Yearly Archives: 2015

Happy Easter/Passover!!

April 1, 2015 – 1:27 pm

We wish all of you who celebrate Easter and/or Passover a very happy holiday weekend! Here is a little information:

Celebrating Easter

Easter Sunday is this Sunday, April 5^th. It is celebrated throughout the world by the followers of Christian community. It is believed that this was the day when Christ resurrected after crucifixion. This day is of great significance in the Christian community.

Church services and festive celebrations blend together during the Easter weekend. On Easter Sunday in New York and other cities, large Easter parades are held. The popular trend of Easter symbols such as the Easter bunny and egg tree were introduced to the American folklore by the German settlers who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch country during the 1700s. Gradually, American people took to crafts such as egg and Easter tree decoration. Easter in the United States is also a time to enjoy special Easter foods such as baked ham, potatoes, and vegetables. Several special recipes are made at each home. Easter parties are also organized where traditional Easter delicacies are served and people enjoy Easter games and music.

Check out Easter crafts and Activities on the Au Pair in America Pinterest page
https://www.pinterest.com/aupairinamerica/hop-into-easter/

Observing Passover

Passover begins at sundown Friday April 3^rd. Passover is an eight day celebration observed each year in the Jewish religion. It commemorates the freedom of Jewish slaves from Egypt during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II. Families celebrate Passover by having a seder. With special foods, songs, and customs, the Seder is the focal point of the Passover celebration. Seder means order, and the Passover story is read in order from a book called a haggadah. Click here to read the Passover story
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/passover/kids-stories/the-story-of-moses.html

St. Patrick’s Day in the U.S.

March 12, 2015 – 3:52 am

Image result for St patrick's

The Charitable Irish Society of Boston organized the first observance of Saint Patrick’s Day in the United States in 1737. The tradition of celebrating this day continued to grow with the influx of Irish immigrants to the United States.

St Patrick’s Day, on March 17, remembers one of Ireland’s patron saints, St Patrick. It largely celebrates Irish-American culture in the United States but many non – Irish descendants enjoy the celebrations, too . Celebrations include Irish themed parties, drinks, and food. Many people get into the spirit by dressing in green clothing and eating green colored food. Irish clubs and pubs often hold parties.

St Patrick’s Day is not a federal holiday in the United States. Schools, businesses, and organizations are open as usual. Public transport systems run on their regular schedules. The parades may be on or around March 17, so it is a good idea to check local sources for the exact location, date, and time. Many parades are held throughout the country to celebrate the holiday. New York City has become the largest Saint Patrick’s Day parade in the world, outside Ireland. Thousands participate in the parade, including bands, firefighters, military and police groups, county associations, emigrant societies, and social and cultural clubs and was watched by close to 2 million spectators lining the streets. The parade marches up 5th Avenue in Manhattan and is always led by the U.S. 69th Infantry Regiment. New York politicians – or those running for office – are always found prominently marching in the parade.

The most common St Patrick’s Day symbol is the shamrock. The shamrock is the leaf of the clover plant and a symbol of the Holy Trinity

If you would like to take part in this American cultural experience check out the nearest parade to you, here http://www.st-patricks-day.com/st_patricks_day_parades_home/

For fun ideas to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day including arts and crafts for children check out our Au Pair in America Pinterest page https://www.pinterest.com/aupairinamerica/st-patrick-s-day-shenanigans/

Rock Climbing Fun

March 8, 2015 – 4:13 am

For our latest cluster meeting, we visited the rock climbing wall at Lifetime Fitness in San Antonio!! Most of us had never climbed before, but everybody did great!! 🙂

Agnes from Austria and Pui (Angela) from Thailand

Hana and Zuzana from Czech Republic

photo 3 (2)

Hana and Agnes made it to the top (and so did several others) 🙂

Angela taking a break. Josefine from Sweden in the process of overcoming her fear of heights!!

Our Czech girls, Hana and Zuzana

Angela from Thailand, Josefine from Sweden, and Agnes from Austria

Travel Reminders

February 24, 2015 – 4:18 pm

Au Pairs Traveling outside the United States

If you are planning to travel outside of the United States during your program term you must make sure you check with the embassy or consulate of the country being visited to find out if an additional visa is required. It is also important that you check the status of your J1 visa in your passport and the date of expiration. You must have your DS2019 signed by a member of staff in the Stamford office and returned before you depart for your trip. It must be an original signature for validation. The DS2019 should be mailed at least three weeks prior to the departure date for the trip. It should be mailed with the travel validation request form which can be found here: http://www.aupairinamerica.com/pdf/travform.pdf and a return self addressed stamped envelope and a check for $10 if you want it to be returned by 2 day UPS delivery.

