Boston, with family…

Since my last post I have been to a few different states…and said goodbye to a few good friends, such is the life of an au pair…but I’ll break it up into a few posts.

My travels began with a trip to Boston, we left on the Friday afternoon and arrived in Boston by early evening. My host family was staying in a hotel for the night before driving to Cape Cod, which is where we were vacationing. They offered me the weekend off after I mentioned I had family in Boston. Sue met me at the airport, and the first thing I noticed about her…her South African accent was still there! It was really great to hear! Once arriving at their house in Weston I realized Alric also had his accent while the boys, not so much. It was crazy seeing the boys after, what we worked out was 10 years! Yip the millennium party on the farm was the last time we saw each other. Sue and Alric had a great weekend planned for me which started with a family meal on Friday (the biggest T-bone steak ever, and salad. I love vacation!)

South African Breakfast with Micheal, Sue, Alric and Richard

The Saturday was pretty exciting as we did the Boston Duck tours, which is a tour that is both on land and water, so you are driven around the city then driven into the Charles River and because the vehicle is a converted boat on wheels it floats along…best part of the Duck tour? Had to be steering the boat!

Would you trust me?

Dinner that night was at Vapiano’s, which was really great food and it was cool cos there whole family was there (plus Richard’s friend Julia) After dinner we went to the Blue Man Group, which was one of the most amazing shows I had ever seen! There is always something happening on stage plus it’s so diverse that you are constantly entertained and surprised. Unfortunately they ban the use of cameras and video recorders, so I could not document the experience.

Micheal, Julia, Richard and I

The Sunday was spend on the Charles River when we decided to do a kayaking trip up (or maybe down?) the river. We (Sue, Alric, Michael *my younger cousin* and I) were in single kayaks, which was fun for the first few bridges that we had to cross (there were about 8 altogether) by the 4 bridge we had a group vote as to whether we should continue on or turn back. The water in front of us was really choppy as the waterway widens. We decided to forge ahead, which meant you had to keep paddling non-stop or else you started to go backwards! I ended up by myself for a while as the others had taken a break, but I only realized when I was a bit far from them, not wanted to turn around as I had managed to get that far. Luckily we had cell phones on us so I let them know I would meet them at the rental place at the end. Afterwards I realized that I didn’t actually know where the rental place was, but thankfully I had a map! So now I was trying to paddle, take pictures and read a map…thankfully I made it! KFC for dinner was the best decision ever!

Me :) with Boston in the background

Monday was pretty relaxing; I had to catch the ferry to Provincetown…which I unfortunately missed! But that just meant I got to stay in Boston a little longer, I sat by the Dunkin Donuts and played on my computer ‘til the ferry came. It was a 90 minute ride, and once I arrived in Provincetown I met up with my host family and we had a dinner with Dave’s side of the family.  This meant I got to eat my first Boston lobster, which Mike (Dave’s uncle) had to teach me to eat…as they are a little different from crayfish!

Yip...I ate this one :)

Later that night we drove back to Harwich Port, Cape Cod where we were staying for the next two weeks. The house we rented was really nice and big enough for all of us that were staying there. It was a 2 minute walk to the beach, although I spent most of my days watching kids napping, which is why I managed to get so many emails done! The weather in the Cape was really nice it was hot but not unbearably so. 

Sunset in Cape Cod, MA

Pretending to know what i'm talking about...

I’m pretty sure I told you this before but Michael plays volleyball for his college, but he also coaches volleyball camps in the Summer (when he isn’t working at the Medical College of Wisconsin…playing with mice, ew!) He mentioned that he was coaching one of the camps by himself and that I was welcome to come watch or help out. Um, wait did I not tell you I have only played once before? But always willing to try new things I agreed to join him. I could only go the second, third and fourth day, so I missed two days, but when I got there one of the other told me he had just announced to a room full of 7^th and 8^th graders that I am African star volleyball player…HAHA! And that they should listen to the advice I give them…anyone seeing a problem here?! One girl announced that she wanted to hear my accent, and that it was so cool. I spent the rest of the camp making sure I listened to Michael explain the game of volleyball and what ball control exercises they had to do, then I walked around and corrected a few kids by repeating parrot fashion what he had explained. Although I am pretty sure they didn’t understand anything I was saying. It was a really fun camp and it was interesting to learn a little more about volleyball.

This is kinda my motto about trying new things...

Have fun in the Basement…or not…

This bring me to a problem we seem to have in Wisconsin, which I have never had to deal with before…flooding basements. Ours has flooded twice! 

Our flooded basement

The first time was just a little water, the second time was a little more serious and since the water is part rain and part storm drain water (ewww) pretty much anything the water touches has to been thrown out. It is really sad to drive around the neighbourhood and see kid’s toys, furniture, pictures and all the rest just waiting to be picked up by the dump trucks! This also means we have had a basement cleaning crew in and out of our house as well a lock smith, painters and house cleaners. Ugh!

Our backyard...flooded!

