What can professional au pairs look forward to living in your region?
There are crazy, cool and unique things always going on in the San Francisco Bay Area.
One of my favorite things about coming to San Francisco has been this fact! It is truly amazing to me how often there are festivals, concerts, and just randomly awesome cultural events going on. From SantaCon (everyone dresses up like Santa Claus) to Fleet Week on the bay, picnic on Crissy Field with kite flying to the many museums of Science or Art all around the bay area. There’s something for everyone; it’s impossible not to get drawn to something you didn’t expect. A haven for backyard artists and coffee-shop philosophers, amazing sports teams, beautiful beaches, miles of hiking trials and state parks around the bay area. I give huge credit to the cities of San Francisco Bay Area for how often they let streets get shut down, allow for dance performances, a farmer's market, a Sci-Fi festival and try to make it easy for people to participate by adjusting public transportation accordingly. The San Francisco Bay Area is a place of celebrating everything! Expect a LOT of diversity, languages, and cultures in this part of California! There is a reason why Tony Bennett sings..."I left my heart in San Francisco, hgh on a hill, it calls to me."
What kinds of career experience are your professional au pairs gaining with their host families?
There is a Chinese saying that goes: “If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.”
For centuries, the greatest thinkers have suggested the same thing: Happiness is found in helping others. Anyone who thinks that working with children all day is easy hasn’t ever done it. Professional au pairs need to be prepared each day and most of those days will be good, but some days will be very hard. Patience on the hard days will be rewarded when the children put their arms around you for a hug or give you a smile or show in their own way 'you make me happy'.
What are some of the popular courses offered in your region?
Business English: to build up one's English Vocabulary in the business world
Spanish: to build up learning another language! Not all Californians talk like surfers or look like Hollywood actors and actresses. There are people from all walks of life here in California. Nearly half the population can speak at least some Spanish.
What are some fun au pair activities you have done with your group?
Presidential Debate Party - Red, White and YOU! Politics can be mean so let's make it fun! Professional au pairs may partake in 'I KNOW THE USA' Trivia game (with prizes), feast on a traditional American dinner (not hot dogs!) and watch the debate by playing 'Debate Bingo' (prizes again)! Professional au pairs are encouraged to wear red, white and blue!
Cal Baseball Game - Baseball is the American Sport. Cal is a great university and tickets to the Cal Baseball game are reasonably priced on an au pair's budget for an afternoon of sun, fun, conversations, laughs and of course, baseball!
Describe special travel professional au pairs have experienced with their host families and friends.
California offers some of the most beautiful and spectacular sights and places to visit! This list won't cover it all: Yosemite National Park, Disneyland, Hollywood, Lake Tahoe, Palm Springs, Big Sur, Santa Monica Pier, Joshua Tree National Park, San Diego Zoo, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz beaches...oh and there much much more to do in California. There is never a lack of things to do or see here!
Professional au pairs have traveled with their host families to: Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Hawaii, and Mexican beaches. With proper planning and the right 'airline price' through SFO, au pairs travel to NY City, Miami and really anywhere they want to go!