A Publication for EurAupair Program Participants and Friends Around the World! Volume 75 • Published June 2020

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Confinement on an Island Confinement on • an Island By Brazilian Au Pair Daniele Linguitti do Prado currently on Nantucket, MA with the Gault family. How I Get Through My days with the quarantine trampoline, jumping rope, doing • the Pandemic have changed a lot. It used to be nails with the girls, playing with just me and the 2 year old girl the goose and quails that we • The Importance of for most of the time and just 2 hatched, creating games, circuits In-Person Monthly hours with all of the kids. With with chalk, taking care of our Meetings the pandemic, all of us needed to yard, playing games... and EurAupair Photos adapt with the , It’s a hard time, but I • no friends around and staying at this family and this makes it a home. Now that the weather is little easier. getting nicer we can go, at least, Thank you Daniele for your for walks. capacity of adaptation and for About Us... Other than that we are sharing your experience during EurAupair Intercultural Care spending a lot of time in the the pandemic! Programs is a non-profit, public benefit backyard playing with organization designated by the U.S. Department of State to conduct the each other, jumping on the Au Pair Daniele from Brazil with her host siblings Max (7), Jake (6), Evelyn (4) and Anna (2 ½) Au Pair cultural exchange program under the Fulbright Hays Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 and is intended “to promote mutual understanding between the people of the and other countries by means of educational and How I Get Through cultural exchanges”. EurAupair Intercultural Programs the Pandemic 250 North Coast Highway Laguna Beach, CA 92651 USA By German Au Pair Lena Martin currently in Washington, DC with the Metzner family Tel: 949/494-5500 E-mail: [email protected] I feel always pretty busy with the clean. She, and of course, the rest of Web: www.euraupair.com kids, especially with my youngest the family give me the feeling to be Allegra (7). She can’t do online a very important part of the family. school alone, so it’s a challenge That makes me feel better. Requested Service Return Beach,Laguna CA 92651 USA 250 North Coast Highway EurAupair Gazette for me every day because I am the I talk to my family and friends teacher now. When the kids don’t back home a lot. That’s why I don’t have school we often board really feel that far away. In a way, games together, especially on the I’m even happy to be here instead week-ends. Since we have a big of in Germany with my family. The pool in our backyard, with the fact girls always keep me busy. But back that it got warmer, I go swimming home I’d probably be totally bored. sometimes. I guess that, and the fact that my Next to our house is a park Lena enjoying the pool with her two Host Family is just the perfect fit, is where I often go for a walk with host sisters Allegra (6) and Lena (12) the reason why I didn’t leave. our dog. We even tried to watch a However, I‘m really looking family movie, but that didn’t turn (as you can see in the picture). forward to seeing all my friends in out so well with four girls of a Well, I also had a few moments DC and also back home again! :) different age (15, 13, 12 and 7). I’m where I just wanted to get out; I still Thank you Lena for sharing really happy that I have a variety of do. But my Host Mom and I are a your experience as an Au Pair during opportunities to keep myself busy. really good team in cooking, online the pandemic! You really made the I even found a new hobby: baking schooling and keeping the house most of it and your baking skills are impressive! U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 963 California 92651 Laguna Beach Organization Non-Profit

Lena with her Host Mom Some cakes and cookies baked by Left to right Anna (13), Lena (12), Emma (15), Viktoria and their dog Lena. These look delicious! Allegra (6) and Au Pair Lena playing board games Pretty Pink EurAupair Photos Our Au Pairs, Host Families and Community Counselors before the Pandemic!

Painting Fun Au pairs Paige from South Africa, Roxy from Venezuela and Samari from Brazil went to a painting class with other au pairs for their monthly meeting.

Longwood Gardens 2020 Au Pair of the Year Edna Community Counselor Sylvia from 2020 Au Pair of the Year Edna from Philadelphia, PA met with her two Au Colombia before with her host Pairs, Richaeli from Brazil and Mathilda siblings Taylor (6 ½), Anyssabella (5) from South Africa, at the Longwood and Legend (1 ½) Gardens in Kennett Square, PA.

