Amy Bryan, Local Childcare Coordinator

Country Spotlight: Colombia

Posted by: Amy Bryan on July 27, 2009

Our Colombian au pairs are the most likely to extend their year in the U.S. for an additional 6, 9 or 12 months–an interesting fact when you consider that au pairs from Colombia are often the only person in their family to have traveled abroad!  Most Colombian au pairs prefer to travel to the U.S. in the summertime or in January and February.

It’s very common for our Colombian au pairs to have experience caring for younger siblings and cousins as they come from large, close-knit extended families.  Most of the young people from Colombia who apply to our program are currently studying, or are already working in careers related to children and to childcare like teaching and psychology.

Obedience to older people and respect for family traditions is very important in Colombia, so young people there are quick to defer to the opinions of their elders.

Need some more reasons to host an au pair from Colombia??  Colombian au pairs are:

1. Family-oriented.  In Colombian culture, family plays a main role. Young people are very attached to their families and it is very common for a young woman to live with her family until she gets married or gets a job in a different city. A host family can expect a Colombian au pair to be an active family member willing to share her culture, language and traditions.  Generally, Colombian au pairs will want to take part in the host family’s activities.

2. Happy and affectionate.  Colombian au pairs are a good representation of Caribbean and Latin culture. They may be a little bit shy at first, but their zest for life and need for social connection will inevitably become apparent. Au pairs from Colombia are skilled in relationship-building and their charming, positive nature will rub off on their host children and parents alike.

3. Well-educated.  Colombian au pairs are usually very well-educated. All of them are pursuing a professional career or have just earned a professional degree. They will gladly help the children with their homework and will play an important role in promoting their education.

4. Good role models.  Colombian culture is still quite traditional. As a consequence, most Colombian au pairs don’t have tattoos, piercings or smoking and/or drinking habits. They have very good manners and high moral values.

5. Experienced with varied childcare.  Most Colombian au pairs come from big families and grow up taking care of their younger siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews.  Besides that, most of them have worked as volunteers in daycare centers, kindergarten schools, or children’s foundations. A high percentage of Colombian candidates are studying to become teachers.

6. Mature.  The average age of Colombian au pairs is 23 years old, so a family can expect a mature and experienced candidate.

7. Competent English speakers.  Colombian au pairs generally have very good comprehension and can express themselves in a simple way. They are fast learners and once they arrive in the U.S. their English tends to improve very quickly. Quite a few Colombian au pairs are studying to become English teachers, in which case they may have an even better English level.

8. Spanish Speakers!- Se habla Español.  Colombian au pairs’ native language is Spanish! Spanish is the second most common language in the United States after English and is the most widely taught non-English language in U.S. secondary schools and institutions of higher education. Colombian au pairs can help children learn their native language. Colombian Spanish has a neutral accent and is considered to have the best pronunciation pattern.

9. Easy to reach.  Once a host family is matched with a Colombian au pair it is generally very easy to reach her. Most Colombian au pairs have cell phones on which they can be called almost any time. In Colombia, cell phone companies do not charge for incoming calls so au pairs can receive international calls at no charge. In addition, most of them check their email frequently so getting in touch with them is quite easy!

10. More likely to extend.  Colombian au pairs have a very high extension rate. When they do decide to stay an extra term, most of them choose to stay with the same family.

Summer Safety Guides

Posted by: Amy Bryan on July 27, 2009

Summer is a great time to be outdoors with the kids at the playground, pool or beach. Be sure to be safe! Review the following tips to ensure safety is a top priority and ALWAYS supervise children at play!!!

These safety tips are part of Cultural Care Au Pair’s Continuing Education Program for summer.

PLAYGROUND SAFETY

• Always supervise children when on playgrounds.  Maintain visual and auditory contact at all times.
• Ensure that children use age- and size-appropriate playground equipment.
• Prevent unsafe behaviors like pushing, shoving, crowding and inappropraite use of equipment. Continually enforce the rules of safe play.
• Remove hood and neck drawstrings from all children’s clothing.  Never allow children to wear necklaces, purses, scarves or clothing with drawstrings while on playgrounds.
• Tie shoelaces to prevent tripping and entanglement in equipment and look for tripping hazards on the playground.
• Make sure that children use playground equipment in a safe manner.
• Make sure the surface of any playground on which children are playing is safe.
• Check for unsafe design elements on the playground.  Examples are the following:  open “S” hooks; equipment which is not securely anchored; openings between three and one half inches and nine inches which could allow head entrapment; inadequate spacing between equipment; platforms with no guard rails; protrusions or sharp edges that could cut a child or catch a string or item of clothing.

• Make sure playground is regularly maintained.

WATER SAFETY / DROWNING PREVENTION

Country Spotlight: Brazil

Posted by: Amy Bryan on July 27, 2009

I would like to spotlight the home countries of our current group of au pairs to teach interested families about what it’s like to host au pairs from these countries.

