Welcome to Compadres!

A view of San Salvador volcano. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Thank-you for your interest in the Compadres program. We will keep your e-mail information as part of our contact group so you can keep up to date on developments.

Generally, we do not have our first information meeting until October, but there are some things you can do now to prepare for the trip.

· Start working on your Spanish – Duolingo is a great free app that you can work on throughout the year. The more you play the more you learn.
· Take some time to read through the Compadres Blog. We have posted several full trip journals on the blog along with some more recent ‘guest posts’ from the group who went last summer.
· Take a look through our Flickr album – these are all photos taken by participants last year.
· Talk to friends and family – maybe there is someone else who would like to come with you. A partner is especially helpful if you plan to travel afterwards – there are lots of wonderful destinations in El Salvador and close by in Guatemala, Costa Rica and other Latin American countries if you decide to extend your trip. Lonely Planet is a good place to start.
· Take a look at our itinerary below – this is the most recent outline of what we plan to do next year – if you have suggestions or questions, we would be happy to hear from you and adapt the program.

Price structure – depends on the number of people who register:

5 people: US$1,110 per person
6 people: US$980 per person
7 people: US$885 per person
8 people: US$815 per person
9 people: US$760 per person
10 people: US$715 per person

Our current draft of next year’s itinerary
DRAFT PROGRAM

FOR 12-DAY COMPADRES/COMADRES EL SALVADOR EXPERIENCE

(6-17 July 2016)

Wednesday, July 6

Travel to and arrival in El Salvador (Archbishop Oscar Romero International Airport) with transfer to San Salvador

guesthouse (Hostal San José) and brief introduction/orientation by SalvAide El Salvador Representative, Miguel Mejia


Thursday, July 7

8 AM: Breakfast

9 AM: Meeting with CRIPDES and CORDES executive members

10:30 AM: Workshop on political-social history of El Salvador with popular education experts, Equipo Maíz

12:30 PM: Lunch on San Salvador volcano

2-4 PM: El Boquerón National Park (San Salvador volcano)

Evening: Dinner at guesthouse



Friday, July 8

7:30AM: Breakfast

8:15 AM: Monument to the civilian civil war dead in Cuscatlán Park and visit Tomb of Archbishop Oscar Romero in

National Cathedral

10:30 AM: Meeting with Human Rights Ombudsperson’s Office for discussion on impunity

12:30 PM: Lunch

2-4 PM: Visit Divine Providence Chapel and Romero Centre – site of Archbishop Romero’s assassination in 1980 by a

Salvadoran government supported right-wing death squad

4:30-6PM: Visit José Simeón Cañas Central American University (UCA, Jesuit University) – site of assassination of 5

Jesuit professors and their two assistants in 1989 by Salvadoran Special Armed Forces

Evening: Dinner in Paseo El Carmen



Saturday, July 9

7 AM: Breakfast

All day: The Mayan Route – a visit to the Zapotitán Valley and its impressive Classic Period Mayan archeological sites

9-11 AM: Joya de Cerén archaeological site (UNESCO World Heritage Site) – Mayan village from 650 AD buried and

preserved under volcanic ash

Lunch: Lake Coatepeque

1:30-3 PM: San Andres archeological site – Classic Period Mayan ceremonial/political/commercial centre

3:30 PM: Depart for La Palma, Chalatenango

Evening: Dinner in La Palma

(overnight in La Palma)



Sunday, July 10

7:30 AM: Breakfast

8:30 AM: Visit to ACOPROARTE artisans cooperative (started by SalvAide sister organization, CORDES)

11 AM: Possible trip to Miramundo (weather and transportation dependent)

Lunch

Late PM: Travel to Nueva Trinidad, Chalatenango

Evening: Settle in accommodations and have dinner

(overnight in Nueva Trinidad)



Monday, July 11

7:30 AM: Breakfast

AM: Tour town and oral histories of San José Las Flores repopulation during popular insurrection and of recent anti-

mining struggle against Canadian mining companies with a workshop on the Territories Free of Mining initiative

Lunch

Early PM: Visit Lempa River Eco-Tourist Park

Late PM: Travel to Suchitoto

Evening: Settle in Art Center for Peace accommodations and have dinner

(overnight in Suchitoto)



Tuesday, July 12

8 AM: Breakfast

9 AM: An introduction to the work of SalvAide sister organizations, CRIPDES and CORDES, in the region

10:30 AM: Walking tour and history of Suchitoto

Lunch: Art Center for Peace

PM: Meetings with ES Arte and La Plataforma, local youth-focused initiatives with a discussion for the youth violence

crisis in El Salvador

Evening: Dinner in Art Center for Peace

(overnight in Suchitoto)



Wednesday, July 13

7:30 AM: Breakfast

8:15 AM: Depart for Cinquera, Cabañas

9 AM: Hike in Cinquera Park (site of conflict during armed insurrection) and swim in natural pool

Lunch at eco-tourist centre

1-4 PM: Meeting with ARDM community association for a brief history of Cinquera along with tour of community

projects

Evening: Dinner at eco-tourist centre

(overnight in Cinquera)



Thursday, July 14

7:30 AM: Breakfast

All day: “Yes to Water, No to Mining Tour” – a trip to Cabañas, site of contested gold mining project and the subject

of a US$301 million lawsuit against El Salvador by OceanaGold (Canadian-Australian mining company) with a

workshop on the issue with local activists

10AM - 12:30PM: Meeting with ADES in San Isidro

12:30 – 1:30PM Lunch

2PM: Brief discussion with MUFRAS in San Isidro and a tour of the village to see the murals dedicated to Marcelo

Rivera (murdered environmentalist leader) plus a visit to the library

Late PM: Departure to Tehuacán Ecotourist Park in Tecoluca, San Vicente

(overnight in Tecoluca)



Friday, July 15

7 AM: Breakfast

9 AM: A meeting with CORDES San Vicente Coordinator, Mauricio Orellana – CORDES’ work in the region, exposure

to the effects of climate change, and the possible consequences of “tourism” investment

All day:

- Visit cooperative cashew seed processing plant in San Carlos Lempa

- Visit the Lower Lempa River Region (Bajo Lempa) for an eco-tourist boat tour through the Bajo Lempa river estuary,

its mangrove forest, and lunch on a cooperative cashew orchard on Montecristo Island

Late PM: Hike through Tehuacán Ecotourist Park for a brief history of the former civil war conflict zone and Mayan

ruins site

(overnight stay in Bajo Lempa Tehuacán ecotourist centre)



Saturday, July 16

8AM: Breakfast

Beach outing to Atami Resort in La Libertad

5PM: Return to San Salvador guesthouse

Farewell dinner

(overnight in San Salvador)



Sunday, July 17

Very early AM departure for travel to Ottawa