Trip Highlights

• Travel from the Caribbean Sea on the South Coast to the Atlantic Ocean on the North Coast!
• Stay in the Historic Colonial Zone, delcared World Heritage Site by UNESCO!
• Unparalleled guest lecturers!
• Maria Filomena Gonzalez on “Historical Landmarks of the Dominican-Haitian Relationship”!
• Bridget Wooding on “Needed but Unwanted: Haitian Immigrants and their Descendants in the Dominican Republic”!
• RFK Human Rights Award Winner, Sonia Pierre, on “Social Injustice & the Realities of Dominican Women of Haitian Descent”!
• Giselda Liberato on the “Efforts of Plan International & Impacts on the Frontier Zone”!
• Batey Relief Alliance Medical Clinic Visit in Batey Monte Plata!
• Blas Jimenez on “Concepts of the Dominican Identity”!
• Ricardo Toribio and his “Exposition Dominicanto & Discussions of Dominican-Haitian Convergences in Art”
• Feliz Barientos on “Immigration and the Sustainable Development of the Dominican-Haitian Relationship”
• Visits to Dajabon (DR) and Ouanaminthe (Haiti) Markets!
• Visit and Tour of E. Leon Jimenez Cultural Center!
• Voodoo Ceremony in Batey Caraballo!
• Beach Days on Guayacanes and Sosua Beaches!
• Round-trip Group Airport Transfers!
• Ground Transportation Included!
• Most meals included!
• Full time professional 4T guide included!

Trip Descriptive Itinerary

Day 1: July 20, 2008 (Sunday)

• Meeting Point at Santo Domingo Las Americas Airport (SDQ)
• Group Transfer to Zona Colonial (45 minutes) & Hotel Check-in
• Meeting Point at Santo Domingo Accommodations
• Cocktail Reception & Orientation Briefing
• Welcome Dinner at Meson de la Cava
• Accommodations: Hotel Mercure Comercial, Santo Domingo (3-star)

Day 2: July 21, 2008 (Monday)

• Breakfast in the hotel
• Presentation by María Filomena González, Historian, Director of Council on International Educational Exchange’s Santo Domingo Study Center and Associate Research of FLACSO (Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales).
  “Historical Landmarks of the Dominican-Haitian Relationship”
• Independent Lunch
• Presentation by Bridget Wooding, Associate Researcher of FLACSO .
  “Needed but Unwanted: Haitian Immigrants and their Descendants in the Dominican Republic”
• Dinner at La Atarazana
• Accommodations: Hotel Mercure Comercial, Santo Domingo (3-star)

Day 3: July 22, 2008 (Tuesday)

• Breakfast in the hotel
• Presentation by Sonia Pierre, Activist and Director of MUDHA awarded 2006 Robert.F.Kennedy Human Rights Award.
  “Social Injustice & the Realities of Dominican Women of Haitian Descent”
• Independent Lunch
• Presentation by Giselda Liberato, Program Director, and Licelotte Baigés, Public Relations Director, Plan International DR.
  “Efforts of Plan International & Impacts on the Frontier Zone”
• Dinner at Hotel Mecure Comercial
• Accommodations: Hotel Mercure Comercial, Santo Domingo (3-star)

Day 4: July 23, 2008 (Wednesday)

• Breakfast in the hotel
• Meet Virtudes Berroa, Executive Director, Dr. Ana Celia Carrero, Program Director, and Catherine Cuello, Volunteer, of Batey Relief Alliance.
• Site Visit to Batey Relief Alliance Medical Clinic in Batey Monte Plata.
• Independent Lunch
• Dinner at Meson de Luís
• Accommodations: Mercure Comercial, Santo Domingo (3-star)

Day 5: July 24, 2008 (Thursday)

• Breakfast in the hotel
• Transfer to Juan Dolio Beach (20 minutes).
• Open Morning on Juan Dolio Beach.
• Independent Lunch on the beach.
• Return to Santo Domingo in late afternoon (20 minutes)
• Cocktail Reception, Debrief and Idea Exchange.
• Dinner at Dajao
• Accommodations: Hotel Mercure Comercial, Santo Domingo (3-star)

Day 6: July 25, 2008 (Friday)

