Coming to The HonduCoffee 2006 is the beginning of a great new life adventure as a ISAI Forest Keeper. As a Forest Keeper at The HonduCoffee 2006 you will experience:
In order to get the most out of your Travel/Bird-Watching & Shade Coffee Seminar Experience you need to come prepared. Let's explore how you can maximize your Travel/Bird-Watching & Shade Coffee Seminar by preparing before you come to Intibuca.
La Esperanza is located in the Western mountain pine forest of Honduras. It has a population of around 20,000 and looks like a Spanish Colonial town. Buildings are of adobe with Spanish tile roofs. It is a very pleasant temperate mountain forest climate. Locally produced fruits include strawberries, blackberries, apples, plums and blueberries flourish there.
There is no airport and all travel comes from two main roads, one from Tegucigalpa/San Pedro Sula and another, very rugged rock road to the El Salvador frontier. There are daily buses to San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa (the capital of Honduras) and toward the Salvador frontier. There is taxi service within La Esperanza which is quite reasonable.
The town is picturesque, with oxcarts being widely used to transport firewood as well as fruits and other produce to the market. There are probably 1000 trucks and cars in the community, mostly four wheel drive. We provide airport pick up and transfers at additional cost at San Pedro Sula or Tegucigalpa. In addition, we arrange various tours to wildlife reserves, Bay Islands and other points of interest in the area.
The school is presently operated from a rented building in the town of La Esperanza and on the farm of our local partner. It is not like a language lab. We go into the community and learn in situ. Local people are a vital part of the Spanish learning program. Native speakers from many walks of life will be involved in the projects and will be willing to talk with you. They are very receptive to anyone who flatters them by seeking to learn their language. Most of what you will experience will be interactions with the people of La Esperanza, in restaurants, on farms, in mountain villages, in local cafes and home. This is called immersion cross cultural learning.
La Esperanza has a very old church, built by the Spanish. You will find both Catholic and Protestant churches here. There is a modest commercial center. Computer services, printing from diskettes as well as the Internet will soon be available. Hondutel offer long distance telephone services. Local restaurants provide food and drink, and a peaceful tropical mountain forest atmosphere. We also intend to offer mountain classes in local pine forests owned by local people.
As with all Neotropical countries, certain precautions are necessary when traveling in Honduras. Because it is a mountain area and there is a great deal of agriculture, The standard of living in Esperanza is quite high. These Lenca Indians are very simpatico and extremely clean. Unlike Tegucigalpa or San Pedro Sula, you will not see beggars in the streets.
Courses are limited to a maximum of 16 students each. There is one Ph.D. faculty and one Masters degrees on the faculty. This arrangement allows for a one to ten faculty: student ratio optimal for field courses. Due to the small size of the courses, admittance into the program is competitive.
Along with the application, each student is required to submit: 1) a brief statement of interest (limit 1 typed page) that provides information on academic background and interests, purpose for taking the field course, and goals to be achieved by participating in the course, and, 2) a letter of recommendation from the student's academic advisor or sponsor for the course. This letter should be confidential and sent in a sealed envelope independently or with the student's application materials. These letters will be provided to course instructors for final evaluation.
ISAI is a private institution being established and not directly affiliated with any university. Therefore, ISAI cannot issue academic credit directly. However, most universities have various mechanisms that allow students to obtain credit for field courses taken away from campus. These are often called "independent study" courses. If you are going to take the course for credit you must arrange this through your professor or academic advisor, and university.
ISAI course instructor will provide a letter reporting a grade breakdown to the student's academic institution. The student will be responsible for providing direct evidence of participation such as lecture notes, proposals, reports, exams, etc.). Normally, up to six units (three for the lecture portion and three for the field portion) of credit are awarded for each course.
To take advantage of other nearby tropical ecosystems, there will an optional overnight field trip to Pacific-side tropical dry forest and to the cloud forests of in Guatemala to look for seeds of Guatemala fir (Abies Guatemalensis). Because Abies Gutamelensis is on the endangered species list, we plan to start a nursery to grow seedling for replanting.
In order to maintain our integrity as a conservation organization, we ask that all program participants conduct themselves in a manner that reflects this conservation ethic. Actions that are contrary to these ideals, such as eating native game birds or their eggs, hunting wildlife, causing deforestation or littering, jeopardize our legitimacy locally and at home.
One week Session US$1500, 2-Week Sessions $2200, 3-Week Winter Session:$2700. Course tuition includes registration, room and board at the SATSEDS center and local transportation. Tuition fee does not cover air fare to Honduras. Covers costs and travel from Tegucigalpa to and from La Esperanza, Honduras. Does not cover emergency medical costs, optional field trips, soft drinks, beer, or incidental travel unrelated to courses.
