Au pairs from around the globe gathered to share in a very PNW event – Salmon Days in Issaquah! We made new friends, did a bit of shopping and had a nice picnic with blue grass music after learning about the salmon life cycle… and with 70 degree October weather…nice!
A brave group of 50 au pairs hiked on a windy, hailing Mt Rainier yesterday. We first watched the video telling us about extremes on the Mountain (an active volcano with glaciers) and the counselors were reminded of the same weekend last year when we hiked with au pairs in 90 degree dry heat. Truly this mountain does have its own weather system. Au Pairs hiked up to see the falls on Paradise and, despite the weather, were all wearing smiles, if not the right rain gear. Expectations are set for those who recently arrived…think they are ready for a Seattle winter…can only get drier than that.
Au Pairs gathered in my home to discuss the back to school transition and it’s impact on little minds. We talked about our favorite places to go inside now that the weather will be less lovely. In addition, we welcomed many new au pairs arriving this summer and shared coping strategies for getting through homesickness. It was great to see our new additions to the cluster and some old friends on the end of their second year!
(Watch for Madelene from Sweden to be on the next Cake Czar with treats like this…)
What a fun beach day! Over 100 Au Pair In America au pairs, families, and kids gathered in Lincoln Park in West Seattle to share international cuisine, participate in an enthusiastic game of AP/kid water balloon toss, get tattooed by APIA, color, learn from beach naturalists, and share stories and schedules for the next play date. What a wonderful community!
Skates strapped onto our group, we took the lesson and then took to the rink to show our stuff at the Southgate Roller Rink. No big falls, but nice big laughs and good photo opps.
Our cluster gathered at my home to talk first about taxes and then about wishes! A green bowl was passed around where au pairs could put anonymously her wishes (a la leprechaun) for her year in the U.S. Many wanted to improve their English, make lasting friendships, learn about themselves, travel the U.S. with a must stop in Hawaii and perhaps meet a lovely U.S. American boy during their stay. Our green dishes went from the savory stuffed green peppers to green tea balls and almost everything green in between. Wonderful spending the afternoon with such a diverse, smart, caring group of young women with independent goals, but many shared wishes…
An amazing group of women from all corners of the globe joined Nature Consortium in the Duwamish Green Belt yesterday. After planting over 200 trees and bushes in the forest that runs from West Seattle to Burien, the au pairs and others then protected our newly planted friends by mulching over 1000 square feet of forest. All this accompanied by some clarinet music, making the scene feel a bit out of a movie… It surely was not a Saturday spent lounging about, but we felt good to know that all this hard work would yield a more healthy forest for years to come. Nice to affect our carbon foot prints…just a little bit.
Kim Marie (Germany), Martyna (Poland) and Ashley (Korea)
Baby trees set to replace the 100 year old dying ones in the forest.
Au Pairs gather in West Seattle to carve pumpkins. Afterward, we share stories of toddler discipline, time outs, tantrums and other “joys” of the job 😉
