Host Family and Au Pair Day 2011

Our October activity was our annual Host Family and Au Pair Day! We were at The Little Gym at the Village of Providence again this year. Both my mom and sister-in-law were in town, having flown in to meet the newest little member of my family - Eli was born on September 22nd. Unfortunately only one host family was able to attend the event as one was on vacation for fall break, one was working, and one was celebrating a family birthday. Vero and Eliana (our newest au pair) were also there. The kids had a blast playing in the gym while everyone seemed able to find someone with something in common.

October 2011 Newsletter

Welcome to October!

This month we celebrate Halloween. Although this is a holiday that is celebrated all over the world, few countries celebrate to the extent that we do here in the United States. What used to be primarily a chidren's holiday has now become an opportunity for all ages to dress in costumes and have a good time. I hope you will be able to join your host family's children as they roam the neighborhood for "trick-or-treat".

Don't forget about safety at Halloween time! Young children should be accompanied by an adult when they go out trick-or-treating. Be sure to check all treats before allowing children to eat them. Costumes should be easy to move in and not pose a tripping hazard. If you are out after dark with the kids, be sure to carry flashlights and hold their hands when crossing the street. The same goes for grown-up partiers: Don't forget to keep yourself safe. Only go to parties where you know the people who are hosting the event. If you are out in the city, be aware of your surroundings. For those who are 21, drink responsibly and never drive if you have had anything alcoholic to drink!

It's Important to Keep In Touch

One of the many responsibilities of an Area Director is to keep in touch with all the au pairs and host families in the area. The Department of State rules require Area Directors to contact each host family and au pair once every month. This allows AuPairCare to make sure all au pairs are doing fine and answer any questions that may come up. Please assist me with this important communication by returning my call if I leave you a message. And if you have a cell phone, make sure that the voicemail is set up!

The monthly events are also a vital part of the au pair program. While class or work schedules can sometimes prevent you from attending an au pair activity, please try to attend whenever possible. It's important for our group to get to know each other and greet the new au pairs who have just arrived. I hope to see you at the next activity!

Growing AuPairCare in North Alabama

Do you know someone who is a small business owner? Would they be interested in partnering with AuPairCare? Contact me for more information!

October Au Pair Activity

unday 10/2 6:00-7:30pm: Host Family and Au Pair Day! This year's event will be at The Little Gym at The Village of Providence. Please watch your inboxes for an evite soon!

Save These Dates

November - Saturday 11/12 at 2pm: Pottery Painting at Pottery By You.

December - Sunday 12/11: Christmas party with Birmingham cluster. Details TBD

Note: dates are subject to change if there's something fun we'd like to do that doesn't correspond with the dates I've chosen. Just let me know what you want to do!

Au Pair Birthdays

There are no Au Pair birthdays this month.

Arrivals/Departures

There are no Au Pair arrivals or departures this month.

Hayride "Apollo 18"

Once again, the rain foiled our plans. Instead of a hayride at the Botanical Garden, we met at Monaco Pictures and decided on a space movie: "Apollo 18" It turned out to be a light horror. So we enjoyed some snacks and soda while watching alien rock creatures terrorize astronauts. We chatted a little after the movie and then headed home in the rain.

September 2011 Newsletter

Welcome to September!

Whether you have just arrived, or are in your extension year, it's good to remember some basics for having a good au pair experience. Communication is the basis for any good relationship. You should feel free to tell your host family how you're feeling and ask questions about anything you don't understand. It's not always easy to have an honest conversation, but it is important! Equally important is mutual respect. Don't forget that your host family has trusted you with their most precious possessions: their children. But also don't forget to treat their home, car and other possessions with respect. At the end of your stay your room should look much like it did when you arrived. Your host family should also respect you and understand how difficult it can be, coming from another country and culture. (If they forget - remember to use a little of that communication!) If you ever feel there are difficulties arising that you can't handle by

yourself, please call me. I'm here to help!

Important Reminders About Insurance

Now that summer is coming to an end, fall is right around the corner. The weather will be cooler and that means more time inside. Plus, many of you are caring for young children who are back to school. This adds up to more colds and flus! With this in mind, I thought it would be a good time to provide some information about your insurance. Au pairs have "travel insurance" that covers you anywhere in the world except your home country. While the insurance will pay your doctor bills if you get sick or hurt, there are some limitations. Any problem that you had prior to coming to the US will not be covered. Also, there are many doctors who will not bill the insurance company; you will need to pay the bill and then file a claim to get reimbursed. Most hospitals will send the bill to the insurance company, but if you go to the hospital "emergency room "and it's not truly an emergency, you will have to pay $250. Please go online to read more details at www.avi-international.info, or www.falck.com/travelcare if you applied through an STS office.

Growing AuPairCare in North Alabama

Do you know someone who is a small business owner? Would they be interested in partnering with AuPairCare? Contact me for more information!

