Helen Cook

WEEKEND CLASSES AVAILABLE IN LEHIGH VALLEY FOR AU PAIRS!

Posted by: hcook on December 30, 2009

Two Lehigh Valley Colleges are offering Classes on Weekends right here in the Lehigh Valley — Cedar Crest College and Muhlenberg College are offering classes to be held on Weekends in January, 2010 and Au Pairs will be able to earn THREE (3) Credits of the required Education Component of the Au Pair Year.  Please see the schedules below.      This might be a good way for Lehigh Valley Au Pairs to earn at least one-half of the required education credits needed for the Au Pair Program.   Muhlenberg and Cedar Creest will honor the $350 per class (audit only) for Lehigh Valley Au Pairs.   Muhlenberg and Cedar Crest are both excellent schools in the Lehigh Valley - so Au Pairs can avoid the travel expenses that might be associated with going to other Weekend Colleges.

The schedules are below and please note that you can call the schools and attend “Open House” by the schools to find out more about the courses.

CEDAR CREST COLLEGE — 610-740-3770 — www.cedarcrest.edu  — offers an Open House on Thursday, January 7 between 3:00 and 7:00 p.m.   Au Pairs can stop by (or call anytime) to find out more about the classes offered.  Classes at Cedar Crest will be held weekends of January 8-10 and January 15-17.   Courses offered are:

•      Art 101  Beginning Drawing
•      Art 103 Painting Studio
•      Art 160 ST:  The Art of Bookmaking
•      BUA 110 Principals of Management
•      BUA 328 Power, Influence and Negotiation
•      GSC 104  Earth Science:  Historical Geology
•      MRK 332:  Sales Management
•      MUS 221:   Musical Styles:  Humor in Music
•      PSC 208:    Women, Law and Politices
•      REL 227:  Islam In America
•      SOC 100:  Introduction to Culture and Society
•      THS 201:  Acting For Non-Majors

Actual Spring Classes for Cedar Crest Begin:  January 19, 2010.

MUHLENBERG COLLEGE  (484-664-3300   wescoe@muhlenberg.edu) The Wescoe School )  - is offering a full college course - worth 3 credits 36 hours - to be taken over just two weekends!

The Classes offered are:

• Introduction to History of American Bad Guys
• American Ethnic Diversity
• Business Ethics
• Introduction to the Art of Acting
• Literature and Film
• Vodou in Haiti & the Diaspora

 Classes are offered over two weekends:

• January 8 (6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.), 9 and 10 (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
• January 15, 16, and 17, 2010 (same times).

Please be sure to tell the school that you are an Au Pair with Cultural Care Au Pair (Helen Cook) and that you wish to “Audit” the course as an Au Pair.   Register Early - these classes may fill quickly!

January Au Pair Meeting — Ice Skating!

Posted by: hcook on December 30, 2009

The January Au Pair Meeting for the  Lehigh Valley Au Pairs be held on January 24, 2009.  We will all go “Ice Skating” (Indoor Ice Rink).   ”Steel City Ice Center”  is conveniently located on the south side of Bethlehem on the site of the historic Bethlehem Steel Company.  The location is easily accessible from Routes 22 or 78 via Routes 378 and 412.   Plenty of parking is available.  Here are the details:

WHERE:     Steel City Ice Center, 320 East 1st Street, Bethlehem, PA 18015

PHONE:     610-625-4774

DATE:       Sunday, January 24, 2010

TIME:         1:00 P.M. to 3:30 P.M.  (Lateness will count as a Non Attendance!)

COST:        $5.00 Per Au Pair (Includes Rental of Skates and Public Ice Skating)

We will have a private room for you to relax, have hot chocolate and snacks!   We will have a short CEP Safety Meeting and will be finalizing the Ski/Snowboard Trip Details (Ski/Snowboard Day is Sunday, February 21).

Procedure:   Come to the Steel Ice Center Building and go to the “Front Desk”.  Give the person at the Front Desk your name and she/he will give you a ticket for the rental skates.  Go to the Rental Area - gather your skates - and come to the Meeting Room (near the ice).  You will have 1 1/2 hours of skating time.  You will pay Helen ($5.00) in the Meeting Room (not to the Front Desk).

