2016 International Alternative Spring Break

#JagBreak Information Guide!

2015 trip participants pose after some heavy lifting of the beach clean-up

Social Issues: Sea Turtle Conservation & Eco-Tourism The Republic of &

Community Partner: St. David Empowerment & Developmental Organization (SDEDO) Directions Please review this information guide carefully as you decide to apply to the 2016 international alternative break trip to Trinidad. Please make sure you can meet the necessary obligations and that the work of the trip interests you.

Table of Contents I. Alternative Break Programs

II. 2016 International Alternative Spring Break: Overview

III. Staff

IV. Trip Itinerary 2015 group at Matura Beach, witnessing a leatherback sea turtle laying eggs V. Before & After the Trip: Mandatory Meetings

VI. Cost

VII. Apply! Deadline: Wednesday, September 16th

VIII. Location

IX. Housing

X. Meals

XI. Accessibility – Reviewing Service Work Expectations

XII. Safety

XIII. Contact for More Information

XIV. Trinidad Demographics & Statistics

XV. Helpful Resources

XVI. Packing List

XVII. Trinidad & Tobago Vocabulary

1

Alternative Break Programs: Community Service & Scholarship Opportunities Alternative Break trips at IUPUI are student-led, social issue-focused, service-based trips that take place during IUPUI's fall and spring breaks. These are alcohol and drug-free trips that allow students to connect with different communities and cultures while working to create positive, sustainable change. Students engage in educationally meaningful direct service to support the work of a community organization and then participate in a Reorientation upon return, where they engage in service with a local Indianapolis organization that works on a similar social issue. Trip participants learn through service, education, and reflection about how they can be agents of change when they return to the Indianapolis community.

Alternative break trips also include pre-trip meetings that are designed to educate students on the community partner they will be working with, the social issue(s) that the organization is working on, the culture of their destination city, discuss the similarities with the local Indianapolis community, learn about logistics and policies, and have an opportunity to develop relationships with one another prior to the trip.

IUPUI hosts one Fall Alternative Break (FAB) trip in October for 22 students, one international alternative spring break for 10 students, and four domestic alternative spring break (ASB) programs for 44 total students. Students who participate on an alternative break trip are eligible to apply for the Sam H. Jones Community Service Scholarship (SHJ) for the Alternative Break Trip Leader (ABTL) scholarship. This $1,000 scholarship allows students to plan a spring break trip of their own the following year. 2016 International Alternative Spring Break: Overview The Community Service & Civic Engagement (CSCE) team, housed within the IUPUI Office of Student Involvement, is proudly sponsoring the second ever international alternative break trip! From March 13th – 19th, the IUPUI Alternative Breaks Program is returning to Toco, a rural area of The Republic of Trinidad & Tobago.

The trip will take place on the Trinidad island and students will engage with the community group St. David Developmental & Empowerment Organization (SDEDO) in supporting eco-tourism efforts. This will include tagging sea turtles as they come ashore to nest, beach clean-ups, and building a trail from the forest to a beach. This is a service-learning experience dedicated to the educational opportunities experienced within working with a new community, cross-cultural discovery, and engaging in a deeper understanding of civic engagement. Staff The Alternative Break (AB) program is overseen by Niki Messmore, Coordinator of Community Service & Civic Engagement. The staff advisor who will be accompanying students on the trip is Amanda Bonilla, Assistant Director of Social Justice Education. The international AB trip will be planned by two Sam H. Jones scholars in the “Community Service Leader” (CSL) program. These leaders are Lyla Mahmoud and Bridget Barbara. Lyla is a junior majoring in Political Science and is a 2015 Trinidad participant. Bridget is a junior in the Kelley School of Business and a former AB trip leader. Contact them at [email protected]. 2

Trip Itinerary Saturday, March 12th Students will stay overnight together on the IUPUI campus due to the early departure time. This will ensure that all students are prepared to leave together in the morning.

Sunday, March 13th Students will depart the IUPUI campus around 3:45am. Ground transportation will be arranged to the Indianapolis airport. Flights will be scheduled once students have been accepted and submitted their passport information; however flights to Trinidad usually leave around 6:15 – 6:30am. Students will likely fly through either the Houston or Miami airport, and then continue to Port-of- (POS), Trinidad. Students will arrive in Trinidad between 7:00pm – 9:00pm EST and after going through customs, proceed via ground transportation to Toco. This trip is an estimated 2.5 hours from POS, Trinidad’s capital city. It is possible that the group may stay overnight in POS and proceed in the morning.