For our Brazilian au pairs, spending a year in the US is a dream come true and they work hard to make the most of their experience while they are here.  In fact, this year, a Cultural Care Au Pair from Brazil earned the title of “2009 Au Pair of the Year” by the International Au Pair Association.

Brazil is our largest recruitment country in Latin America.  Since Brazil has a reverse school year, many Brazilian au pairs prefer to travel in January, February or March.  However, quite a few also travel in July, during their winter vacations.

Most of our Brazilian applicants first gain childcare experience by taking care of younger siblings, relatives and neighborhood children.  Some of the Brazilian applicants are qualified teachers or have been teaching private classes, in such subjects as English, arts and music.

A typical Brazilian au pair has been raised in an extended family environment, and for this reason, will look to be treated as a true member of the family.

Here are 10 more great reasons why a family might consider an au pair from Brazil:

1. Flexibility:  Brazil has millions of descendents from Europe, Africa and Asia. Day after day, Brazilians live with different religions, traditions and cultures.  This situation has made them one of the most peaceful people of the world. It is second nature, therefore, for Brazilian au pairs to understand and cope with cultural differences.

2. Creativity:  The difficult political and economic climate in their country has taught Brazilians how to create new alternatives and ways to deal with unexpected situations on a daily basis. You will see this creativity and resourcefulness in your Brazilian au pairs, especially when they keep your children entertained with crafts, games and stories.

3. Experience with many children:  Brazilian au pairs tend to have experience with many children at the same time. They come from big families, so au pairs from Brazil often grow up taking care of the younger siblings and cousins.

4. Family-oriented:  Brazilian au pairs have strong family values. They will want to participate in family activities and feel like a member of the family. They will do everything possible to win the hearts of their host children and make sure they are happy. Although they are very respectful of authority, Brazilians usually make friends in a work environment—personal and professional ties go hand-in-hand.

5. Eagerness to learn:  Brazilian au pairs tend to be very interested in learning and curious about the world around them. They will love learning everything about your culture, your lifestyle and your family’s activities.

6. Sociable: Brazilian au pairs are very social. They like to talk and to share their experiences with family and friends. They will be happy to expose you to their country’s culture, food, music and pictures. They are always willing to meet new people, make new friends and experience different places.

7. Likeliness to extend:  Brazilian au pairs have a high extension rate. More than half of them choose to stay for an extended term and, when they do, they are likely to extend with the same family.

8. Experienced drivers:  Public transportation in Brazil is very poor, so Brazilian au pairs are accustomed to driving everywhere, especially in city streets and in bad road conditions. Even when Brazilian au pairs have had their driver’s license for only a short period of time, they usually have a lot of experience in varied conditions.

9. Maturity: Brazilian au pairs tend to be more mature. Their average age is 23 years old.

10. Highly educated:  Brazilian au pairs are very well educated. Most of them have bachelor’s degrees and professional careers back home.

Contact me today if you are interested in hosting an au pair from Brazil or from any of our 40 recruitment countries!

July Meeting Location Change!!!

Posted by: Amy Bryan on July 26, 2009

Due to the impending forecasted thunderstorms for this afternoon, we will NOT be meeting for our picnic at Lums Pond State Park.  Instead, we will meet at Cold Stone Creamery on Route 40 in Bear, near People’s Plaza.  We will still meet at 1 pm, as before.

Cultural Care Au Pair Hits Internet Radio

Posted by: Amy Bryan on July 24, 2009

Thanks to the wonderful folks at Volta Internet Radio, interested families can find out more about our program on mp3!  I was in-studio to talk about the role of the LCC, and we spoke with a couple of host moms about their experiences hosting an au pair.

If you missed it, you can download an mp3 version of this to listen to at your leisure for free!  There is also a special promotion you can get just from listening to our program!  Download it to your computer and listen while surfing the net or load it onto your iPod to listen on your way to work or at the gym–you can find out about all the benefits of hosting a Cultural Care Au Pair while on the go, when YOU have time to fit it in!

To download the show, go to GetItNow! and enter PIN # 01-41e8fb2 in the box where prompted.

If you or someone you know needs childcare, take a listen or pass this information along to a friend or family member!

Happy listening and stay tuned for more!

Cultural Care Host Family Survey Results Are In!

Posted by: Amy Bryan on July 24, 2009

In the spring of 2008, Cultural Care Au Pair launched a new, bi-annual customer satisfaction survey in order to gather feedback from our host families in a systematic way. An average of 40% of all of our active families participated in the survey in Spring 2008, Fall 2008 and Spring 2009. Many of the suggestions shared by our families have been implemented, the result of which has been higher scores on each consecutive survey. Our new matching process, increased new and repeat family savings and better online resources and phone support are just a few of the improvements our families now enjoy.

Check out the survey results for yourself!

“The Best-Kept Secret in Childcare”

Posted by: Amy Bryan on July 23, 2009

Do you need childcare?  Know of someone who does??  Tune into Volta Internet Radio Friday, July 23rd at 1 pm ET to find out more about Cultural Care Au Pair’s flexible, live-in options — the best-kept secret in childcare!