September Au Pair Activity

Sunday 9/4 at 2pm: Hayride and Fall Festival at The Botanical Garden. We'll meet at the entrance (inside) at 2 and go on the hayride first. Afterwards we can explore the Sorghum Maze and Scarecrow Trail and then you can enjoy the rest of the garden if you'd like. Admission for non-members is $12.

Save These Dates

OCTOBER - Sunday 10/2 6:00-7:30pm: Host Family and Au Pair Day! This year's event will be at The Little Gym at The Village of Providence. Please watch your inboxes for an evite soon!

NOVEMBER - TBD. Please save the date: Saturday 11/12 at 2pm

Note: dates are subject to change if there's something fun we'd like to do that doesn't correspond with the dates I've chosen. Just let me know what you want to do!

Au Pair Birthdays

There are no Au Pair birthdays this month.

Arrivals/Departures

There are no Au Pair arrivals or departures this month.

Ghostwalk Sea Rex in 3D

We were going to enjoy going on a ghostwalk this month, but on the day of the scheduled event, the rain was coming down so hard I could hardly see the street from my front porch. We rescheduled for the 19th to see "Sea Rex in 3D" at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. Unfortunately, one au pair was out of town, one had to work, and one simply forgot. So I saw the show by myself and then headed home. I thought it was a neat little video, but was disappointed that the meeting didn't really happen.

August 2011 Newsletter

Welcome to August!

School age children in Huntsville/Madison will be headed back to school on August 10th or 15th, though many preschools may begin later. If you care for school-aged children, it will soon be time to shift gears and get into a different routine. Some children have a hard time adjusting to this new, and often more confining, schedule. Talk with your host parents for suggestions of how to deal with the upcoming changes in their children's routine. Your work schedule will probably change too, so be prepared to do some adjusting yourself!

Do you drive the children to school? If so, remember to be extra cautious when driving in school zones. The speed limit is usually 25 mph, and sometimes even lower. Always leave the house on time so you don't have to rush when taking the kids to school. And be sure to ask the children about their day when they get home - young students love to share what they've learned in school!

Growing AuPairCare in North Alabama

Do you know someone who is a small business owner? Would they be interested in partnering with AuPairCare? Contact me for more information!

August Au Pair Activity

Sat. 8/13 at 6pm: Huntsville Ghost Walk. Meet at 5:30 in front of Harrison Brothers Hardware (124 Southside Square, Huntsville, AL 35801) Admission is $8 (cash or check only!)

Save These Dates

SEPTEMBER - To Be Determined. Please Save the Date: Sunday afternoon, September 4th.

OCTOBER - HOST FAMILY & AU PAIR DAY!! Sunday, October 2nd, 6-7:30pm at The Little Gym at Village of Providence. More information will be sent out in early September. (Please note that this is a different date than in the last newsletter)

Note: dates are subject to change if there's something fun we'd like to do that doesn't correspond with the dates I've chosen. Just let me know what you want to do!

Au Pair Birthdays

There are no Au Pair birthdays this month.

Arrivals/Departures

We are sad to be saying goodbye to two Au Pairs this month!! Gaby has already said goodbye to Huntsville and is living in Corpus Christi, TX until August 27th when she'll travel to her new host family in Maple Grove, MN. After almost 2 years in Alabama, Minnesota might be a bit of an adjustment for her, but we're so glad she gets to finish her extension year and not go home early! We're also sad to say goodbye to Laura - she'll be moving back to Seattle with her host family on August 15th. She only got to be here for a short few months, but we're so glad she did! I hope everyone will join me in wishing them both the best of luck in their future endeavors.

We're excited to be welcoming Eliana from Brazil at the end of this month! She'll arrive in the U.S. on August 28th and will travel to Huntsville on September 1st. Be sure to welcome her when she arrives!

Sam & Greg's

We met at Sam & Greg's Pizzeria and Gelateria on Courthouse Square and enjoyed some great ice cream together. I picked this restaurant for its historic building, which dates from the early 1800s. I was joined by Fernanda, Vero, Gaby, Pam, and Laura, who is visiting Huntsville these two months with her military host family. It was almost the biggest meeting we've ever had! The skies had broken open and the rain was pouring down, but I was so glad that everyone braved the weather for an evening of great conversation. The restaurant is not particularly large and we were fortunate that there was plenty of space available for us. We had so much fun enjoying pizza and ice cream and talking and laughing together that we stayed past closing time. When we realized the wait staff had cleaned everything else up and were waiting for us to finish we reluctantly licked the last bit of ice cream from our spoons, located our umbrellas and headed back into the deluge.

The Italian ice cream was definitely fantastic and I was assured that the pizza lacked nothing, but considering the paid parking (it is downtown after all) and limited seating, this is a venue that I may not add to our list of activities for the future.