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Trip #88: Alternate Spring Break
Summary description of Delegation 88:
The alternative Spring Break 2010 delegations is a service delegation that will do work in 2 or 3 different Zapatista zones. Delegates will work, live and learn while living in rustic buildings in Zapatista civilian centers and communities. Travel will be via very basic indigenous, public transportation. The delegations will have extensive face-to-face discussions with Mayan individuals and organizations engaged in directly challenging corporate driven globalization through education, health, commercialization, and alternative indigenous governmental structures. The Zapatista movement will be studied through extensive readings, video presentations, and especially direct conversations with Zapatistas.
NEW! In addition, this caravan will participate in preparing a secondary school for an important project to save the native bee of the Americas. This sting-less bee project will produce powerful, medicinal honey for the students and the community, help protect this endangered species which is critical to the local ecosystem, and provide essential training for the students which can be brought back to their communities to help spread these bee keeping techniques.
Summary Objective of Delegation 88
Participants in the Alternative Spring Break 2010 will gain an in-depth understanding of the broader Zapatista movement while directly experiencing contemporary realities of the autonomous, indigenous Maya communities of Chiapas, Mexico.
Getting there and Back:
Delegation 88 will begin at 5pm, Sunday, March 28, 2010 in the tourist destination city of Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico (exact meeting place to be announced). The closest airport to Palenque is Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico at airport Capitan Carlos Perez (VSA) . You should allow three hours for travel between Palenque and Villahermosa. Long distance buses to Mexico City or Cancun frequent both cities.
Delegation 88 will end in San Cristobal at noon on Saturday April 3rd, 2010. The closest airport to San Cristobal de las Casas is Tuxla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico at airport Llano San Juan (TGZ) .
Cost for Delegation 88:
Two weeks of the minimum weekly wage of each participants home. For example U.S. residents pay 40 hours X $7.50 = $300 X 2 weeks = $600 USD. (airfare not included).
Note: Cost varies by country of residence because the price is equal to two weeks of the minimum wage of the resident country. Price includes ground transportation after arriving in San Cristobal, two meals a day, five nights in comfortable hotel, six days with full time guide/translator, coordination of delegation, and donation to an autonomous Mayan educational project. Twenty percent of this fee will be donated direction to Zapatista education projects in literacy, health, ecology, and commercialization.
Schools for Chiapas Travel Refund Policy
Schools for Chiapas does not provide medical, travel, or any other type of insurance for individuals visiting Chiapas, their delegation participants might consider purchasing insurance from a third party if that is appropriate to their situation. Schools for Chiapas will provide 100% refund of all trip fees upon receiving written notification of cancellation at least two weeks before trip begins. Schools for Chiapas will refund 50% of fees upon receiving written notification of cancellation during the last two weeks (less 24 hours) before the trip is to begin. No refunds for any reason will be made to participants who cancel their trip less than 24 hours before the trip begins or leave at any time after trip begins.
Travel FAQ | Application for Travel
Trip Price Calculator:
We set the prices of most of our delegations according to the approximate weekly minimum wage in your country. This trip costs the equivalent of 2 weeks' minimum wage. To find out how much you should pay for this trip, select your country from the list below. If your country is not in this list or you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
