Monthly Archives: April 2017

Tips for Travel Outside the USA with your Au Pair.

* Second year Au pairs should not travel outside the USA. https://www.aupairinamerica.com/resources/travel_and_flights/travel_visa.asp

Please take a second to respond to this email. This email will count as our monthly communication, if you respond. As always, I am happy to assist you. If you would like a call, please let me know.

Au Pairs Traveling outside the United States
Any au pair who is planning to travel outside of the United States ( with her host family or on her on) during her program term must do three things before travel.
1. Make sure she checks with the embassy or consulate of the country being visited  to find out if an additional visa is required.
 2. It is also important that she checks the status of her J1 visa in her passport and the date of expiration. No travel less than two weeks before the end of the visa.
  3. She must have her DS2019 signed by a member of staff in the Stamford office and returned before she departs for her trip.  It must be an original signature for validation.  The DS2019 should be mailed at least three weeks prior to the departure date for the trip.  It should be mailed with the travel validation request form which can be found here: http://www.aupairinamerica.com/pdf/travform.pdf  and a return self addressed stamped envelope and a check for $15 if the au pair wants it to be returned by 2 day UPS delivery. Once this is signed, it is good for the year. Should an Au Pair extend, her new DS2019 would be need to be signed again for the new term.
  •   The consulates and additional info for travel to Mexico and Canada can be found on the APIA website.
  • http://www.aupairinamerica.com/resources/travel_and_flights/travel_outside_us.asp
  • If you are planning to travel with your Au Pair or you know that your Au Pair is traveling on her own, please email your Community Counselor with your travel dates, She can provide  a travel letter which can be helpful.
  • Au pair’s documents should be held in the hotel safe or other safe place. If lost, the Au Pair would have to return home to her country and obtain replacement  documents before she could re-enter  the USA.

Weekend Study Classes for Au Pairs.

2017 Weekend classes
*Au Pairs are allowed one weekend course for half their requirement.
*If the class is remote, Host Families pay for the class and what is included.   Au Pairs pay for transportation, food, & lodging.

Albany, NY         College of St. Rose, at Silver Bay- http://silverbayaupaircourse.com/
AP chooses subjects.  Please see course descriptions.
Lodging and meals are included in the average cost of $285. Each weekend plus homework, provides an au pair with 3 credits.

Brookville, NY    Long Island University                   http://liu.edu/aupair
Weekend classes focusing on one topic.  They offer transport from the train station at a certain times.  Please see course descriptions. Average class cost of $250 and is based on receiving up to 3 credits.   Lodging and meals are not included but can be purchased for $100.

White Plains, NY     Pace University                   www.pace.edu/eli/westchester/j-1-au-pair-student
No housing, but free parking.
3 course offerings – American Studies through Film, Cross Cultural Communication, American Humor, Tourism.        20 credit hour class:  9-5 pm Sat & Sun for $200.  40 hour credit class:  weekend class & research essay requirement for $365.

Purchase, NY        SUNY Purchase        www.purchase.edu/ell
Explorations in American Life and Language – courses focused on English language in business and culture classes.  Weekend options: 20 hours or 40 hours towards your U.S. government education requirement.  No housing available, but short term parking available.

New Rochelle, NY    Iona College        http://www.iona.edu/Student-Life/Student-Experience-Activities/International-Student-Services/ESL-General-Au-Pair-Program.aspx
2 class offerings –American Pop culture and The Real You-Fulfilling Your Dreams.  Each class has a 2 or 3 credit option depending on completing a multipage assignment.  2 credit class costs $225, 3 credit course costs $350.  Lunch served both days, class runs from 9am – 5:45pm each day.   No housing available.

New Brunswick, NJ        Rutger’s University           http://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/aupair/
Classes tailored to Au Pairs.  Topics include American Food, Childcare topics etc.  8:30-4:30 on Saturday & Sunday.  $390 for 3 CEUs, includes materials, breakfast, and lunch.  Certificate upon completion.   No housing but onsite parking, free shuttle from NJ transit train station.  See website for full details.

Boston, MA        Bunker Hill Community College       http://www.bhcc.mass.edu/ce/aupairweekendprogram/
Please see course descriptions.  Classes provided by National Louis University.  Average cost of $345 is based on up to 4 credits, combination courses are available for up to $585.   No lodging available, but website refers to local hotels. Three meals are included in the cost of each session

Cultural HiWays/ Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC).
Courses for education and travel experience as part of the class.
http://www.bmcc.cuny.edu/ce/page.jsp?pid=1103&n=Learning%20Across%20America
Courses earn 4 CEU’s or 40 hours.  Niagara Falls ($519), Washington DC ($489),  San Francisco ($599).  Tuition typically includes transport to airport, housing and breakfasts.
http://www.chiways.net/Educational_Courses.html – CT, NJ, PA, IL, NY, DC for 45 hours.

Massachusetts Bay Community College / East Coast Adventures                 http://eastcoastedventures.com/
“Journey through North America” class – class room learning and trip for 3 CEUs.
Montreal, Niagara Falls, Philadelphia, Quebec City & Washington DC.  APs responsible for visa/ passport requirements for any travel to Canada.  See site for dates & pricing.

