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Au Pairs Available ASAP!
Published by Melynda Harjes, under Uncategorized. No Comments.
The au pairs listed here are currently in USA and seeking immediately placement. Please contact me at 651-248-0510 if you’re interested in interviewing any of them.
Zeng from China/IQ/Driver/Available Now (4 months left on visa)
I have 4 month J-1 visa left, I willing to extend with right host family. My agency is Culture care. Chinese Au Pair looking for family near DC/Metro, Infant Qualified, Driver’s License. Dear Family Thank you that you read my introduction.I think I am excellent au pair for kids because I care about them and I am always good at care for children. please agree me to tell you about my personality. My friends told me that I am an easy-going and reliable girl with an open-minded and active living attitude. I did everything for myself when I was young; I arranged my life and studied alone when I was in university. I am very grateful to my parents for always giving me suggestions and encouraging me.I graduated from Chengdu Chinese Medicine University in 2007. I have gained much experience with childcare from my job. When I worked as an intern nurse in pediatrics there was a group of 2m-12y year’s old children. My main responsibilities are giving them injection and helping them take medicine.I love kids and I love to be with children. I take care of my neighour’s kids and my nephew in my spare time. I have been USA 8 month. Now I currently work as an Au Pair in USA. There is two boys in my family, one is 10 month and the other one is 6 years old. most of the day I take care the baby, feed,change diapers, bathe, play, take him out, put him to sleep for naps. Take 6 years old boy to park, pool, etc. While Baby is sleeping I clean up and starightening of the house such as kids room, toys, dishes, laundry,etc. Now I have four month left, I’ll extending one year and I’d love to stay as long as possible. Feel free ask me me queaation, looking for ward hear from you.
Lucy from Poland/Non-IQ/Driver/Available Now (5 months left on visa)
Dear Family! My name is Lucy and am extended au pair in transition with 6 month left on visa. I am 24 years old. I born in Ukraine and raised in Poland. I am very active, easy going, honest, responsible and fun pers! on also I have alot of passions one of them are languages. I speek 4 languages fluently and learning another 2. I am enjoying being around the kids and it’s a great experience for me to undesrtand better kids as a teacher.. Now I am taking care of 2 kids. 5 years and 2 years old boys. They are both very smart and funny kids. I am feeding them, giving a bath, playing with them, swiiming and helping explore the world. I have Californian driver license and I am a confident driver. I have experince with infants. In my first year I took care of 2 boys 9 and 14 years old. We had a great time together playing bord games, soccer, ride byces. I’ve been for them as a older sister. If you would like to know more just wright me. I need familu ASAP by 3th of august. Hope to hearing from you! I am with culturalCare PLW224506
Yasmine from Sweden/Non-IQ/Driver/Available Now (6 months left on visa)
Hello ! My name is Yasmine, i’m from sweden and I will be 20 years old in october. For the past six months I have been living with a family in montclair, new jersey, taking care of two wonderful little boys aged 3 and 5. It’s breaking my heart to leave them since sadly it didn’t work out between their parents and me due to personal differences. I am an experienced driver and possess a valid new jersey drivers license. I am not infant qualified. I have a genuine love for children and I treat and love my host kids as if they were my little brothers. I love to take them to the park, to the pool or just goof around the house. I have been dancing all my life and a lot of the times me and the boys would have a “dance party”, they absolutely love beyoncé! During my freetime I try to exercice a lot, i go to the gym about four times a week. I also like to read and watch documentries, i’m a history nerd… I spend a lot of time with my friends, meeting up for coffee and during the weekend we! go out in NYC. My organization is cultural care and my au pair number is SES504263. I have 7 months left on my J-1 visa. I am allergic to cats. I’m not vegetarian, however I try to eat healthy. I have no problem being placed with a family that is kosher for example as long as i am not required to follow any of the rules regarding eating myself. I am open to all types of families, young children, older children, gay, single mom or dad etc etc.