Top 10 Reasons to Choose Cultural Care Au Pair!

Posted by: Amy Bryan on July 23, 2009

1. One-to-One Matching
We select applicants who are compatible with a host family’s personality, lifestyle and childcare needs. All host families review applications online through their Extranet account to ensure accurate, efficient service.

2. Highest Quality Customer Service
LCCs and staff are there for each host family and au pair at every point throughout their year. LCCs are always on-hand to offer support and advice and to create a local community of host families and au pairs. We believe that continued trainings and support of our LCCs will help us maintain the highest quality program.

3. Peace of Mind
With over 15 years of experience, Cultural Care Au Pair is one of the largest and most trusted au pair programs. Families can rely on our organization to assist them throughout the application process and during their year. A host family’s main responsibility is to choose their au pair and welcome her/him into their home. We do the rest from arranging their au pair’s flight to the U.S. to coordinating transitions and transportation should a host family and au pair end their year together early.

4. Cultural Care Au Pair Training School at St. John’s University
Cultural Care teachers not only prepare au pairs according to the U.S. Department of State guidelines but also provide a warm and welcoming environment for au pairs upon arrival to the U.S. Our small class sizes and campus setting allow au pairs to learn, overcome homesickness, and prepare for arrival to their host families.

5. Continuing Education Program
Because we are committed to the on-going education of au pairs, Cultural Care Au Pair has developed four seasonal units devoted to childcare safety and accident prevention to supplement the training at the Au Pair Training School. These trainings are packaged and made available on your LCC Extranet in your “Events in a Box” section under the “Marketing” tab.

6. Host Family Handbook, Daily Communication Log, and Household Handbook
Effective tools in communication, these handbooks provide essential pre-departure information and address topics such as expectations and instruction on childcare. The online Household Handbook allows families to provide information specific to their family and household for their au pair.

7. Male Au Pairs
Cultural Care Au Pair remains one of the few agencies to recruit qualified male candidates to fulfill our host families’ needs for experienced male au pairs. Why should families consider hosting a male au pair? They are energetic and experienced childcare providers with a sincere interest in being a “big brother” to children.

8. Over 35 Recruitment Countries and Growing
Currently in over 35 countries, Cultural Care continues to offer host families exposure to new and exciting cultures ranging from Europe to Latin America, Australia to South Africa. Utilizing our experienced network allows Cultural Care Au Pair to have our own offices in many of the countries we recruit from, and our recruitment headquarters in Luzerne ensures that all our offices and agents adhere to our high standards.

9. Kids First
Dedicated to improving the lives of children around the world, Cultural Care Au Pair has supported a number of local organizations important to our host families. Our efforts are concentrated, however, on our three official partners: Ubuhle Babantwana, a daycare center in South Africa, Casa do Zezinho, an after-school program in Brazil and St. Mary’s Academy, a school in New Orleans.

10. Corporate and Local Offices
To support our host families across the U.S., Cultural Care Au Pair has a main office with centralized services in Boston, MA, and local field offices for Placement Managers, Program Directors and Regional Development Directors across the country to provide a valuable regional perspective.

August Meeting — End of Summer Luau

Posted by: Amy Bryan on July 20, 2009

We will be attending a fun end-of-summer event for our August meeting.  LCCs Nick and Kristen Bell, who cover Greenville DE and parts of southern PA, host this event each year for local au pairs.  Last year, over 100 au pairs attended and it’s a pretty fun time!  The luau is Saturday, August 29th at 7 pm.

This year, there will be a karaoke contest led by a professional DJ, as well as an international food competition.  Winners will receive gift cards or movie tickets.  All you need to bring is a homemade food dish from your country, a bathing suit if you wish to swim in the pool and your singing voice!

The location of the luau is at Nick & Kristen’s house at 1936 Lenape Rd., West Chester PA, 19382.  I’ll be happy to help carpool au pairs who are not familiar with the area or who wish to ride with me.  We will work out the details of this later in the month, as we will have some new arrivals coming earlier in August.

Check out more information here:  hawaiian-poster

I will need you to RSVP for this event.  If you already know you won’t be able to attend, let me know right away! (If you are leaving for home before this date, you do not need to RSVP.)

New Visa Requirements for Travel to Canada

Posted by: Amy Bryan on July 20, 2009

If you are a citizen of Mexico or the Czech Republic, you are now required to obtain a tourist visa for travel to Canada as of July 14th.  You can find more information at the Canadian Citizenship & Immigration website.

Several other Cultural Care Au Pair recruitment country residents are also required to have a tourist visa to enter Canada.  If you are from a country in Central or South America, Africa, Eastern Europe or Asia, you will most likely need this documentation if you plan to travel to Canada during your au pair year.  Check the complete list of countries to confirm whether or not this is a requirement for you and make sure you obtain all necessary paperwork before your travels.

If you have further questions, you can ask me or refer to the InfoSource section of your online account.  You can also direct any questions to the Operations Department by calling 1-800-448-5753.