Washington, DC    Virginia International University        http://viu.edu/sels/programs/adult-esl.html#Museum
One day classes at Smithsonian Museums and private are galleries.  Classes typically run 10:30am – 3:30 pm.           The museum classes are $40/class, and students earn 0.5 CEUs. For new students, there is a one-time administration fee of $20. There is no textbook.  See website for details.

Washington, DC continued on next page.

Washington, DC        University of the Virgin Islands    www.uviprogram.org
http://reg.abcsignup.com/reg/event_page.aspx?ek=0040-0016-856f3de29a2043ed8c7ded072bb2faf7
American History classes, Exploring DC with a walking tours, Sign Language, Personal/ Career Development, Movie making, Understanding politics etc.  Saturday & Sunday for 20 hours/ 2 CEUs for $275.  Class occurs at the Smithsonian Museums.  See website for details.  Additional classes in Maryland.

Washington, DC     George Washington University    https://wbl2016.wordpress.com/
Women’s Business Leadership. Focused on leadership, mentorship, professional communication, & goals.  Pre and post class assignments.  36 hours towards requirement.   $360 early registration price / $375 late registration price  + $25 materials fee.

Arnold, MD    Anne Arundel Community College           http://www.aacc.edu/
“Preventing the Back Home Blues”.  Re-integrating au pairs back into their home country and discussing reverse cultural shock and how best to handle emotions using various techniques.
6 hour class on Saturday / 0.6 CEUs earned, $104 and includes lunch.

Richmond, VA        University of Richmond
Under Language and Culture Studies:  http://spcs.richmond.edu/noncredit/language-culture/index.html  and Under Cultural Studies:  http://spcs.richmond.edu/noncredit/language-culture/culture.html
Under humanities-culture:  http://spcs.richmond.edu/noncredit/areas/humanities-culture/cultural-enrichment.html

Please see course descriptions. The average cost of $325 is based on 3 credits. Less expensive, shorter one day opportunities are available for less credits.  No lodging available but, website references to local hotels at a special rate.

Chapel Hill, NC    University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill    www.humanities.unc.edu
“Adventures in Ideas:  Weekend Seminars”   Lectures and optional meal.  Several offerings focusing on Global Urban Life, American Christianity, African American Music, Mapping the Ancient World etc.  See website for more details.  Tuition by deadline $110 – $125, late registration $125 – $140.  Meals $15-20.  Discounts for multiple registrations.      No housing or transportation available.

Charleston, SC    Trident Technical College
http://www.tridenttech.edu/ce/programs/catalog/charleston-history-and-culture.htm
Southern culture, history, language, landmarks.  Learning takes place in and out of the classroom.  Includes graveyards (ghost stories).  Late Friday – Sunday.  30 hours, for $325.  Registration includes fees for events, but not food or lodging.  Hostel information available on site.

Tampa, FL              Hillsborough Community College         www.hccfl.edu
American Dreams classes – You and Your community and USA and Tampa in a Nutshell.  40 hours each.  $295 Tuition + $50 materials fee.  Late registration penalty is $50.  Housing is not included in price of tuition, but can be arranged as a convenience.  Housing cost depends on length of stay and accommodations chosen.  See site for details.

Chicago, IL           Roosevelt University                 http://www.roosevelt.edu/aupair
Receive up to 45 hours for a 3-day weekend class for $295 + $50 food, materials and activity fee & $10 registration fee. No lodging available, but website refers to local hotels.
In addition to the class-time hours during each intensive weekend class, students will also complete additional supervised academic work including pre-assignments before the weekend of class, and faculty-mentored project hours after the weekend class at Roosevelt in order to receive their completion certificate

Orem, UT        Utah Valley University        http://www.aupairclasses.org/orem
Learning to live your American Dream.  Some au pairs have complained this class focuses heavily on the Mormon religion that is prevalent in Utah.  80 hour class (get approval from CC first before registering).  $500 tutition and $115 in fees.  Housing option available for additional fee – $150 per student for 3 nights in a shared bed or $200 per student for your own bed.  Includes transportation from SLC airport and all other transportation.

California              Alliant International University       (617) 777-5085
50% class time / 50% city experience via museums etc.  Pre class assignments as well as post class assignments required to receive certificate.
San Diego- http://www.aupairclasses.org/#!san-diego/ftv9a
2 courses offered, up to 40 hours each – $295 for one or $500 for both if registered at same time.  (get approval from CC first before registering). This class involves more written assignments than San Francisco class.  Housing and meals available for an additional fee
San Francisco – http://www.aupairclasses.org/#!san-francisco/vhbic
2 courses offered, up to 45 hours each- $295 for one or $500 for both if registered at the same time. (get approval from CC first before registering).   No housing or meals available through the school, but discount at Fischer’s Hostel with use of code:APW2017 (code digits reflect calendar year)

Los Angeles, CA    University of the Virgin Islands    www.uviprogram.org
Sign language course, 4 CEUs.  Lodging available that includes a Saturday night hotel stay in the registration fee.  See site for more details.

San Francisco, CA    University of the Virgin Islands    www.uviprogram.org
Photography class offered periodically.  Check site calendar for upcoming classes.