Oregon - Au Pair in America

State Information

Au Pair in America in Oregon

Regional Update | Local Profile | Driving in Oregon | Education in Oregon | Tourist Information

Au Pair in America expands to 10 new markets including Las Vegas, and Reno Nevada; and Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Regional Update

Regional Presence
Au Pair in America has 16 Community Counselors in an 8 state area, Arizona, Colorado, California, Oregon, Nevada, New Mexico, 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 deserts 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 Grand Canyon, the vineyards and beaches of California, the Pacific Northwest, the natural scenic beauty of Oregon and its coastline and the desert lands of Arizona and New Mexico and the incredible sights of Las Vegas.

Quarterly Message
January 2010
Wintertime in the West is a different experience than most of 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.

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 Presidents’ 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. 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.

Local Profile

The greater Portland area cluster extends from Salem (Oregon's capital) to Battleground, Washington—including both sides of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers. The City of Portland, numbering half a million people, is the business, cultural, educational, and industrial hub of the area. The city is clean, easy to get around, and very attractive; snowcapped peaks rise on the horizon. Our local cluster activities include visits to areas of scenic natural beauty and historical significance. We have an AMTRAK excursion each year to Seattle, as well private bus and carpool outings to the Columbia Gorge, Highway 101 along the ocean coast, and various festivals and exhibits. Locally, in addition to our three "back to school" nights, we do walking tours of outstanding galleries and parks.

Driving Information for Au Pairs

Visit the Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicles division website for information about driving in Oregon.

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.