Krista from Germany/IQ/Driver/Available Now (6 months left on visa)
My name is Kristina Braun, I am 20 years old and from Germany. After six months of being an Au Pair in San Diego I am now in transit! ion and therefore looking for another host family. I am a friendly and outgoing person who just started to fall in love with California. So far I enjoyed my time as an Au Pair very much. I found friends, I traveled and I really had a lot of fun getting to know this country and culture. That is why I don’t want this to come to an end and I would like to make this experience even better. I just like to be an Au Pair. Now I hope that I can find a family that is more like me. I am very active and always ready for an adventure. I am open to try new things and I love traveling. I am a spontaneous person who takes her job really serious and knows how to take over responsibility. I also have an international and a California driver’s license and I used to drive every day in San Diego. It is hard for me to think about leaving my wonderful host children since I really grew fond of them. At first I took care of two boys, four and six years old. Two months ago another cute boy was born. I have to admit that these boys were a bit of a handful. But I found a way to assert myself and to spend a great time with them. Before I started my Au Pair year I already had a lot of experience with infants (I am infant qualified) and older children. Throughout the last six months I gained even more experience and strangely enough I still like children 
My agency is Cultural Care Au Pair and my number is DEB1615446. My visa expires in seven months but if I find the right host family I would love to extend my stay for six more months. If you have any questions feel free to contact me. I am very much looking forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Kristina
Alessandra from Brazil/IQ/Driver/Available Now (6 months left on visa)
Dear Family! My name is Alessamdra, 27 years old and I am Brazilian. I can describe myself as an open minded person, lovely, calm, organized, optimistic, caring, outgoing, easygoing, good listener, patient, understanding, flexible and responsible with the ability to adapt quickly in new situations. I love kids and have abilities with them, love my family and friends, I like to deal with people from different cultures of mine, to get to know more about their country and to teaching my culture too. I have experience with children from 10 months old up to 11 years old, my references are Rian(5 years old) and Maia Eduarda(11 years old) and I took care of them more than 1080 hours.I also took care of Matheus (8 years old) , during 950 hours in 2006. I took care of two kids in Virginia U.S.A Katie (9 years old) and Michael (11 years old) and we had good time there. Now I’m working in South Hadley, MA taking care of three kids with 7, 6 and 2 years old. I’m able to : bottle feeding, spoon feeding, meal preparation, burping, changing diapers, bathing, potty training, putting children to bed. Playing( for example: make and teach crafts, puzzles, games, painting, riding bicycle, playing football, going to park, when they needed, I have also basic notion of taking care feverish state. And I have drive license. I would like to be your new au pair because I love kids and I have these experiences, abilities and qualities described above. I want to practice my English skills and I am sure I will learn a lot with your children and you. I really believe that I have a lot of things to contribute and share to your family. I have 6 months with visa and I want extend for more one year. I am currently working with CULTURAL CARE! BRS 303390 I would be glad if I had the chance to introduce myself better and know a little bit more about you and your children. Thanks!
Rika from Thailand/Non-IQ/Driver/Available Now (7 months left on visa)
Hello! I am a Thai Au Pair, I have been living at the US for 6 months, I have been studying English at the Seattle Central College and I have my Washington Driving license. Part of my duties as an Au Pair is picking up a! nd dropping off the kids everywhere, feed them, put them in bed, singing and of course playing with them. I am a responsible, clean, organize and orderly person ,I don’t mind to help you to do light housework. Part of my goals been at the US is improve my English, because that helps at my job in back in Thailand. I have a 4 years degree on Public Health in major Occupational Health and Safety. I love working with kids because they are spontaneous, with pure thinking and I like to teach them good manners, also have creative activities and adventures. I used to be a Teacher assistant in International School in Kindergarten in my country. I am an independent person who enjoy Swimming, Tennis, music and movies. I would love join your family, by having a exchange experience at the US. Warmly, Rika!
Vanessa from Venezuela/Non-IQ/Non-Driver/Available Now
Hello! My Name is Vanessa Cañizález. I’m 26 and sadly i haven’t had luck with my families. I’m really a respecfull and nice person, i’ve lived with my LCC in differents periods of times about 2 weeks more or less and she knows me well, her kids loves me… but i think as some of the au pairs i’ve had bad luck and i’ve been weak with the host moms so they take advantage and treat me as a maid sometimes, even i don’t mind being helpfull as much as i can… (With kids older than 4 years old.) If u want u can talk to my LCC but i really need to find a family, a normal one to finish my year because i don’t want to leave and i wish i could have a nice experience being an au pair. I will appreciate the help u could give me because im desperate and only have 1 week and a half left!! (VEC141465)
Thais from Brazil/Non-IQ/Non-Driver/Available Now (9 months left on visa)
Hi! I’m Thais, I’m from Brazil and I’m 26 years old. I can describe myself as a calm, organized, neat and responsible person. I enjoy very much taking care of children.
