Celebrate Desserts from Around the World in Torrance, Sun. Dec. 6

Nov. 30, 2009 - PRLog -- Contact:   Tracy Cota
      Local Childcare Coordinator
      Cultural Care Au Pair
      310-283-3521

CULTURAL EXCHANGE IN THE SOUTH BAY
Au pairs and host families celebrate each others traditions

(Redondo Beach, CA), November 30, 2009 -- As families all around Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach and Torrance carried out annual preparations for their traditional Thanksgiving celebrations, there was one local group that experienced Thanksgiving for the first time: international au pairs in the South Bay. These young women and men are living with local families in the South Bay and caring for their children as part of a unique cultural exchange and childcare program.

Johanna, an au pair from Sweden says, “One of the reasons I became an au pair was to experience life in America and see American traditions first hand. I love how America has a holiday that is about giving thanks!”

According to Cultural Care Au Pair South Bay Local Childcare Coordinator, Tracy Cota, au pairs are doing more than just sitting down at the dinner table and tasting stuffing and pumpkin pie for the first time. “The au pairs are helping in the kitchen and making foods from their home countries, helping to make their host family’s Thanksgiving dinner a multicultural feast.”

Renata from Brazil made pao de queijo with her host children. “In my family whenever we have a big family dinner we always have very small cheese breads. My mother sent me the recipe and I am going to make it with the kids for my first Thanksgiving. I remember having fun rolling the balls for pao de queijo when I was a child.” German au pairs are making apfelkuchen, apple cake, and one young woman from Thailand is preparing tom yum soup for her family to start the Thanksgiving meal.

Cota says that the au pairs’ host families had a unique perspective on Thanksgiving this year. “When they think about all the things they are thankful for, they cannot forget their au pair who takes such great care of their children and enriches their family life with pieces of her own culture. They are thankful that she is a part of their family this year and are happy to be sharing their Thanksgiving traditions with her.”

This week, the au pairs in the South Bay will share some of their favorite foods from their countries with an international desserts extravaganza. Au pairs will bring desserts from their countries. We will have arts and crafts for the kids, and much more. The dessert exchange will include many families in the South Bay who are currently hosting au pairs. The event will be held in the community room at La Romeria Park in Torrance, 19501 Inglewood Ave from 1 to 3 PM on Sunday, December 6, 2009.

Cultural Care Au Pair is a leading provider of intercultural childcare and educational exchange since 1989. A US Department of State regulated program, Cultural Care Au Pair is headquartered in Cambridge, MA with an extensive network of international recruitment, screening, and orientation offices worldwide.

For more information on hosting an au pair, please call Local Childcare Coordinator Tracy Cota at 310-283-3521 or visit www.culturalcare.com.