A February Update In March

(It's so cliche, but I'm actually writing this in a Starbucks in Seattle with an almighty Cappuchino with a shot of caramel - but being here is another story altogether!)
I actually don't know why it has taken me so long to finally do an update- perhaps it's because I'm plain lazy, overly busy or perhaps both. Either way, I'm sorry I have not provided my loyal readers with an array of information about my American adventures. Needless to say, however, I have been taking full of advantage of everything there is to offer out here...

Being the anal person I am when it comes to writing of any sorts, I have made notes in a word document so I'm going to start at the top of my list which starts around the beginning of February when I went skiing with my host family. Unlike back in England, where you have to actually go abroad to ski, we drove 3 1/2 hours cross- country to the neighbouring state of West Virginia for a little fresh air and exercise! I hadn't skiied since I was 11 when I went with school to the French Alps and I felt homesick all week but bloody loved the experience. This time skiing I didn't feel homesick (infact in my element) but was pretty petrified of putting on skis and shooting full force down a cascading mountain - snow ploughing and attempting to turn. Fear was put aside during the ski lesson I took with my host Mum, as we were told we were perfectly capable to go off on our own accord. So there I was doing parallel turns and trying to be as graceful as possible- it was like riding a bike or swimming! At the resort of Timberline, it is well- known for having one of the longest runs on the West Coast - 2 miles long! I adored this run and spend the first day mastering it! After the first day skiing, we all returned to the condo and were absolutely exhausted from all the fresh air and physical activity! It didn't stop us from getting up early (I struggled but did it!) and going out for a 1/2 day before driving back to Virginia. I was persuaded by 12 year-old Ryan to go down the blue run which was pretty scary as it was steep and icy in parts but the feeling you get when you reach the bottom without falling is worth any nervousness you feel when you slip off the chairlift at the peak!

The whole way back,  Sean and I talked about 'rednecks' and the fact that Deliverance was filmed in West Virginia - all topped off when we stopped for a loo break at a completely random shack of a petrol station where other customers turned up in their pick up trucks, red faces and trucker caps!

Not long after we got back skiing was it Valentines Day - the day I detest even when I am in a relationship. Back at home, the hype for Valentines day is fairly big but here it's even bigger - like every other holiday! My host Mum put a 'love' themed wreath on the front door and a flag on the pole outside and little Kevin spent weeks beforehand making Valentines day cards and attaching love hearts packets for all his friends in his class...the little girl he loves the most got made the 'nicest' card. On the actual day ( weirdly a Monday) the little boys and I drove to their girlfriends' house ( both sisters) to drop off their extra presents which was beyond cute and it totally made up for the fact that I wasn't doing anything myself!

All during this month, I spent a lot of time counting down the days until my Mum and sister were coming to visit! The Saturday finally arrived when it was time to check into their boutique guesthouse in DC for them and then go and pick them up from the airport. I would try and describe the feeling you have in the car on the way but it was pure excitement but then utter nervousness at the same time - I just turned the radio on high and focussed on the road ahead. I ran over to them at top speed when I saw them (obviously madly jet-lagged) and then I drove them back to DC. The following morning, I took the metro into DC and we all went for brunch at the W Hotel overlooking the Washington Monument - the jazz band were playing and it was so sophisticated and delicious. From here, we decided we would go for a walk around and for a Starbucks typically! The following day it was Presidents Day and so I was off work, we decided we would all go to the National Aquarium which was fun and a nice change! My sister Lizzie and I spent the entire time quoting Finding Nemo ' and he was like wooooaaah and she was like woaaahhhh and they were like woooaaahhhh' haha. We also took some fab photos and then went on to the Hirshorn Gallery along the National Mall which is a contemporary art exhibition space - featuring the likes of Constantin Brancusi who I studied in my final year at Leeds and also other artists such as Frank Stella, Kadinsky, Barbara Hepworth and De Kooning.

Whilst Mum and Lizzie were over, we spent a lot of time shopping and going out for lovely meals too. I was completely exhausted as I spent my mornings and late afternoons looking after the boys and then in the days and evenings making my way into DC...all completely worth it though! A highlight of their stay was going to see Lady Gaga at the Verizon Centre, she is such a show woman and we were equally treated with Scissor Sisters being the support act! On their last full day, we decided to go spend it in Georgetown looking around the shops and strolling around. Lizzie got a beautiful dress in BCBG Maxazria for her leavers ball in the June and I got a fab pair of sunglasses!

In February I went to see 2 movies...

'No Strings Attached' starring Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman which was far better than other RomComs.

I also was persuaded to go and see the Adam Sandler movie ' Just Go With It' - I'm usually never a fan of things he does but this was really funny for a change!

And finally my verdict on the Tokyo Police Club/Two Door Cinema club gig...

AMAZING. I haven't been to such an electrifying gig in such a long time ( the kind that you get goosebumps over during and after!) and afterwards I got to chat to the lead singer of TDCC which made my night! We did, however get a $30 parking ticket (just my luck) but it was completely and utterly worth it!

I'll update soon on March...all I can say is that I've been up to so much and I'm in my 6 month and still loving it!
 

A Bikini On Christmas Day, 2 Nights in Boston and 3 Sports Matches In A Week

If only a blog post could be like the title - some would call it getting away with murder, I'd just say it was pretty jammy. Needless to say, I'm sure I would be getting plenty of complaints if I were to eliminate the details. It's been over a month since I have last blogged and the on sought of writing has been hanging over me ever since I danced in the New Year with my friends a total of 19 nights ago - oh the shame. On the same note, I told my host Mum after dinner (homemade quiche and salad) that, ' I'm going to go downstairs, lock myself away from the world and do my blog' and her reply... ' Hannah that's beginning to sound like a mantra!'. Thus, here I am (not literally locked away, but definitely metaphorically) sat upright on my bed, listening to Tokyo Police Club and tap tap tapping away for all you beautiful people. I've got a grand total of 6 weeks to inform you all about, so I'd say grab a coffee or something stronger (say a nice glass of Sauvignan Blanc), maybe a tub of houmous and definitely a comfortable chair before you continue scrolling...