Bowling! At the Statue of Liberty First-ever Root Beer Float Community Counselor Gila met with her au pairs Beautiful shot from Ellie Island while our Just before the lockdown moratorium, Au Pair Laura Kayla from South Africa, Genesis from Venezuela, Au Pairs went to visit the Statue of Liberty from Colombia experienced her first-ever root beer float Anja from Denmark and Kiara from Colombia for a at the Steerman Grill in Wichita, KS just a few weeks bowling game in the Chicago, IL area. after she arrived in the US!

Chicago Wolves Ice Hockey Game Au Pairs and Community Counselors once again attended a Chicago Wolves Ice Hockey game. It has become an annual February outing! Area Coordinator Vivi from Bloomingdale, IL reports that they had great seats - 4 rows from the ice at a very reasonable price. A hockey game has 3 periods. If an even score after the 3 periods, there are 5-minute overtime periods. This year the Chicago Wolves played the Cleveland Monsters. The game went into overtime with a score of 2 - 2. With 5 seconds to go in overtime the Wolves scored making them the winner of the game. Between the periods skaters throw t-shirts out to the fans. Au Pair Chirre from South Africa was lucky to catch a t-shirt. EurAupair Photos (continued) Our Au Pairs, Host Families and Community Counselors during the Pandemic!

Horseback Riding during the Pandemic Virtual Spa Session Baking during the Pandemic Community Counselor Amber from Fayetteville, Community Counselor Sina from Reno, Au Pair Blessing from South Africa and her host NC decided to take her group of Au Pairs for NV sent her Au Pairs a mask and decided brother William (2 ½) having some fun baking! a horseback riding while respecting physical to organize a virtual Spa night during the distancing. Everyone had a blast! pandemic as part of their monthly meeting.

Physical Distancing The Radel Sinclair Family from GA For the monthly meeting in June our Community Counselor met with her Au Pair Bianca from Venezuela with her Host and Host Twin group of Au Pairs in Atlanta at the Historic Downtown Norcross. Brothers Christian and Connor (3). During the confinement, the family Everyone respected the rule of physical distancing! spent a lot of time in their front yard in Fayetteville, GA!

Homeschooling Au Pair Kelly from Colombia finding ways to make learning fun for her host twin sisters Scarlett and Penelope (5) in Wichita, KS Corona Care Package Area Coordinator Sabine and Community Counselor Silvia (also Sabine’s mother) from San Antonio, TX decided to make care packages for all their Au Pairs and deliver them to their doorstep to lift their spirits during the pandemic. They were all so surprised and happy! Sabine and Silvia rang doorbells and then hopped back in the car and waited for them to open the door. It was so fun to see their reactions when they saw the care package on their doorsteps. The Importance of In-Person Monthly Meetings By Community Counselor Nicole Richardson from Yulee, FL