I am a person who’s always looking for new challenges. I love practicing sports and studying. I can speak English fluently and a little bit of Spanish. I have been taking care of kids for a while, more than 3 years. I am currently an au pair for Cultural Care. So if you have a lovely family, I am interested in providing childcare for your little ones. =) Thank you. Thais. AP# BRS1486259.
Jesus from Mexico/Non-IQ/Driver/Available Now (11 months left on visa)
Hi, My name is Jesus Fernando I’m 24 years old Im from Mexico. I have 1 month living in Narberth, Pa 20 minutes away from Philadephia with my Host family but now Im in rematch because when their last au pair comes back to mexico she decided to return with my host family and they give her a opportunity again to live with them so now I have to find another one It’s hard because I really like this host family and I know they like me but the last au pair has more experience and knows more about them, she was living almost 2 years with them so the kids love her. Anyway my host family strongly recommend me so I have good recommendations. Im an excellent drive I feel comfortable driving in USA highways and I like to play sport with the kids. This is a big opportunity to improve my English and learn about American culture. I take care of 3 active kids, 2 boys 5, 10 and 1 girl 11 years old, I hope to find a right host family to me and share my love and spend great moments with the kids and the parents. I have 11 months left on my J1 and probabily I’d like to extend! Im with CulturalCare MXM259938
Monika from Poland/Non-IQ/Driver/Available Now (11 months left on visa)
Hello Host Family. My name is Monika and I’m 20. I come from Poland and I’m in Cultural Care Au Pair program. I’m in transition and I’m looking for host family asap. I come to America on 21 June. I was living with my host family in A! lexandria, VA. I was taking care for 4 kids. Two boys (twins) 4 years old and two girls: one 4 years old and one 10years old. I would like to take care of kids 4years old and more. I’m a good driver. I like all kinds of sports. I have my video on aupairvideos.com and you can find me by looking for Monika, Anna 20 Poland. I’m very open and if you want to ask me about something just write vianka@o2.pl . I’m living right now with my LCC in Arlington, VA
Adriana from Colombia/IQ/Non-Driver/Available Now (ext/12 months left on visa)
Hello, my name is Adriana. I’m from Colombia and have been working as au pair for one year. This has been a wonderful experience. During my first year I took care of twin girls who are amazing, they are two years old now and are going to preschool. I learned a lot from them and I have helped them too in their language skills as well as motor development. Besides these lovely girls, I worked in my home country taking care of a baby since she was two month old until she was one year old and her sister who was just one year older than her. I’m, in my extension year, but I’m in transition right now due to the host family and me were not a good fit. I’m looking for an American family who wants to hire me as an au pair and have fun while learning about different cultures. I have a lot of experience with infants and toddlers under two years. I really love children and want to make this experience unforgettable. I really enjoy this job and love to spend time with kids, I don’t really take this job as something stressful or tiring, but I do take this job as something which requires a lot of responsibility and is fun. This experience has been so helpful to improve my English skills, meet people, know places and grow morally. It has been important and I would like to continue for another year. I hope to hear about you soon! -Adriana Luz AP#COA98773
Liz from El Salvador/IQ/Non-Driver/Available Now (12 months left on visa)
Dear Prospective Host Family my name is Liz and I come from El Salvador. I am 22 years old. I am extending with Cultural ! care Au Pair for my second year, my au pair number is WSV100114. By this moment I am going on transition, I spent 10 months in San Diego with my first host family but they did not continue with the program so I moved to Florida with a new host family. So now I am available and I am looking for a host family. I like to spend time with children and do fun things together. During my first year I have been taking care of twins and a 4 year old girl. I did many fun things with the children and this experience is going to help me in the future a lot. I think being an Au pair is a great experience you learn fun things from children. I do like to work with children from different ages I always find the way to get along very well with the children. I am honest and responsible with all my duties and I learn new things very fast. By this moment I don’t have a state driver’s license but I do have my international driver’s license and my home country driver’s license. I would l! ike to drive for my second year. For my second year I really w! ant to b e part of the family and do fun things with the kids, so when I go back home I have a lot of good memories with me and I will share all I learned here in the United States. Best Regards Liz Trigueros
Cindy from Norway/IQ/Driver/Available Soon (9 month extension)
