.: March 2012

The more I live in America, the more I love it! Wow, it’s unreal to describe how good this could be for a person! Being completely independent from anything that you thought made up your identity (school, family, and/or friends), being completely away from anything you know, just BEING is exhilarating! It’s scary and nerve wrecking and daring, but so so incredible! Here’s why: you don’t know who you are independent from what has made you who you are for the past 19 years, so every day you are learning how to create yourself, and any grown up will tell you this is really tough.

So this week felt really unproductive, but any person who knows me will know that for me to sit at home and do nothing productive in my off time, for a whole week, is incredibly difficult but necessary. So without even knowing it I feel like this week I refueled and relaxed and just had some ‘me’ time. And here’s a tip to anyone working with children, if you are relaxed, your job will be easier, because children pick up off your vibes hectically!

So my post isn’t that exciting in terms of things that I’ve done here, but it’s great in terms of the little things I’ve accomplished! I’ve actively grown closer to God, I feel like I’ve become better at my job and the relationships with my whole host family, and I’m learning how to get over hurt that was caused by a season change in my life.

I remember like 3 weeks ago writing a normal blog post and not feeling it, but instead feeling like I was falling apart and not dealing with things as well as I should be, but now I feel on top of my game, its really cool :)

Oh one more thing, if you’re a future or new au pair and follow my blog, don’t forget to facebook me cuz I wanna do something cool on my blog specifically for au pairs…. I’ve already had some responses from girls asking for advice which I feel honored about! :)

Chat soon guys, and thanks for following my blog! I love support!

The st patrick's day parade by jersey shore:

Hello all my followers, how are you today?

The past few weeks have been interesting, goods things happened and bad things happened, and a lot was learnt.

After my grandfather passed away I felt very sad and trying to carry on with work was trying. I was a bit depressed for a few days, but then just started focusing on other things and putting energy into that. I want to start painting as a way to let out my emotions, so hopefully you’ll be seeing some cool pics up soon.

There’s so much to say so I’m going to divide this post into like sub sections:

The kids (my job itself):

As I just mentioned this has been the toughest part to keep doing and doing well cuz of personal struggles with my gramps, but I feel like out of everything in my life this is the only thing I’m doing really well at. Like there’s a lot to remember on a daily basis and the kids can be testing of one’s patience (as all kids are), but I feel like I’m learning every day how to do my job better and how to work with kids in a way that works. It’s very fun, my job. When the weather is good I take the kids to the park and we have picnics and go for ice cream and lunch and I watch them ride their bikes outside and they have friends over and stuff, it’s really cool. And like ya sometimes I get tired and wish I could go home and not work, but that’s life, ill always have days like that. The kids are really cute, which makes it impossible not to like them, even when they are naughty… :)

Boyfriend and family:

Wow, who would have known it would be this difficult to leave the nest? I have always wanted to go off into the world and do my own thing, but now that I’m doing it, I appreciate my lady’s cooking and the freedom and laughs and weirdness of my family back home much more! I’m missing out on being there for my gran during this difficult time, being there for my boyfriend as he starts a new season in life with work, and on my sisters wedding… I’m also missing most of my friends’ 21^st’s which is not cool… but I am learning a lot by being away from friends and family: you learn who you really are, apart from the things you thought were your identity, you realize that many people who were in your life for one season, don’t always stay in your life for every season, and that life moves on and God provides for what you need all the time. Its really good for me I think.

Faith:

Staying in touch with God has been particularly difficult this year, as before I left, my mind was consumed with working my way to get here, and now that I’m here, my mind is consumed with settling into this new lifestyle. Also nobody around me shares my faith, which means I have little accountability and it’s easy for me to compromise my morals and follow the crowd. But I am finding new ways every day to adapt, and my new goal for life right now is to pursue a relationship with Jesus, cuz “put first the kingdom of heaven and everything will be given unto you”. Thankfully I got my amazing boyfriend keeping me in line.

AMERICA:

I have seen so many new things lately! The parks in America are way cool, I know I’ve said it before, but the more I go to them, which when the weather is good, every day, I love them more! Speaking of the weather, it’s been really cool and sunny lately, actually humid, which is weird cuz when I got here it was snowing….Then I saw some cool new places in new York city this weekend when I went there for the st Patrick’s day parade. I saw central park, no way you won’t believe, it’s EXACTLY like in the movies! It’s crazy, and you can go on like horse cart ride and hire bicycles and ride around the park, and there’s an ice rink in the middle of it, very cool! Then we saw Donald trump’s tower and his KFC, it’s really good!

The parade was actually super sick, there were bands and drummy girl type things and the navy and the fire fighters and everything…..I went to the parade in long branch which is by jersey shore last weekend, and then the one in new York city this weekend. There were many drunken people dressed in green-BLAGH!

Ok things I’ve noticed different so far is they have no steers, lindt is cheaper than back home, the indicators are like part of the brake lights so sometimes it’s difficult to tell when someone’s turning, the average speed limit in residential areas is like 30 or 40 km per hour-no joke. Their French toast is like think, and predominantly sweet, like it’s made with cinnamon, all the bread and rolls and those sorts of products have a natural yellow tint to it, the eggs are white, they have deer like we have rabbits, schools are just like in the movies, colorful, casual clothes, all the sports teams have like those branded bomber jacket, and cheerleaders everywhere!

Its so cool being in America and I’m feeling more and more like it’s becoming home. I know this has been random, but I hope you enjoyed it.

Something I want to start is blog posts aimed specifically at new or future au pairs, so if you’re a new or future au pair and think my day to day stories could help you find out more about how your life will be her in America, then comment on this post or sent me a Facebook message at Naomi Antonette Groenewald.

Much love!!!

Oh, here all my adventure pics :)

While at the parade, we gambled a little in the arcade :)