W20 Dominican Republic – Coffee, Co-Operatives, & Community

Status

Closed

Trip Destination

Dominican Republic

Approximate Price

999+/ ($500 BWR grant applied)

Trip Date

02/22/2020

TO

02/29/2020

Application Deadline

10/07/2019

Program Information

This opportunity is available to all Niagara College students and alumni within 6 months of graduation. Please note that part-time students are not eligible for the Be World Ready Grant.

 

Physical Intensity

Accommodations

Meals

Steps to Apply

W20 Dominican Republic – Coffee, Co-Operatives, & Community

Students will be immersed in the culture and community of a rural DR village in which the students will be staying 24 hours/day for 6 days of the IFS. During this time, the students will visit the local KG – 12 school and meet with the students there and engage in play learning, visit the local health care clinics to better understand access to services in rural communities, and will be toured through the mountains of DR to learn about the flora and fauna unique to this region. Students will also visit the coffee cooperative we partner with where the members will share how this cooperative has kept the spirit of the people in the community vibrant while they experienced hurricane damaged crops, droughts, and beyond affecting the historical ways this community had economically thrived. Finally, in Santo Domingo, the group will visit our academic partner and meet with the university students to be exposed to their learning culture along with a lesson on the historical context of DR. Indeed the students will help build a greenhouse and plant crops, this is all done alongside the small community of 1700 people.

Travel Visa + Immigration Documentation:

Students are responsible for researching and applying for any required visa(s) on their own; Be World Ready is not able to apply for any travel visa(s) on your behalf. Be World Ready will provide you with supporting documentation as needed to apply for a Visa once the deadline to register has passed. All international students will need to ensure that their Study Permits and Student Visas are not expired before the date of return from the international experience, to ensure that there are no challenges upon reentry to Canada. Travel restrictions and requirements for entry to Canada may change at any time. All travellers are responsible for remaining up to date with any restrictions and requirements for travel and re-entry to Canada leading up to and throughout their International Field Study. Niagara College Canada will assume no responsibility for any changes to governing body travel restrictions, required documentation for travel or any refused entry as a result of change. Travellers are encouraged to review the Government of Canada Website for the latest restrictions and requirements for entry to Canada, as well as to check entry requirements to their destination country as a Canadian citizen.

Day 1| Santo Domingo

February 22, 2020 

Congratulations! You have officially avoided winter! Breathe in the tropical air as we transfer to our accommodations in beautiful Santo Domingo. After settling into our rooms its time to go out and explore the city with a tour of the Historic district of Santo Domingo.

Day 2| Los Tres Oyos

February 23, 2020

This morning we tour Los Tres Oyos – Just five miles east of Santo Domingo, Los Tres Ojos National Park is a beautiful nature break from the city, and offers a solid glimpse of the Taino’s underground caverns once used for refuge or rituals. A winding entrance staircase leads to a series of caves, with pathways hugging three freshwater, iridescent blue lagoons or “eyes” as the Taino used to call them for their oval-shapes. A fourth lagoon is accessible via a small wooden barge, revealing a gorgeous, open-air scenery of water and a rocky landscape covered in lush vegetation all around. This afternoon we head to beautiful Playa Juan Dolio for team building.  the cosmopolitan beach town of Juan Dolio offers an easy and tranquil tropical escape near the capital city. Juan Dolio’s 10-kilometer (six-mile) long, spacious and sparkling white sand beach is dotted with hotels, dive shops, restaurants, and bars

Day 3 – 6| Los Cacoas

February 24, 25, 26 & 27, 2020

As we journey to Los Cacoas we stop at Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo Los Cacaos to visit one of the top post-secondary schools in the Dominican. Los Cacoas is located in the mountainous province of San Cristóbal in southern Dominican Republic, west of the capital Santo Domingo. Coffee is the principal source of income for the people of Los Cacoas but recently the plants have been infected with “Roya” or coffee rust which has devastated the harvest. Diversification of the economy is greatly needed in this area and producing vegetables in greenhouses is a viable option. While in Los Cacaos, students will engage in activities related to fair-trade coffee production, greenhouse production, environmentally sustainable growing methods and interacting with community members in cultural exchanges. A major project that will be done on this trip will be the construction of a steel framed greenhouse.

Day 7| Presa Jiguey

February 28, 2020

Today we meet the Canadian Ambassador to the Dominican Republic in Santo Domingo. Later we tour the rainforest! Our local guide will lead us through the lush landscape while teaching us about the plants, fruits and animals that inhabit this unique area. The afternoon we will visit Presa Jiguey, one of the largest hydro-electric dams in the world.

 

Day 8| Depart for Canada

February 29, 2020

Sit back, relax and reflect on the amazing experience that was Dominican Republic. Today we return to Canada.

  • Round Trip Airfare
  • All Accommodation
  • Travel Insurance
  • Construction Materials
  • Los Tres Ojos National Park
  • Playa Juan Dolio
  • Coffee Plantation Tour
  • Rain Forest Tour
  • & More!

PAYMENT TERMS

Deposit
Second Payment

PAYMENT AMOUNT

550
449

PAYMENT AMOUNT

10/07/2019
01/20/2020

*Price may increase or decrease depending on exchange rates, final vendor quotes and number of participants.

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