Hi! My name is Cindy Elise Minnaar. I`m 26 years old and I come from Norway (roots from South Africa). I have a bachelor degree in social work from Oslo University College. I am Infant qualified and I`ve had my drivers license for 8 years. Since September 2009 I have been living with a wonderful host family in Oakland, California. I absolutely love the diversity in the Bay Area. I have been taken care of 3 little girls, aged 4,5 - 3 - 9 months. The baby was born 3 weeks after I arrived, and it`s been amazing to follow her from birth. I have experience doing everything that involves taking care of an infant. My year is almost over, and I have decided to extend my stay for 9 months with a new hostf amily. It`s heartbreaking for me to leave the girls, but I know we will be close, and in touch after I leave and when I go home to Norway. I`m ready to get new experiences and to live in/explore a new city. In my free time I love spending time with friends. I enjoy watching good movies, go to the gym, go to the cinema, go on weekends-trips, have barbecues in the park, go dancing at a club and other social activities. When I`m by myself I listen to music, watch tv, skype/chat with family/friends from home and read books/magazines. The choice of a host family is very important to me. I`m a social person that loves to have positive people around me. I`m easy to get along with, and I`m very excited to meet the right family. I`m independent and responsible, and have lived by myself for 6 years (before I came to the US.). It is important for me to be treated as an adult. I prefer a family with working parents - since I would like to work most my hours during the week. Infants (0-12months) and/or children from 3 years and up is the ideal age group for me. I will consider other ages too. Religion, ethnicity, gay/straight doesn’t matter. Personally, I do not attend religious services. Cities I find very interesting to live in is New York City, Washington D.C, Atlanta GA, San Diego CA. I also find Boston MA and Chicago IL interesting - though I`m not a big fan of too much snow!! I prefer living in - or close to a city (not very suburban/hours away from a big city). I`m allergic to cats. I prefer eating healthy. My agency is Cultural Care Au Pair. And my AP# is NOS 100654. Feel free to contact me for more information/questions. I look forward to hear from you 
Best Regards, Cindy
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Our host family video!
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Just a brief example of why I love being a part of Cultural Care Au Pai
Leave It To Cultural Care Au Pair
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The BIG question: WHAT IS AN AU PAIR??
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Cultural Care Au Pair offers a unique combination of childcare and cultural exchange. We recruit, screen and train young women and men from around the world to care for American children while living as a member of the family. The au pair program is designed to give young people an opportunity to experience the U.S. and provide quality childcare for American families. The program is carefully regulated by the U.S. Department of State, promotes international understanding and provides cultural exchange for everyone involved.
Au pairs are 18 to 26 years old, secondary school graduates, proficient in English and typically female (95%). They come from all over the world. An au pair’s childcare experience can range from babysitting to working in day care centers to teaching. They are interested in becoming au pairs to improve their English, experience life in the United States and care for children.
Our host families are mostly dual-career professional couples with two or three children. Most reside in suburbs of major metropolitan areas and are looking for the flexibility of live-in childcare and enjoy the cultural exchange benefits the program offers. About 70% of our host families repeat with us each year!
We offer a full year program and an extension program. Au pairs on the full year program have the option to extend their stay for 6, 9, or 12 months, and about 30% of au pairs choose to extend.
Since 1989, Cultural Care has matched more than 80,000 au pairs with welcoming American families. There are currently over 7000 Cultural Care host families across the U.S. We have over 500 Local Childcare Coordinators (LCCs) in communities throughout the country, and our main office is in Boston, MA. In addition to our main office, we have field offices in several states across the country.
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Au Pairs Available for Immediate Placement
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Summer from China/Non-Driver/IQ/Transition - Available Now (10 months left)
My name is Summer and I currently living in San Diego. Searching for new host family to help with childcare. I am also good at handicrafts, music, singing, and smiling to children. My English getting better everyday! I am very loving au pair and want to be useful person in life. I was a part-time lifeguard in China. Want to stay in California and be your au pair to give you a beautiful year, if possible. Have 10 months on J1-visa. Also extend 12 months is possible.
