California - Au Pair in America

State Information

Au Pair in America in California

Regional Update | Driving in California | Educational Information | Tourist Information

Regional Update

Regional Presence
Au Pair in America has 16 Community Counselors in a 6 state area, Arizona, Colorado, California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii. The clusters vary in size serving more than 260 families throughout the region. The Western United States provide a truly unique experience for Au Pairs. Everything from desert to mountain ranges to South Pacific beaches make up the geography of the West! This Region is also home to the Island of Hawaii, the Rocky Mountains, the vineyards and beaches of California, the Pacific Northwest, the natural scenic beauty of Oregon and its coastline and the desert lands of Arizona.

Quarterly Message
January 2009
Wintertime in the West is a different experience than the rest of the country. We are very lucky to have warm weather throughout most of the year. In the West, we are known for our mild winters and so our au pairs may be able to ski one day and then have a picnic in the park the next! Only the States of Washington, Oregon, Northern California and Colorado see any regular snowfall. All of those states are very well known for their wonderful ski areas. Au Pairs in these states quite often take advantage of being close to the mountains and they learn how to ski or snowboard during their time in the US. This year the Arizona cluster is having a ski trip to Colorado for their January cluster event!

Colorado clusters will be attending the National Western Stock Show for their January cluster meeting. This is an event that is open to the au pairs and also to the host families. We will also be doing winter time activities such as ice skating, sledding, hiking and skiing. Most clusters in the region will also celebrate Valentine’s Day. Other special days these three months are New Year’s Day, Groundhog Day, President’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day. Schools typically have a three day weekend for President’s day and so this weekend is a very popular time for host families to take a short trip with their au pairs.

California, Oregon and Washington clusters will visit coffee shops, ice skate and attend sporting events. Au Pairs in Hawaii will be taking a catamaran ride in January and partaking in the Great Aloha Run in February. The Arizona clusters will be taking a trip to the Grand Canyon in February and having a St. Patrick’s Day party in March.

Regional Representative
Jan Murphy has been a Community Counselor since 1995 and has managed a cluster along the Front Range in Colorado. Jan was appointed a Regional Representative in 2003 and is responsible for the 6 states in the Western United States. In this capacity Jan interviews, trains and supports the area counselors, makes recommendations for realigning cluster groups, supports marketing efforts in the region and arranges and facilitates formal and informal meetings for the region's counselors. Jan was raised and educated in Iowa, with a Master’s degree in Counseling and Human Development from The University of Iowa. She has worked in higher education in all aspects of student services. Jan has a son and a daughter, both young adults.

Driving Information for Au Pairs

Visit the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) website for information about driving in California.

Educational Information for Au Pairs

The information listed here is your starting point to fulfilling the education requirement. Your community counselor will have the most popular and affordable choices in your area.

The schools listed here are not all reasonable options. Ask your community counselor for the schools closest to you.
Continuing Education (also Adult Education or Lifelong Learning) classes are generally the most affordable options for au pairs.
Review the cost, class schedule, and transportation needed for the classes you are interested in with your host family. You need to be responsible about selecting courses that meet at times that will not conflict with your work schedule. Take into consideration the time it will take to travel between home and the campus. Your host family must approve your plans.
Host families reimburse tuition costs and costs of related materials (books and supplies) up to $500 ($1000 for EduCare) for you to complete your six semester hours (12 for EduCare), or the equivalent. You are responsible for all payments for tuition, fees, books and materials that exceed the host family’s contribution. Education money is not paid to you in cash if you do not use the complete amount.
For more detailed information about the education requirement and education in the U.S., click here to see the ABCs of Education.

Arizona State University
http://www.asu.edu/

Berkeley Adult School
http://bas.berkeley.net/

UC Berkeley Extension
http://www.unex.berkeley.edu/

Cabrillo College
http://www.cabrillo.edu/

Cañada College
http://www.canadacollege.edu/

Chabot-Las Positas Community College
http://www.clpccd.cc.ca.us

Chaffey College
http://www.chaffey.edu/welcome.shtml

City College of San Francisco
http://www.ccsf.edu/

College of Marin
http://www.marin.edu/

College of San Mateo
http://www.collegeofsanmateo.edu/

College of the Canyons
http://www2.canyons.edu/

Contra Costa Community College District
http://www.contracosta.cc.ca.us/