Observing and Participating - Session III

Observing and Participating - session three: Participation in an international experience –
In Costa Rica , with our host of EARTH University March 3rd – March 13th  

• objective: to give participants first hand experience with people of other cultures during an organized professional development program

Wednesday March 3rd, 2004 – day of travel to Costa Rica and then onto EARTH

Hosts for the day: Pete Vergot and Nick Place

Las Posadas at EARTH University

12:30  pm       Arrival in San Jose. AA 989. Bus Waiting for the Participants to travel to EARTH 
Driver - Ronald Barquero

02:30  pm      Lunch on the way ( Doña Lela Traditional Food Restaurant) Driver - Ronald Barquero

05:00 pm       Arrive at EARTH  Check into rooms  -  Liliana Ching         

05:30  pm     Overview for the Day – Pete Vergot    Aula 2  Telephone, Email communication and
laundry information - Martiza Reyes. PEP Operation Office.

                                               Welcome  -  Walking Tour of EARTH campus.    
Luis Diego Jimnez Góngora    Continuing Education Program

07:00 pm       Dinner at EARTH cafeteria. 

08:00 pm       email and communications at the PEP, Business Center.

Overnight at EARTH

Thursday, March 4th  – EARTH, a focus on the university programs,  small farms training center

Hosts for the day: Esther Dunn and Kimberly McDonald

06:30 am       Breakfast at the EARTH cafeteria 

07:30 am       EARTH  Internship Program. Marlon Brevé,Admission and Internship Coordinatior. Aula  2 at PEP

08:30 am      Tour  EARTH Banana plantation, banana packing plant and  banana paper plant. Víctor Abarca - our guide    Refreshment break  provided during the tour.

12:00 pm       Lunch at the EARTH cafeteria

 1:00 pm      Overview of EARTH Academic Program Board Meeting Room

1:30 pm       Entrepreneurial Program Frank Lam and Earth Students     Field Visit ( On Campus )  

1:45 pm    Depart to Field Trip      Project 

Refreshment Break sometime during the afternoon

4:00  pm      Preparation for presentation

5:30  pm      Presentation Faculty of EARTH, Students of EARTH, Jon Thaxton   et al, and Randy Hatch et al, 15 minutes for each presentation. An Audience of 20-30. Video Beam available  Conference Room at PEP.

6:00 pm       Clean up for Dinner

6.30  pm       Departure for dinner at  PEP front desk

7:00 pm        Dinner: El Ranchon at PEP (Rotafolio- Video Beam) Ronald Barquero  

9:00 pm        email communications as needed by each participant at the PEP  Business Room.

Friday, March 5th  - local government focus in communities the Banana production and Packing and rain Forest

Hosts for the day: Cliff Thaell and Rick Schoellhorn

March 5 Friday

5:00 am           Depart at front desk - PEP 

5:30 am           Visit EARTH rain forest reserve and CO2 capture reforestation area. Dr. Ricardo Russo.  Bebidas: agua y/o gaseosa (wear long sleeve shirts and have mosquito spray)

6:30 am           Clean up for breakfast

7:00 am           Breakfast at the EARTH cafeteria

8:00 am           Depart to Guácimo: Front desk at PEP 

   8:30 am           Local Government Office. Mayor. Prof. Gerardo Fuentes Gonzalez.  Will explain the function of County
Government  Comments from participants. Pete Vergot

  12:00 pm         Lunch at Muncipalidad de Guácimo ( Local Government of Guácimo)

  1:30 pm           Return to EARTH Campus 

  2:00 pm           Shopping  time at La Oropendola 

  3:00 pm           Refreshment break   at EARTH    El Ranchon

  3:30 pm         EARTH Community Development Program - Dr. Pedro Bidegaray – Aula  2 - PEP

4.30 pm           General Description the Host Families. La Argentina Community  Ecotourism Organization.               

5.30 pm           Clean up for dinner Time to change clothes before dinner

6.00 pm           Depart front desk at PEP. Dinner with EARTH- GATORS: Social Activ
El Establo on Campus.