NB: Make sure you have received your DS2019 before leaving for vacations such as cruises (where logistically it is very difficult for us to get the DS2019 to you after your departure). We want to make sure that no au pair gets stuck at a port of entry which can be a very stressful and unpleasant experience. Anything you can do to help us avoid this is greatly appreciated. Please note: au pairs should not be outside of the United States for longer than a 3 week period at any one time!!

We have some great travel tips for au pairs here: http://www.aupairinamerica.com/resources/travel_and_flights/travel_tips.asp

Image result for trekamerica

For au pairs planning for travel in the summer, please check out our TrekAmerica partnership, it offers wonderful group trips and a 20% discount for au pairs.
http://www.trekamerica.com/aupairinamerica/au-pair-travel-discounts.html

Have a great week everybody!

Tips to Feeling Happy

February 20, 2015 – 5:36 pm

1. Get Dressed Up! “When you look good, you feel good,” is actually true. If you wake up feeling kind of down for no particular reason, putting on your favorite outfit can help you walk out the door feeling a lot more confident. You will get lots of compliments, too!

2. Stretch and Breathe! Anytime you want to calm your nerves and get a boost of endorphins, all you have to do is take a moment to stretch and breathe deeply for at least 5 minutes. You will feel calmer, centered, and ready to take on the world. It definitely works!

3. Make a Gratitude List! When you start feeling overwhelmed, stressed out, and overcome with the feeling that your life is completely unfair, an easy way to regain perspective is to make a list of everything you’re grateful for now! The list can include basic freedoms, small luxuries, and of course, the people who matter most to you.

4. Call Someone You Love! Chose the most supportive person you can think of. It could be your mom or a close friend. Know in advance who you can turn to in a crisis.

5. Get Some Sun! When sunlight hits your skin, it triggers the production of Vitamin D. Scientific studies have shown that a deficient amount of Vitamin D is directly related to a dip in mood for certain people. Put on some sunscreen and go outside, even on a winter day!

6. Exercise! Take a walk, ride a bike, go to the gym. You’ve probably heard of “runner’s high,” caused by the mood-boosting endorphins (aka “feel good hormones”) your brain naturally releases when you exert yourself.

7. Listen to Your Favorite Song! Have a go-to song that you listen to when you need a quick burst of energy is a great asset to your happy vault. Putting on your favorite song can trigger the brain to release large amounts of dopamine, a chemical that sends “feel good” signals to the rest of the body and plays a role in both motivation and addiction.

8. Do Something for Someone Else! When you give yourself to others you will feel the reward. Studies have reported more people participated in meaningful activities, the happier they were and the more purposeful their lives felt.

Sometimes the best way to BE HAPPY is to SMILE and go for it!

Win a Trek America tour for free!!

February 14, 2015 – 8:23 pm

Learn how a lucky Au Pair can win a free trip with Trek America!!

Global Awareness is developing a new section on its site: Learning about the U.S. This will highlight different areas and cultures in our country. You (Au Pairs) will be asked to write about your travels for the site.

For a fantastic kick-off, Trek America has designed a scavenger hunt on their website and the winner will receive a free trip!!

Please visit the Global Awareness website (http://www.globalawareness.com/ ) to learn more about this opportunity and to participate in the scavenger hunt!

Fun ideas!!

February 6, 2015 – 9:57 pm

Our APIA website is packed with ideas for fun things to do with your children or host children. You can search for activities by age group, season of the year, and indoor or outdoor activities.

http://www.aupairinamerica.com/resources/activities/index.asp

For those of you in the midst of winter weather and snow days, here are some creative winter activities from our Au Pair in America Pinterest page!

https://www.pinterest.com/aupairinamerica/winter-fun/

With Valentine’s Day coming up, making cards, pizza hearts, Valentines cookies or handmade gifts are great ways to keep yourself and your children entertained next week!

https://www.pinterest.com/aupairinamerica/valentine-s-day/

Taxes – Due April 15th!!

January 27, 2015 – 2:53 am

Au pairs who earned more than $3,950 in 2014 are responsible to file a federal tax return and pay an income tax.

Au Pair in America is not responsible for the interpretation of the information within this document, or any changes to IRS rules or forms that may occur. Neither Au Pair in America, nor its community counselors, can provide any official tax information, and we recommend that you contact a tax professional if you have any specific questions regarding these matters.

Taxes for income earned in 2014 are due to be filed on or before April 15th of this year.

Will I have to file taxes?
If you earned more than $3,950 in 2014, then yes!

When are the 2014 taxes due?
April 15th, 2015!

