• Participants arrive in Managua.
• Drop off bags at Casa San Juan.
• Welcome dinner.

DAY 2

• Morning: Breakfast and leave for Matagalpa.
• Meeting to discuss sociopolitical context of Nicaragua.
• Lunch in Matagalpa and drop off bags at Hotel Apante.
• Afternoon: Free time to walk around city, check email etc.
• Introductory talk about the history of cooperatives, Fair Trade movement.
• Dinner in Matagalpa. Lodging: Hotel Apante.

DAY 3

• Morning: Breakfast. Tour of Solcafe Dry Mill.
• Depart Matagalpa for rural community, La Corona.
• Arrive in La Corona and lunch at home of a cooperative member.
• Afternoon: Introduction to the community, members of the cooperative and community guides.
• Tour of small coffee farm, focusing on production, diversification and environmental management.
• Settle in with families on individual farms (two participants per family)
• Dinner and overnight with families.

DAY 4

• Morning: Breakfast in individual homes. Visit community potable water project.
• Excursion to nearby Yasika waterfall for a swim.
• Lunch together in the community.
• Afternoon: Visit neighboring community of hacienda workers and learn about their experience with the coffee crisis.
• Lesson in natural medicine with local women.
• Return to house. Overnight with families.

DAY 5

• Morning: Breakfast in individual homes. Leave for Matagalpa.
• Meet with an expert to learn about the coffee crisis. Then visit a community of workers that benefited from the Las Tunas Accords initiated during the crisis and hear their story.
• Lunch in Matagalpa.
• Afternoon: Travel to Managua. Time to rest. Group debriefing.
• Dinner and lodging at Casa San Juan.

DAY 6

• Morning: Breakfast at Casa San Juan.
• Visit Center for International Studies to discuss CAFTA (Central America Free Trade Agreement).
• Afternoon: Meet with representatives of the Sandinista maquila workers union at the Casa del Obrero.
• Dinner out. Lodging at Casa San Juan.

DAY 7

• Morning: Breakfast at Casa San Juan.
• Meet with the Consumer Defense Network to discuss the theme of privatization of water and electricity.
• Afternoon: Visit the headquarters of another union of maquila workers.
• At Casa San Juan, meet with a representative from the Center for Social Economy to discuss globalization and women's rights in Nicaragua.
• Dinner and lodging at Casa San Juan.

DAY 8

• Morning: Breakfast at Casa San Juan. Leave for Masaya for the celebration of the Sandinista Movement.
• Lunch in Catarina.
• Afternoon: Go to the Plaza Juan Pablo II for the celebration festivities.
• Return to Casa San Juan for the night.

DAY 9

• Morning: Breakfast at Casa San Juan.
• Meeting with a cooperative of female maquila workers.
• Lunch in Managua.
• Afternoon: Visit to a Fair Trade crafts organization.
• Free time to rest, email etc. in Casa San Juan.
• Dinner and concert at Cass Mejia Godoy.
• Lodging at Casa San Juan.

DAY 10

• Morning: Breakfast and visit to La Chureca, a trash dump.
• Afternoon: Leave for Mombacho volcano.
• Return to hotel to rest.
• Dinner and farewell celebration with music at the hotel.

DAY 11

• Morning: Visit a maquila in the privatized industrial zone Portezuelo.
• Group departure to the U.S.

Disclaimer: This is a tentative itinerary. Activities and dates are subject to change, and will be confirmed by the trip leader upon arrival. Global Exchange and Reality Tours is not responsible for any changes to the itinerary.