Please watch for more details re Ski/Snowboard Trip.  I WILL NEED YOUR RESERVATION AND MONEY FOR THE SKI/SNOWBOARD TRIP ON THIS JANUARY MEETING SUNDAY!!!   Watch for further emails re Ski/Snowboard.

Looking forward to seeing all Au Pairs on Sunday, January 24, 2010 — Bring friends and/or other Au Pairs — all are invited!

Directions to the Steel Ice Center

From Route 22:
1. Exit onto the 378 South/Bethlehem exit.
2. Follow 378 South until the expressway ends.
3. Get into the left lane.
4. At the first light turn left onto 3rd Street.
5. Follow 3rd Street to the fourth traffic light.
6. Turn left onto Polk Street.
7. SIC is on the left at the end of Polk Street.
1. Exit 67 at Hellertown/Bethlehem.
2. At the end of the ramp turn right onto 412 North.
3. Pass Wendy’s on your left.
4. Continue to the third light and make a soft right to
  continue on 412. (412 becomes 3rd Street)
5. Turn right at the Polk Street traffic light. (Polk Street   is just after the Discovery Center)
6. SIC is on the left at the end of Polk Street.     

From I-78:

From the South:
1. Take 309 North through Coopersburg to 378 North.
2. Follow 378 North over the mountain.
3. At the bottom of the mountain you will see a McDonald’s on your left.
4. Go to the second light after the McDonald’s where you will see the Church of the Nativity.
5. Turn right at this light onto 3rd Street.
6. Follow 3rd Street to the fourth traffic light.
7. Turn left onto Polk Street.
8. SIC is on the left at the end of Polk Street.

“AU PAIR OF THE YEAR AWARD”! RECOGNIZE YOUR AU PAIR! Nominations for 2010 IAPA “Au Pair Of The Year” Award Are Due “Now”!

Posted by: hcook on December 29, 2009

Every year thousands of young people from all over the world embark on a special journey by becoming an Au Pair. Now it’s time to recognize the extraordinary and ordinary daily accomplishments that each Au Pair makes in his or her host family by nominating your Au Pair for the International Au Pair Association’s seventh annual “Au Pair of the Year Award”.

The International Au Pair Association established the Au Pair of the Year Award to recognize the many Great young men and women participating in the Au Pair program worldwide. In addition, the award helps highlight public awareness of this valuable cultural exchange program.

For the last two years, Au Pairs with Cultural Care have been honored with the IAPA Au Pair of the Year Award. In 2009, the honor was awarded to Francisco Ricardo Silva de Araújo, of Brazil, an Au Pair to the Boyer family of Virginia.

In 2008, Linda Falter, an Au Pair from Germany, received the award while she was an Au Pair for the Sato family of Hayward, California.

WHAT MAKES YOUR AU PAIR OUTSTANDING?

Maybe it is the day-to-day things he or she does, such as kicking around a soccer ball, helping the kids with homework or entertaining them while you cook dinner. Maybe it’s the way he or she has embraced your family, such as teaching your kids her language, baking treats from her home country or coming to watch your children in the winter program at school. Every thing your Au Pair does that helps your family or brings a rich cultural exchange into your family is worthy of recognition, and a great way of saying thank you to your Au Pair!

Host families who would like to nominate their Au Pair should submit an essay detailing what makes their Au Pair exceptional in the form provided. Nominations for the Au Pair of the Year Award must be received by Friday, January 15. Once you’ve submitted your nomination, don’t forget to share it with your Au Pair to show her or him how much you think of what she or he does for your family!

Simply nominating an Au Pair for the IAPA Au Pair of the Year Award is a wonderful honor that can show your Au Pair how much you value what she or he does for your family. This award allows so many in the Au Pair community to reflect on what an incredibly positive program this is and the many lives it touches and enriches along the way.