Janine from Germany/Driver/IQ/Transition - Available Now (6 months left)
To tell something about me: I’m 23 years old and I’m from Germany. I have my drivers license for more than 5 years now and I’m driving a lot in California, too. I am infant qualified. I have six siblings (I’m the oldest) and I got all my childcare experience from them. My youngest brother is 4, so I lived my whole life with kids together. My host kids are two boys, they are 18 months and almost 4 years now. If you have any questions, you can just write me My CULTURAL CARE reference number is DEB1677105. Thank you and have a nice day!
Camilla from Brazil/Driver/Non-IQ/Transition - Available Now (10 months left)
Hi my name is Camila. I`m Brazilian, 23, I`m aupair in rematch. I live in Farmingdale Long Island NY I drive very well and carefully. I like cook and I`m very responsible, clear and very organized. I`m a loving person, very calm. I love take care of children. I like go playgrounds, go park. I don’t like night club. I like play movie, go theater, museum, and parks..I`m student administration, but I stopped my College for be au pair, because I think that learn English will help me and I want to know about American Culture. Live here in USA is an wonderful experience in my life, and I love it.I`m don`t like cats, just dogs, I don`t eat red meat. My Au Pair#: BRS:1624669
Fillipi from Brazil/Driver/IQ/Transition - Available Now (9 months left)
Hi , my name is Fillipi Grilleni. I’m a male au pair 25 years old from Brazil. I am B.A in Physical Education and i am pos- graduated in School Physical Education ( in Brazil i was working as a swimming teacher for 6 years and physical education teacher for 4 years, and as Personal Traineer too) I have a Driving license, and first aid. I am vegetarian too. I can cook somethings and actually i’m playing American football in Colorado too I am au pair, taking care a child ( 15 months old ) and i am looking for another family because i would like to spend more time speaking English and to work with kids older too.
Filip from Poland/Driver/IQ/Transition - Available Now (11 months left on visa)
Hello Host Family! I am Filip Szweblik and I am from Poland. I am 22 years old and I speak English very well. I have been in USA for one month and I am looking for a new family. I have had my driver’s license since 2006 and I have a lot of experience with driving. I like cooking, swimming, sports, movies and sightseeing. Of course i like children! I have a lot of experience with childcare. I was in Germany 3 times and I was taking care of a 9 year old boy - Niclas ! I was there last year in August and I spent one month there! Before that I was there in 2005 and 2006. It was a huge pleasure for me and I felt very important for them as they trusted me and let me babysit Niclas. My duties ranged from organizing free time for him while his parents were at work to preparing him a meal , helping in clothes wearing, going for walks, doing some sports, watching cartoons. I was taking care of 2 boys from October 2009 to January 2010: David (3 yrs) and Adam (2yrs). Their parents are busy, hardworking couple. Common friends told them about my experience and they asked me to work for them as a babysitter for their sons. I would be honored if I get a chance to know your family better, share a little bit of our lives with each other and learn from you a great parenthood. I believe that will help me extremely in my future family life and with such an experience, I will be great and successful parent.
Ina from Korea/IQ/Driver/Extension - Available 6/28/10 (1 yr extension)
Hello everyone !! My name is Ina Yun from South Korea. and I am 24yrs old. I’ve been in USA almost one year as au pair and would love to extend for one more year!! I am excited to meet another great family again so I can give them lots of things that I got, like some lessons and love. I am looking for Fun, Active, Happy family !! and I would love to be part of their family. if the host family is Christian it will be perfect !!
I am very sweet and having warm heart, I don’t drink and don’t smoke, good at teaching and most important thing is I am in love with kids. Their smiles make me smile and happy too! I have some gifts from God. which are playing a piano, Ocarina, drawing, Taikwondo and I play a flute too. I am giving a piano lesson for my host kids now and they are very happy. I like to teach them my country’s culture also I love to learn their culture and English.
I still have left lots of things to see and learn. I am ready to fit in with my new lovely family!!
Tracy from China/Driver/IQ/Extension - Available 7/5/10 (1 yr extension)
My name is Cui Fan (Tracy) from China, 25 years old. im a girl mature and responsible, passionate and optimistic, active and energetic. My current host family said i have lovely personality and really being easy going. i am a safe driver with many years drivng experience and also have a California driver’s license.i almost drive everyday in San Diego. i like outdoor activities. such as riding bicycle, play soccer, hiking, picnic, go to beach. also i like go to museum, zoo, sea world and any other fun places with my host kids. i am a good Chinese teacher,a good tutor, a good cook, pets friendly. i wish i could travel around and learn more about America as well as make more new friends and study in college.