Please include a $300 registration fee and deposit when your application is submitted. Your application will not be processed until this deposit is received. The registration fee will be applied to your tuition and is refundable to within 30 days of the course starting date. Tuition must be received by registration deadlines. All payments must be in U.S. currency. Make checks payable to ISAI.
Price does not include pickup at airport and travel to La Esperanza which is a US$90 pickup fee.
You are required to have a valid passport to travel to Honduras and Guatemala (optional) . Additionally, you will need to obtain a Guatemala tourist visa to enter Guatemala. If you choose to fly directly to Honduras, you will receive a 30 day tourist visa from the airline. If you do not have a passport or need to renew yours, contact you local passport office or post office for an application. Apply for your passport early as it may require up to six weeks to process. You will need:
1.Two passport-sized photos (obtain at Kinko's Copies, or photo studio) 2.Certified birth certificate 3. Photo I.D. (drivers license is best).
There are several ways to reach ISAI in La Esperanza . You may fly directly To Tegucigalpa. Pickup fee is US$90. We will pick you up in Tegucigalpa. To come into San Pedro Sula means you will have to take a public bus to la Esperanza. For seasoned Latin American travelers, bus from San Pedro Sula is the cheapest, but see cautions below. For newcomers, ISAI recommends that you fly directly to Tegucigalpa and use our airport pickup service. Continental Airlines, TACA and Lanza all fly to both these cities. At one time there was a boat or ferry service to Honduras but the boat was destroyed by Hurricane Mitch.
Arrive no later than the first day of class, either 1 June, 1 July, or 1 August, (summer sessions,) or by 18th Nov. (winter session) and plan to leave the station no later than the 28th of the month (summer), or Jan 11 (winter).
Arrange all national and international flights through your travel agency. Shop around for the cheapest flight. You can often find inexpensive, special offer or bulk flights in the travel section of your local Sunday newspaper. Also, check with Council Travel at the number listed above. They have an offices at all major universities and can often find you the cheapest fare. Finally, make your reservations early, inform ISAI of your travel plans, and ISAI personnel will meet you when you arrive.
When entering Honduras and returning, you will pass through "Migraciķn" (immigration) and "Aduana" (customs). You can expect to have your luggage searched. The possession of illegal drugs or other contraband will result in your arrest by the local authorities and immediate expulsion from the course. Remember, you are not in the States or Canada, and your country cannot help you if you break foreign laws. Penalties for drug possession in Latin American countries are severe. Honduras, for example, has a 10 year mandatory minimum sentence for the mere possession of marijuana.
In addition to the formal courses described below, we will be offering workshops in tree climbing, elementary Spanish and nature photography.
Find out more about shade grown coffee. Go online for an Online Seminar February 2005 - June 2006. Subscribe To our "Shade Coffee" seminar. Email to honducopa@yahoo.com and say subscribe "Shade Coffee".
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Find out more about shade grown coffee - Join our email list "Shade Coffee". Email to honducopa@yahoo.com and say subscribe "Shade Coffee".
A local landowner is planning to develop a bird sanctuary/botanical garden on her property. She produces shade grown coffee on her property. We will be visiting her property and studying birds on mountain farm. There are many parts of her property which she has never seen. Areas untouched by logging or farming. No one has ever birded there. YOU COULD BE THE FIRST!
Price Does Not Include: Travel to and from Houston, single room accommodation, personal tips and gratuities, laundry or items of strictly personal nature, inoculations, trip cancellation, or accident/medical insurance (available at additional cost).
La Esperanza is located in the Western mountain pine forest of Honduras. It has a population of around 20,000 and looks like a Spanish Colonial town. Buildings are of adobe with Spanish tile roofs. It is a very pleasant temperate mountain forest climate. Locally produced fruits include strawberries, blackberries, apples, plums and blueberries flourish there. Most of the coffee here is shade grown by Lenca Indian campesinos.
All day field trip to opal mines in Western Honduras
All day field trip to Copan
Ruinas -
All day field trip to rain forest Near El Salvador Border for tropical bird and wildlife watching
APPLICATION PROCESS HonduCoffee 2006
HonduCoffee 2006 Session Cost room & board in
Honduras, Airport pickup in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, in country travel costs included (may be in commercial bus or on backs of pickups to get to remote plantations). Enrollees will be assisted in obtaining low cost airfare.
Only 16 persons per session
Participants will be chosen on the basis of their desires to help regenerate our planet through promoting shade grown coffee. We are threatened by global warming and tree planting is a key short term solution to greenhouse gas buildup. Not only will you have a bird watching experience, but all participants who attend will be enrolled as members of the Leucaena Production Society.
Additionally each
participant will receive a Bird Habitat Action
kit of press releases, articles and Xerox masters
to use in their local community to join in the
fight against sun grown coffee.