Monday, March 14th Every alternative break trip has one free day, and this is it! Since this is an international trip, students will stay grouped together at all times and a group excursion will be planned and paid for through the AB program. In 2015, the trip visited the Asa Wright Nature Center for a hike to learn about the rainforest environment, had lunch, and then swam in a natural pool located in the forest. Trinidad offers many exciting opportunities, so this may change per the decisions of the trip leaders.

Tuesday, March 15th Students will begin their service with the St. David Developmental & Empowerment Organization (SDEDO)! Students will spend three hours cleaning a beach in the Toco community. That night, they will spend three hours working with the SDEDO to tag turtles as they come ashore to nest. There are seven species of sea turtles in the world and five come to Trinidad & Tobago (TT) to nest – of those, two nest on the Toco beaches.

Wednesday, March 16th Students will spend 6-8 hours building a trail extending from the forest down to the beach. The local community group SDEDO hopes to build up this oft-forgotten beach as a way to bring tourists, educate them on turtle conservation, and increase economic resources for their community. This will likely include building stairs into a deep sloping hill, cleaning, lifting, and other physical activities.

Thursday, March 17th This will be a repeat of the day on Tuesday Students will spend three hours cleaning a beach in the Toco community. That night, they will spend three hours working with the SDEDO to tag turtles as they come ashore to nest. There are seven species of sea turtles in the world and five come to Trinidad & Tobago (TT) to nest – of those, two nest on the Toco beaches.

3

Friday, March 18th The Toco community will host a beach cook-out, invite the whole community, and spend time with the IUPUI participants. This will be an excellent way to enjoy time and learn about the culture of Trinidad.

Saturday, March 19th Students will be transported the 2.5 hours to the Port-of-Spain (POS) airport; or may head to Port-of- Spain on Friday night so the airport trip is not as long. The flight will likely leave around 6:30am EST. Students will fly back to Indianapolis via likely Houston or Miami, and arrive in Indianapolis around 7:00pm – 9:00pm.

Before & After the Trip: Mandatory Meetings Students should not to apply if they cannot attend all 10 required meetings. Otherwise, if a student makes it to the interview round of the application process, they will have essentially stolen a spot from another student who could have made the meetings. One selected, all participants must attend these meetings or they may forfeit their $500 fee and lost their place on the trip.

The pre-trip meetings are a critical component of the international alternative break experience. The pre-trip meetings are intentionally designed to introduce students to the culture of Trinidad, the work that the community organization SDEDO does, the social issues of sea turtle conservation and eco-tourism, hear panels of past participants and individuals from the Caribbean, relationship building, and more!

The April 16th Reorientation event brings together students from all alternative spring break trips (5 total trips) and past AB alumni, for a day of service, reflection, and celebration! Students will break into their AB groups to volunteer at a community organization that works on an issue(s) similar to the social issue(s) of the AB trip. Students will return for a free lunch, reflection, and talk about next steps for themselves and the group to continue maintaining engagement in their community.

Fall Semester (2 meetings) – Location: Office of Student Involvement (OSI) Conference Room • Tuesday Nov 3rd 4:30-6pm • Tuesday, Dec 8th 4:30-6pm

Spring Semester (8 meetings scheduled) – Location: (OSI) Conference Room • January 22, 3-5pm • January 29, 3-5pm • February 5, 3-5pm • February 12, 3-5pm • February 19, 3-5pm • March 4, 3-5pm • March 11, 3-5pm • April 16, 8am-3pm – Reorientation with all AB trips

4

Cost This is an extraordinary opportunity for students to engage with an international community in service at a very low-cost. The $500 program fees will include: airfare, housing, meals (except on the travel days), on-ground transportation, t-shirt, and travel health insurance. This trip averages $2,800 per student but the Division of Student Affairs is subsidizing the experience in order to promote civic engagement and cultural experiences.

Expected Student Cost: Mandatory Fees & Costs Program Fee $470 Student Travel Health Insurance $29.80 Total $500

Additional Expenses Passport (only necessary if your passport expires by Nov 2016) $165 Typhoid Immunization (optional) $95 Hepatitis A (optional) $90 IUPUI Travel Clinic consultation fee (optional) $100 Meals estimation while traveling (2 days) $50 Souvenirs; extra food (optional) ? Total Optional Fees & Costs $500

Grand Total of All Student Costs $1,000

Fee Payments A $100 non-refundable deposit is due by Friday, October 23rd at the Office of Student Involvement by 5:00pm. Next, a $30 fee will be paid to the Office of International Affairs over the fall semester. Finally, the remaining balance ($370) is due Monday, January 11th; in order to accommodate for students’ refund checks. If the student does not have a passport, they must apply for one the week they are accepted onto the trip, as it takes six weeks to process.