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Au Paired Up
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By Christian Schiavone
It’s 9:30 a.m. on a recent Monday morning and Ella Stallmann is at the first stop of her workday - the breakfast table.
She’s busy watching her host family’s 3-year-old twins, Tomi and Alina. The three laugh and joke, mostly in German, as she reminds them to finish up their bowls of cereal and not to jump on the couch in the playroom when they’ve finished. In the afternoon, the family’s two older boys, 7-year-old Finn and 6-year-old Mikko, will get home and Stallmann will take them to the playground and or play dates, then home for dinner, homework and finally bedtime around 8 p.m.
It’s a long day, but much of it doesn’t feel like work taking care of the four children she’s come to see as an extension of her family midway through her 12-month stay in Belmont as an au pair.
“It’s like they’re my little siblings,” said 19-year-old Stallmann. “I have two younger brothers and I always thought it was fun working with kids.”
The program
It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly how many au pairs are living and working in Belmont - a piece of information placement agencies are reluctant to share with their competitors. But Kristina Shimkus, a local childcare coordinator for Cultural Care Au Pair, said an increasing number of families in communities like Belmont are looking for the flexibility and security of having a full-time, live-in childcare provider.
“There are more people interested in hosting au pairs than ever before,” said Shimkus, who matches au pairs with families in Belmont, Watertown and parts of Newton. “There’s more people and more kinds of people from all walks of life. In the communities we serve, it’s growing incredibly.”
Cultural Care Au Pair recruits childcare providers from 35 countries around the world, mainly in Europe and Latin America, as well as Australia and South Africa. Under a program supervised by the U.S. State Department, au pairs between the ages of 18 and 26 spend a year with their host families, primarily working with children as well as cooking and light housework.
Prospective au pairs must have at least five years of experience studying English and demonstrated childcare experience. They work up to 45 hours a week on a schedule they work out with their host families, a degree of flexibility that’s often a starting point for local families’ interest in hosting an au pair.
Pascale Wiedenroth, Stallmann’s host mother, said she and her husband, Erich Horsley, prefer having a trusted au pair with a malleable schedule over nannies, who have tighter schedules and are generally older than au pairs.
“The wonderful thing about having an au pair is their schedule can be arranged very flexibly,” said Wiedenroth, who works part-time as a headhunter for subsidiaries of European companies and a yoga instructor. “Our kids have a lot of energy, so we needed someone who’s young and energetic.”
The cost is also typically lower than what a traditional nanny or day care provider would charge, especially for families with multiple children, according to Shimkus and host families.
Families working with Cultural Care Au Pair pay about $340 a week, including about $200 per week stipend for the au pair, regardless of the number of children, according to Shimkus.
Many families also choose au pairs from foreign countries for the cross-cultural connection for their children. Wiedenroth, who is German, and her husband enjoy having an au pair who can also help teach the children to speak her native language at home.
A new experience
The program also has advantages for the au pairs.
Stallmann, who said she hopes to eventually become a cooking teacher, said the she became an au pair to hone her English speaking, experience American culture and travel on her own for the first time.
Ana Bohosquez, a 24-year-old au pair from Venezuela, said she chose to spend a year as an au pair to perfect her English skills in order to further her career as a graphic designer.
“It’s important in my country to have two languages,” said Bohosquez, who has also been teaching her host family’s three children to speak Spanish. “This is a great opportunity for me to share the culture.”
Au pairs must also complete six credits of coursework at a local college or university.
Candidates go through an extensive interview process first with the placement agency and then with interested families. E-mail, Skype and online chatting have largely replaced the days of Polaroids and FedEx, but most host families still meet their au pairs for the first time when they get off the bus at the Riverside T station in Newton.
And even with all the interviews, whether an au pair and a family have a good year together depends on how well they match up.
“It’s a different atmosphere having a young woman or a young man in your house,” said Wiedenroth. “It has to be a good fit.”
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These are a few of my favorite things…
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New au pairs can sometimes find it challenging to get into a groove with the host children right away upon their arrival. One great way to help them connect more quickly is to have host families provide them with a reference book of favorite things enjoyed by the children. A book with lists of the children’s favorite stories, activities, and things that they enjoy doing throughout the year can give a new au pair a nice head start on forming a wonderful bond and will provide a great resource for ideas to keep the kids happy. It’s also a great keepsake for the family to look back on as the kids get older. The current au pair can add to this as the year progresses so that when the next au pair arrives they can see how the children’s tastes and interests have changed and can jump right in and engage the kids with activities that are a real homerun!
