STUDY TOUR ITINERARY

Nicaragua Parish Trip: LWR Coffee Project
January 22 - February 1, 2005

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Arrival in Managua Saturday, January 22, 2005   DIARY

Visitors are met at the airport and transferred to the guest house by staff from the Augsburg Center for Global Education.

Orientation Day -- NEW POST Sunday, January 23, 2005   DIARY

On this first full day of the trip, time is spent on introductions, health and safety overview, and a review of itinerary. Then, visitors dive right into the learning with an update on Nicaraguan current political and economic situation, led by Mark Lester, Center for Global Education. After a driving tour of the city of Managua, visitors gain an overview of coffee crisis and impact on Nicaragua, Rene Mendoza, author and researcher, NITLAPAN Research and Development Institute of the Central American Univeristy (UCA); followed by an introduction to fair trade, led by Dary Goodrich of Equal Exchange, LWR's partner in the LWR Coffee Project.

Homestay with Coffee Families Monday, January 24, 2005   DIARY

Today visitors travel to the city of Matagalpa, at the foothills of the Cecocafen coffee cooperative, whose ecotourism program will host visitors for two nights. After meeting at the offices of Cecocafen, visitors depart for community of La Reyna, San Ramon, Matagalpa, and settle in for dinner and evening with homestay host families.

Ecotourism at its Best! -- NEW POST Tuesday, January 25, 2005   DIARY

After breakfast with host families, visitors spend time working on the farm and exploring the cooperative. Youth members of the community have been trained to give ecology tours, pointing out flaura and fauna to visitors. Cecocafen's ecotourism program was developed with support from Equal Exchange and Lutheran World Relief. .

Fair Trade. . .It really makes a difference! -- NEW POST Wednesday, January 26, 2005   DIARY

After breakfast with host families, visitors say goodbye and head back to the city of Matagalpa. Sessions today include a voice contrasting fair trade, with a meeting with the Association of Coffee Growers Large Coffee Producers. Then, visitors tour Solcafe, the coop's processing plant and participate in a cupping, which is like a taste testing. Dinner and overnight in Matagalpa.

Coffee "Cupping" and more Thursday, January 27, 2005   DIARY

Visitors try out an official "cupping" or taste testing, and meet with LWR staff and partners, gaining an understanding how fair trade helps to achieve LWR's mission: "Lutheran World Relief works with partners in 50 countries to help people grow food, improve health, strengthen communities, end conflict, build livelihoods, and recover from disasters."

LWR's Ecology -- NEW POST Friday, January 28, 2005   DIARY

Visitors meet with LWR partners, tours a certified Coffee farm that uses an Ecologic Humid Processing Plant, and then heads back to Managua.

CAFTA and Church Saturday, January 29, 2005   DIARY

The morning brings a meeting with Carlos Pacheco, economist and trainer working with grassroots organizations opposed to CAFTA, the Central America Free Trade Agreement, from the Center for International Studies. In the afternoon, the group meets with Bishop Victoria Cortez, President of the Lutheran Church in Nicaragua.

Volcano and Action Sunday, January 30, 2005   DIARY

Visitors visit the Masaya Volcano, shop at a local market, and then spend the afternoon brainstorming and action planning for returning home -- how can all this learning go home too?

Final Wrap Up Monday, January 31, 2005   DIARY

Depart for Home Tuesday, February 01, 2005   DIARY

Even though the trip is over, the journey to justice continues! For more information on the LWR Coffee Project and other fair trade projects, please visit http://www.lwr.org/fair trade.