A Continuing Education Travel Course Designed for Louise Simone - The Sheridan School, Washington, DC

This travel course is designed for elementary school teachers who want to incorporate information about ancient and modern Maya people into their curriculums. Explorations in the Maya ruins will focus on ancient sciences, art, and engineering. Ancient astronomy will also be a major focus of the course, and the dates chosen will allow the group to track south following one of the most important solar events for the Maya - zenith passage. Visits to modern Maya communities will illuminate cultural traditions and the ways in which modern Maya people interact with their natural environment. In weaving co-ops, indigenous markets, and pine needle covered "catholic" churches the teachers on this adventure will gain an understanding of Maya life in Chiapas. The last day will be spent touring a Tabasco cacao plantation to learn about a subject near and dear to almost every elementary school student - chocolate! A final dinner and closing ceremonies in Villahermosa will bring this ten day travel course to a celebratory end. Elementary school teachers from any school are welcome to attend the course.

The course instructors will be Alonso Mendez, Carol Karasik, and Chip Morris, each respected authorities in the field of Maya Studies.

Maya Ruins, Culture, and Craft Traditions of Chiapas, Mexico
Price	$2500 per participant (add $400 for single lodging) Deposit of $200 due upon registration, balance due 30 days before the course
Date	August 1 - 10, 2008
REGISTER FOR THIS COURSE PAY COURSE BALANCE

August 1, Friday: Arrival Participants fly into Villahermosa, Mexico in the evening and check-in to their hotel. That evening, they'll attend a brief orientation meeting.
	August 2, Saturday: La Venta Park Morning: Tour of La Venta Park Afternoon: Transport to Palenque Evening: Lecture - Maya History Overnight in El Panchan
	August 3, Sunday: Palenque Morning: Tour of Palenque - Zenith Passage at noon Afternoon: On-site museum Evening: Lecture - Maya Astronomy Overnight in El Panchan
	August 4, Monday: Maya Rubber Morning: Visit a rubber tree plantation Afternoon: Rubber making experiments Evening: Free time Overnight in El Panchan
	August 5, Tuesday: Tonina Morning: Travel to Tonina, corn milpas Afternoon: Tour of Tonina Late Afternoon: Travel to San Cristobal Overnight in Rincon de los Arcos
	August 6, Wednesday: Maya Villages Morning: Chamula - churches, caves, and weavers Afternoon: Zinacantan - churches and weavers Evening: Lecture - Maya Textiles Overnight in Rincon de los Arcos
	August 7, Thursday: San Cristobal and Na Bolom Morning: Food and Flowers markets in San Cristobal Afternoon: Tour of Na Bolom Evening: Free time Overnight in Rincon de los Arcos
	August 8, Friday: Chinkultik Morning: Chinkultik and zenith passage Afternoon: Pottery making in Aguacatenango Evening: Free time Overnight in Rincon de los Arcos
	August 9, Saturday: Cacao Plantations Morning: Transport to Tabasco Afternoon: Comalcalco cacao plantation Evening: Closing ceremonies Overnight in Hotel Cencali
August 10, Sunday: Departure Morning hotel check out, transport to the Villahermosa airport, and flights back to the USA

Hotel Cencali: Two nights in Villahermosa will be at this hotel along the trails of the city's central park: AC, cable TV, pool, room service, internet access

Hotel Rincon de los Arcos: Four nights in San Cristobal will be at this hotel two blocks from the walking mall

El Panchan: Three nights in Palenque will be here: bungalows, onsite restuarant, pool, fans, private bathrooms.

- Lodging
- Breakfasts & lunches
- Ground transportation
- Entrance fees
- Day tours with anthropologists/archaeologists
- Lectures
- Course resource packet


- Airfare to and from Villahermosa
- Travel insurance
- Dinners

Proceeds from MEC Tours are the center's primary source of research funding. As such, a portion of the tour costs are tax deductible. MEC will provide participants with receipts and proper documentation regarding the center's 501(c)(3) non-profit status for your records.