In Britain, a few houses in an area will to be decorated with lights - making cars slow down to admire and headlines to be made on the local news. In America, however, the whole neighbourhood/town/city is involved in a subconscious, Christmas lights war. For example, after picking Kevin up from his friends house a mere 20 minute drive away we both counted 129 houses lit up to eye dazzling proportions. Additionally, our Christmas tree went up a few days after Thanksgiving, before the advent calendars were open! I can't complain though as I love the build-up, especially the wafting smells of cinnamon and peppermint and hearing Christmas songs as I sit and drink my 3rd Caffe Amouri coffee of the week (only 3 away now from getting my 10th free one!). 



The House in All Its Christmas Glory


In the lead up to Christmas, around 10 other au pairs and myself organised a  Secret Santa exchange and a meal out which was a lot of fun. My friend Alex from Germany had me and ironically bought me a Starbucks coffee flask to help me curb my habit! I had my good friend Isabelle (from France) to buy for and I bought her a present intended for both Christmas and her 21st Birthday - a hardback, 'art book' of Audrey Hepburn photographs. It seemed rather heavy when I purchased it from Barnes and Noble but I felt that it was too appropriate...especially as she has a poster of her on her wall! I wrote a little, dated message inside so that when she returns home, she may stumble across it once again and remember her friend Hannah from across the channel! For her 21st birthday, Isabelle, Clemence and I decided to go out in D.C to a club called Madhatters which was a lot of fun...we only just made the last metro home and I managed to sleep the entire way back, only just waking up in time for my stop!


A highlight of the Christmas build up was watching Kevin and his Kindergarten class perform their Nativity Play which was possibly the cutest thing ever. Kevin as the 'First Wise Man' had a line that was on the lines of, 'Jesus, I bring you Gold' - remembered and said perfectly. The children performed in their classroom and all the parents stood and sat around the edges to watch, admire and document the occasion. As I arrived, I overheard their teacher telling all of the nativity characters (including the narrators and the star of Bethlehem) that they were not allowed to sing the 'naughty' version of 'Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer' when they would sing the song at the end of the performance. They were all very good at sticking to the rules, but you could see a few of them trying really hard to hold back, especially at the point of ' had a very shiny nose, LIKE A LIGHTBULB!' Afterwards they all had cake, strawberries and milk before we brought them home!


Literally a few days afterwards, the boys finished school early and that afternoon all 7 of us made our way to the airport to fly to Tampa in Florida! I was slightly nervous about being away from home for Christmas but excitement was far more the dominant emotion; before December 2010 I had never been out of England nor experienced warmth during the Christmas holidays!

Landing in Tampa, the air smelt like the sun, the light was different and I felt a million degrees warmer than in Virginia! All 7 of us piled into the aptly named 'clown car' otherwise known as the van/people carrier and went on our way to my host Mum's Mum and husband's house which was lovely...a one level, white washed house, marble floors and overlooking the golf course. It also had a nice sized pool and an enticing hot tub! After devouring the delicious chili we all had for dinner, we were all exhausted and so we went to bed fairly early. Waking up to sun outside, we had breakfast and a lazy morning - then in the afternoon Bobby (21), Sean (17) and I left my host parents and the younger boys to begin a road trip to Fort Lauderdale with their cousin Taylor, whose sister Amanda studies down there. It took around 4 hours in total to road trip down in the HUGE SUV - we all drove down Alligator Alley and also got to see some of the Everglades out the window on our way down! It all seemed pretty surreal, especially when we checked into our hotel on the beach and went for a meal and sat outside with just t-shirts on in DECEMBER?!!! Loved it. The following day we met up with Amanda and we all as a group went down to the beach for the day where it was around 70 degrees, the boys taught me how to throw an American football and I attempted to dropkick it like a rugby ball with my bare feet which was utterly painful...they are so much heavier and harder! That day was all very lazy but I did make it into the sea, to say that I'd been in the sea in Florida! The following day (Christmas Eve) we had the morning on the beach before driving back to Tampa. Tampa was a little cooler, but still equally pleasant. That night the entire family (around 20 people) got together for a delicious meal and then we all had to battle tiredness to make midnight mass at the local church which was lovely. A beautiful choir sung to candlelight and I left feeling very 'Christmassy' but I did miss going to Mass at home at the church in Whitechapel nr Beacon Fell and walking out into the cold and blustery air with Mum, Dad and Lizzie then sleeping in the same room as Liz like we always have done the night before! Needless to say, waking up Christmas morning I didn't feel that weird being away from home...it was exciting to experience Christmas with children who still believe and I still got to Skype home after I had opened my presents! Additionally, I also got to go in the hot tub which was amazing! That afternoon, we all went along to my host Mum's sisters house and had a delicious meal in the evening...us 'older' children escaped for a couple of hours beforehand-initially to go to Busch Gardens but seeing as it was ridiculously busy we ended up going bowling. I can't say many people can say they did that on Christmas Day! A first for everything!

On Boxing Day, around half of us (adults and children) went along to an American Football Game where we watched the Tampa Buccaneers vs. Seattle Seahawks from the warmth of a private box suite. I was informed of the rules here and there and enjoyed a few Budweiser's during the game! Around halftime, Amanda and I went for a walk down to to the main seating area and got to see the pirate ship up close which fires 'canons' and necklaces everytime the home team scores!

The next day was a treat as we all went indoor surfing at this place called 'Adrenalina'. Walking into the place, I was slightly mortified at first of seeing that you have to do it in this glassed room where the whole store can be the audience. Needless to say, after putting on my bikini and a t-shirt 'incase anything may flash' all hesitations were lost. This indoor surfing place is basically a foam based, curved uphill ramp. You start on ( I stress ON!) your board at the bottom with the fast stream of water. As the instructor helps you with your balance on the board, you lean your back foot into the stream and then you are propelled full force where you attempt to stand and stay upright. I failed on multiple occasions...being whooshed up to the top of the ramp laughing like a nutcase and pulling up my bikini bottoms which were a little on the big side. The epic fails did not, however, continue so much and I did manage to stand up a few times but oh it was painful and hard. I think my host Mum has some good photographs, I'm anticipating seeing them!

That night, the older crew went along to to see 'The Tourist' with Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie and I thought it was so tiresome that I actually fell asleep. It most definitely isn't a 'comedy' nor is the storyline engaging or worth casting two good actors in for. 2 * Star and not worth wasting a movie gift card upon!


