This week we all met for our Annual Au Pair Holiday Party. Every au pair was asked to bring a favorite holiday dish that is served in her country.
We all had a great time and got to try many different treats from all around the world.
Yearly Archives: 2014
Self Defense Class
Last night our Au Pairs were able to go to the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Training Academy for a self defense class with a great Officer.
The program was based on realistic, common sense, safety precautions/practices, and strategies we can implement to stay safe and avoid confrontations. The officer highlighted day to day activities, and some simple precautions we can take to minimize being identified as a potential target.
We also discussed strategies and possible options (both verbal and physical) to reduce the possibility of injury in the event of a physical confrontation.
Everyone had a great time and learned many new tricks to stay safe!
APIA/UCLA Advantage course
A class for au pairs who want to master a university level class and take home a certificate from a major U.S. university.
Registration is now open for “American Studies,” offered online through the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).
Your host family pays the tuition of $500. You receive a reading assignment each week, and you have one or two assignments to do online. Some assignments will test your creative thinking. Some assignments will send you to the internet to do some independent research.
Note that a Global Awareness presentation, volunteer work in the community, and participating in local events are all part of this class (and you will earn 6 credits by completing both the online and community requirements). Ambitious? Yes – most definitely.
If you are curious about the events that have shaped culture and history in the U.S., if you would like a taste of the part women have played in U.S. history, if you want to get involved in the community where you live, if you are mentally adventurous – this is the class for you!
Read more about the class HERE.
The Winter 2015 course dates are January 5, 2015 – May 11, 2014
Enrollment is now open at www.uclaextension.edu/aupairs
Halloween Breakfast
We all had a great time meeting for a Halloween Breakfast. Some au pairs came dressed up as witches, Harry Potter, and even a Super Aupair. Everybody had a great time.
14th Annual Washington, DC Scavenger Hunt
Approximately 300 Au Pairs from all around the DC area and their 21 Community Counselors gathered at the Washington Monument early Sunday to participate in the 14th Annual Washington DC Scavenger Hunt!
It was an incredible day! Sun was shining, temperatures were great, and the Au Pairs had a wonderful time running around to get answers, pictures, and items requested on their sheet.
A wonderful day for Au Pairs and Counselors alike!
Annual Au Pair Birthday Party
Cake, ice cream, presents, and celebrations!
NOVA – Registration for Fall
click here for the Fall 2014 Catalog
Here is the catalog for the spring courses at Northern VA Community College. This is all campuses – be sure to look for the one that is closest to you.
Registration begins August 4th.
Reminder: you need 80 hours, which equals to 8 CEUs, or 6 credits throughout the year.
http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/33a99bac#/33a99bac/1
METRO – Silver Line Opens this weekend!
Click here for more information on the Silver Line
Great news! The Silver Line Opens this weekend -we now have a metro station in our cluster.
For more information: http://silverlinemetro.com/
World Cup!!!
As we bring the world together with this program, so does world cup soccer! The World Cup is one of the most followed international sporting events in the world and takes place every 4 years. Many of you come from the countries represented and take great pride in supporting their national soccer teams. So here is a little information about the Word Cup:
The tournament kicks off today when Brazil plays Croatia in Sao Paulo. It will mark the 20th edition of the World Cup, which will culminate with the final on July 13 in Rio de Janeiro. The World Cup will feature 32 nations — placed in groups with four teams apiece — and a total of 64 games. Defending champion Spain will have to contend with the likes of Brazil, Germany, Argentina and Italy if it wants to retain its title. The United States has qualified for its seventh straight World Cup and will be looking to get out of a very tough group that features Germany, Portugal and Ghana.
The host nation has won the World Cup five times (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002) and will be going for a sixth before a home crowd. Anything short of lifting the trophy will be a tough day for Brazil. So wish your Brazilian au pairs some extra luck, you know they love their soccer!
The groups are as follows:
Group A Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon
Group B Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Australia
Group C Colombia, Greece, Cote d’lvoire. Japan
Group D Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy
Group E Switzerland, Ecuador, France, Honduras
Group F Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Nigeria
Group G Germany, Portugal, Ghana, USA
Group H Belgium, Algeria, Russia, Korea Republic
Did you know there is a FIFA world cup app you can download to follow the scores and latest news.
For more news and information go to the official FIFA World Cup website
Au Pair Firsts – A Video Quilt
Au Pair Firsts – A Video Quilt
Thousands of young women arrive in the U.S. every year to participate in the Au Pair in America program. For many of these women, there are many “firsts” that they experience while they’re in the United States.
We asked our au pairs to submit videos of memorable “firsts,” and we’ve had so many wonderful submissions. Special thank you gifts will be sent out to all who participated! Many thanks to our wonderful APIA au pairs!