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MAYA TORCH EXPEDITION UPDATES
June 20, 2003
Hola a todos,
Felicidades Verano!
The staff begins driving to the Yucatan on Sunday morning, June 22. And
so we ask for your patience if it takes a day or two to reply to your
emails.
A couple new items:
1. Please bring a few copies of small photos of you with you. Best size
is roughly 1 inch by 1.5 inch. B&W or color are just fine. One of
these will be used on your International Teacher Identity Card which we
have for you upon your arrival. The others...are just good to have. You
never know!
2. I have attached a recent paper written by Amigos de Sian Ka'an, The
Nature Conservancy and CONANP-SEMARNAT. Please print this out, critically
read (good reading for the plane!) and bring it with you.
3. There are two David's on our team. "Langosto" (David V.)
and "Daveed" (David S.).
Our staff is eager to meet you in Quintana Roo.
Saludos,
David S. (aka Daveed)
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June 4, 2003
Hola a Todos,
A question has come up regarding immunizations for traveling in Quintana
Roo.
Many people travel to Cancun and explore Quintana Roo without getting
immunizations for Hep A and Hep B. But, that decision is one you must
make between you and your health care provider. I work a lot overseas
and so I have both immunizations.
Hep B is transferred by blood. And so, even in the USA a vaccination for
Hep B is usually recommended for people for example in the health care
profession.
Hep A is transferred via fecal contamination. We are very careful about
where we eat and the food we prepare, but there is still a low risk that
you could somehow be exposed if you ate something on your own or decided
to by some tea or coffee or food that wasn't prepared in a perfectly sanitary
environment. And Mexico certainly is not as sanitary or hygenic as the
USA. It is particularly important for you to only drink purified water
and to only eat food and use utensils that have been prepared with purified
water. Raw fruit must be peeled, vegetables should be well cooked. Salads
are to be avoided unless you are certain that the vegetables were prepared
with purified water.
And so it really is a decision that you must make, I can't recommend one
way or the other. It usually wouldn't hurt for you to get the vaccines
unless for some reason your own health situation contraindicates it.
Tetanus is certainly something that should be kept current, regardless
of your travel plans.
I recommend checking out the latest editions of travel books such as Lonely
Planet on Mexico and what they say about Health and Immunizations, checking
out the CDC website, etc., most areas have a health travel clinic that
you could call and chat with, talk with your health care provider about
everything you have learned and then come up with your own best informed
decision. That decision is at least in part dependent on your thoughts
about vaccines, your attentiveness to being careful, finances, health
care available, amongst other considerations.
I hope this is helpful.
Please let me know if I can answer any other questions you may have.
Looking forward to meeting you in Quintana Roo!
Saludos,
David
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May 26, 2003
Please note the updated times.
A couple of our team members have requested slightly modified times to
take advantage of lower fares. Here are the updated times.
Rendezvous:
2:35 PM, Monday, June 30, Cancun Airport.
Dropoff:
7 AM, Tuesday, July 8, Cancun Airport
The hostel in Cancun is an affordable ($9/night) and simple
accomodation that our team members have used in the past. You can make
reservations from their website. The website is:
http://www.cancunhostel.com/english.htm.
Our course will not be visiting the Chichen Itza Maya site. And so, I'd
highly recommend visiting this Maya site if you have any extra time. The
hostel runs tours to the site. Be sure to go to the earliest tour possible
because it can get very hot and crowded in the afternoons. The major Mayan
sites have liscensed paraprofessional guides who speak English waiting
to meet you at the site entrance. They are generally good and charge a
very reasonable fee.
We will be visiting Coba Maya site.
The best book to read for an introduction to Maya society and history
is: Coe, M. (1993). The Maya. London, Thames & Hudson. Good used copies
are available on www.half.com and www.abebooks.com.
Another place to shop and hang out on the beach is Playa del Carmen, about
an hour south of the airport. From there you can take a ferry to Isla
Cozumel. Previous teams have had groups go there, share a inexpensive
VW convertible car rental, and take in some of the swimming, snorkeling
and diving to be done around the small island.
For those planning pre-trips and extensions the Rough Guide and Lonely
Planet have good publications covering the Yucatan Peninsula.
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May 25, 2003
Q1: What form do I use in order to pay by check? Do I just
write a check
for $900 to ELI and send it to the Tucson address?
A1. You can use your personal check. Write the check to: Environmental
Learning Institute. Mail the check to the Tucson address: David Silverberg,
Environmental Learning Institute, 5710 South Freeman Road #4, Tucson,
AZ
85747. Alternatively you pay by credit card using PayPal at the following
URL: http://www.environmentallearning.org/Credit_Card_Payment.htm.
Q2. I'd like credit for the class. I'm enrolling in a biology degree
program. Would Option 2 count toward real credits, as opposed to workshop
credits?
A2. It sounds like Option 2 is probably the way to go for you. Option
2 is
graduate level sciences credit. I always recommend participants talk with
their schools/departments and find out what type of credit their school
require and accept. Schools vary in this. The contact at NMIT is Marisa
Wolfe, 505-835-5470, mwolfe@admin.nmt.edu.
Q3. RE: NMIT research paper--how extensive is it?
A3. The NMIT research paper for the additional credit is 10 Pages. The
paper topic would be agreed upon between the participant and the field
director, David Silverberg, before the course end. You can email the paper
to Professor Silverberg.
Q4. I'm really not sure what sort of presentation you want. Could you
give
me examples of what some other presentations have been?
A4. The presentation is an opportunity for you to share with us some
aspect
of relevant knowledge or best practices with respect to our expedition.
