Pool Parties and Shopping Trips!

One of the most worrying thing that I had to learn over here is driving on the opposite side of the road -- the UK seems to be the only country that drives on the left! Every other Au Pair that I have spoken to seems to be used to driving on the right side of the road! The first time I went out it was so daunting, everything was so much bigger than my little Micra back home. The cars are also automatic here (i miss manual cars -- the real way to drive!), and of course everything is on the opposite side of the car (and the road!)... there's not even a handbrake! After a daunting test-drive around the neighbourhood, and not feeling all that confident, I decided to have some driving lessons. This turned out to be a good idea, my instructor specialised in teaching people who drive on the left side. I eventually got used to it, but I do have to think very carefully everytime I pull out of the driveway!

I recieved an email from my Community Counsellor -- when you become an Au Pair you are put in a cluster where there are many other Au Pairs from around the world, helping you to make friends and you also have a Counsellor to help with any problems that may happen during the year. Anyway, this email said that there would be a pool party at Gina's host parents' house! I couldn't wait to go! Luckily my friend Hanneke wanted to come too so we decided to go together.

I had to go and get a Social Security Number -- a bit like a National Insurance Number -- so I could take a New Jersey Driving Test (for insurance purposes) and so I could get a Bank account. Hanneke and I went together, mainly so we wouldn't get lost (or so we thought!). We didn't get lost exactly, we just kept missing our turnings, the signs are so small over here (ironic, since everything else is so big) you can't see the turn until you actually drive past it. On a brighter note, I'm getting very good at 3-point-turns! So we eventually got there, a twenty minute drive somehow took us an hour. Gettting a Social Security Number is free, so I went for my interview so I could get mine, and come out a few minutes later with my Number, only to see Hanneke standing in the hallway, "Did you get yours?" she asked, "I didn't?" Odd that, since we both had exactly the same documents with us. I said we should go back and check it was right what they said. Apparently she couldn't get a Number because she didn't have a letter to confirm her right for employment in the US. But then, I didn't have one either! This supervisor comes over and says "You need to have a letter to get a number." So I ask, "But I have been given one without a letter?!" Of course then this woman's like "Well you shouldn't have been given one!" I don't want to let go of my Number either! Turns out she didn't know her own job -- Au Pairs are an exclusion to the letter rule. This woman was the boss as well. Well done to whoever gave her that position!

So it was on to the Pool Party at Gina's house! After driving around for an hour, getting lost and going back to Hanneke's house to get a swimsuit, we eventually arrived at the party -- apparently Hanneke and I aren't as good TomTom's as we had hoped (the journey back took us 5minutes!). There were not many people there, mainly Brazilians, some of whom, such as Carla, had nearly finished their year. Its odd to think that my adventure has only just begun and in a couple of months hers will come to an end. Gina is Mexican and her host parents were very welcoming, saying that they loved having the Au Pairs over and we could come over whenever we wanted! They had a huge house too -- mine seems to be the smallest one! It was nice to meet people who spoke English all the time too. We ate hot dogs (an American favourite), and then went in the pool... well, we sat on the edge, as the water was quite cold, and watched Gina's child, Meryl, play in the water. Gina and Laura (who was -- dare I say it -- German!) were at the same orientation as Hanneke and I, so its nice to meet people who will be staying as long as you are in the country. [Please note: Pictures will hopefully be added at a later date, many were taken (not on my camera as it had ran out of battery) but I am waiting for them to be sent to me!]

The funniest part was when Gina's host dad jumped in the pool, as he was quickly followed by their two dogs!

Everyone exchanged phone numbers (except for me, because at this point I didn't have a cell phone) and Carla (from Brazil) suggested that not only we go shopping at Jersey Gardens on Sunday -- an outlet mall, meaning CHEAP prices! -- but also that we all go to the Brazillian festival in New York on the 31st of August. This all sounded fun so I decided to go along.

That evening me and Hanneke went to see "Vicky Cristine Barcelona", which was very good. It was one of those films everyone recommends you watch it but you never get chance to see it. I think it might be nominated for awards, it was rather art-housy. Anyway, Carla text Hanneke while we out, to confirm about the upcoming shopping trip. Hanneke text her back, ending the message: "with love", which is obviously just a nice way to say goodbye. So Carla texts back saying: "is Love the English girl?" thinking Hanneke was saying that she was "with Love"! We both found this very funny!

The next day we went shopping. We all waited for Carla to come out of "Forever 21" (ironic, since none of us are even 21!) where she bought loads of stuff, and after that (as me and Hanneke don't like shopping in big groups) we split up. I bought some tigi hair products, the big shampoo and conditioner for $25 and as they are normally £20 I thought this was quite a bargain! We also went to American Eagle :) which is now officially our favourite store! we both also bought some big sunglasses -- just so we could look really cool.