On returning back to the cold of Virginia on the 29th December it quickly became New Years Eve and this year I decided to have a 'quiet' one with a few friends of whom I invited over which was a lot of fun and fairly civilised! The days that followed, I went to both the Washington Wizards (Basketball) vs. the New Orleans Hornets match and the Washington Redskins (American Football) vs. the New York Giants game. Washington lost both sports matches but they were equally enjoyable...the Redskins game was absolutely freezing as we were sat outside on the top tier but we had a great view of the pitch! The week that followed, the boys went back to school and routine began once again...something of which was hard for everyone to get used to after having such a great time! At the weekend, I went out with Lizzy and her school friends for a meal at La Tasca before going out for a few drinks in Clarendon which was a lot of fun and then the following night I went out with some au pair friends in Georgetown, DC to this club called 3rd Edition which reminded me of a lot of places back at home! I actually think I'm going back there this weekend, so it must have been fun!


As I write, today has been a 'snow day' for the boys, yesterday was Martin Luther King Jr. Bank Holiday and they also had Friday off! It has felt like another holiday! Especially as last night I returned from an amazing weekend in Boston. I flew out there from Washington with Isabelle and Lisa Friday lunchtime...landing there early afternoon. After taking us around an hour to find our way from the airport to the hotel via Metro and Bus we dumped our belongings after checking in and hastily put on our layers and matching faux-fur hats before beginning to explore. Fortunately, our hotel provided a shuttle service into the centre and after having a little wander around about 6 o'clock we gathered we were hungry and so found an Irish Pub where we ordered some food, had a drink and discussed the places we wanted to see the next two days! After waking up early and filling up on lots of breakfast we made our way out and firstly decided to wander around the Beacon Hill district which is infamous for its beautiful architecture and old feel. We must have walked around here for a good two hours before walking to Dunkin' Donuts to pick up hot drinks! Everything in Boston was covered with snow which made some beautiful pictures, especially as we walked around Boston Common which not only is the oldest public park in America but is overlooked by the 'golden-domed State House which inside displays the Sacred Cod which is symbolic of the area's early livelihood'. From here, we walked towards and through the Burying Ground where the likes of Samuel Adams and Franklin are buried, before hitting Chinatown and another coffee break...this time at Starbucks! From here, we went through the area of Arlington where we paid a little (perhaps 1 1/2 hour stop) at H & M where there was a fabulous sale on, too hard to resist. Returning to the hotel, we showered, drank some wine and then made our way to a French brasserie (recommended in our tour guide) called Brasserie Jo. We had the most delicious meal of pate, moules et frites and white wine! The food, the cold air and all the walking around that day had made us utterly tired and so we waddled back to the hotel. Now Sunday, we only had the day until around 4 o'clock when we would have to return to the airport. Thus, after breakfast and checking out we walked around Quincy Market which dates back to 1846 and then got the Metro across the river to Harvard where we walked around the Harvard Yard with even more beautiful buildings and stopped by the official outfitters to buy obligatory t-shirts and other paraphernalia!


For more photos of Boston there is an album worth on Facebook!

Currently I'm still sat on my bed, a total of 3 hours later. Feel the love! My plans this week?! To definitely hit the gym at least 3 times, to go to the Tokyo Police Club and Two Door Cinema Club Concert at the 930 Club in DC and to also go out in Georgetown on Saturday night. Perhaps, I might even have time to see the Black Swan at the cinema! I saw the Kings Speech last week with some au pairs and thought it was fantastic. On Sunday, I watched Colin Firth win his Golden Globe for his performance live on the aeroplane back from Boston...utterly deserved, especially after he missed out on an award for his performance in a Single Man!


I promise I will update sooner next time!

A New Obsession with 'Pumpkin' Based Foods, Socialising and the Lead Up to Christmas

I'm embarrassed to state the fact that it has been a WHOLE month since I have last blogged. Looking back on my scrawled notes and then further adding more, I have come to the realisation that my entire Sunday afternoon is probably going to be spent typing - whilst also drinking copious milky coffees and admiring the twinkling Christmas tree. So, since my last blog post, the time has dramatically fast forwarded through Thanksgiving and to the Christmas build up. I have also began a slight obsession with anything remotely to do with 'pumpkin' whether it's a Pumpkin Spiced Latte at the independent coffee shop in my little town, or just Pumpkin Cheesecake, Pumpkin Coffee Cake or simply lighting a Pumpkin scented candle on my chest of drawers in my room. Sooner or later my face is going to start to become like a Jack-O-Lantern but hopefully one of the not so scary faces. Either way, I know that the obsession is not really going to disappear, as Americans are obsessed with it and cinnamon - another one of my new favourites! So, just imagine all the delicious smells wafting around, wrapping up warm and Christmas decorations. It all just feels like a Christmas Wonderland especially as I'm living with little children who still believe - there is an 'Elf on A Shelf' (named Sizzle by the boys) who 'moves' every night around the house watching over the boys to see whether they have been good or bad. Every morning there is a thrill to open their advent calendars and to find Sizzle before school. Which reminds me that tomorrow is Monday, which means another week that I may neglect blogging about the last month...and so I had better start filling you all in on my adventures!

Casting my mind back to November 12th, my friend Lisa and I went to meet 2 girls named Kim and Lamia who we became friends with at the Halloween house party in Georgetown. We all went for a delicious meal at the Cheesecake Factory (which doesn't just serve Cheesecake but other food too) and it was really nice to just hang out with people who are not aupairs and actually have grown-up jobs in the city! Despite feeling obscenely full, we both managed to squeeze in lunch the following day and a browse around TJMaxx (not to be mistaken with TKMaxx at home) - I have no actual idea why the same company has blatantly changed the middle initial so if anybody has any idea I'd love to know! That evening I was what us aupairs call being 'on duty' as I was babysitting Kevin for the evening whilst everyone went out to see a musical in D.C. called Hair, which is supposedly fantastic. Kevin and I decided we would go on a 'date night' so he chose the restaurant and for dessert we went to the ice cream parlour called Baskin Robbins. Following this we both curled up in the armchair to eat popcorn and watched a film called 'Dragon's. The next morning, I went along with my family to 'brunch' at my host Dad's Mum's retirement home which is pretty swish...it's very like a nice hotel with lots of apartments in and every Sunday visitors come along to join their family members for a leisurely brunch. I'm not going to describe it as having a 'bite to eat' as it was far from this- champagne, coffee, orange juice and then your choice of roast beef, fruit salads, smoked salmon, seafood and general hot food. It was all enough to make your mouth water and I took great delight in inhaling a plate of smoked salmon followed by freshly made waffles, pancakes drizzled in maple syrup and finished off with a gluttonous dollop of full fat whipped cream on top. Utter food heaven but utter food belly nightmare and many thoughts of how much I would have to sweat at the gym the following week!