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Earn a night out! - - OR FREE CHILDCARE FOR A YEAR!
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To current Cultural Care Au Pair host families:
Who doesn’t love to sit back and watch a flick on the big screen?! A family trip to the movie theater might normally be expensive, but during the month of March, you’ll earn 10 Fandango Bucks every time you refer a family to our program. Fandango, the nation’s leading moviegoer destination, sells tickets to more than 16,000 screens-so you can redeem your Fandango bucks to see the film of your choice at the theater of your choice. Cool!
To refer families who might be interested in hosting an au pair, simply log into your host family account at culturalcare.com/login and click on “Refer a Family.” You will receive your Fandango Bucks through email within 3 business days.
If a family that you refer welcomes an au pair into their home, you’ll earn an additional $250 referral bonus which you can choose to receive as a program fee discount or cash!*
And here’s the biggest news about our referral program this year: If you refer 10 families who welcome an au pair into their home by October 22, 2010 you will receive one full year of service for FREE!
Give the gift of flexible, affordable childcare to your friends, family members, colleagues and neighbors today… and take your family to the movies on us!
We hope you take advantage of a great opportunity to save and invite more families to enjoy the benefits of live-in, intercultural childcare.
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Cultural Care Au Pair’s “Kids First”
Published by Melynda Harjes, under Uncategorized. No Comments.
Even two bunkbeds can make a world of difference.
This is what Cultural Care Au Pair staff members and Local Childcare Coordinators (LCCs) learned when they visited the site of our Kids First partner in South Africa earlier this month. Kids First, Cultural Care’s own philanthropic program, raises funds for children in need worldwide, including many in a Cape Town community looked after by a woman named Mama Pumla.
Mama used $12,000 we sent last year to build a structure that would house the youngest children in her care, and our representatives visited in order to check on her progress. During the visit, we purchased even more supplies and gifts and met some incredibly special people. Whether you are already a Kids First supporter and want to know what kind of difference you’ve made or want to learn more about this program, you can find more information by contacting Melynda at melynda.harjes@lcc.culturalcare.com or 651-248-0510.
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Stillwater Family In Berlin to Celebrate Democracy!
Published by Melynda Harjes, under Uncategorized. No Comments.
Stillwater residents Dan and Melynda Harjes were recently invited to join more than 75 others at an international summit in Berlin, Germany, hosted by Cultural Care Au Pair.
Melynda Harjes is a Cultural Care Au Pair local childcare coordinator for the Stillwater, Lake Elmo and Hudson, Wis., area.
The group was in Berlin for the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, a fitting venue for the celebration of Cultural Care Au Pair’s 20 years of providing a childcare and cultural exchange program for American families.
“It was fascinating to be part of the celebrations and hear from Berliners about what it was like before the wall came down,” said Harjes. “It’s incredible to think that just 20 years ago, it would not have been possible for some of my German au pairs to come to the United States. The dismantling of the wall shattered cultural barriers for them.”
Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, also in Berlin for the celebration, spoke at the U.S. Embassy: “It is such a great personal privilege to be joining with the German people, and people throughout Europe and the world, to celebrate this occasion … to commemorate that day 20 years ago when the Berlin Wall gave way to a new era of peace in a united Germany, in a united Europe …We’re celebrating the triumph of democracy and freedom, and the important role of the German-U.S. relationship.”
As a local childcare coordinator, Harjes supports area families who are currently hosting an international au pair in their home, as well as the au pairs themselves. Harjes earned her invitation to the summit by expanding the program in Minnesota and Wisconsin in the previous year, as well as for her role as a local community resource for parents interested in intercultural childcare.
Harjes is a member of a nationwide network of more than 600 local childcare coordinators dedicated to promoting global understanding through intercultural exchange. In addition to supporting a local group of host families and their au pairs, Harjes organizes social activities throughout the year, advises au pairs on educational opportunities in the community and provides advice on intercultural exchange.
If you are interesting in learning more about this childcare program and how local families can benefit from intercultural exchange, Melynda Harjes can be reached personally at 651-248-0510 or via email at melynda.harjes@lcc.culturalcare.com.