Those wishing to participate should complete an application form and return to the ISAI by April 15, 2006.
Accepted applicants will be notified shortly after receipt of application and confirmed upon receipt of a $300 deposit. Full payment must be received 2 months before the planned departure date or by April 15, 2006. Refunds for cancellation cannot be made after that date.
Participants must agree to travel with the group from Tegucigalpa to La Esperanza. If you wish to include optional visits to Guatemala, Belize or Costa Rica, it can be arranged.
All questions can be answered or more information can be obtained by contacting ISAI. Enrollees receive package of information on passports, visas, inoculations and airfare options.
Cost $2,200 (based upon 10 passengers)
Price includes: Incoutnry travel from Tegucigalpa, Honduras to La Esperanza. Full field program, double hotel room in La Esperanza and full board at hotel or native housing, visa fee, airport departure
VISAS: Visas can be obtained at the airport in Tegucigalpa when entering Honduras. Each participant must have a valid passport at the time of acceptance.
EXPEDITION CONDITIONS:
Most of the time spent in the seminar will be in La Esperanza Honduras. We will be staying at either the Hotel Esperanza or with local landowners when traveling to different parts of Honduras where we will be studying bird populations and shade grown coffee plantations. trees. The hotel is a hotel with accommodation used by traveling Hondurans. Breakfast, will be provided. We will take lunches and dinner will be available a the hotel.
Most of the time will be spent on the farms or properties of landowners. We will also be studying shade coffee plantations in different Lenca villages.
The experience will not only include experiences with birds in coffee plantations, but interactions with Lenca and Mayan Indians campesinos, visits to the Lenca marketplaces and Special Lenca towns such as the capital of pottery Siguatepeque. We also plan to visit the forestry school in Siguatepeque to see the diversity of birds in pine forests of Honduras.
We will also visit plantings of Vetiver, visit local landowners. There will be opportunities for personal time, walks in the forest. AND OF COURSE - BIRDING!
PLEASE SEND AN APPLICATION FORM for the HonduCoffee 2006 Travel/Study & Shade Coffee Seminars/ Research in Honduras
Name__________________________________________
Address________________________________________
City_____________State___Zip_____
Phone__________(w)___________(h)
Email:____________________________
More information on Leucaena is available to you from exportfacs@aol.com. Our Leucaena web site is http://www.satglobal.com/leucaena_entry.htm.
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Order Leucaena seeds today by emailing Dr. Carol Cross at exportfacs@aol.com . Leucaena seed buyers must pay in advance through international money order, certified or cashier's check.
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Return to Kenaf Page
Order kenaf seeds today by emailing Dr. Carol Cross at exportfacs@aol.com . Kenaf seed buyers must pay in advance through international money order, certified or cashier's check
Compaņia de Deportes e Turismo, S de R. L.(CODET) CODET - Your key to successful and profitable agriculture, forestry, agroforestry, livestock production and rural agroindustrial development in developing countries CODET, S de R. L Your Source For Tropical Food Production and Processing Development and Export Training
Dr.
Ramon Dario Argueta
Tropical Food Production and Processing Systems
Farmacia Galenica
Barrio El Morera, Frente Bazar Reyna
La Esperanza, Intibuca, Honduras
Telephone 011- 504-783-0054 or 011- 504 - 398 -9554
Email: exportfacs@aol.comCODET - Creating Consortiums for Sustainable Rural Development Through Rural Agroindustrial Centers, Leucaena Effect Agroforestry, SATReal Analysis and EcoSAT Design.
Exporters! Export To The USA With "How To Do Business With Americans" |
International! You Can Own A Home In The USA Without A Green Card |
Dr. Cross Can Be Reached In Honduras after June 1, 2005Mailing Addresses after June 1, 2005 - Dr. Carol Cross, C/O Doņa Aleja de Valdivieso, Barrio El Centro, La Esperanza, Intibuca, Honduras honducopa@yahoo.com or exportfacs@aol.com Telephone 504 - 783 - 0421 You May Also Contact Dr. Cross Through Doņa Silvia Palencia y Hijos, Hotel La Esperanza, La Esperanza, Intibuca, Honduras Telephone 504 - 783-0068 Through Dr. Ramon Dario Argueta, CODET, Farmacia Galenica, Barrio El Morera, Frente Bazar Reyna, La Esperanza, Intibuca, Honduras, Telephone 504-783-0054 Email exportfacs@aol.com The International Institute of Soccer Tourism Is Opening in La Esperanza, Honduras in September 2005. IIST Understands The Problems of Soccer Tourism in Developing Countries. IIST Supports Soccer Tourism Professionals in Central America, South America, the Caribbean Islands, Africa and Asia |
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