Every November, I host one of my favorite au pair meetings of the year at my home in East Nashville — our annual Au Pair Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner. I, the Tennessee coordinator, provide the turkey and ham, and everyone else contributes something. Some bring authentic foods from their home country, some bring traditional American cuisine, some bring savory foods, and some bring sweets. And the ones who don’t love to cook help out by bringing plates / cups / drinks / napkins, etc. =) Everyone contributes something, and every contribution helps! This year we had turkey, ham, gravy, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, roasted vegetables, stuffing, Yorkshire puddings, puff pastries with vegetables, bread, salads, pasta salad, macaroni and cheese, guacamole, fresh fruit and veggies, carrot cake, cookie cake, pumpkin pie, tiramisu, and more!

Every year, I vow to get more/better pictures of the food, and completely forget, because I’m so busy getting food ready, refilling bowls and plates, chatting with the au pairs, and taking pictures of them. Every year, I remind myself that that’s a sign of a good party. =) I *do* always strive to get at last one good group picture with the majority of the au pairs pictured, and I do always succeed at that! (There are always a few late arrivals or early departures, so it’s impossible to get a true full-attendance group picture, and this year we had 40 people in attendance!)

The countries represented by these au pairs pictured here are Austria, Germany, Great Britain, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Thailand, Denmark, South Africa, China, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Colombia, and Brazil. And these au pairs live in Nashville, East Nashville, Franklin, Nolensville, Brentwood, Green  Hills/Oak Hill, Murfreesboro, Bellevue, Belle Meade, Antioch, Fort Campbell, Hendersonville, Clarksville, Lebanon, and more! I do this event at my home every year, and every year it gets bigger and better — with more au pairs, representing more countries, from more towns and cities in Tennessee. We all leave with full bellies, and full hearts.

Wednesday, 23 November 2016 8:36 PM