with shoe drives, AP get togethers, and more. 
A Sort of Thanksgiving – November 2019
Our crew gathered in West Seattle this month for some pie tasting and craft making. Johanna from Germany led us in a Blidergebnis fur Laternen craft. The story goes that St Martin, being a kind man, cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar during a snowstorm. On Nov 11, this day celebrates altruism and modesty. Since APIA is all about sharing, we thought it relevant this season. Thank you to our host families who sharing their Thanksgiving tables with young women from around the world!
Hitting the Pool – August “coffee day” 2019
Our cluster gathers more intimately monthly for coffee meetings around town and this month, we hit the pool and left the coffee behind. Au pairs gathered for sandwiches and ice cream at the Arbor Heights pool in West Seattle. Delightful to soak with this crew and just unwind. #welovesummer
Century Link Stadium Tour – May 2019
How many pictures can we take? Ladies were looking great in the sunshine, in the press boxes and in the locker rooms at the Century Link stadium tour. It was really fascinating to hear about the history of the spot where our Seattle Seahawks play and we had a fine time spending time with one another as 12s on a gorgeous day.
Host Family Community Day – August 2017
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.
Digging Deep on a Beautiful Morning Beach Stroll – June 2017
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.
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.
Host Family and J Day 2016
We had another big turn out for the APIA host family day at Lincoln Park this year in Seattle (over 150 people) and yesterday we combined an Au Pair In America 30th birthday with a celebration of J Day where au pairs from several of our 60 countries represented made dishes from their countries and families donated over 30 pairs of shoes for the Goodwill.
Cultural exchanges have always been at the heart of our US foreign policy and the State Department remains steadfast in its support of intercultural friendships through the J-1 visa programs.
“J Day is about celebrating the exchange visitors who enrich our local communities each year. They not only bring the world to our hometowns and boost our local economies – but also give back to our communities in meaningful ways.”
To our host families and their children, we want to thank you for opening your home to a virtual stranger, for helping your au pair with her English, her driving, her homesickness. For trusting us to find her and to support your program together. Hosting takes courage and an open mind.
And to our au pairs, we also want to thank you for traveling across the world for this program. For trusting us to find you a warm, loving home. 85% of last year’s au pairs nationwide said their au pair year was the greatest year of their life thus far. We thank you for allowing us to be on this journey with you. A journey that also takes great amounts of courage and an open mind.
#CelebrateJDay #eatplaygive