Apply! Deadline: Wednesday, September 16th Who Is Eligible?  This program is only open to IUPUI undergraduate and graduate degree-seeking students. It does not matter what year of study the student is in nor what academic program they are studying.  Student must have a minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA.  Student must pass a background check.  Student must be in good academic and disciplinary standing.  Student must be able to fulfil the financial obligations of $500 in program fees and then other related expenses.  Students are not required to have a passport at the time of applying but must be able to obtain a passport by November 1st; and it must be valid until September 2016. 5

Online Application Students interested in applying should fill out an application on the IUPUI Study Abroad website at http://abroad.iupui.edu/. Click “Apply to a Program” on the top bar and then “Indiana University programs”. Students will be taken to a page where they can search for programs, click “Explore IUPUI Programs” at the top of the list. The link will direct to the “iAbroad” website where students can scroll down the alphabetical list to find “” and then the “Trinidad & Tobago: Alternative Spring Break” page. Click on this program to read up on information and apply.

The Application The Alternative Break program is dedicated to remaining as accessible as possible – valuing multiple talents, learning styles, experiences, and personal identities. Students have a flexibility of response style, as the application allows for multiple response formats: paragraphs, bulleted list, haiku, or creative/artistic responses (i.e., images) are fine. The goal is to get to know the applicant better. Responses should be a maximum of 300 words per response.

The questions included in the personal statement are:  Do you have any previous travel and/or alternative break experiences?  Why do you want to participate in the International Alternative Break Trip to the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago?  What does the word “service” mean to you?  Describe your IUPUI ‘story’. What events, organizations, people, or other experiences have shaped your time in college thus far and/or influenced you?

Application tip: Applications that show evidence of little thought being put into it (such as hastily written responses or questions left unanswered) will be immediately dismissed.

The Application Process In the inaugural year of the trip, the AB program received 60 applicants. We are unsure of the number of applications that will be submitted for this year but recognize it will be a competitive process. Ultimately, we are looking for a group that reflects the many experiences of IUPUI students, who are open-minded, and believe in the importance of serving their community.

Round one: An application review committee comprised of IUPUI staff, AB co-coordinators, and past Trinidad participants will review the applications after the September 16th deadline.

Round two: Students who are being strongly considered will be sent an online form where they will confirm that they can make the obligations of the trip, including the mandatory meetings and financial expectations.

Round three: A total of 15 applicants will be invited for a 30-minute interview with 1-4 people. The interviewees will be from the application review committee and may include IUPUI staff, AB co- coordinators, and past Trinidad participants

6

Round four: The final 8 candidates will be selected and informed. The remaining 7 candidates will be placed on a wait list. If selected students do not meet their obligations of the trip, the AB program team will select students from the waitlist to join the trip.

Reminder: All applicants are invited to apply for a domestic Alternative Spring Break trip!

Equal Opportunity Policy Our policy at IUPUI prohibits discrimination against anyone for reasons of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age, disability, and covered veterans.

Location The IUPUI group will fly into the capital city of The Republic of Trinidad & Tobago (TT), Port-of-Spain (POS). This city is located on the western side of the Trinidad island and students will be transported by van around 2.5 hours across the island and up the eastern coast to the rural community of Toco. The most northeasterly village on Trinidad, Toco is located closest to the Tobago island in the County of Saint David. Amazingly, Toco is located at the point where the and Atlantic Ocean meet, which can be seen less than two miles from the student housing at the Galera Lighthouse.

Housing Students may be housed at a hotel or inn near Port-of-Spain the arrival and/or departure night in Trinidad. However, housing overall will be in a beach house located next to Toco Secondary School on Toco Main Road. This house will provide a bed for each participant (although rooms will be shared) and will all participants will share two bathrooms. Housing is arranged through St. David Empowerment & Developmental Organization (SDEDO) and participants will be fortunate enough to see the sun rise over the Caribbean Sea each morning!

Meals The program fee includes meals during the stay on the Trinidad island, from Monday – Friday. Meals on “travel days” must be purchased separately by the student; this mostly stems from the difficulty of coordinating group meals at an airport! 

The St. David Empowerment & Developmental Organization (SDEDO) will provide three meals per day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) during the stay in Toco on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. As Toco is a predominantly Afro-Trinidadian community, the meals will reflect the authentic home- cooked meals of the Afro-Trinidadian community. The cuisine is delicious and often includes locally grown ingredients. Meals often include vegetables, rice, chicken, and other items.

If you have dietary restrictions, please inform the Coordinator of Community Service & Civic Engagement Niki Messmore at [email protected].