• Breakfast in the hotel
• Presentation by Blas Jimenez, Poet, Essayist and Historian.
  “Concepts of the Dominican Identity”
• Independent Lunch
• Open Time for Independent Investigation & Meetings
• Dinner at Museo de Jamon

Day 7: July 26, 2008 (Saturday)

• Breakfast in the hotel
• Transfer to San José de las Matas (3.5 hours)
• Independent Lunch
• Presentation by Ricardo Toribio, artist-in-life awarded 2006 E. Leon Jimenez Art Award.
  “Exposition Dominicanto & Discussions of Dominican-Haitian Convergences in Art”
• Transfer to Santiago (1 hour)
• Hotel Check-in
• Visit to Centro de Leon Cultural Arts Center
• Dinner in the Monument Area
• Accommodations: Hotel Aloha Sol (3-star)

Day 8: July 27, 2008 (Sunday)

• Breakfast in the hotel
• Transfer to Dajabon (3.5 hours)
• Independent Lunch
• Free time to explore the border town of Dajabón.
• Dinner
• Accommodations: Hotel Masacre (2-star)

Day 9: July 28, 2008 (Monday)

• Breakfast in the hotel
• Presentation by Feliz Barrientos, Program Director of Solidaridad Fronteriza.
  “Immigration and the Sustainable Development the Dominican-Haitian Relationship”
• Visit to Dominican-Haitian Market
• Independent Lunch
• Border Crossing* and Transfer to Ouanaminthe, Haiti (.25 hour).  Site Visit with Jacline Gueriny and Amos Noel, Program Coordinators for Plan International Haiti.
• Visit to Ouanaminthe Markets
• Return to DR and Dinner
• Accommodations: Hotel Masacre (2-star)

Day 10: July 29, 2008 (Tuesday)

• Breakfast in the hotel
• Transfer to Sosua (4 hours)
• Independent Lunch
• Open Time on Sosua Beach
• Dinner at Hotel Colibrí
• Voodoo Ceremony in Batey Caraballo
• Accommodations: Hotel Colibrí, Sosua (2-star)

Day 11: July 30, 2008 (Wednesday)

• Breakfast
• Open Time on Sosua Beach
• Independent Lunch
• Open Time on Sosua Beach
• Farewell Dinner at Casa del Pescador
• Accommodations: Hotel Colibrí, Sosua (2-star)

Day 12: July 31, 2008 (Thursday)

• Breakfast in hotel
• Group Airport Transfer to Santo Domingo (5 hours)
• Departure from Las Americas Airport (SDQ)

Accommodations

Mercure Comercial
Colonial Zone, Santo Domingo
Nights 1 through 6
Located in the heart of the historic and picturesque Colonial Zone, the Mercure Comercial is only two blocks from the famed "First Cathedral" and surrounded by cafes, shops, ancient ruins, and modern convenience. This building was completely refurbished in 2000 and is the best starting point for a visit of all historical monuments of the old town center. 30 km from the airport. Rooms are clean and comfortable with a/c, cable television, telephone, room safe, and private bathrooms. A full service bar and restaurant on located off the lobby on the Conde pedestrian walkway.

Hotel Aloha Sol
Santiago de los Caballeros
Night 7

Centrally located on Santiago's principal shopping avenue, Calle del Sol, the Aloha Sol has the comfort of a city hotel with all of the charm and warmth for which the Cibao Valley is known. After all, Santiago is called the "Ciudad Corazon". The Aloha Sol Hotel has 66 rooms in 5 categories well appointed with mahogany furniture, air conditioning, cable tv, private bathrooms with hot water and mini bar.

Hotel Massacre
Dajabon
Nights 8 and 9

Just blocks from the Dominican-Haitian border crossing, Hotel Massacre has long served as the temporary home for those looking to both buy and sell at the bi-weekly international market. Named for the nearby Massacre River in memory of the 20,000 Haitians ordered to be murdered by the infamous Dominican Dictator, Rafael Trujillo, the hotel is encircled by history. While Hotel Massacre is not known for its amenities, it is a basic and honest establishment with a very convenient location for visiting the market.

Hotel Colibri
Sosua
Nights 10 and 11