St Marys CHS

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St Marys CHS Compañeros Inc Service Learning
Faith Experience NICARAGUA April 2-11, 2010 An
Important Service and Social Justice
Opportunity for Students in Grade 10-11
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Whats Service Learning?

• An interesting, meaningful, and adventurous way
  of serving others while learning more about
  your faith in another culture.
• Learning by doing.
• Walking the talking.

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Whats Service Learning?

• Service Learning 4 Gs
• Grab opportunities
• to
• Give to others
• to
• Gain from others
• to
• Go and do better

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Wheres Nicaragua?

• About 4000 km southwest of Woodstock in
  Central America.
• Beautiful landscape, friendly people, warm
  climate, vivid history.
• Latin American food, language, music, and
  culture. Hmmm. ?

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Wheres Nicaragua?

• But
• 1972 earthquake
• 1998 hurricane
• devastation
• And tough political, economic, social realities
  create constant obstacles.
• People work hard.
• Families struggle.

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So, why would you go? Reason 1

• To MEET
• inspiring individuals who work with families to
  enact positive change and community development.
• Yamilet used to eat leftover food and sell trash
  from the dump. Now she manages a fair trade
  artisans shop and mentors young women.

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Reason 2

• To VISIT
• local agencies promoting fair political,
  economic and social rights for
  children, youth, and families.
• Anitas explaining micro-loans at a family
  meeting. Creating a moral economy.

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Reason 3

• To WORK
• on a community service project alongside
  volunteers and skilled people employed by your
  fundraising support.
• Jose, Matt, and Carlos building a friendship,
  building a house, building a community.

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So, why would you go? Reason 4

• To LIVE
• in comfortable host family accommodation, eat
  healthy food, and see daily life in the capital
  city, Managua.
• Stay in pairs, all in one neighbourhood. Safe,
  simple, clean. Real.

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Reason 5

• To ENJOY
• hiking up a volcano, tree-top zip-lining,
  swimming in the Pacific,
  Latin dancing, delicious cooking, practicing
  Spanish, and more
• Are we there yet?

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Reason 6

• To LEARN
• about yourself and your faith in a
  cross-cultural experience that enriches your
  academic and career prospects.
• Faith in yourself and others going forward.

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Whos Compañeros Inc?

• Students and faculty at St Marys CHS are
  prepared, organized, and guided through the
  experience with Gonzalo Duarte and his staff in
  Nicaragua.

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Whos Compañeros Inc?

• We coordinate the service project, educational
  visits, recreational excursions, reflection
  circles, meals, accommodation, transportation,
  and travel with you.
• We do the details You live the experience.

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• We are all Compañeros
• Group from Kingston/Ottawa with Sisters of Zion
  at their mission and community project Generando
  Vida (Generating Life).
• Managua 2008

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Whats required of you?

• Interest in a preferential option for the poor
  Openness to
  social justice issues
  Willingness to hands-on service
  project work Ability to learn in a
  cross-cultural context Positive
  attitude toward trip preparation, fundraising,
  group dynamics, and practicing Spanish.

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Cost Explanation 1 of 2

• CA300 per person
• payable by/refundable until October 30, 2009
• Includes
• 30 hours of advance organization of all pre-trip
  aspects
• 120 hours of on-trip facilitation of all
  in-country aspects
• Preparation resources and consultation for group
  leaders
• Flight reservation and travel insurance
  assistance
• Overhead expenses, contingencies, and fees
• GST (Registration 86337-4310)

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Cost Explanation 2 of 2

• US700 per person
• payable by/refundable until March 1, 2010
• Includes
• All ground transportation from arrival to
  departure
• 9 nights of host family accommodation
• 9 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 9 dinners, and all
  bottled water
• 120 hours of wages and expenses for all
  in-country guiding, translation, and logistical
  coordination
• All service project coordination and financing
• Donations to 4 non-profit organizations visited
  by group
• 7 excursions to a historical site, exhibit,
  national park, beach, lake, market, and volcano

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Not included

• Airfare and travel insurance
  approx CA500 if
  booked early
• 1 lunch
  
  approx US10 total
• Optional fitness centre, dance club, zip-line,
  mural, cooking or Spanish classes
  
  approx US50 total
• Passport (no visa or immunizations are mandatory
  for Canadian passport holders)

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Questions? Ready to register?

• Shannon Johnston
  Gonzalo Duarte
• s.johnston_at_ldcsb.on.ca
  www.companeros.ca
• 519.675.4435 x 27044
• If youre not living on the edge, youre taking
  up too much room.