For
example, teachers have shared with us their models of inquiry-based
learning, specific curriculum, lesson plans, led a discussion on science
education constructivist pedagogy, community based educational partnerships,
a case study on using local protected areas in achieving content knowledge
standards, led discussions on AP environmental science, creative outdoor
center programming, biology, geology or ecology lectures, powerpoints
on
other relevant professional development courses you experienced, great
labs.
It is wide open for you. The format is wide open too. You can lecture
or
facilitate something experiential.
Saludos,
David
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May 21, 2003
Hola a todos!
We hope you and your families are well.
It's just under 6 weeks before our rendezvous in Cancun. For some of you
the spring semester is coming to a close. For others there are still a
few busy weeks ahead.
We've been busy finalizing details with our expedition partners, the Amigos
de Sian Ka'an. It's looking like a remarkable expedition this year. Our
colleagues from Quintana Roo have identified a few potential field projects
that look intriguing and meaningful for the management of the biosphere
reserve.
David Wojnowski will not be joining us this year due to a late family
development that demands he remain at home.
It's a good time to start conversing about our expedition into the Sian
Ka'an Biosphere Reserve. I'm sharing email addresses of our participants
because there are frequently synergies that arise from getting the group
to begin communicating a little early. For example, during the past two
years in which we have run this course a few teachers arrived early or
planned to depart late and were looking for travel partners. It's also
a good time to share info on any good air fares you may have found. Please
send your questions to me and I'll share the answers with everyone.
Here is the current list of participants:
Louise Fleming, Oregon
Maima Freitas, New York
Ann McDonough, Pennsylvania
Heather Miller, Colorado
Diane Murphy, Kentucky
Mary Beth Nawor, Illinois
Ronald Rushing, Texas
David Silverberg, Arizona
Anna Williamson, Washington
Here is a list of items/information of interest:
1. Please be sure to get your course fees and paper work to us ASAP. You
can pay by check or by credit card using PayPal.
2. There are two recommended pre-course readings. But if you don't have
the time because your semester ends on June 27 or you can't find the books
or articles at your local library don't worry. We'll have copies available
for you in the field.
a. J. Simon, 1997, Endangered Mexico, San Francisco, Sierra Club Books.
You can find this book used at www.abebooks.com or www.half.com or your
library. The chapter "Trouble in Paradise" p181-204 is a good
introduction to environmental issues in Quintana Roo and the Sian Ka'an
Biosphere Reserve.
b. Vitousek, P.M., et al.. 1997. Human domination of earth's ecosystems.
Science 277: 494-499. A good synthesis article on global environmental
change.
We will be doing a text-based seminar on the Vitousek article soon after
arrival. For review of text-based seminar technique please go to: http://www.cesnorthwest.org/text-based_seminar.htm.
Our framing question is: What data supports the author's hypothesis that
human beings dominate earth's ecosystems? If so, which ecosystems?
3. We have created a MAYA TORCH EXPEDITION UPDATE button on the Maya Course
Site. Please check that every once in a while for expedition updates.
4. We are asking each of you to consider making a presentation to or leading
a learning activity with our team that is consistent with the expedition's
learning objectives. This is not required, but rather we are acknowledging
that you are a highly qualified team of educators who likely have a great
deal to share. For planning purposes it would be helpful if you could
let me know your topic and the amount of time you need. Please think in
terms of an hour max, that would be helpful, 20-30 minutes was average
last year. We have a portable generator, digital projector, screen and
notebook computer (Windows 2000) with CD player, so POWERPOINTS are encouraged.
4. Please email all your flight info to me. This is important in case
you are delayed. We need your airline, flight numbers, flight departure
and arrival information. If your flight is delayed please leave a message
at ELI: 520-731-3374.
5. For your information, in case of a family emergency please give the
following information to your loved ones. They can leave a message at
the ELI office: 520-731-3374. And they can email us in the field at: silverberg@alum.mit.edu.
There will be several days when we will be off the grid.
6. Mexican Money. You can get this using your ATM card at the Cancun airport.
Generally the rates are quite good. I always carry $100 US cash for security.
I recommend getting a money belt, like the ones made by Eagle Creek. You
can keep your passport in this on your person at all times. How much money?
Well that depends...on how much you shop. There are some good crafts to
be purchased in the region. Otherwise your only expenses will be for personal
snacks, sodas, email etc.
7. Email. I recommend getting a Yahoo or Hotmail account so you can check
email while in the field. Most USA local ISP allow you to forward mail
to Yahoo or Hotmail.
8. Jewelry and Expensive Watches. Don't. Our courses have never had a
problem with theft, but wearing nice jewelry or expensive watches can
invite trouble.
9. Snorkel, mask and fins. Get these now and practice in a lake or pool.
10. Sleeping Bag. Super lite weight. You could get buy with blankets and
sheets.
11. Insect Repellent. Yes. Bring it. DEET works well.
12. Water. We provide all your water but you should bring personal water
bottles. It's important to drink often and stay hydrated.
13. Bring some big Zip Lock Bags to store your paper/camera items.
14. Once you arrive at the Cancun airport we will rendezvous at the YELLOW
RESTAURANT in the main terminal. There's only one. The airport is small.
15. Please bring your favorite field notebook and writing impliments.
You'll be taking lots of field notes.
16. For those of you considering graduate credit there are a few options.
Option 1. 4 graduate-level relicensure hour credits available
through Colorado School of Mines (additional $130). Registration for this
credit is done at the completion of the course with payment by credit
card or check.
Option 2. 2 sciences graduate credits available through
New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology ($360; option for 3 sciences
graduate credits with additional required post-course research paper,
$540). Registration for this credit must be completed prior to the course.
NMIT registration materials available at www.nmt.edu/~eodi.
That's all for now. Please keep your questions coming.
We're looking forward to meeting you in Quintana Roo!
Saludos,
David
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