How to file taxes?
1. Get a Social Security Number or Tax ID Number:
http://www.aupairinamerica.com/resources/life_in_the_us/procedure_4.asp
http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/International-Taxpayers/Au-Pairs

2. Calculate how much you have earned during 2014.

Example: You were here for 31 weeks in 2014 and earned a weekly stipend of $195.75* for those 31 weeks. Your total earnings would be 31 x $195.75 = $6068.25 = $6068. (always round up to the nearest dollar amount) . *This rate will vary based upon when you arrived in 2014 and what program you were participating in when you earned the stipend – au pair, EduCare, extraordinaire. You would then subtract the personal exemption amount for 2014, ($3,950) from your income and would get a total of $2,118. This is your taxable income.

Once you determine your taxable income, you should then check the 2014 instruction booklet http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040nre.pdf (see link above), starting on page 23 to see how much tax you owe based on your taxable income. For the amount above, your tax would be $211.

3. Fill out 1040NR-EZ form

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040nre.pdf
This is a link to instruction booklet http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040nre.pdf

Below are some helpful tips for filling out the 2014 tax form.

1. Enter the total amount you earned in 2014 on line 3, line 7, line 10 and line 12. This would be your weekly stipend multiplied by the number of weeks you were in the U.S. in 2014 and were paid the weekly stipend.
2. You should not have any itemized deductions, so the amount entered on line 11 would be ‘0’.
3. Enter the 2014 exemption amount of $3,950 on line 13.
4. Subtract the exemption amount ($3,950) from your income reported on line 12 and put on line 14. This is your taxable income.
5. Look up the taxable income amount in the tax tables which are included in the instructions (starting on page 23) to see the amount you will owe in taxes. Put this amount on line 15, line 17 and line 25 of form 1040NR-EZ. This would be the amount that you will pay to the IRS.
6. Don’t forget to sign the form at the bottom. – the form is not valid without your signature!
7. You must fill out the other side of the form (page 2)
8. Put your home country on line A
9. Lines C,D, and F should all say ‘no’
10. For section E put ‘J-1’
11. In section G, you should start with your arrival date in the U.S. (in 2013) and list any dates that you left the country for any trips (either your own vacation or your host family’s vacation). Then add up all the days that you were in the U.S. during 2014 and enter this number in section H.
12. If you filed a tax return in the previous year, answer ‘yes’ on line I and put the form number you filed (probably 1040-NR-EZ 2013)

If you have any questions, you can call the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040
Filing a tax return and payments: Whether you are filing your taxes from the U.S. or back in
your home country, all tax returns and checks should be mailed to:

Internal Revenue Service
P.O. Box 1303
Charlotte, NC 28201 – 1303
U.S.A.

Can I mail my form and pay online?
YES — via….Debit card (flat rate less than $3) or Credit card (@ 1.87% of total tax amount) http://www.irs.gov/uac/Electronic-Payment-Options-Home-Page (NB: you still have to mail in your forms).

Trampoline Fun

January 14, 2015 – 6:43 pm

This month’s cluster meeting took place at Amazing Jump Trampoline Park. The indoor trampoline hall features 10 gigantic trampolines, 2 dodgeball courts, 3 trampolines for children, trampoline basketball courts, birthday party rooms, a village for toddlers, inflatables, and more!! We had lots of fun jumping and somersaulting the morning away.

Left to right: Zuzana and Hana from Czech Republic, Elena from Costa Rica, Nut from Thailand, and Johanna from Colombia

For more information about Amazing Jump, please visit their website at http://sanantoniojump.com/

Child Passenger Safety Laws

January 2, 2015 – 1:42 am

Child passenger restraint requirements vary based on age, weight and height. Often, this happens in three stages: infants use rear-facing infant seats; toddlers use forward-facing child safety seats; and older children use booster seats.

Many laws require all children to ride in the rear seat whenever possible, and most states permit children over a particular age, height or weight to use an adult safety belt.

Learn More About Occupant Protection
Adult Seat Belt Laws: http://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/seatbelt_laws.html
Occupant Protection: http://www.ghsa.org/html/issues/occprotection/index.html
Best Practices for Children: http://www.ghsa.org/html/publications/opc.html

First offense fines for not complying with a state’s child passenger safety laws vary from $10 to $500. Some states also use driver’s license points as an additional penalty for noncompliance.

* All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the Virgin Islands require child safety seats for infants and children fitting specific criteria.
* 48 states and the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico require booster seats or other appropriate devices for children who have outgrown their child safety seats but are still too small to use an adult seat belt safely.
* The only states lacking booster seat laws are Florida and South Dakota.
* 5 states (California, Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey and New York) have seat belt requirements for school buses. Texas requires them on buses purchased after September 2010.

Texas:
Child restraint required for children age: <7 and <57″
Adult safety belt: not permissible for children!
Maximum fine 1st offense: $25 minimum