7

Accessibility – Reviewing Service Work Expectations The international alternative break trip, like many alternative break trips, will include physical labor and it is important that students are aware of the environment and assigned tasks they will be engaged in. Overall, students should expect to work 6-8 hours for 3-4 days as they engage in community service.

Environment The Republic of Trinidad & Tobago is the southernmost Caribbean country, located 25 miles from the country of Venezuela in South America. March is the driest month so participants will not experience much rain. The average temperature in March is 87°F, a low of 73°F, and with an average humidity of 80%. Since Toco is located on the coastline, there is often a nice sea breeze but the environment is still rather warm and humid overall. The terrain will include sandy beaches, rocky areas, and forests.

Physical Labor Students will be expected to walk at least 3 miles per day on a combination of sandy beaches and forest ground, including sharp inclines that require stepping down and stepping up. This amount of distance may depend on the day and will usually be a cumulative total. The trail that students will be working on is not easily accessible by vehicle so students will have to hike around 1 mile to and from the site location. The beach clean-ups and walking on the beach to tag turtles will vary with distance, but 3 miles cumulative seems appropriate. During the free day, the cultural excursion may include hiking in a forest.

Students will have to transport themselves by walking or some other method through the airport terminals as the trip will likely require traveling through multiple terminals at the layover destination.

Students will be expected to bend down repeatedly during beach clean-ups and building the trail.

Students may have to lift 25 pounds; for example: to carry garbage bags full of debris found in beach clean-ups.

Students may have the opportunity to swim in natural pools but will not be required to do so.

Students are not allowed by IU policy to swim in the ocean, but they may walk along the beach and dip their feet in.

If you have questions about the physical nature of this trip, please contact the Coordinator of Community Service & Civic Engagement Niki Messmore at [email protected].

Safety Students will be staying in Toco, which is a rural community and an extremely low crime rate. Toco residents leave their doors unlocked and know each other very well. Since IUPUI is working with the

8 local organization, St. David Empowerment & Developmental Organization (SDEDO), we have the privilege of working with some of the community’s most important and involved leaders.

There is some crime in Port-of-Spain, as with other major metropolitan areas, but IUPUI students will not be traveling or staying in the neighborhoods with high crime rates. No matter where a person travels, there is always risk for a crime to occur. The staff advisors and trip leaders work closely with the IUPUI Office of International Affairs (OIA), the community partner, and other parties to ensure the trip is as safe as possible.

Contact for More Information If you have further questions about Trinidad, please use the following methods to contact us: Niki Messmore: [email protected] or 317-274- 8936 Lyla Mahmoud & Bridget Barbara: [email protected] Office of Student Involvement 370 Campus Center 420 University Blvd. Indianapolis, IN 46202

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/volunteer.iupui Twitter: https://twitter.com/IUPUICSCE >>> #JagBreak on Twitter!

Trinidad Demographics & Statistics First colonized by the Spanish, the islands came under British control in the early 19th century. The islands' sugar industry was hurt by the emancipation of the slaves in 1834. Manpower was replaced with the importation of contract laborers from India between 1845 and 1917, which boosted sugar production as well as the cocoa industry. The discovery of oil on Trinidad in 1910 added another important export. Independence was attained in 1962. The country is one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean thanks largely to petroleum and natural gas production and processing. Tourism, mostly in Tobago, is targeted for expansion and is growing. (CIA World Factbook, 2015) Population • 1,226,383 (est. 2011) Nationality • noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s) adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian Ethnic groups • Indian (South Asian) 40%, African 37.5%, mixed 20.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 0.8% (2000 census) Religions • Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant 25.8% (Anglican 7.8%, Baptist 7.2%, Pentecostal 6.8%, Seventh-Day Adventist 4%), Hindu 22.5%, Muslim 5.8%, other Christian 5.8%, other 10.8%, unspecified 1.4%, none 1.9% (2000 census) Languages • English (official), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), French, Spanish, Chinese 9

Helpful Resources It is not always simple to find information on some of the areas the participants will be visiting online, as Toco and surrounding points are rather lesser-known. This resource area will direct you to online resources about the location and social issue.

