Custom Yoga & Mindfulness Faculty-Led Study Abroad Programs

Empower Your Students Through Mindful Global Learning

Immerse your students in a transformative international experience focused on the practices of yoga, mindfulness, and social impact. This one-week program in Panama offers students an opportunity to explore holistic wellness and community engagement through a culturally immersive lens—fostering personal growth and ethical awareness in a global setting.

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Why Pursue a Custom Mindfulness-Focused Study Abroad Program?

A mindfulness-centered study abroad program invites students to explore self-awareness, cultural connection, and community engagement. By integrating yoga and meditation with experiential learning, students gain tools for both personal resilience and global empathy.

This international opportunity is tailored to deepen emotional intelligence, develop ethical consciousness, and enhance cross-cultural communication—vital for any discipline rooted in human connection.

Students will:

Strengthen self-awareness through guided yoga and meditation
Examine social justice and ethical responsibility in a global context
Engage with indigenous knowledge systems and community values
Learn how mindfulness can support leadership, learning, and service

Sample Custom Itinerary: A Yoga and Mindful Journey Through Panama

Please note that this itinerary is customizable to meet specific faculty objectives.

Arrival in Panama City – Orientation & Welcome

🔹 Airport pickup, hotel check-in
🔹 Group orientation session
🔹 Welcome Dinner at a local conscious dining venue

Day 1

Cultural Foundations & Natural Exploration

🔹 Guided visit to the Panama Canal Locks
🔹 Mindful walk through Ancon Hill
🔹 Lunch and group activity in Casco Viejo
🔹 Interactive scavenger hunt for cultural immersion

Day 2

Yoga, Ethics, and Creative Expression

🔹 Morning yoga with a local instructor
🔹 Lecture on Panama’s history and politics
🔹 Workshop: Pottery as a mindful craft
🔹 Lecture on social justice & ethics through a yogic lens

Day 3

Urban Mindfulness & Cultural Cuisine

🔹 Walking tour of Casco Viejo with historical insights
🔹 Yoga session at Casco Yoga studio
🔹 Cooking class: preparing local dishes with intention

Day 4

Indigenous Wisdom & Interconnection

🔹 Yoga with local instructor
🔹 Lecture on Indigenous identity and traditions
🔹 Group class at Balans Wellness Studio

Day 5

Deep Cultural Immersion in Emberá Drua

🔹 Full-day excursion to the Emberá community
🔹 Service-learning activities
🔹 Evening safari in Gamboa Rainforest

Day 6

Reflection in Nature

🔹 Aerial tram ride over the rainforest canopy
🔹 Free afternoon for rest, journaling, or walking meditation
🔹 Farewell Dinner and group closing circle

Day 7

Departure

🔹 Morning yoga (optional)

🔹 Group airport transfer

Day 8

Interested in receiving a personalized example?

Key Inclusions

ACADEMIC PROGRAM AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES:

On-site program orientation session with welcome packets
Lectures by experts in yoga, ethics, history, and indigenous cultures
Private yoga/meditation sessions with local instructors
Community service-learning in Casco Viejo and Emberá Drua
Cooking and pottery workshops
Guided hikes, city tours, and aerial tram excursion

ACCOMMODATIONS AND MEALS:

TRANSPORTATION:

OTHER PROGRAM INCLUSIONS:

Worldwide Health Insurance through CISI for the duration of the program.
Full-time local Group Leader accompaniment for visits and activities listed in the itinerary.
24/7 emergency support from the on-site Program Coordinator.
For two accompanying professors: all program inclusions, single-room lodging, and same included meals as students.
Tips for included restaurants and transportation.

Custom Features to Fit Your Department’s Holistic Learning Goal

Integrated Mindfulness Curriculum

This program immerses students in experiential learning that strengthens emotional regulation, ethical awareness, and cultural humility. Through daily yoga, guided meditation, and reflection practices, participants cultivate inner balance while examining global issues such as justice, identity, and sustainability. These customized experiences align with academic and wellness outcomes, enriching both mind and spirit.

Local Wellness Partnerships

Partner with Panama-based yoga studios, social impact leaders, and indigenous organizations to explore alternative approaches to well-being and community.

Flexible Academic Design

Customize content to match your curriculum goals. Add readings, research projects, or reflective assignments to integrate mindfulness into your department’s framework.

Embodied Learning Experiences

Each day includes somatic practices—such as yoga, breathwork, and mindfulness journaling—to ground learning in the body and promote self-reflection.

Global Mindfulness & Ethics Seminars

Expert-led talks address the intersection of mindfulness, social justice, indigenous knowledge, and ethical leadership.

Interdisciplinary Perspectives

Connect themes from anthropology, psychology, ethics, and environmental studies through a holistic program design.

Personal & Professional Growth

Students develop tools for stress management, interpersonal communication, and resilience—skills applicable across academic and career paths.