Thus, Monday morning included the morning routine with the boys followed by a hard workout at the gym. After the afternoon/early evening routine with the boys it was time to get ready for D.C. where Lisa and I were going to watch Kate Nash at the 9.30 Club. As we queued to enter the venue and in typical American fashion we all had to display our Id's...Lisa went first, having to once again be branded with two HUGE stamps on either hand. Then it was my turn, I showed the guy my ID and joked that I was not under 21 like Lisa and hasty as he was, he proceeded to put the underage stamp on one of my hands. Following this, I told him that he didn't look at it properly nor understand my humour, and so he proceeded to get out this vile smelling liquid to remove it which basically burned off the 'you can't drink haha stamps' - replacing it with one, very small stamp on just my right hand. Despite all that nonsense, I didn't proceed to have a standard gig beer whilst watching the Peggy Sue support and Kate Nash herself. Peggy Sue were utterly fantastic, slightly spine-tingling in their harmonies and magical in the way they silenced the entire venue to small whispers. I don't think there could have been a better warm up for Kate Nash who was an utter show woman- appearing with bright red lips, a sharp 'indie cindy' haircut and a monochrome outfit behind a keyboard which was covered in light bulbs (see right). The up-beat numbers such as 'Mouthwash' made the crowd (where I was stood with Lisa at the front), dance like screaming, annoying crazy people which eventually drove us to push our way past them to the very front for the acoustic 'anthems' such as 'Birds' and 'I Hate Seagulls'. True to the amazingly, outlandish Kate Nash-style she laughed at her silly lines enough to make her stop, apologise and begin once again.  She also commented on the line 'I hate who anyone who if I was eating chips wouldn't talk to me by stating, " that's French friend to you guys!" which made everyone laugh. Practically everyone in the audience was female, which to be perfectly honest I wasn't expecting but then afterwards it became obvious that her lyrics are so female-minded! The rest of this week was fairly chilled and I proceeded to order myself a coat from Topshop in true Hannah fashion - at only $10 shipping fee it seemed justifiable! That Friday I went out for a meal at an Italian restaurant called 'Brio' with two of my German friends' who are both called Lisa which lovely. Eating out here is fairly prices and you never really pay more than $25 for a meal without alcohol. Tax is always added on and you always have to tip at least 10%...maybe even more in some places. Saturday morning it was the monthly aupair meeting at my local coffee shop which was a really nice occasion to see everyone...a financial advisor was arranged to come and chat to us all which was useful but I have made no real start to saving any money yet due to birthdays, Christmas and having just really arrived here. I believe in the New Year (with a resolution in place) I'll really begin saving up for travelling to other parts of the country and for also London rent upon my return! That night, my friend Marta and I decided to go out in D.C. to a bar which was a lot of fun and felt so American - everyone in there was up for a good time, all dancing and at one stage there was a female beer-chugging contest on the bar. All participants got up onto the bar (the bar was about 15m long maybe longer and full), given a pint of beer each in a red plastic cup and told to drink it as quick as possible and once finished to turn it upside down on their head. The first to do so, won a $50 bar tab for the rest of the evening which seemed worth it but I chickened out and just stood and watched with my seriously strong Long Island ice tea. Bars and clubs here close around 2am which always seems really early but means you have enough time to catch the last metro at 3am and to be in bed at a fairly decent hour. Needless to say, I wasn't feeling truly on form the following day and just lounged about - as usual putting off blogging. Weirdly though, as much as I always avoid putting off writing, once I get started I really love it. It's so nice to just think about how much I have been doing and to actually keep my brain active. As much as I enjoy not having to do tons of readings and essays for university work every week, I actually really miss it in a strange way. In January, I have to enroll in classes to fulfill my visa requirements and hopefully there are spaces on a few I have seen on a schedule at Georgetown University.

In just writing about reading and studying, I helped out in Kevin's Kindergarten Library class the following Tuesday morning which is always nice to do, but it is no league to helping out during the really fun art classes. I don't think I'll be putting my name down to help out with library much more- as it makes me as sleepy as it did at school and also the librarian never remembers my name, even when I am also wearing a name badge. To be honest, how many other English au pairs volunteer to help in library classes?! Oh well. After helping out, I proceeded to the Hallmark card shop where I had to find a suitably jokey birthday card for my Uncle who was turning 50 that weekend. I have never seen so much choice in a card shop and it was utter consumer heaven - there were cards for even 'your mother and your stepfather' or even better 'your cousin and their partner', I just laughed and proceeded to find a fitting card for my Uncle. On the front it was a drawing of a couples naked rear ends...inside it read ' I thought you would be getting a few cracks about your age'! Afterwards I popped to Starbucks as usual to meet my friend Marion whilst she was waiting for her host son to finish pre-school and that evening I drove to Bethesda in Maryland (actually 20 minutes away on the Capital Beltway which is like the M25 but it took me 1 hour 40 mins due to an accident and Thanksgiving traffic) to meet another friend Vanesha for a meal at a delicious Mexican restaurant which served all kinds of tortilla wraps.  The following morning I attended the Thanksgiving Prayer Service in the school church  and then again, that evening, food coma week commenced as we went out to grab a burrito each before returning to my house to prepare for Thanksgiving the following day. The smells in the house the following day were just heaven as the turkey was cooking in the oven. I helped to prepare some of the side dishes for the meal that evening including the 'Wholewheat flour bread rolls' which I made from scratch and were mouthwatering with butter on. I think I'll have to actually write down the menu we all enjoyed for Thanksgiving...