Social Issue • The Online Guide to the Animals of TT: https://sta.uwi.edu/fst/lifesciences/documents/Eretmochelys_imbricata.pdf • The Seven Species of Sea Turtles: http://ocean.si.edu/slideshow/meet-seven-sea-turtle- species • Position Paper on Sea Turtle Conservation in Trinidad & Tobago, 2009. “International Conference on “Turtle Conservation, ecotourism and sustainable community development” July 28-29, 2009, The University of the West Indies. Compiled By Dr. Allan Bachan, Turtle Village Trust https://sta.uwi.edu/conferences/09/turtle/documents/Day%201/Session%203/Position_Pape r_Conservation_Draft_2%5B1%5D.pdf • Speech from the 2nd National Sea Turtle Symposium of Trinidad: https://www.facebook.com/MEWRtt/posts/326018930914647 • CNN Heroes 2009 nominee - Suzan Lakhan Baptiste - Trinidad & Tobago Leatherback Turtle Conservation (from Nature Seekers) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9MFJS4WmC0 • Leatherback Turtles of Trinidad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKEh2c7ufSA • Turtle Village Trust - Protecting Sea Turtles Beyond The Beach: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Xq7Bi_N76w

Community Partner • St. David Empowerment & Developmental Organization (SDEDO)’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/stdavidedo?fref=ts • Turtle Village Trust (the umbrella organization that includes SDEDO): http://turtlevillagetrust.org/toco.htm

Trinidad, Toco, and more • Toco’s Wikipedia Page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toco • History of Trinidad: http://trinidad.discover-tt.com/history.html • History of Trinidad – video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAvjCfmCacQ • Trinidad and Tobago Travel - Local Etiquette: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epF-oe- 1Zsk • A Vision for the Indigenous People of Trinidad and Tobago https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DutDFFvhx-U • Best if Soca 2015: Best of Trinidad Soca https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtZoj0OSMxI • Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern Trinidad & Tobago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KUHir9yR_A 10

• Trinidad’s Street Foods: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtpmbBy-vxE • Race, Ethnicity and Democracy in Guyana and T&T: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEqcG79DjFU • The Steel Pan (2010 documentary): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vr2-l2VKzw • Happiest Island in the World: Trinidad (note: outsider’s perspective): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7sgQl_qQy4 • TedX Port-of-Spain: http://tedxportofspain.com/ • Out of Toco Trinidad drive (video from a drive – gives you a chance to see a bit more of Toco!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiVaQYL9Whg

Tourism & Travel Information • Galera Point - Toco Lighthouse (Trip Advisor page): http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g147388-d3597533-Reviews- Galera_Point_Toco_Lighthouse-Trinidad_Trinidad_and_Tobago.html • Asa Wright Nature Center: http://asawright.org/ o Trip Advisor page: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g147388-d184435- Reviews-Asa_Wright_Nature_Centre-Trinidad_Trinidad_and_Tobago.html • Dattatreya Temple and Hanuman Statue: https://www.facebook.com/sdyctt o Trip Advisor page: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g147389- d6157438-Reviews-Dattatreya_Temple_and_Hanuman_Statue- Port_of_Spain_Trinidad_Trinidad_and_Tobago.html • Temple in the Sea at Waterloo o Trip Advisor page: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g147388-d150745- Reviews-Temple_in_the_Sea_at_Waterloo-Trinidad_Trinidad_and_Tobago.html • Embassy of the United States in Trinidad & Tobago: http://trinidad.usembassy.gov/ • Piarco International Airport in Port-of-Spain: http://www.piarcoairport.com/

Packing List – for your information Note: this all must fit into one (1) carry-on luggage and one (1) personal carry item (i.e., back-pack)

Essential Items:  Passport  Photocopy of passport (keep one photocopy in each luggage – i.e., one in backpack, one in carry-on suitcase)  JagTag  Trip information packet  Driver’s license or other government ID  Medical insurance cards o Personal insurance plan o The one provided by iAbroad

11

 NO CAMOFLAGUAGE (illegal in Trinidad)  Bug Spray! containing either 20% DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535  Sunscreen!

Clothes including:  Sweatshirts if desired (chilly airplanes)  Short sleeve shirts  Work jeans/shorts (keep in mind these things may get dirty)  Sturdy, thick soled shoes: must be closed toe! Suggested to bring an old pair, as these shoes will likely get muddy, sandy, and wet.  Hat/cap/bandana/sunglasses  Extra socks  Sleepwear  Rain jacket/rain gear  Shower shoes or flip-flops  Swim gear (water shoes may be helpful for some)  Beach towel Toiletries/Health Items:  Shower stuff  Wash cloth and towel  Toothbrush and toothpaste  Contact solution, carrying case, and spare set  Hand sanitizer  Allergy medication  Any prescription medication you bring should be in original prescription bottle with correct label, and please make sure you bring enough to last your trip  Any over the counter medications you regularly take or think you might need Comfort/Personal:  Water Bottle (EMPTY)  Money for snacks, meals, and drinks during travel time  Sheets will be provided, but bring a thin blanket  Small bag or backpack to carry essentials in while doing service  Fun things to do in the evenings (cards, board games, etc.)  Cell phone charger  Flashlight  Journal and pen  Camera

12