It was nice to go to a big mall, but it was so busy it was hard to shop really. Plus because Carla had taken us, we had to leave at 4pm and only getting there at 1pm meant that there was little time to shop. We had a good time anyway, and spent a lot of money in the process. I think I may be keeping American Eagle in business...

That Wednesday, we went to Starbucks again. Of course, there were lots of Germans. One particularly rude one interupted my conversation with Hanneke -- twice. Fortunately, Gina came and so did Laura.

While Hanneke and I get along very well, I think we have found our friendship group for the year ahead. Gina is very nice, friendly and funny. Laura (the German) is also very nice, but I am under the impression that sometimes she doesn't know what is going on! For instance, we were talking about our different house sizes and our bedrooms, and Laura burst out with a random story about "Frubes!". I think she may not understand what we are saying as we also were watching Will and Grace at the pool party and she said she didn't know what was going on. I hope that by speaking English with us she will understand better!

"With Love"

Charlotte

NEXT BLOG: Williamsburg!

My first few days!

So I've been here in New Jersey for just over 3 weeks now, and I'm really enjoying myself!

When I arrived on July 28th 2008, the sun was shining and I saw New York city from the sky as I flew into Newark airport. Then of course I had to go through customs -- they are so welcoming over here, my customs officer didn't even smile! What a great start...

I'd met quite a few German girls on the plane on the way over, I was the only English girl at orientation, which is where they have around 150 Au Pairs from all over the world and give them basic childcare information. Namely, the "3 No's" which were: no drinking, no drugs, and no child abuse (what, really??). Some of the German girls were nice, but I quickly realised that if you weren't German they wouldn't bother with you -- they would just speak German to everyone! I find it quite isolating, especially since most of the people are German. Some people even complimented me on my "excellent" English! Was I meant to say thank you?

I decided to speak to other Europeans who weren't German, and I made friends with a finnish girl and a girl from the Netherlands, Hanneke who had been put in my room in the hotel as she was also from my same cluster and she lived in Chatham!

I also had the opportunity to visit New York City at night on a tour at orientation, which was amazing to see the city at night. We went to the top of the Rockafellar Centre as well and saw times square!

The next day everyone was very nervous as it was the day that everyone was meeting their host families! My host family were in fact on holiday (or "vacation") in Cancun at the time so their old Au Pair, Marine (from France) was picking me up at the airport. We were all standing at departures very nervous, watching some host families pick up their Au Pairs while we were left alone.

Marine picked me up and then we went home. The house is very nice but smaller than I thought it would be -- plus it is very cluttered! These people are certainly hoarders! My room was nice though, it reminded me of what it is like at home! Then we went out for dinner, and I started to learn just why Americans are so big: i ordered a meal with was tomato and chicken but then I also got a soup included and then a big plate of pasta on the side! This was all for $15, we get so ripped off in the UK.

I also got introduced to the families "zoo": 3 dogs; one cat and a hamster. Luckily for me they were getting rid of two of the dogs that weekend as they could not be house trained after 4 years, so they were being taken by a family in the country who didn't mind this! But the new edition was Couture the papillon puppy, who wasn't exactly house trained either -- but as a puppy we let her off! Then there is skitty the cat who likes to sleep on my bed and wake me up bright and early! And of course the hamster but she doesn't like people.

The next day we went off to New York to see Macys and Bloomingdales (where I bought store bags from both stores! I also went to see the famous "Flat Iron" (right) Empire State Building (left). We had a great time!

The next few days we got rid of the other dogs, and also went to see Drew University where I would be going this semester.

Then on the Sunday I finally met the girls (Lindsey, aged 9 and Shelby aged 11) and Celeste my Host Mom. Everyone was very friendly and even though I had been nervous about meeting the girls (what if they didn't like me?!) we hit it off straight away! :)

The next few days I bonded with the girls before they went to their Dad's for the weekend, and before Marine left on her travels, and Celeste to Key West on a business trip. So I was left all alone in the house, so I went to see Mamma Mia again!

I also went to a starbucks meeting with the other Au Pairs along with Hanneke my old roommate. Unfortunately there were more Germans, who were as rude as ever, laughing in German and someone asked me why I had bothered to come to America if I already spoke English -- like they were practising their English if they were speaking German every chance they got! They were also rude to Hanneke: "Oh but you can understand us, yes?" only for her to reply "No, I speak Dutch?!" Either way, I had no chance what-so-ever of understanding them...

Anyway, that's all for now!

NEXT BLOG: Pool Parties and Shopping Trips!