Turkey
Homemade Stuffing with Leeks and Onions
Sherry Glazed Shallots
Green Beans with Pancetta
Potato Gratin
Sweet Potato Mash with Brown Sugar Sprinkled on the Top
Corn Souffle
Homemade Whole Wheat Bread Rolls

Pear and Apple Tart
Pumpkin Spiced Cheesecake
(both served with a dollop of vanilla ice cream)

It was basically like Christmas dinner but on a completely different level and some Americans have even commented that they look forward to Thanksgiving more than any other holiday. It is the type of holiday where everyone really makes the effort to see their loved ones...even embarking on long road trips across country to not even neighbouring states! The following day the boys were off school once again and I drove them over to their friends house to play and stay over. The house was really quiet the following day and it was just us girls (my host Mum Tracy, Lizzy and I) and so we happily sat down and watched girly movies in our comfy clothes. Eat, Pray, Love was good but disappointing...especially as I read the book a few summers ago! Needless to say it was a lovely afternoon, especially as we made ourselves Turkey Panini's! Saturday morning, my friend Linette and I drove to a different mall than usual and I began to buy Christmas presents! That evening I just stayed in as on Sunday a group of us went ice skating at the rink situated in the National Gallery Sculpture Garden. For $10 including skate hire, we were permitted 2 hours of skating! The 8 of us really got into the flow of skating but took regular breaks to have chats and take turns in picture taking! None of us fell over which was an achievement, especially after mid-session when they decided to 'polish' the ice! In the centre of the ice, a lot of young girls in their pretty ice-skating costumes practiced their 'moves' which made the rest of us look like buffoons. I spent most of my time skating with my arms out either side to keep my balance...can't say it was overly graceful but it did the trick! Afterwards, we all went for lunch and hastily headed to Starbucks to get warm and buy ourselves hot drinks and sweet treats! It was such a beautiful day but bitterly cold. The weather here changes dramatically and the last week has been spent getting used to wearing numerous layers....currently my feet are freezing as I haven't put my slippers on as I fear moving away from the bench at the kitchen table will make me lose my thread and thoughts!

If you have managed to read to this point, well done!

This last week, I have been going to the gym, drinking lots of coffee and began buying even more Christmas presents! The other morning, Linette and I decided that we would just have to go and see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 - not only because it's only $6 for morning showings but because the hype was making us severely jealous. I don't know what your opinion was of it if you have seen it, but I absolutely adored it and could have happily sat there for another few hours to see the second part! I hate to have to actually mention it in my blog but I spent three hours each day for two days sat in the DMV waiting room (Department of Motor Vehicles). I've had to do my Virginia drivers license after a few months of being here as otherwise my international drivers licence is no longer valid - as part of it I had to do a written test which comprised of getting 10 Road Sign questions correct and 80% of the multiple questions also correct before being able to take the practical test. I passed the written test on Day 1 and thought I might as well do my practical test too which even though being 10 mins long, I still managed to fail as I creeped too far over a line traffic lights. The woman testing me was a witch with no backbone as whilst failing me also proceeded in moaning the first few minutes as she was cold in my car and asking whether I too was cold in the 'silly outfit I was wearing' (I was wearing a coat and gloves) and whether I had a heated seat or not. When she told me I failed when I had to go back inside, I asked her whether she was serious and she said yes, and that I drove fine but I would have to do it again the next day. Needless to say, I hopped back into the car, shouted some obscenities and drove home. My host Mum agreed that she failed me on something not too major, but I went back the next day...waited forever again (3 hours as you can't schedule test times) and then passed flawlessly with another woman instructor. Enough of the rant. Friday night, Linette, Emilie and I went to TGI Fridays for a meal and yesterday afternoon (Saturday) I went with my host Mum to a jewellery party at a neighbours house who also has an au pair. The jewellery was really different and my style so I bought myself a pretty anklet which will be nice for when I go to Florida with my host family for Christmas! Last night, my friend Marion and I went out in Clarendon to a fairly civilised bar and had a lot of fun with some of my American friends over here...we were home and in bed by 3pm and so I'm not feeling overly delicate today! As I type, my host Dad is putting up the Christmas lights outside the house and my host Mum is getting all the tree decorations out...she has also put some really cute, red bows on each of the cupboard doors in the kitchen! I luuuuurrve Christmas!

I'll try and write more regularly from now on, but don't hold me to it!

Starbucks Tally

Some ridiculous number that I don't even want to think about. This week I've had 4 Starbucks' and 2 Caffe Amouri Coffees...SHOOT ME NOW!

But, I have actually got a loyalty card with Caffe Amouri...so I can justify my purchases! It will be interesting to see whether I'll get my 10th free coffee this week or next!

Americanisms

FYI - For Your Information

The boys always shout at me 'Hannah it's not a jumper it's a sweater!' or ' It's not a rucksack, it's a backpack!'

I refused to become overrun by new Americanisms in my vocabulary! However, I do have to used them in daily context...it helps and is so much faster, especially when I ask the boys in the morning, 'Have you taken your viiiiiiiiitamins?"

Exploration and Neglection of the Blog

As much as I have been looking for 'Americanisms' around me, such as 'bicyclist' and 'pick-up line', I have failed to truly spot an obvious one - today, I am wearing a caramel coloured, Abercrombie hooded cardigan and a pair of thick, Abercrombie jeggings. So blatantly obvious, that I have until now, blatantly failed to note down. Yet, as much as I look fairly 'Americanized' I am, however, sporting a black Topshop top and the mandatory Marks and Spencers underwear. Thus, until the stage in which I am wearing purely Victorias Secret and other American brands, I can safely say I'm still stuck in my lovely English rut. I'm still also spreading Marmite on my toast at least once a week and my accent has failed to deteriorate into an American twang. Long live Britannia!

Apologies for the ramble...it's a true sign that I have missed blogging. I think it has been around two and a half weeks since I have provided life stalking material for you all. Yet, as much as I'm writing an apology, I have been far too busy. So, you win some, you lose some - without the busyness there would be no blogging material and I can tell you that I have three pages of notes ready to be written up...

