Coming to live in a new country and caring for children can be exciting, busy and stressful — all at the same time! Taking time for yourself to find ways to promote your physical health and mental well-being has never been more important. In this class, we will explore how you can use travel, mindfulness, and photography to promote and enhance your overall well-being.

Where will you visit during this course?
- Miami, Florida
- Key West, Florida
- The Bahamas (Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve)

How will this unique course work?
1. Complete the self-paced online portion, which will take about 12 hours to complete.
2. Participate in a “Know Before You Go” Zoom session with your teacher and fellow classmates on Sunday, October 20th, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Eastern time.
3. Meet your teacher and classmates in Miami the day before the cruise begins for “out and about” class sessions.
4. Depart Miami on a 3-night cruise aboard the MSC Magnifica.

IMPORTANT
Enrollment for this course ends on Sunday, August 11th,
or sooner if spaces are sold out!

What’s the schedule for the in-person portion of the course?
Thursday, October 31, 2024 (Halloween)
- 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. — This evening’s session begins at the Generator Miami hotel (3120 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach) and ends on Ocean Drive, located in the heart of South Beach.
Friday, November 1, 2024
- 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. — Today’s out and about session includes an outdoor yoga session (weather permitting) as well as a visit to the Wynwood neighborhood and the Wynwood Walls.
- 5:00 p.m. — Our ship, the MSC Magnifica, departs the Port of Miami.
Saturday, November 2, 2024
- Our ship will be docked for the day at Key West.
Sunday, November 3, 2024
- Our ship will be docked for the day at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve in The Bahamas.

Each day during the cruise, we will meet as a class to connect and reflect on that day’s intentions/goals in relation to Wellness Travel and Mindful Photography. Each morning, students will be assigned a “task” to complete while in port to support their overall Wellness Travel experience. Each evening, we will reconnect to share and reflect on the day. Students will eat the evening meal together aboard ship, making plans for the evening and day ahead, all while building friendships to last a lifetime!

Monday, November 4, 2024
- 7:00 a.m. — Our ship arrives back at the Port of Miami. Enjoy breakfast, then it’s time to say farewell to the friends you’ve made!
- Cruise guests begin disembarking the ship. As this process usually takes a few hours, MSC strongly suggests you do not book air/train travel that departs before 1:30 p.m.
Please note:
- All class sessions listed above are mandatory
- All times reflect Eastern Time
- Please keep in mind that plans are subject to change in light of factors such as the weather, time constraints, road closures and events taking place in the city during the time of your visit.

Important: The online (Zoom) class takes place live with your participation - and your camera on - as well as that of your teacher and fellow students.

Students will gain access to their course work in early September. The course work includes a post-assignment.

Please also note that as the start of the course draws near, we will send each student a link to a WhatsApp group that will allow us to communicate with students and students to communicate with one another about their plans in regard to travel arrangements.

How much is tuition and what does it include?
The tuition price is $1049. You may also take advantage of the accommodations we’ve arranged at Generator Miami (3120 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach) for the night of Thursday, October 31st for an additional $32 on a space available basis. Please click here for Generator Miami hotel pricing information.

If you prefer to pay your tuition in two payments, you can choose to pay a deposit of $500 when sign up for this course. The balance of your tuition would be due by Sunday, August 11.

Tuition includes the following:
- 3 nights accommodation aboard the MSC Magnifica, including all taxes and mandatory ship gratuities
- all meals aboard ship
- full day to enjoy Key West, Florida
- full day to enjoy Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve in The Bahamas
- a welcome dinner in Miami on Thursday, October 31
- $10 cash contribution toward breakfast on Friday, November 1
- admission to Wynwood Walls
- all transportation, as needed, while you're with your teacher
- all costs associated with the class (there are no additional material or activity fees!)

Tuition does not include the following:
- airfare to/from Miami
- accommodations on the night of Thursday, October 31 (available at Generator Miami for an extra $32 on a space available basis)
- lunch on Friday, November 1

The following items are optional:
- internet aboard ship (but you can text others on board ship for free using the MSC for Me app)
- excursions that MSC offers at Key West and Bahamas
- alcoholic beverages (for those 21 and over)
- cruise insurance (please contact Learning Across America if you’re interested)

To make sure the course you’ve chosen is not already full, first sign up for the course and receive the enrollment confirmation we’ll email you.  Once that’s done, you may then book your travel arrangements.

What should I know about the required travel documents?
- It is the sole responsibility of each cruise passenger to identify and obtain all required travel documents for the entire cruise vacation and have them available when necessary. Guests without proper traveling documentation will be denied boarding. No refunds will be given to individuals who fail to bring proper documentation.
- Here is a list of the countries whose citizens require a visa to enter The Bahamas.

What should second-year au pairs know about international travel?
While typically au pairs in their second year aren't permitted to travel internationally, there's a provision in federal regulations known as 'automatic revalidation' that allows for exceptions. Under this provision, second-year au pairs in their extension term may travel to certain destinations such as Canada, Mexico, and adjacent islands like The Bahamas, provided the trip doesn't exceed 30 days and the au pair hasn't applied for another visa. While the Department of State permits such travel, final admission into the United States with an expired visa rests with the immigration office at the port of entry.

To determine if you're eligible for automatic revalidation, please contact your au pair agency.

What else should I know about the cruise portion of the course before I enroll?
MSC Cruises requires that at least one person in each cabin is 21 or older. Consequently, you will be placed in either a double or triple cabin to ensure this requirement is met. We will do our best to honor any roommate requests.

What is the attendance policy?
Since each Learning Across America course consists of a limited number of class sessions, Towson University requires you to attend – and actively participate in – each class and tour day from its start time to its end time.  If you fail to do so, you will not be eligible to receive a certificate of completion.  Towson University carefully monitors class attendance.

How many credit hours will I earn?
Once you successfully complete this course, you’ll earn 72 hours of credit.

If you have additional questions regarding credit hours, please contact your au pair organization.

How soon will I receive my educational certificate?
Students will be given 3 weeks to complete their post-assignment and turn it into their teacher. Once you submit your post-assignment, you will receive your certificate of completion directly from Towson University within 10 days, assuming you have satisfactorily completed all course work. Feel free to turn your assignment in as soon as you complete it, as this will allow us to get your certificate to you sooner.

What is the cancellation policy?
If you wish to cancel this course…
- if you cancel on or before Sunday, August 11th you will receive a full refund;
- if you cancel between Monday, August 12th and Tuesday, October 1st, you’ll forfeit $468;
- if you cancel after Tuesday, October 1st, there will be no refund or credit.

If you wish to cancel your Generator Miami reservation…
If you choose to stay at Generator Miami on Thursday night, October 31st, and now wish to cancel your stay, you must cancel on or before Sunday, August 11th to receive a $32 refund. To cancel you must send an email to Learning Across America. There will be no refunds in connection with Generator Miami after Sunday, August 11th.