Itinerary & Syllabus

Meet:

Teachers, Farmers, Mayors, Songwriters, Development Workers, Organizers, Nicaraguan College students and other regular Nicaraguans

The program runs for the UF Summer A Semester May 12 – June 20, 2008. Below is a sample week from the 2007 itinerary. See the Full Itinerary for more information. See the bottom of the page for the course syllabi.

First Week's Itinerary

Sunday:

  • Arrive at mid-day. Settle in to Casa de Los Amigos guesthouse in Managua. Dormitory style bedrooms. Introductions, review itinerary & logistics, explore neighborhood, email home, etc.
  • Evening: Philip Montalban, Nicaragua's best known reggae singer on Atlantic Coast culture.
Monday:
  • Morning: overview of ProNica and general discussion of political, social and economic realities.
  • Afternoon: Visit to Salvador Cardenal, one of Nicaragua's foremost singer-song writers and recording artist.
  • Evening: Fieldnotes/journals.
Tuesday:
  • Visit Martin Luther King urban school
  • Presentation by Gladys Manzanares on worker organizing in sweatshops
  • Afternoon: visit CIPRES model farm and University of Central America
  • Evening: Instructor presentation and Group discussion on participant observation and fieldnotes – write in fieldnotes.
Wednesday:
  • Morning: sociologist Armando Ramirez on social movements in Nicaragua
  • Economist Ivan Garcia on CAFTA and new economic issues.
  • Afternoon: visit the Acahualinca Women’s Center for a talk on the women's movement.
  • Group Discussion/ writing Fieldnotes/Journals, reading course materials
  • Evening: Paul Baker on Nicaraguan Solidarity Campaign of the UK
Thursday:
  • Morning: presentation at the Ben Linder House with Sinforiano Caceres of FENNACOOP, about agriculture in Nicaragua.
  • Leave for Esteli
  • Afternoon: Take bus to El Tisey Nature Reserve
Friday:
  • Morning: mountain hiking, visit La Garnacha cheese coop and local sculptor, talk on organic farming and campesino theater.
  • Evening: Spend night at Eco-Posada Fieldnotes/Journals & socializing.
  • Cultural Adjustment check- in.

Saturday: Morning: Return to Esteli, visit Galeria de Heroes y Martires. Get origami and orchid demonstrations from Aldo Velasquez, Visit community of El Limon

Evening: at Hotel Nicarao, see movie "Carla's Song" about the Contra War filmed in Esteli.

Get the Full Proposed Itinerary

Courses

The following Courses are taught during the program by UF Faculty

  • IDH 3931: NGOs, Social Movements, and Grassroots Development (3 UF GPA credits)
  • IDH 3931: Culture of Nicaragua (3 UF GPA credits)

See the course syllabi

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