May 5, 2012
Ready to show off your roller-blading/ roller- skating skills?
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When: Sunday, May 20th
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Time: 5pm - 7pm (please be on time)
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Where: Ed Burns Arena, 422 Summer Street, Arlington, MA 02474
(the arena is right off the bike path so you can bike there if that’s easier)
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Cost: $6 admissions, $5 roller skate/ blade rental
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If you come I expect you to participate and not just “hang out” in the lobby.
Don’t worry if you cannot roller skate. Neither can I! 
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Apr 6, 2012 Sina is 21 years old and from Germany.
She has been in the United States since February and will be moving to Somerville on Monday.
Welcome, Sina!
Apr 3, 2012
Vanesa is 21 years old and from Argentina.
She arrives on 4/6/12 and will be living with a family in Somerville.
Welcome, Vanesa!
These are things that you might not realize you can also enjoy as a host family!
1. Affordable cost. The weekly cost of hosting an au pair is just $350. And that’s per family not per child. If your au pair works 45 hours per week, your hourly cost comes to just $7.80 an hour. Many babysitters charge at least twice that much!
2. Exposure to a different culture. Au pairs come from all over the world, and they bring their language and customs with them. Some au pairs help their host children to speak another language fluently; others simply share recipes, songs and holiday traditions with your entire family. It’s a great way to learn about the world.
3. Help with laundry, meals and room pick-up. Au pairs can help with household duties related to the children. It is so nice to come home and be able to PLAY with your kids instead of worrying about what they were going to eat or wear the next day.
4. Date night. Au pairs can work up to 45 hours per week. And the best part is that they work on schedule you decide. If you still have extra hours leftover before the weekend, use them on a Saturday night so you and your spouse can enjoy dinner and a movie. When was the last time you did something like that without worrying about the hassle of finding and paying for a babysitter?
5. Lifelong friendships. The relationship you build with your au pair often lasts long after your au pair returns home. Gaining an extended family that spans the globe is more rewarding than you can imagine!
For more information on unexpected benefits watch my Au Pair Answer Mom video.
Source: Cultural Care’s “The Buzz”
Mar 27, 2012
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April au pair meeting:
When: Tuesday, April 24th (7pm-8pm)
Where: Davis Square, Somerville
If the weather is nice, let’s get some ice cream at J.P. Licks, hang out and chat. If the weather is not cooperating, we’ll meet at Starbucks…
See you all there!
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Mar 17, 2012 
While Cultural Care is not able to provide specific tax information for host families because their circumstances are so different, we are pleased to provide general guidelines regarding host family and au pair taxes, as well as information to help au pairs complete their tax returns. Because we update these guidelines on a regular basis, we suggest that you download our most current guide to host family and au pair taxes Host Family and Au Pair Tax Information. You can also call our office and request a copy by email.
Please note that Cultural Care is not licensed to provide official tax advice, so none of our staff may counsel host families or au pairs regarding tax issues. Since tax laws vary from state to state and are changed on a frequent basis, we advise host families and au pairs to speak with a local professional tax advisor or directly with the Internal Revenue Service for definitive answers to any specific questions regarding taxation.
Important Au Pair Tax Information
Important Host Family Tax Information
Mar 17, 2012
Sine is a 23-year old au pair from Thailand.
She arrived yesterday and is looking forward to spending the next year with her host family and meeting new people!
Welcome, Sine!
Mar 1, 2012 Let’s Go Bowling!
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When: Sunday, March 11th from 12:45pm-3pm
Please be on time as we have reservations from 1pm-2pm
From 2pm-3pm we will go over some safety topics to cover the mandatory safety meetings so please try your best to attend this meeting.
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Where: Sacco’s Bowl Haven, 45 Day Street (Davis Square), Somerville
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Cost: $5/ person for 1 hour bowling; $2/ person for shoe rental
They also serve delicious flatbread pizza so if you are planning on having lunch there, bring some extra money
IMPORTANT:
To prepare for the safety meeting, please take a few minutes to take this online quiz. If you have anything to add to the discussion portion of the form please include that information, too. We’ll go over the answers at the meeting. You can access the quiz by clicking here.
After you complete the quiz, you’ll receive an email with a copy of your answers. I should get a copy as well, as long as you use the right email address. Please keep this email until the meeting, just in case I ask you to forward a copy, so that I know you have completed the quiz.
Oppose new tax on au pairs and American host families!
New FICA tax would impose unfair burden on au pairs and their host families
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Dear au pair host families,
A proposal currently pending in Congress would, if enacted, impose a new 7.65% FICA tax burden on both au pairs and their American host families. We ask you to take two minutes today and send this letter to your Senators and Representative, asking them to oppose the imposition of Social Security and Medicare tax on au pairs and their American host families.
Please act now, as this proposal will be voted on soon. You need only enter your name and zip code, and the pre-written letter will be sent automatically to your Senators and Representative. (You may also edit the text of the letter if you wish.)
As background on this issue, Congress is currently working to pass an extension of the Payroll Tax Cut, which expires at the end of February. As part of this extension, Congress must find ways to pay for the resulting loss of revenue.
One proposal by the Senate Finance Committee to raise extra revenue would impose FICA (Social Security and Medicare) tax on all J-1 visa holders, including au pairs, and on their host families. If enacted, this proposal would require that au pairs and their host families each pay an additional 7.65% FICA tax.
Au pairs and other J-1 visa holders have always been exempt from FICA taxes because they return home after their programs and will never benefit from the Social Security or Medicare that these taxes fund. Thus, to impose these additional taxes on au pairs and American working families seems both inappropriate and unfair.
Sending this letter will allow you to express your views in a matter of just a few minutes. It is critical that Congress hears from you as soon as possible. Thank you for your support!
Jan 22, 2012 Chinese New Year Parade
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Locations: Chinatown - Phillips Square
Cultural Village - East West Bank, 68 Harrison Ave
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Date: Jan 29, 2012 Sunday
Time: 11am-5pm
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Cost: FREE
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