Proficiency and Stars Travel Seminar Itinerary June 10 18, 2016 Created: 02/18/2016 Date/Time Activity Thursday, June 9 Atlanta, Ga. Madeline Young and Brett Evans, FFA group leaders, arrive in Atlanta. Friday, June 10 Home Airports Atlanta, Ga. Meals: D Arrival at Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport. Collect your baggage, and then take the complimentary hotel shuttle to the hotel. Hotel check-in begins at 3 p.m. Upon arrival at the hotel, go to front desk and identify yourself as a member of the FFA Proficiency group. Check in to your room and the afternoon is free until the orientation begins at 6 p.m. with dinner. 5 p.m. Adult chaperones meet in the Holly meeting room. 6 p.m. Dinner is served in the Holly meeting room. 7 10 p.m. Orientation begins. Please bring your passport. Holiday Inn and Suites Atlanta Airport North 1380 Virginia Ave. Atlanta, GA 30344 Tel: 404-305-9990
Saturday, June 11 Atlanta San Jose, Meals: B, D 7 a.m. Breakfast buffet is served at the hotel. 8 a.m. Meet in the Holly meeting room to continue orientation. 10:45 a.m. Return to rooms to get luggage, then check-out. 11:15 a.m. 11 a.m. 11:30 a.m. 3:05 p.m. 5:06 p.m. 7:30 p.m. Meet in the lobby of the hotel please be prompt. Transfer to the airport by charter bus. The charter bus will arrive and you can take your luggage to the curb to be loaded by the driver. Depart for Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport and check in for Delta flight 522 to San Jose. Scheduled flight departure for San Jose,. No meals are served during flight. Arrival at Juan Santamaria International Airport in San José,. Clear customs and immigration then collect your luggage at the baggage claim. Meet your friendly n guides, Gustavo Abarca and Jenny Villalobos, and two drivers with charter coaches. Bienvenidos a! (Welcome!) Enjoy a welcome dinner at Tiquicia Restaurant, set high above the Central Valley with amazing views of the surrounding area. Here you will receive your pocket money. After dinner there will be a show of folklore dances native to. 10 p.m. We go to our hotel and check in to our rooms. Crowne Plaza Corobici Hotel San José, Tel: 506-2232-8122 http://www.centralamerica.com/cr/hotel/corobici.htm
Sunday, June 12 San Jose Waterfall Gardens Sarapiqui 6 6:50 a.m. Breakfast at the hotel. 6:50 a.m. Meet in the hotel lobby to board the motor coaches. 7 a.m. 12 p.m. Departure for Doka Plantation for the coffee tour. Located in the coffee capital of, Sabanilla, Alajuela, the farm belongs to the n Vargas Ruiz family, pioneers of coffee production for more than 70 years. During the tour we will see the whole process including a short lecture by Starbucks personnel to learn more about their philosophy, and why/how they choose their coffee plantations to sell in their coffee shops. Departure to La Paz Waterfall Gardens, where visitors can experience the impressive cascades of five magnificent waterfalls flowing through rain and cloud forest. A series of observation decks built on the cliffs of a verdant canyon are perfect places to take memorable photos or simply sit back and feel the falls refreshing mist. The park has beautifully maintained low-impact trails that wind through the largest butterfly observatory and past a fascinating garden teeming with curious hummingbirds. From there, the trail continues, dipping and curving along the banks of a pristine river and past the falls. A charming welcome center, gift shop and buffet-style restaurant await. 1 p.m. Lunch at the La Paz Restaurant. Visit to the butterfly garden, hummingbird garden, and the rest of the attractions. 5 p.m. Continue our drive to the Sarapiqui area. 7 p.m. Dinner at the hotel Hotel Hacienda Sueño Azul Sarapiqui Tel: 506-2764-1000 http://www.suenoazulresort.com/index-en.html
Monday, June 13 Sarapiqui 6 6:50 a.m. Breakfast at the hotel 7 a.m. Depart from the Hotel 8 a.m. Noon We have a visit to the DOLE banana farm. We will see the packing plants, and learn about the drying process, fermentation, reproduction techniques and more from the experts. Standard Fruit Company de S.A. (which exports under the Dole label) is recognized worldwide for its leadership in producing environmentally and socially sound production systems and is a pioneer in its employment of integrated pest management techniques, extensive worker environmental and safety training and operation of a broad range of programs and facilities for farm workers and their families. Lunch at Sueno Azul Resort. This afternoon we will participate in a service learning project in the Sarapiqui area. Project 1: Painting the concrete wall and fence at the Buenos Aires de Horquetas elementary school in Sarapiqui. Project 2: Planting ornamental plants along the sidewalks to give the main street of Las Horquetas de Sarapiqui an aesthetic appearance. 7 p.m. Dinner at the hotel restaurant. All of the materials, snacks, water, flowers, trees, paint, etc. will be provided. Some teachers and students will be there, which is nice because the FFA members will get to see and meet the people whom they are helping. The children range in age from 7 to 12. Hotel Hacienda Sueño Azul Sarapiqui Tel: 506 2764-1000 http://www.suenoazulresort.com/index-en.html
