EduJAM/2011/Conozco Uruguay Tour

eduTRIP! 2011 --- Community Exploration Tour --- Saturday April 30 to Thursday May 5
DETAILS EMERGING BELOW AND ON OUR DISCUSSION BLOG!

[mailto:holt@laptop.org WRITE TODAY] IF YOU WANT TO JOIN!

Why
The Conozco Uruguay (C U!) community exploration tour will bring South American (and the world's) most passionate edutechnologists and committed teachers/mentors together, to witness Uruguay's and Plan Ceibal's profound journey. In conjunction with Uruguay's stongest volunteers, from CeibalJAM! to RAP Ceibal to Flor de Ceibo and beyond. As the single country which has done the most with One Laptop per Child's XO Laptop and Sugar Labs' software (the Sugar Learning Platform) there are few places on earth where humankind's increasing marriage to educational technology is on more vivid display.

Similar to the famous Sugar Activity Conozco Uruguay itself!

Who is Welcome
Tech-savvy education people from around South America. Education-savvy hackers from around the world. While OLPC and Sugar Labs experience is not required -- nor is Spanish fluency -- enthusiasms around bringing exploratory learning into the 21st century are!

We assume participants will also participate in Montevideo's Uruguay Summit 2011 May 5-7, focusing on practical futures for free educational software.

Finally, attendance will in fact be limited to a maximum number of (approximately) 15 independent travelers.

Itinerary
Participants must be independent, able to travel lightly and completely self-sufficiently. Day trips in and around Montevideo, from Saturday April 30 until Wednesday/Thursday May 4/5. Thanks for posting your feedback on our  DRAFT SCHEDULE  BELOW!.

SEE ALSO THESE SUGGESTIONS and this APRIL 18 NEAR-FINAL DRAFT! CU Tour General Organizers: Leticia Romero and Micaela Acosta (RAP Ceibal and CeibalJAM!)

Map forthcoming!

Alternate ideas: (ASK US!)
 * BAP (Barrio de Atención Prioritaria) a low-income Montevideo neighborhood, with RAP Ceibal Saturday Apr 30?
 * Euskal Erria
 * Las Piedras
 * Maldonado
 * Tala (rural)
 * Cardal (1st OLPC school)
 * Paso de los Toros (small city)
 * Salinas (Bernie recommends)

How on Earth is this Possible?
Volunteers from RAP Ceibal, CeibalJAM! and Flor de Ceibo have spent over 3 years building real-world community networks to bring Uruguay's youth and families more meaningfully into the 21st century. If globalism means anything at all, it means paying full and proper respect to people like these who organize to make a difference!

Housing
Hostel-style options to be determined. Uruguayans eat well!!

Uruguay (generally) uses 220V European electrical outlets so please consider bringing a small converter.

Wifi access will be sought where possible, but not guaranteed.

Please see Discussion page for questions and discussion related to Housing.

Cost
Expect to pay $300-500 or higher for housing/food/bus etc to cover your 6 days, from Saturday April 30 to Thursday May 5 inclusive. Homestays may reduce this cost if we are so lucky to build strong local relationships.

Pre-Registration
Please write to [mailto:holt@laptop.org holt@laptop.org] explaining what you hope to bring to the group! Thanks for including the reasons you're interested -- and what you want to get out of this lifetime opportunity. Remember to list ALL allergies and medical conditions, roommate preferences, as well as your phone number(s).

Reality Check: If you are looking for packaged voluntourism and flush toilets at every turn, you've come to the wrong place. Have you traveled in developing countries before? You must be an independent traveler, open-hearted with all comers, understanding Uruguay is a safe country but not without its risks. And Take Complete Medical/Insurance/Safety/Financial Precautions Now!

THANKS everyone for mindfully preparing together today, for a trip more rewarding than money can buy.

Participants
Confirmed Participants: Make sure you are subscribed to conozco-uruguay@googlegroups.com (ask holt@laptop.org)

'''WE ARE NOW AT/NEAR FULL CAPACITY! Further school-exploration-tour participants will only be accepted in extraordinary circumstances. Thanks all who signed up below :)'''

...
 * Aaron Borden, San Francisco (Apr 29 - May 9)
 * Adam Holt, Boston (Apr 30 - May 13)
 * Alvar Maciel + 3 argentinian teachers (UNCONFIRMED)
 * Anish Mangal, India/Paraguay (May 4/5 - 16)
 * Bastien Guerry, France (Apr 30 - May 10)
 * Bernie Innocenti, Italy/Boston (May 5 - 10/11)
 * Bert Freudenberg, Germany (Apr 29 - May 11)
 * Carlos Rabassa, Montevideo (UNCONFIRMED)
 * Caryl Bigenho Bigenho, Los Angeles (Apr 30 - May 8/10)
 * Chris Ball, Boston (May 2 - 9)
 * C. Scott Ananian, Boston (May 2 - 9)
 * Cecilia Alcala, Paraguay (Apr 26 - May 4)
 * Christoph Derndorfer, Vienna/Madrid (Apr 29 - May 8)
 * David Farning, Wisconsin/Paraguay (Apr 28 - May 11)
 * Ed Bigenho, Los Angeles (Apr 30 - May 8/10)
 * Fernando Comenzana, Uruguay (UNCONFIRMED)
 * Juan José Villalba, Paraguay (UNCONFIRMED)
 * Koke Contreras, Perú (UNCONFIRMED)
 * Laura Manolakis, Argentina (UNCONFIRMED)
 * Martin Langhoff, Miami (UNCONFIRMED, arriving 1-2 days before summit?)
 * Leticia Romero, Uruguay
 * Nick Doiron, New Hampshire/Montevideo (May 2 only? then Summit)
 * Nenny Rabassa, Montevideo (UNCONFIRMED)
 * Nkubito Bakuramutsa, Rwanda (May 3 - 7)
 * Pablo Flores, Montevideo
 * Reuben Caron, Boston (May 5 - 8)
 * Ric Holt, Canada (May 4 late afternoon - May 13)
 * Samuel Seidenberg, Buenos Aires (Apr 30 - May 7)
 * SJ Klein, Boston (UNCONFIRMED, arriving 1-2 days before summit?)
 * Tony Anderson, Texas/Rwanda (Apr 28 - May 8)
 * Betty Chaca, Santa Cruz, Bolivia (Apr 29 - May 9, CANCELLED)
 * Carol Ruth Silver, San Francisco (CANCELLED)
 * Harriet Vidyasagar, India (CANCELLED)
 * Kacandre Bourdelais, Gabon/Canada (CANCELLED)
 * Kevin Benavides, Nicaragua (CANCELLED)
 * Luis Galindo, Santa Cruz, Bolivia (CANCELLED)
 * Mario César Señoranis Ayala, Santa Cruz Bolivia (Apr 29 - May 9, CANCELLED)
 * Rabi Karmacharya, Nepal (CANCELLED)
 * Robert Fadel, Boston (CANCELLED)
 * Sameer Verma, San Francisco (CANCELLED)
 * Simon Schampijer, Germany (CANCELLED)
 * Suzanne Adatto, Ann Arbor, Michigan (CANCELLED)

Volunteer Organizers

 * Leticia Romero
 * Rocío Medina?
 * Pablo Flores
 * Micaela Acosta
 * Caryl Bigenho
 * Adam Holt
 * Paolo Benini

Join our Discussion Blog!
Please check out the "Accommodations" section of the Discussion and add your comments and preferences.