LAKESIDE SCHOOL

Seattle, Washington

High School Exchange Tour to Cuba

This exclusive youth study trip by EduToursToCuba.com gives high school students an opportunity to learn about Cuba and exchange culturally with Cuban students and Cuban communities while practicing their Spanish. The full two weeks study tour is divided in two parts; the first week at the CUJAE University in Havana with Spanish immersion in the morning under the supervision of a Cuban professor and computer workshops, lectures and visits in Havana in the afternoon. The second week is spent in Topes de Collantes, a natural park near Trinidad, with visits and excursions in the park and nature-environment oriented lectures and discussions. A full day excursion to Matanzas completes the tour.

ITINERARY AND PROGRAM

From April 4th - 18th 2005

WEEK 1- HAVANA

Lodging in student residences : Hotelito/CUJAE

Day 1

Arrival at the Varadero airport;

Welcoming from our Cuban partners and transfer to CUJAE in Havana. CUJAE is a Cuban University dealing, amongst other subjects, with computer science and Spanish language;

Lunch served in CUJAE;

Meet with the Cuban students;

Evening - Welcoming dinner and party with the Cuban students.

Day 2

Breakfast served in CUJAE;

9:00-10:00 - Practice your Spanish with the Cuban students under the supervision of a Cuban professor of Spanish language;

10:30 - Visit of CUJAE;

11:00-12:30 - Computer workshop with the Cuban students. Opportunity to give your donation;

13:00 - Lunch served in CUJAE;

14:30 - Panoramic city tour of Havana with the Cuban students;

Evening - Dinner and cultural activity: salsa lesson with the Cuban students.

Day 3

Breakfast served in CUJAE;

9:00-10:00 - Practice your Spanish with the Cuban students under the supervision of a Cuban professor;

10:30-12:30 - Computer workshop with the Cuban students;

13:00 - Lunch served in CUJAE;

14:30 - Lecture on the Education System in Cuba;

15:30 - Visit to an elementary school linked to CUJAE;

Evening - Dinner and cultural activity: salsa lesson with the Cuban students.

Day 4

Breakfast served in CUJAE;

9:00-10:00 - Practice your Spanish with the Cuban students under the supervision of a Cuban professor;

10:30-12:30 - Computer workshop with the Cuban students;

13:00 - Lunch served in CUJAE;

14:30 - Visit to Ciudad Libertad (education in Cuba), visit to the Museo de la Alfabetización (museum of literacy) and visit to a secondary school;

Evening - El Cañonazo ceremony (cannon shot) at the Fortaleza San Carlos de la Cabaña (fortress), with dinner served at the restaurant Doce Apóstoles;

Return to CUJAE.

Day 5

Breakfast served in CUJAE;

9:00-10:00 - Practice your Spanish with the Cuban students under the supervision of a Cuban professor;

10:30-12:30 - Computer workshop with the Cuban students;

13:00 - Lunch served in CUJAE;

14:30 - Lecture on Cuban Health System. Visit and chat with a family doctor;

Evening - Dinner and cultural activity with the Cuban students.

Day 6

Breakfast served in CUJAE;

Full day activities and exchange with Cuban students.

Lunch included.

Dinner served in CUJAE.

Day 7

Breakfast served in CUJAE;

Full day of sport activities in CUJAE with the Cuban students.

Evening - Farewell dinner and party with the Cuban students.

WEEK 2 - TOPES DE COLLANTES

Lodging in the hotel Los Helechos

TOPES DE COLLANTES is a natural park located in the Sierra del Escambray (Escambray Mountain Range). It is only 22 km from Trinidad, 800 meters above the sea level and with an annual average temperature of 21oC. It is a place of extraordinary beauty and of great scientific value for Cuban botanic, zoology and ecology. It represents a protected area of 200 square kilometres with a great number of endemic species of flora and fauna. It is divided in 8 recreational and adventure parks. The visitors can enjoy natural, cultural and historical places with the company of specialized guides.

Day 8

Breakfast served in CUJAE;

Transfer to Topes de Collantes;

Lunch served in La Cueva de los Peces;

Visit to Playa Girón in the Bay of Pigs on your way to Topes. Possibility of swimming in a spring;

Arrival at Topes de Collantes in the afternoon. Check-in and accommodation at the hotel Los Helechos, a 3* hotel;

Dinner served at the hotel.

Description of hotel Los Helechos:
48 air-conditioned rooms with private bath, national and international telephone service, restaurant, bars, cafeteria, thermal pool, gymnasium, bowling, massage.

Day 9

Breakfast served at the hotel;

Round table and exchange at the hotel with professors and students from the Facultad de Montaña del Escambray;

Lunch served at the hotel;

Afternoon - Guided tour of the Arboretum and visit of the garden with different varieties of coffee;

Evening - Dinner served at the restaurant Mi Retiro. Visit by bus a nearby community, enjoy an activity with the community and exchange with its inhabitants and discover their habits and traditions;

Return to the hotel Los Helechos.

Day 10

Breakfast served at the hotel;

Exchange at the hotel with ecology experts from Topes de Collantes;

Topic: Conservation of Topes de Collantes' natural resources while developing tourism.

Lunch served at the hotel;

Afternoon - Guided tour of Topes de Collantes and learn about the history of Topes and its infrastructure;

Return and dinner at the hotel Los Helechos.

Day 11

Breakfast served at the hotel;

Transfer by truck to the Parque Guanayara located in Topes de Collantes. Excursion on the trail Centinelas del Río Melodioso (Guards of the Melodic River). Discover its natural beauty and how the Cubans put into practice the theory you learned the previous days;

Lunch served at the Casa de La Gallega;

Return by truck to the hotel Los Helechos;

Dinner served at the hotel.

Day 12

Breakfast served at the hotel;

Transfer by truck to the Parque Codina in Topes de Collantes. Trekking with a specialized guide on the interpretive trail Encantos de Codina (Spells of Codina). Discover the local fauna and flora and its picturesque landscapes;

Creole lunch served in a farm;

Return by truck to the hotel Los Helechos;

Dinner served at the hotel.

Day 13

Breakfast served at the hotel;

Full day of voluntary work with Cuban students;

Evening - Farewell dinner with Cuban students and inhabitants of the area.

Day 14

Breakfast served at the hotel;

Transfer by bus to Matanzas;

City tour of Cienfuegos and lunch served at the Club Náutico de Cienfuegos;

Check-in at the hotel Villa La Mar, a 3 * hotel;

Dinner served at the hotel.

Description of hotel Villa La Mar:
260 air-conditioned rooms with private bath, satellite tv, video, and telephone. Restaurant (Cuban and international cuisine), buffet, grill and ranchon, cafeteria, snack bar, grocery store, pool, bicycle rental, money exchange, disco, rent-a-car, taxis, national and international telephone service; central safe-deposit box, and parking.

Day 15

Exchange with Cuban people;

Check-out and transfer to the Varadero airport.

Back to Customized Trips to Cuba for High School Students in order to fill out the Customized Education Tour Information Request Form.

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