Casting my mind back, a group of us aupairs went out for fondue together a few Friday's ago in Reston. The restaurant was called 'The Melting Pot' and it was located in the most obscure location. The GPS took us into this area full of offices and businesses and it was located at the bottom of one of the buildings. As you can imagine, we were all open minded and once inside it was lovely and the food was melt in the mouth worthy- both literally and metaphorically. We all sat around this oval table and shared cheese and chocolate fondue. Who knew that eating such little bites of food would fill you up as much as a 'normal' meal?! Needless to say, I have been converted to 'fonduism' but I can't say I have the patience to prepare all the little cubes of bread, apple, broccoli and mini cheesecakes and brownies. It's all an art form that is reflected in the price...mine was even more too as I had a glass of Sauvignan Blanc. As normal I couldn't resist, but it felt so weird being the only one at the table drinking!

In contrast, the following night was entirely different. Rose (my host family's old au pair) was stopping by for a few days after travelling down the West Coast and so we decided to go out along with Lizzy (host family's oldest sons girlfriend), Vanesha and her boyfriend Purvish. This time we were all 21 and the clubs and bars of D.C. were there at our convenience. Deciding to go out in the area of Adams Morgan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adams_Morgan ) and travelling there by metro.

Walking across the bridge into Adams Morgan and about to cross the road we all got chatting to this guy, who turns out to be one of the owner's of this hip club called Distrikt. Before we all knew it, he had got us passed the throng of people queuing to get in and we were standing at the top of the stairs laughing about how we had avoided paying the $20 entrance fee. This owner was only young and later told us that him and his friend decided to invest in a club after leaving university. Inside, Distrikt was double height, with exposed brick walls and a galleried second floor. In contrast to the under 21 clubs, it had a completely different vibe which felt almost exclusive but without the strict dress code or pretentiousness. We were all loving it, especially when we were provided with free drinks and our favourite music was played...M.I.A - Paper Planes to name one! The nights other highlights were also meeting and being kissed by Andrew from MTV's Real World D.C who was wearing his 'infamous' Panda hat, the hilarious Metro ride home and our stampede to 3 separate loos when we got home!

Suitably hungover, the next day was Kevin's birthday party at home. As our hangovers were well and truly settling in, a dozen 5 year olds descended ladened with presents and gallons of hyperactivity ready to launch. The theme of Kevin's party was 'Mad Science' and after the little children had fabric painted the faces of their 'Jack O Lantern' t-shirts they all sat down to watch this lady perform fascinating science experiments complete with dry ice and an exploding milkshake! Mid-way through, I had no choice but to escape and rest my head for a few minutes...especially after the scientist had them all screaming answers to her! They all loved it and received a really cool t-shirt, Mad Science goodie bag and Shrek themed Pez to take home with them!

Monday morning, I was scheduled to help out in Kindergarten art class which was brilliant fun! I was introduced to the class as 'Miss Hannah' and all the little children greeted me 'Goodmorning Miss Hannah' in their high pitched, cute voices...it touched my heart! That day we made paper, Frankenstein 'sculptures'- some of the little children needed far more help than others but eventually all were complete having the same shaped head and bodies but different shaped eyes, ears, nose and mouth! Currently, I can spy Kevin's 'Frankenstein' on top of the fridge!

As you can imagine, Halloween here is big...houses have been decorated two weeks leading up to the actual day and my house here is no exception! During this week, was also Kevin's 'real' birthday on Wednesday and we all went out as a family to this Japanese steakhouse which was both a spectacle and utterly delicious! The chef designated to our table area displayed knife throwing and fire tricks. Additionally, he also flipped pieces of cooked steak in each of our mouths to catch which was hilarious! Continuing the busy week, Thursday was the Halloween Parade at school and many parents went along to watch the Kindergartners and other year groups parade around the playground in their costumes. I have never known anything like it...some parents go to town on the costumes such as the boy dressed as a Taco and a little girl dressed as Rapunzel! That night, I hopped on the metro to DC and went to meet a friend in Clarendon for drinks in this bar which was a lot of fun. It's called 'Whitlows On Wilson' as is pretty basic inside but with a fantastic atmosphere - live music, cheap beer, American football games on screens and lots of young professionals wanting a chilled place to hang out after work and dinner! I drank Bud Light and woke up the following morning feeling normal...carrying on my weekly routine with the boys! After taking them to school, I helped my host Mum prepare the decorations for 'Trunk or Treat' which is basically trick or treating from the boots of each car in the school playground. The only hitch is that the cars have to be decorated...ours was a monster and so we spent a fair amount of the day preparing - it was brilliant! We all went together about 5pm and there were around 50 or more cars all decked out ready to give out candy to this school children!

The following morning, I took Sean (age 17) to his soccer match about 15minutes away and then spend a long and leisurely lunch with Vanesha at the Cheesecake Factory. True to its name, it is famous for its cheesecake desserts but also equally known for its delicious food! Fortunately for eating so much lunch, my stomach was well prepared for the night's antics to follow! Around 5 o'clock I drove to nearby McLean to pick up Lisa and Isabelle and we came back here to eat pizza with my host family which was lovely. Afterwards, we all began getting ready in our Halloween Costumes drinking wine as we were getting ready - Lisa was Lady Gaga, Isabelle was Sandy from Grease and I was a cat. Our friend Rebekka also made a grand entrance dressed as Madonna from the 80's (her host Mum did her makeup which looked fabulous!) and from here we hopped onto the metro into D.C. Intentionally, we were going to a club called FUR (I was dubious from the start) but we got chatting to this big group of people who were heading to a houseparty in Georgetown http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgetown,_Washington,_D.C. and they invited us to go along with them. As we arrived at this town house, nobody questioned who we were at the front door and were happy to allow us in...it was a 'civilised' but hugely fun house party. Inside, it was all very open plan and modern with a floor to ceiling window to the rear of the house...which lead onto decking with patio heaters, an open bar and an ice sculpture! Around 150 people were at the party and it was amazing fun, we got chatting to some lovely people who we have kept in touch with since...all meeting up again next weekend I believe. A guy Isabelle and I were chatting to invited us to this sophisticated Monte-Carlo Casino night at this members club in Georgetown tonight but it was too short notice and we both already have plans unfortunately! That night, the house party whizzed past and before we knew it, it was 4am and we had well and truly missed the last metro which leaves around 3am. Consequently, we all had to stay on my friends sofa around 15 minutes away in Rosslyn...in the morning we all woke up in our outfits and left the apartment to be met by a seething mass of people who had been either taking part or spectating the marathon. It was such a mortifying experience for us all to walk to the nearest metro station in our costumes from the night before but we have looked back this week and laughed!

