Au Pairs & Host Families Bethesda

Holiday Lights in greater DC

Posted by: aferreira on December 3, 2009

It is that time of the year, when people decorate their houses and there are several “Festival of Lights” going on in greater DC.  I listed below a few Festivals that host families, as well as au pairs could go and have a blast walking or driving around through the bright scenarios.

Festival of Lights at Mormon Temple  (9900 Stoney brook Dr., Kensington, MD)

The Mormom Temple is displaying their 32nd Annual Festival of Light. They offer FREE musical performances at 7pm and 8pm every night from Dec, 4th, 2009 through Jan, 1, 2010.

Winter Lights at Seneca Creek State Park (11950 Clopper Rd., Gaithersburg, MD)

This show features more than 380 illuminated vignettes and 65 animated displays in a 3.5 mile drive through beautiful Seneca Creek State Park. Theme areas include Winter Woods, Teddy Bear Land, Victorian Village, North Pole, Toyland, and Penguin Cove.

- Mon. to Thurs. - $12/ small cars

- Fri. to Sun. - $14 / small cars

- $2 off coupon for Mon. - Thurs. available at Lakeforest Mall

Festival of Lights at Watkins Regional Park (301 Watkins Park, Upper Marlboro, MD)

Don’t miss this spectacular holiday drive-through event of more than one million twinkling lights! This year’s Festival features fun helicopter and driving a fire truck.

- $5/car or van

- $10/multi-visit, transferable pass for car and vans (3 visits)

- FREE! On December 25

Garden of Lights at Brookside Gardens (1800 Glenallan Ave, Wheaton, MD)

Brookside Gardens’ year-long 40th Anniversary Party continues with the Garden of Lights. It wouldn’t be a party without candles, or in this case 940,000 twinkling colorful lights shaped in imaginative displays throughout the gardens. Inside of the Conservatory, a winter display of holiday poinsettias, flowering plants and evergreens are combined in bright and bold combinations, providing a colorful landscape through which the garden railway trains travel. Live music and a train exhibit are also in the schedule.

- Cars/Vans (Monday - Thursday - weeknight discount rate): $15

- Car/Vans (Friday - Sunday): $20

- Advance Sale Tickets: $15 (available starting November 1).

ZooLights at the National Zoo (3001 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC)

Don’t miss your chance to meander through the Zoo when it is covered with thousands of sparkling lights, attend special keeper talks, and enjoy live entertainment.

But that’s not all. Every evening, our friends from Pepco educate visitors about simple practices they can adopt in their households to save energy. 

And last but not least, visitors have the chance to see lots of animals. The Small Mammal House, Great Ape House, Reptile Discovery Center, Think Tank, and Kids’ Farm will be open every night.

FONZ members: $5 | Nonmembers: $8

You can buy at the Zoo, at Ticketmaster or at the gate.

Traveling outside of the US

Posted by: aferreira on December 3, 2009

Au Pairs traveling outside of the US during their first year

Au pairs are allowed to travel outside of the U.S. during their 12 month stay.  In order to assure re-entry into the U.S., the au pair must send in her DS-2019 form to Cultural Care to have the Travel Validation box signed by a Responsible Officer.  The au pair should include a note indicating the dates of departure, as well as a self-addressed, stamped envelope. The au pair should allow 3-4 weeks for processing. If the au pair sends in the DS-2019 form less than 3 weeks before travel, a Federal Express envelope or a self-addressed USPS priority mail envelope should be used. The au pair should also include a pre-paid return Federal Express envelope or USPS priority mail envelope so that the signed DS-2019 form is returned promptly. If no pre-paid envelope is enclosed, there will be a 10USD for sending a DS-2019 form by Federal Express within the US, and 20USD for sending overseas. The au pair may pay by check or credit card. 

The DS-2019 form should be sent to:

Cultural Care Au Pair
Attn: Travel Validation
One Education Street
Cambridge, MA 02141

Please note! We do not recommend traveling outside of the US during the last 2 months of the year. While technically the au pair has a valid visa and should not have any problems getting back into the country, sometimes immigration officers question why the au pair traveled outside of the country so close to the expiration date of her visa.

Previously, au pairs did not need to send the DS-2019 form in if they were traveling to Canada or Mexico. While this has not changed, some au pairs have had trouble at the border because the form was not signed. Therefore, it is advisable that all au pairs send in the DS-2019 form, even when traveling to Canada or Mexico. Many Non-Western European au pairs are required to obtain a tourist visa to visit Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Au pairs should contact the closest embassy of their destination country for information and visa applications. Please visit www.embassyworld.com for the closest embassy or consulate. If an au pair travels without the appropriate documents, she may be denied re-entry into the U.S. and may be prohibited from boarding the plane.

It is the responsibility of each au pair to check to see if a tourist visa is required for the country he/she is visiting. Please direct the au pairs to this website: www.embassyworld.com

• Travel outside of the U.S. during the au pair’s 13^th month is not permitted by the J-1 visa.  If an au pair leaves the continental U.S. during this month, she will not be allowed to re-enter the U.S. Cultural Care has no authority in this case. The only exception to this rule is travel to Hawaii. Au pair may travel to Hawaii in their 13^th month