9:30 pm           Evening Questions       email communications as needed by participants at Business Center - PEP     

10.00 pm         Pack bag for visiting and overnight with Host Families

Saturday and Sunday, March 6th – 7th  - each team member will stay with a family - 24 hours including an overnight

Hosts for the day: Pete and Nick

March 6 Saturday 

6:00  am          Breakfast at the EARTH cafeteria. Dress appropriately for staying with family. Have travel bags and personal  items with you.

7:30  am          Assembly for family assignments. – At front desk - PEP       Travel with Ronald  Barquero.

7:45 am          Host Family Activities: Stay with farming families in the community  La Argentina close to EARTH.

March 7  Sunday

10:00 am        Begin to pick up Agents up from Host family  activities and return to EARTH.  Ronald Barquero

11:30 am       Clean up for lunch

12:00 pm       Lunch at Cafeteria and rest time – Laundry - PEP

1:30 pm       Share experience and debrief. El Ranchon -  PEP      Moderador Pete Vergot

3:00  pm       Refreshment Break at El Ranchon - PEP

 3:30 pm       Free time: Options:  swimming in the pool - Walking

  4:30 pm       Dress for dinner – Casual dress  Clean up for dinner

 6:00 pm      Depart for dinner. Outside EARTH – Remembranzas Resturant Guápiles

 8:00 pm      email communications as needed by each participant at Business Center - PEP

                         Pack up for overnight stay in Cahuita

Monday, March 8th  – study of the costal Caribbean economy and overnight in Cahuita Beach

Hosts for the day: Mark Shelby and Jon Thaxton

March 8   Monday

06:30 am         Breakfast  at the EARTH cafeteria. Casual Dress

 07:30 am         Travel to Moin Port in Limon City . Mr. Luis Navarro. Chief of  Moin  Port.  Superintendente del Puerto de Moín. Liliana Ching

  8:30  Am      Travel to Cahuita Beach

10:00 am          Check in at: Hotel Kelly Creek  and National Park Hotel     Phone (506)755-00-07

11:00 am         Options Activities: Ecotourism: snorkeling at Coral Reef at Cahuita National
Park, Relax on the beach. Possibility of boat ride.

 3.00   pm         Lunch  in Cahuita at Edith Restaurant.

 4.00   pm         Free Time

 05:30 pm         Clean-up for casual dinner

 6.00 pm           Dinner at Kelly Creek be on time we will eat as a group very nice and causal

8:00 pm           Enjoy the local flavor of Cahuita Town

Tuesday, March 9th  – Costa Rica extension

Hosts for the day: Roy Carter and Nathan Peters

March 9  Tuesday   

Get your bags packed we go back to EARTH

  6:00 am       Continental Breakfast in Cahuita  - continental breakfast at Kelly Creek
Phone (506)755-00-07
Make sure you have your bags packed. Casual dress.

  8:00 am         Cahuita National Park. Jorge Hudson Cholett. Director. ( Main Entrance at Cahuita Nationa Park).

9:00 am           Departure to Siquirres

11:00 am         Dialogue with Local Extension Office at Siquirres. Ing.
Lloyd Foster.  Director 

2:00 pm         Refreshment   Break . Siquirres

:30 pm           Lunch and Visit  Carambola Farm in La Rita. Tropical Ornamental Plants, Export oriented,  Yasmira Patit. EARTH Graduate.

3:15 pm     Visit Marginata Farm. Tropical Foliage for Export. Ing.    Ronald Madrigal EARTH Graduate.      