In comparison to the busyness of last week, this week has been much quieter. Monday, Isabelle and I went for lunch and had to have our nails done because the black polish from the weekend had ruined our nails! Thursday I went to Clarendon again and yesterday I popped to Abercrombie to treat myself to the cardigan I talked about earlier in this post! Not much planned the rest of this weekend, except going out to a wine bar later to meet a friend in D.C and the clocks change tomorrow so we all get an extra hour in bed which is a lovely thought!

I'll update again soon....

Starbucks

- slowly weening myself off them by taking a flask around with me most of the time. I think this week I have had 2! Yet, I got a thing through from my bank which said if I pay for 5 Starbucks on my debit card then I receive a free Starbucks card to put points on everytime I go...the last few weeks good intentions may slowly start to fall about about me once again!

'Americanisms'

NO SPRAY DEODORANT IS AVAILABLE ANYWHERE - I have resorted back to the early days of adolescence when you only wear roll-on. My host-Mum said spray deodorant was stopped being produced a few years ago to help the world's ozone layer, which is a good idea but weird to get used to once again!

Settling In and Discovering 'Allergies'

At this very moment in time, my head feels heavy and my sinuses feel indescribable. The 12hour 'mucus' (what a peculiar word)tablets I've taken are wearing off and I'm ready to launch the 'extreme congestion relief' spray up both my left and right nostril. Relief. So, now I suppose I can start to describe my time here since I left off...

Despite, wandering around Virginia with practically a whole box of Kleenex tissues folded up in my handbag (*Americanism 'purse')I've been feeling pretty on form; having visited a lot of places and keeping busy! On Friday night, Lisa, Isabelle and I drove up into D.C. which takes about 25 minutes to see some bands we had never heard of before. We chose to go to the Black Cat on 14th Street as the clubnight afterwards sounded good and the venue has hosted bands such as The Strokes and Blur in the past. After our ID's being scrutinised at the door we went in and up to the bar. Although, poor Lisa and Isabelle are only 20 and so they had big, black, permanent marker crosses on both hands to indicate they are too young to drink. On the other hand, I greatly enjoyed ordering myself a Budweiser (BUD)but I never choose to have too many as drinking alone isn't quite the same!

(My eyes are drooping in the photo...obviously too much mascara.)The first band we saw were kind of punky/ska-esque and were from Ireland. The front man introduced the band as 'Fat, Chinese, Short' which amused and also charmed the audience. The second band did not fair too well with us,  Isabelle commented (in her French accent) that they were making her 'ears bleed', Lisa wasn't too impressed either and my feet were hurting so we decided to leave. We never got to stay for the clubnight, but we are intending on going back in the near future! The area around the club/venue was quite hip with some really nice quirky bars and some beautifully quaint houses down the side streets. On the way home, we decided to stop by at Taco Bell (a Mexican McDonalds) which sells tasty tacos for as low as $2. Despite the price, I have yet to get ill by them...touch wood!

Saturday a big group of us decided we would do the 'tourist' thing in D.C. So, we all decided to meet at the Smithsonian Metro Stop which is positioned right on the 'Mall' inbetween both Capitol Hill and the Washington Monument (The Pencil!). It was the most beautiful day to walk around and we also had a wander up to see the White House (no Obama alas). Typically, we all had to go in some shops and those who didn't want to just waited outside...I think we have all been blessed with some patience since being abroad, it must be because of the children we look after!

After having such a busy Friday and Saturday I was really feeling like not doing much but as usual I was swayed by the onset of going shopping with Lisa and Isabelle. Instead of going to the usual mall, we decided to travel a little further and go to a huge outlet place where I picked up a sports bra and the others got a coat and some German biscuits! On the way back we decided to pay a little visit to Taco Bell and so this onsought of food and Friday's catalysed my drive to go to the gym on Monday. I'm definitely a Monday starter with things and completed my first work out since I left uni in May, which is rather embarrasing to admit! Needless to say, it wasn't pretty horrific and I managed to do a good hour. The sports bra purchase from the day before also sufficed!

That evening everything went downhill, I retreated to bed before the little boys and missed out on my first aupair meeting with all the other aupairs in the area. According to my host Mum, it's the changing of the seasons which has triggered my cold/cough/abundance of mucus...pretty attractive. Thus, Tuesday was a bit of a right off and I just did my daily things with the boys and opened up a bank account/savings account. I'm determined to actually save some money this year and to not spend it all on 'obligatory daily Starbucks' and clothes!

Yesterday was far more productive. After dropping the little boys off at school and quickly popping home to get changed (I drive them to school in my PJ's) I drove to the metro station and hopped on a train into D.C. This guy I randomly met on the metro a few weeks ago had offered to show me around the galleries and so we went to both the West and East Buildings of the National Gallery. I saw the latest 'Impressionism to Modernism', Edvard Munch and Mark Rothko exhibitions and I'm thinking of attending a lecture next month at the start of a new exhibition entitled 'The Pre-Raphaelite Lens:British Photography and Painting 1848-1875). It's completely free and it would be so nice to spend an afternoon listening to people talking about the works on display. It was yesterday that I realised how much I've missed studying History of Art every single day! Yesterday was definitely a day of escapism.

Today has been spend tie-dying t-shirts for Kevin's 6th Birthday party this weekend. They have been dyed orange and we are going to outline the shape of 'Jack O Lanterns' for the little ones to paint in black after the Mad Science people have finished performing on the kitchen counter! Inbetween having my hands submerged in the vat of dye and picking the boys up from school I quickly popped to the Mall and purchased some new pointy shoes from Urban Outfitters and some jeggings from Abercrombie and Fitch...they smell amazing as you can imagine! My friend Marta over here, has this theory that only Europeans wear leggings/jeggings and this definitely supports the reason why so many are still folded up/hung up in the shops over here! Time to start a legging/jegging fashion statement! Additionally, I've also introduced 11 year-old Ryan to Dizzee Rascal this evening which he enjoyed. Who's not to like Dizzzzeeee RASCAL?!!!

Starbucks (so far this week)
1 - I'm kicking the habit.

