Winter Break in Puerto Rico:
Disaster & Resilience in Puerto Rico

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Program Overview

Permaculture in Practice is a bilingual, immersive community-based global learning program and partnership that includes on-campus pre-departure training; intensive participatory action on-site with the community partner in Puerto Rico; and post-return collaboration and deployment of reciprocal knowledge and projects. This program situates the intersection of global migration and climate change in Latin America and the Caribbean through a focus on critical resource infrastructure in the archipelago of Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.

The program is centered around a week-long immersive workshop at Plenitud—a permaculture demonstration farm in Las Marias, PR—that acts as a 1 credit follow-on to a 4 credit face-to-face on-campus course during Fall term. In the workshop, students and program coordinators work side-by-side with local facilitators and community leaders to understand and implement resource sovereignty projects designed by the educators at Plenitud. The workshop is scaffolded on both ends with on-campus coursework; facilitated training in community-based global learning (CBGL); and ongoing partnership building.

Students who participate in this program will learn to:
 

• Situate localized environmental vulnerabilities within the historical forces that shape them, including colonialism, climate change, and disaster capitalism;
• Engage with community members to initiate and sustain reciprocal partnerships to support local action;
• Document, maintain, and reproduce permaculture resource management systems in their own communities;
• Collaborate across disciplines and methodologies to build communicative knowledge-production networks oriented toward the common good;
• Reflect productively upon the urgent global debate concerning the future of our world and the place of the human community in it.

 

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Academics

Eligibility
This course is open to all Drexel students. All lectures and discussions in Puerto Rico will take place in English. Spanish language skills are helpful though not required.

Credit/Registration
Students will be registered for GST 231 Permaculture in Practice 2 credits as part of their Winter course load. The credit for this program is not optional. Students are required to complete the pre-requisite fall term, on-campus course GST 231 Disaster and Resilience in Puerto Rico 3 credits. Exceptions made with permission of instructor.

Instructors
Steve Vásquez Dolph, Assistant Teaching Professor, Global Studies and Modern Languages, steve.dolph@drexel.edu
Ahaji Schreffler, Senior Director for Education Abroad, ahaji@drexel.edu

Course Structure
In addition to the one-week workshop onsite at Plenitud, students are required to participate in one pre-departure travel orientation, one half-day CBGL training, and one post-return workshop debrief (all dates TBD).

November Introductions & CBGL training         
December Service immersion” at Plenitud
January     Post-return follow-up & reflection   
February   Final paper/projects due

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Program Calendar
 

Arrival Date: December 14, 2023

Departure Date: December 22, 2023
*Students may extend their travel independently before or after program dates.

Tentative Itinerary

 

Day 1 
*Students fly into SJU and will be picked up by transportation provided by Plenitud PR. They will have the option to stop for a meal in San Juan.
*Arrive at the farm in the evening.

Day 2
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM: Coffee & Reading
8:00 AM - 8:45 AM: Light Breakfast & Schedule Review
9:00 AM - 11:30 AM: Tour of the Farm - Permaculture in Practice
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM: Rest
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: Brunch
1:30 PM - 3:30 PM: Siestas
3:30 PM - 4:30 PM: Conversation with the Directors
4:30 PM - 5:00 PM: Optional Dinner Prep Support
5:00 PM - 8:00 PM: Dinner & Bonfire

Day 3
6:30 AM - 7:00 AM: Guided Yoga / Meditation
7:45 AM - 8:30 AM: Breakfast & Schedule Review
8:30 AM - 10:30 AM: Introduction to farm chores
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM: Compost & Compost Tea Lesson
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM: Lunch & Cleanup
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM: Siestas
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM: Optional Dinner Prep Support
6:00 PM - 8:30 PM: Dinner & Reflection Circle

Day 4
6:30 AM - 7:00 AM: Guided Yoga / Meditation
7:00 AM - 7:45 AM: Farm Chores
7:45 AM - 8:30 AM: Breakfast & Schedule Review
8:30 AM - 12:00 AM: Permaculture Zones - Terraces & Greenhouse Work Parties
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM: Lunch & Cleanup
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM: Community Center Tour
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Siesta / Optional Dinner Prep Support
6:00 PM - 8:30 PM: Dinner & Reflection Circle

Day 5
6:30 AM - 7:00 AM: Guided Yoga / Meditation
7:45 AM - 8:30 AM: Breakfast & Schedule Review
8:30 AM - 11:30 AM: Harvest Day & Community Member Pairing
11:30 PM - 1:00 PM: Clean-up / Showers / Freetime
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Lunch
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Sietas / Required Reading
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM: Community Member Health Q&A (solutions based)
6:00 PM - 8:30 PM: Dinner & Reflection Circle

Day 6
6:30 AM - 7:00 AM: Guided Yoga / Meditation
7:45 AM - 8:30 AM: Breakfast & Schedule Review
8:30 AM - 1:00 PM: Partner Farm - Finca Bohiti Agroecological Tour, Work Party, & Lunch
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Siesta
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Natural Cooking Demonstration / Class
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM: Dinner & Reflection

Day 7
6:30 AM - 7:00 AM: Guided Yoga / Meditation
7:45 AM - 8:30 AM: Breakfast
8:30 AM - 3:00 PM: Excursion to Hike or Beach
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Showers / Packing to leave
6:00 PM - 8:30 PM: Dinner & Final Reflection Circle

Day 8
6:30 AM - 7:00 AM: Guided Yoga / Meditation
7:45 AM - 8:30 AM: Breakfast & Packing
9:00 AM depart for San Juan
Free time in San Juan

Day 9
Depart from SJU airport

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Program Fee $1,870

Due September 30th - $500 Advance Payment
Due November 1st - $1,370 Final Payment
*All payments are non-refundable unless declined admission or program cancels for unforeseen reasons.

Included in Program Fee:

• Accommodations
• Most meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
• Onsite transport
• Activities, visits
• On Call emergency & medical insurance

Not Included in Program Fee:

• Round trip airfare to/from San Juan $250
• Meals not included $50
• Course materials $25
• Spending money $75

ICA Financial Aid: Students may request an Adjusted Cost of Attendance by submitting the ICA program fee and estimated out of pocket expenses listed above to Drexel Central (via askdrexel). Doing so could make students’ eligible for additional financial aid.  Students may also be eligible to apply for Drexel's ICA Scholarships.

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More Information

Travel: A recommended flight itinerary will be provided. Students are responsible for booking their own airfare. Students are not required to obtain visas for this program, as Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States.

Partner Information: Plenitud PR is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational farm and community dedicated to service in sustainability and the arts. We provide people with the skills and knowledge needed to encourage inner growth and to live in harmony with themselves, each other, and the natural world. At the heart of our service is experiential learning in sustainability and the arts that engages people in community service, fosters relationships, and creates empowering connections.