4:30 pm      Refreshment Break                    

  5:30 pm      Return to EARTH refresh for dinner

 6:30 pm      Dinner at EARTH  cafeteria

  8:00 pm       email and Communication back home at Business Center - PEP

                          Pack all of your belongings as this is the last day at EARTH University Overnight at EARTH  

Wednesday, March 10th  - Eco-tourism the rain forest and/or volcano area

Hosts for the day: Lisa Lundy and Steffany Dragon

6:30 am     Travel to San Carlos

9:30 am       Visit El  Eden Farm in San Carlos. Ing Nestor Ramírez Owner
Family Enterprise. It is a Diversify Farm: Blak pepper- Hot pepper-Flowers

12.00  pm       Lunch at Termales del Bosque Hotel        Phone (506) 291-44-65
Check in time to enjoy: canopy tour, relax at Hot Springs and Sauna

 4.00 pm        Depart to Arenal Volcano Sightseeing

 7:30 p.m.        Dinner in La Fortuna. Ronald Barquero         

9:00 pm        Return to Termales del Bosque Hotel

Thursday, March 11th  – Eco-tourism or community development and extension systems

Hosts for the day: Mary Taylor and Randy Hatch

  7:00 am            Breakfast at Termales del Bosque Restaurant                 Check out

7:30 am            Travel to San José

9:45 am            Government Department of Agriculture.
Vice- Minister. Ing. Walter Ruiz. (courtesy visit. Exchange few words)         

10:00 am              Farming Extension Program. Ing. Alexis Calderón - Extension Group. Extension Program in Costa Rica

Sharing of Experience in the area of Agriculture Extension, Presentation  By UF, Personal visitor, Extension in Florida, 20 minutes,   Roy Carter, Nathan Peters and Kim McDonald, - 20 people plus us  

12:00 pm           Restaurant at the Congress

1:30 pm             Visit the National Congress. The Agriculture Committee 9 Delegates

 This committee is responsible for passing legislation regarding agriculture. A brief presentation from UF  is expected. 10-15 minutes, you may bring 10 copies of your presentation for circulation.   Cliff Thaell, Jo Shuford-Law 

2:30 pm            Tour at The National Congress

3:15 pm            University of Costa Rica. UCADE. Farming extension and Continuing Education Program,  Dialogue and Extension Farming Projects Technology Innovation Institute,  Ing Alexis Vasquez (INTA) Sharing of Experiences.

5:00 pm         Check In at the Hotel Corobici (506) 231-65-12

6:30  pm          Dinner at Princesa Marina Restaurant

Renown for its seafood at affordable prices, La Princesa Marina (The Sea Princess) is a popular choice for local residents.   

Friday, March 12th   - local and state government, state extension   overnight in San Jose’

Hosts for the day: Pete Vergot and Nick Place

6:30 am           Breakfast at Hotel Corobici. Phone (506) 231-65-12

8:00 am           City Tour: National Theater and Museum of Art at La Sabana, Guide

11:00 am              Coffee Tour at Café Britt in Heredia. It is a trip to the coffee farm.
To join a fascinating presentation that takes you trough the entire process that turns a  ripe  coffee cherry into a perfect cup of Costa Rican gourmet coffee.

Café Britt Coffee Corporation

Covered by Greg Perliski

A hill of beans is worth a lot to Café Britt Coffee. The company, the leading exporter of gourmet coffee in Costa Rica, processes and sells premium coffee - light and dark roasts, decaffeinated, and expresso - as well as coffee liqueur, espresso beans, and macadamia nuts. In addition to its branded goods, the company also makes private-label products, including Café Sabemas for Costa Rica's largest supermarket chain. Major customers include hotel chains (Marriott), cruise lines (Princess), and supermarkets (Sam's Club, in the US). More than 300,000 people have toured the company's production facility.

12:00 pm               Lunch on the way to Grecia           

1:30  pm              Dialogue with Local Extension Office at Grecia, Alajuela. Ing. Jorge  Fallas.   Women Organization Group: Orchids Ornamental Plants –  Flowers.

2:30 pm            Refreshment Break

3:00 pm                Depart to San José

5:00 pm                Shopping in Moravia: La Rueda : for gift to take home

7:00  pm                Restaurant at Escazu. Farewell  dinner in the restaurant in Escazu Hill  at 7  miles from the hotel.

Hotel Corobici. (506) 231-65-12      Overnight in San José          

Saturday, March 13th – day of travel to the U.S.