For more information about the Au Pair of the Year Award or nominating your Au Pair please click here.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Posted by: hcook on December 24, 2009

  Dear Au Pairs:

Just a little note to say “MERRY CHRISTMAS” to all of you — you are such a great group of young men and women and it takes a strong and mature person to be in the U.S. — I am blessed to have you and hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas

Helen

December Au Pair Meeting - Thai Thai II Dinner & Gift Exchange

Posted by: hcook on December 12, 2009

   Reminder:  Cultural Care Au Pair —  Lehigh Valley Au Pairs — December Au Pair Meeting is scheduled as follows:

     Date:   Sunday (That’s Tomorrow), December 13, 2009

     Where:  Thai Thai II Restaurant, 509 Main Street Bethlehem, PA — Downtown Bethlehem — “The Christmas City”

     Time:   5:00 p.m. (Do Not Be Late)

     Cost:   $13.00

     Bring:   A gift wrapped ($10 limit) with no name on it and give the gift to Helen for the gift exchange when arriving at Thai Thai.   We will have a Thai Dinner, Christmas Cookies and a Gift Exchange.  

     Parking:   Parking in Downtown Bethlehem is limited this time of year — plan your time to come early — and best to find Parking in one of the Parking Decks near downtown.  Car Pool .. it is the easiest way to park!

     Pre-Meeting Activities:   Although the weather sounds like it might rain, The Christmas City is still fun to find many items for Christmas .. Plan to come early / shop downtown Main Street — Don’t miss “The Moravian Book Store” and other wonderful little and unusual shops.  There may be carolers on the streets and, of course, the horsedrawn wagons.   Come early for the fun before our dinner (Au Pair Meeting)

DECEMBER AU PAIR MEETING - “Thai” Dinner and Gift Exchange!

Posted by: hcook on December 1, 2009

Lehigh Valley Au Pairs will gather for our December Au Pair Meeting in “Downtown” Bethlehem — “The Christmas City” for a “Thai” Dinner (Da and Jick — our Thai Au Pairs — will especially like this)!

Restaurant:   Thai Thai II Restaurant, 509 Main Street, Bethlehem, PA.   The Thai Thai II Restaurant is located in downtown Bethlehem .. near the Hotel Bethlehem and on the same side of the street as the Hotel Bethlehem.

Time:   5:00 P.M.  (Please be AT the Thai Restaurant no later than 5:00 p.m.)

Cost:   $13.00 Per Au Pair (Dinner will be served family style) 

Payment:  You will pay Helen at the dinner (please try to have the correct money)

Gift Exchange:   Please bring a WRAPPED Gift that will be exchanged with the other Au Pairs.  Please remember that we have a few “Male Au Pairs” in the Group so that should make your shopping more interesting.  Please spend about $10 for the gift.  Wrap the gift (do not put your name on the gift) and bring the gift to the restaurant in a bag (don’t tell the other Au Pairs what you bought or are bringing).  Upon arrival at the restaurant, give the bag with the present to Helen and later we will play a “Gift Exchange” game!   At the end of the game - everyone will receive a Christmas present!

Note:  There is sooo much to do in Bethlehem this time of year.  Please visit the following website for ideas:   http://www.christmascity.org/thingstodo/

This might be a good time for you to come early to Bethlehem — park and shop before our Thai Dinner and Gift Exchange.   The shops are interesting - not all that expensive and fun!  Bundle up if it is cold!

Parking:   Parking can be a little difficult — so plan your day accordingly.  There are two main parking decks near Main Street and Broad Street in Bethlehem.  You would park — take a ticket — and if you buy something at some of the local shops (like Moravian Book Store, etc.) you can have the ticket stamped and get some hours of parking for free.  There are also parking spots along the streets .. but please be sure to put money in the parking meters so you will not get a parking ticket!  Put in enough money to cover the time you are in Bethlehem!!!  (Parking Lots are better)

Main Street of Downtown Bethlehem is bustling with shops decorated for Christmas and there are carolers and brass choirs playing traditional Christmas music.  Don’t forget to look in the side streets (Donegal Square for English traditions) and other areas for interesting items.   Just walking around the area should be fun (weather permitting) .. so take some time to do this before the dinner.

The Moravian Book Shop — http://www.moravianbookshop.com/ — is a wonderful place to just look around and you might find a gift for that special someone.  It has so many different items in the store and something for almost everyone.  It is open on Sundays from Noon until 5:00 p.m.

Christkindmarkt – This is a German-type Holiday Market that has been rated as one of the best in the country.  http://www.christmascity.org/ckm/  The cost to enter Christkindmakt is $8.00 .. so you might want to think about that before you go .. but it is an interesting place to buy little things.

Again:   Au Pair December Meeting at Thai Thai II Restaurant AT 5:00 p.m.!