When it comes to being a just getting together as a group. Here is a sample of Monthly Meetings young person who has decided to I instill in my Au Pairs that it is a organized by Community Counselor Nicole: be an Au Pair, learn, and explore in a time to not only bond with one new country, there are many things another, but to use as a bridge for Fall Festival that one can do to help with this other outings, and communication, Pumpkin Patch and transition and to continue a sense of should problems arise outside of Corn Maze last balance and well-being throughout our regular meetings. This is also October 2019 the time spent here. a wonderful time for the senior Au One of those things is cultural Pairs to encourage and educate the From left to right: outings as a local area Au Pair group. newer Au Pairs regarding anything Nadia from South Africa, Depending on the size of the local from administrative tasks, to Sheryl Lee from Namibia, area of Au Pairs, 1 to 2 meetings may playdates with the host children, to Ale from Colombia, be preferred each month. This can be being a listening ear when they are Johanna from Colombia, Zulieka from South Africa, decided upon based on the interests homesick. Beyond that, I believe Louna from France and of the Au Pairs in the group as well it is a great life skill for the girls to Alexa from Colombia as the availability of their schedules. keep up with the announcements, I have found as a Community RSVPs, communicate needed time Counselor, that it is always a good off with host families, budget for idea to listen carefully to what the Au upcoming events, and plan ahead Pairs talk about in conversations and for transportation needs. questions they have, so that I can A lesser known benefit to Japanese later search for outings that fit not cultural outings that the Au Pairs Hibachi Steakhouse only their needs, but also their wants. attend is actually to the benefit of last November 2019. Offering these proposed outings for the Host Family and children! It From left to right: the Au Pairs to vote upon, helps with often amazes me how many local Zulieka and Nadia attendance and the overall morale families are unaware of some of the from South Africa, of the group when preparing for the venues that we visit as an Au Pair Alexa, Ale and Johanna outing as well as during. Since cost group. The Au Pair can then share from Colombia, can be a factor, as well as location, this information with the family Louna from France and transportation, and schedule, I try to and perhaps they can go there as Sheryl Lee from Namibia alternate between events with a high a group in the future, or she can or low investment of the Au Pairs’ take the children there. A further Bowling Alley Mandarin time, money, day/time, and distance. benefit is the host children seeing in Jacksonville, FL I encourage them to carpool, and an example of their Au Pair being last March 2020. offer that if their Host Family can brave and getting out to explore bring them to my home, that I can the community to learn and grow. From left to right also assist them with getting to the When the Au Pair returns home, (back to front): outings. As a local group, we have she can share what she has learned Zulieka from South Africa, a Facebook page where I am able with the children, via the website of Bilge from Turkey, Louna to post the Au Pair’s Host Family the venue, or just using drawings, from France, Community locations on a map, so that they stories, or games. Counselor Nicole and know who they are closest to when All in all, I would say that the Nadia from South Africa attempting to arrange rides. And, cultural outings for Au Pairs are though they are most proficient at a win-win situation for everyone using social media as a means to involved. Although they require Jacksonville Beach, FL private message one another, I also some planning and sacrifice on in May 2020. Physical have a file with all of their phone the part of the Au Pairs and Host Distancing during the numbers. I try to pay attention to the Families, I believe that the benefits pandemic. Au Pairs when we are at our outing far outweigh the cost! Though these From Left to right: to see which environments promote outings are a program requirement, I Alexa from Colombia, the most interaction and overall think if we asked most Au Pairs, that Julie and Abigail from recreation outlet. they would agree that the memories South Africa, Daniela from Perhaps the most noted focus and opportunities gained from these Venezuela, Danielle from of these cultural outings is for the outings are something that they South Africa, Julia from Au Pairs to vacate from the homes would choose again, should they Brazil, Anni from Finland, where they provide child care and be given the choice. These cultural Mine from South Africa explore the local community. They outings offer a recreational outlet are able to practice their driving that is part of the well-being of each Seawalk Pavilion skills, and parking, as well as the Au Pair during their time here. Jacksonville Beach in May English language, exchanges with Thanks to all the Host Families 2020. Physical Distancing money, and other social nuances. and Au Pairs for their continued during the pandemic. What they may not realize, is that support of this vital aspect of the they are educating the community program. From left to right: as well, as they demonstrate their See you all in the community!! Johanna from Colombia, own cultural backgrounds and Thank you Nicole for sharing Daniela from Venezuela, Abigail and Danielle from languages, as well as promoting a your insight on monthly in-person South Africa, Anni from friendly attitude of commonality meetings! We hope everyone will be Finland, Julie and Mine between all young adults and people able to resume in-person monthly from South Africa, of all backgrounds. meetings with their Au Pairs very Alexa from Colombia I believe that the importance of soon! and Julia from Brazil these cultural outings goes beyond