Salsa Dancing…

The next morning I woke up early and Michael fetched me and we drove to his family’s cottage in Illinois (which the state below Wisconsin, it’s the state that Chicago is in) The day at the cottage (well there are actually two cottages right next to each other) was such a nice relaxing day, I mean everyone was working in some way, either mowing the lawn or pruning plants (that was my job…which I think I did a good job of) but then we all had lunch together and later dinner, and we also went out on the lake in a little boat. The weather was gorgeous and it was really nice for me to get away for everything for a day! And of course to kick back and relax before our night of awesome Salsa dancing…

A beautiful day in Illinois

It started with a Salsa lesson, which I have to say, Michael and I were definitely getting an A+ in. Then they opened the floor and all these couples started dancing, and that’s when Michael and I realized we were going to have to step up our game! So we were watching other couples and trying to learn their moves from them. We had so much fun, and that’s most important thing.

Salsa Dip

Tag you’re it…

I have always wanted to play laser tag (for anyone that doesn’t know basically you run around with a laser gun and a vest and shoot the other team while trying not to get shot yourself, it’s kind of like paintball although there is no pain involved!) so Michael decided it would be fun if we went to Funworld and then we could also hang out with his younger brother (Peter) and a friend. We started the night with mini golf, I’m not going to brag about who won, but let’s just say there was no Y chromosomes involved. We then played a few arcade games as well as air hockey (which I don’t completely suck at but will admit that I let the guys reassert male dominance) then we moved onto ‘dance dance revolution’  which should have been lock down for me…being a dancer and all, BUT apparently I’m co-ordinately challenged! Lastly we played laser tag, which was amazingly fun! Michael and I were on the same team with a whole bunch of other random people, against the younger boys and some more random people. Um, I think I deserve bragging rights for dominating in this game! I did better than the guys, which Michael claims is because I was hiding behind a trash can the whole time so no one could ‘kill’ me, but the print out of the game clearly showed 28 ‘kills’ that I made, so I wasn’t hiding I was just being skillful! (Rayson, you would have been proud!)

Dominating!

Party nights and sports days…

One night while out a won a happy hour party at Buckheads (yes, most of my going out stories begin or end at Buckheads) so we planned our party for the Friday the 9^th. There were about 10 of us au pairs (including Diogo a male au pair from Brazil) and Michael. We had an awesome night as usual and took way to many pictures of pretty much the same things.

All the Au Pairs

Sunday the 11^th was the final of the soccer world cup and Tamara and I headed down to Brady Street for a block party, which is where they block off the whole street and put up big screens where you can watch the game. I dressed in my South African tee which says “Kiss me I’m South African” on the front and has a SA flag on the back. We had a really fun time and it was great to see all the team spirit. They opened the event with African dancing and singing which gave Tamara the idea that I have to perform a solo African dance while in Vegas…thanks T! We actually have a list of 50 “dares” that we have to accomplish in our weekend there, it may get a little crazy, but I think it will be fun! Can’t wait!

SWC in Milwaukee

Michael decided that he wanted to make me dinner one night, his parent’s house has this cute little balcony, and he thought it would be perfect for a home ‘date’. I offered to make desert (milktart…of course) Michael fetched me, and when I arrived at his house his parents were so cute, they were all excited about the meal (which was a recommendation from his sister) I had told him he better make enough for his parents, even if we weren’t eating with them! We ate dinner on the balcony, and it was just perfect, candle lit dinner and wine, and a gentleman…

Candlelit dinner

Michael plays volleyball for his college (Loyola) but also plays a in a social beach league. Thursday afternoons are volleyball day, so I went to beach and met up with Tamara and her and I watched the guys play for a while, when she left I had this sudden urge to try play. I found a group playing who were unevenly matched plus they didn’t look too serious or professional, so I asked if I could join, they were more than happy to provide the middle spot on their team. Once I had a spot I announced that I had NEVER played before, everyone in my team just looked at me and after some rearranging I was placed in the position “least-likely-to-get -the-ball” which was fine with me! After playing for a while, I had to serve…it must be noted that the guy that I like and am trying to impress is two nets down playing like a pro, so I was a little intimated! That’s probably why the ball hit the net the first time, but after that I got a little better and even managed to score some points for my team (I am not sure if that is the correct terminology?) I had a lot of fun though, and I would definitely try again! One of girls on my team was playing with her boyfriend and almost every time she served she would hit her boyfriend in the back of his head (he was on the same team as her) it was pretty funny!

Tamara and I at Bradford beach

The Soccer World Cup…in South Africa!

This didn’t technically happen in America, but believe me the vibe was felt all the way over here…the Opening of the Soccer world cup! This may have been the first time in a LONG while that I cried since coming over here, but it wasn’t homesickness tears, it was tears from the joy and pride I felt for my country and Bafana Bafana! I proudly painted SA flags on my toes and painted my face (with the help of photoshop…see education is never wasted) with my flag. I was really happy to say that, that was my country! The great thing is, that never changed. I was so proud of the boys, even though they “never made it” to me they are still heroes and I was proud of my fellow South Africans because all I heard was positives reports about South Africans attitudes and helpful natures! One great country came together…and even got me to watch a little soccer! Although still not quite sure of all the rules and definitely not down with the fact that the players fall on the ground sooooo dramatically (I heard them once referred to as ‘field fairies” hee hee) but I do have a big amount of respect for their ball skills, which is pretty mad playing!