We Handle the Logistics – All You Need to Do is Lead

Planning a study abroad experience can be overwhelming, but we take care of the logistics so you can focus on what matters most: leading and educating. From travel arrangements and accommodations to safety protocols and budgeting, we ensure a seamless experience, allowing you to concentrate on delivering impactful lessons and clinical leadership. Our dedicated team works closely with your nursing department to align every aspect of the trip to your goals, giving you the peace of mind that every detail is handled with precision. This means less time worrying about administration and more time engaging with your students in meaningful ways.

Comprehensive booking services that cover transportation and comfortable,safe lodgings catered to your group’s size and needs, whether in a rural or urban setting.

Comprehensive booking services that cover transportation and comfortable, safe lodgings catered to your group’s size and needs, whether in a rural or urban setting.

Using these logistical services, you can focus entirely on delivering an engaging, transformative educational experience while leaving the operational complexities in expert hands.

Frequently Asked Questions

We understand that planning a faculty-led study abroad program comes with a lot of questions. Below, we’ve highlighted some of the most common inquiries. If you don’t find your answer here, feel free to reach out!

How is student safety ensured?

In every program, student safety is our top priority. We provide comprehensive health and safety protocols, including worldwide health insurance coverage through CISI. Additionally, our local partners are available 24/7 to assist in any emergency. We also arrange orientation sessions to familiarize students with local environments and safety practices.

How flexible is the itinerary?

We believe flexibility is essential to ensure the best learning experience. While we have set academic and cultural elements, there is room for adjustments to better fit your department’s objectives. We’ll work closely with you before and during the program to adapt activities if needed, respecting the cultural context and logistical limitations.

Can we customize the program?

Absolutely! Our programs are designed to be flexible and customized to your department’s specific needs, whether that’s focusing on particular aspects like mental health, public health, or pediatric nursing. Collaborate with our team to design tailored rotations, excursions, and academic focus areas.

How are healthcare systems abroad different from the U.S.?

Healthcare systems abroad can vary widely from what you are familiar with in the U.S. In some countries, students may encounter single-payer public systems, while in others, fragmented private healthcare dominates. These differences provide rich learning opportunities about global healthcare disparities, systems efficiency, patient access, and cross-cultural care practices.

What are the housing and meal arrangements?

Student and faculty accommodations are typically in safe and comfortable group settings, such as hostels or student dormitories, located close to the study sites. Daily breakfast is included, as well as select group meals, such as welcome and farewell dinners. Students can explore local cuisine during unstructured meal times.

Custom & Faculty-Led Study Abroad Program:
Case Studies & Articles

"The hotels chosen, city guides and tours, visits to museums, choice of restaurants, and other cultural activities have all represented meaningful, oftentimes life-changing experiences for all, giving our students direct exposure to some of the realities and cultural richness Spain has been famous for."

"Traveling overseas is stressful. Particularly if you are leading a group of young students who are full of expectations. Without the efficiency and knowledgeable tour guides provided by Spanish Studies Abroad, my experience as a program leader would not have been as memorable as it was. I cherished every minute."

"I could not speak more highly of their professionalism and excellent customer service. They are problem solvers and pay attention to every detail on our schedule so our students can have the best cultural and academic experience possible, besides being available 24/7. Every year every participant on the program raves about the well-rounded and knowledgeable tour guides, the overnight trip accommodations and the excellent transit to the sites visited. Because of their highly-organized programs and travel offerings, other UMD departments have started to partner with Spanish Studies Abroad. "

Having taken students to Costa Rica and Spain for 30 years, I'm an extremely demanding trip planner looking for perfection. It has been a pleasure to work with the owners of Spanish Studies Abroad. They certainly do and will do whatever it takes to please customers and for a very good and reasonable price. I will continue using this company for all my educational and personal excursions and I highly recommend it.

"I have worked with Spanish Studies Abroad for over 10 years and I can attest to the quality of the programs that this organization has put together for the groups that I have led during this time period. Time and time again, the staff at Spanish Studies Abroad designed high quality programs that were executed with consummate professionalism. Words simply cannot express just how much I appreciate Spanish Studies Abroad for being such a trustworthy organization and for its uncompromising commitment to excellence. It goes without saying that I look forward to working with Spanish Studies Abroad for many more years!"

“The staff at the US office and on-site were excellent. They were always happy to respond to our requests and helped organize a number of extracurricular experiences for me and for my students.”

“Spanish Studies Abroad was very accommodating in making sure we were able to see and do everything we proposed.”

“Members of the Spanish Studies Abroad staff are true experts in organizing and orchestrating every aspect of the program. They are savvy and responsive planners who prepare for every eventuality and keep faculty and resident directors in the loop at every turn.”

duke university in alicante, summer 2019

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