Tuesday, June 14 Sarapiqui La Fortuna 7 7:50 a.m. Breakfast at the hotel 8 a.m. Morning Noon Check out and board the motor coaches. Be sure to have dry clothes in your carry-on to change into after white-water rafting. Today we will split into two groups. Bus 1 will transfer to the rafting put in point, where we meet our rafting guides who will give us instructions and a safety talk. Then enjoy white-water rafting on the Sarapiqui River! Those who prefer not to go on the rapids will have a chance to go floating on the calm waters. Afterward, arrive at the rafting company s premises and change into our dry clothes. Bus 2 will visit Guarumo Finca Integral, an organic family farm. Our tour begins with the biodigester and its operation, the area of production of organic fertilizer through vermiculture and composting, development of biofertilizers, where we can see about main soil management techniques used in organic farming. Next we visit the organic garden where we learn different techniques to cultivate and participate in the activities of harvest tubers, Musa and fruits, such as cassava, bananas (date, creole, Macabu, apple), plantains, fried plantain, palm, pejibayes, pineapple, ginger, turmeric, okra, cacao lemons, (Creole, Mandarin, sweet), sweet oranges, sour oranges, avocado and sweet potato. Finally, we will visit the Palm plantation where we can some crop management techniques, and of course, try a crisp freshly cut palm and visit cocoa plantations and its fruit. Their products are sold in an Organic Fair in Aranjuez, so this is for small-scale production (not export), and also for their own consumption. Enjoy a riverside lunch together Bus 2 will enjoy white water rafting while Bus 1 goes to Guarumo Finca Integral for the tour. 4:30 p.m. Departure to the Arenal area 7:30 p.m. Dinner at the hotel restaurant. Hotel Arenal Manoa La Fortuna de San Carlos Tel: 506 2479-1111 http://www.arenalmanoa.com/
Wednesday, June 15 La Fortuna 7 8 a.m. Breakfast at the hotel 8:15 a.m. Departure to Don Fernando Farm 9 a.m. 5 p.m. Tour of the Finca Ganadera de Carnes Don Fernando, a corporation of farms dedicated to the fattening of high-quality livestock. Lunch included. We have some free time in the town of La Fortuna to do some shopping or use the Internet café. Visit to Ecotermales Fortuna, owned by the Hidalgo family. The family has built a hot spring swimming pool, with water entering the pool from one end and flowing out the other to continue on down the river. Relax in this luxurious setting as the hot spring mineral water treats you to a natural massage truly a paradise on earth! Our host, Doña Mireya, will prepare a delicious n cuisine dinner for us in her rustic kitchen. 8 p.m. Return to our hotel for overnight. Hotel Arenal Manoa La Fortuna de San Carlos Tel: 506 2479-1111 http://www.arenalmanoa.com/
Thursday, June 16 Arenal Puntarenas 6:10 6:50 a.m. Breakfast at the hotel 7 a.m. 9 a.m. Midday Check out and board the motor coaches, and we depart from the hotel and begin the drive around Arenal Lake. We have a visit to Aqua Corporacion. This Tilapia farmer and exporter is a true example of entrepreneurship, social responsibility, and efficient use of resources: human, natural and financial. The farm uses water originating in the Atlantic and moved through 3 different hydroelectric plants to the dry Pacific, where it arrives to ACI, who moves the water from pond to pond, and finally puts it back into rivers and canals that take it to the next agricultural projects of the Pacific Area. We will enjoy a tour of the facilities, and experience firsthand the challenges of such an ambitious enterprise over its 600 hectares of land and their innovative culture, which allows them to use 100% of the fish they produce, in a totally sustainable way. We have lunch at Hacienda La Pacifica We continue our drive to the Pacific coast for our beach break Arrive at Los Suenos Marriott Ocean & Gulf Resort and check in to our rooms. 7 p.m. Dinner at the hotel. Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort Playa Herradura, Puntarenas Tel: 506 2630-9000 http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/sjols-los-suenos-marriott-ocean-and-golf-resort/
Friday, June 17 Puntarenas San Jose Meals: B, D 8 10 a.m. Buffet breakfast at the hotel at your leisure Morning The morning is free to enjoy the beach and hotel facilities. There are optional tours which can be booked at the hotel front desk. Lunch is on your own. 3 p.m. Check out and board the motor couches. 3:15 p.m. Departure to San Jose, with an opportunity for souvenir shopping en route. Late afternoon Arrive at our San Jose hotel and check in to our rooms. The balance of the day is free to relax beside the swimming pool. Be sure to pack your bags for our early morning departure to the airport tomorrow morning! 8 p.m. We enjoy a farewell dinner at the hotel Crowne Plaza Corobici Hotel San José, Tel: 506 2232-8122 http://www.centralamerica.com/cr/hotel/corobici.htm Saturday, June 18 San Jose Atlanta Meals: B 3:30 a.m. Check out and board the motor coaches. A boxed breakfast will be available at the front desk. 3:45 a.m. Depart for Juan Santamaria International Airport. 4:30 a.m. Arrive and check in for Delta Airlines flight 902 7:02 a.m. Scheduled departure of flight 902 to USA Arrive at Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport, clear U.S. immigration and 12:59 p.m. customs procedures, and transfer to domestic flights to home airports. Welcome home! Meal Key: B Breakfast, L- Lunch, D Dinner included Copyright 2016, National FFA Organization and Agrotours Inc., Richmond, VA. Latest revision: February 17, 2016