Americanisms

'Bicyclist' - Cyclist
Parking Lot - Car Park
Sweater - Jumper
Shirt - Top
Jack 'o' Lantern - Halloween Pumpkin

Columbus Day Weekend/Start of Week 2

Ultrabar is the name of the club in Washington D.C. which I detest more than Tiger Tiger or Oceana. In saying what I'm about to say, I could be described as a 'club snob' but I'll leave that up to all of you to decide. Ultrabar (check out the website... http://www.ultrabardc.com/ ) on a Friday night plays mainstream chart music and RnB whilst dancers on podiums (with just bras and short shorts on)dance as though they are in a stripclub...boys just stood there gaping and we all wondered what kind of place we had entered. It was also $20 entrance and we queued for over an hour. Yet, it was a pretty cool venue itself and drinks weren't too expensive...shame also about the abundance of bumpers and grinders and explicit couples at the sides of the dancefloor! My aim is to find somewhere which is more my kind of thing, reasonably priced all round and where overly skimpy clothes are not obligatory. I've been researching...I not just need to give them a try!

To get into D.C. all of us au pairs go on the Metro - which is pretty much like the London underground but far less confusing...it also runs to about 3am! My nearest stop is about 10 minutes away by car which is brilliant!

Saturday was spent going out for a meal with the other girls at the local mall and also going to see the new Katherine Hiegl film called 'Life As We Know It' which we all really enjoyed - added bonus of eating a box of cookie dough balls too!

http://video.foxnews.com/v/4365685/life-as-we-know-it/

Afterwards, a few of us hit McDonalds to grab a late decaff coffee and were confronted by hoards of teenagers who had just come back from their 'homecoming' dance...it was just like the movies, everyone was in their 'prom dresses' and the boys were wearing suits which all seemed a little bit too big!

Sunday was a lovely day, Dad had been over in the States on business and was staying not too far away in a place called Reston...so I took the backroads in the 4x4 and went to pick him up! He brought along a bag full of more things from home...my suitcase on the way over here was already emblazoned with a 'heavy' sticker. It's nice to now have my Sex and the City Boxset, more Marmite and gym clothes! Dad and I took a trip to the mall where we stocked up on 'dog walking' fleeces from Northface for Mum and also went to the Apple Store and my home from home - Starbucks! Afterwards, Dad came and met all the family I'm staying with and stayed for Sunday supper; we had bruscetta (the American's say it BRASCETA which drives me mad!), pasta, beef and this vegetable called Zucchini which I've never eaten before, but it's delicious! It was really upsetting saying goodbye to Dad once again, I'm no good with goodbyes and prefer to say 'It's not goodbye, it's see you soon' but even still I had to have the fans in the car blasting cold air towards my eyes on the drive back from the hotel and I also (embarrasingly enough) sang MAJORLY loud to the Michelle Branch song on the radio...I think it's called 'All You Wanted', then something happier came on and I was nearly home, complete with drier eyes!

Monday was Columbus Day over here (celebrating when Christopher Columbus discovered America) and it was such a chilled day, can't really say I did very much although I did meet friends for Starbucks nearby! My youngest host son, Kevin has been ill with what is called 'Strepthroat' so he has been off school since Friday. Yesterday, we went to the doctors and just spent the day inside whilst he felt sorry for himself most of the time. Yet, today he was back on form (strangely enough...fast working antibiotics!) and we spent the day playing outside on the climbing frame, drawing chalk on the paved stones in the garden and also going for a picnic in the local park- he made two friends at the park which was really sweet! The local park was also full of what appeared to be other au pairs too, but I didn't recognise any of them! Last night I also had a Starbucks (!) and I tried meatloaf for the first time...I told my host Mum Tracy that it reminds me of Sabrina the Teenage Witch and she just laughed!

I think from now on I'm going to have to do both 'Americanisms' and a weekly Starbucks Tally!

'Americanisms'

Sneakers
'Swing Set' - Climbing Frame

Starbucks Tally (so far this week)

2

First Week in Virginia!

All the years of having a dog in England, I have always swiftly avoided cleaning up any form of dog dirt in the house. So, I move to America and whilst the boys are at school one of the dogs (I don't know which one) decided to leave me a present on the carpet. I never knew being an au pair would involve this!

The last time I posted I was about to have a pedicure in the town where I am living and it was possibly the most relaxing experience; all of us (my host Mum Tracy, Rose, Lizzy and Rebekka and her host Mum Kristin plus baby Mairin) lined up on massaging chairs whilst women did our feet and nails, with hot stones too! All pretty surreal but I'll have to treat myself now and again now...like I do with buying Vogue every month back at home. This month in the US, the cover is of Carey Mulligan and there is the most beautiful feature/interview with her wearing these couture clothes. It's such nice escapism from my current bubble involving Lego, remote control cars and Xbox!

http://www.vogue.com/magazine/

Have yet to get over my jetlag so pretty tired this evening although I'm going out with some au pairs from my cluster this evening in D.C. The Metro runs right out to Vienna and so it is both a cheap and quick way to get into the city! I'll have to blog how the nightlife compares to England!

Slowly getting into the routine here, I get up about 6.30 to be upstairs helping with the boys before school between 7 and 7.30 when we leave! Have spent this week getting to know the area, paying visits to Tysons Mall (about 10 minutes away by car) and the local supermarket and Starbucks...all essential places! Hoping to do some more exploring next week - just as long as I'm back for the 'pick-up line' about 2.45 for school finish at 3.00. After school the boys come back and change, whilst I make them an after school snack (often 'Mac n Cheese') and then they do their homework. Quite a few evening a week football practice is on the cards so there is always a flurry of activity! Had a meeting with my Area Director on Monday which was informative...just need to figure out where I want to complete my 6 credits of study and what course. Prices are fairly astronomical for some places, so will have to do a fair bit of research! Hoping to do something involving PR, Journalism and Speech Writing which will hopefully help me get a job upon my return to England! Not much more to really report at the moment, apart from I need to start going to the gym and seeing more of Virginia! It's such a huge state with so much to see and do and other big east side cities such as Boston and New York are not far away either! I have yet to buy any clothes... amazing shops here but I still keep itching for Topshop! No surprises there!

Will blog soon - don't really have that many more 'Americanisms' at the moment, but Ryan's friend Nick's Mum reported how much she loved my accent - evidence that I have not 'slipped' into an American twang!