What are your prices?

Number of participants and destinations determine our rates.   For example, for groups of 12 people to the Dominican Republic for 8 days/7 nights, in 2023, we charge $1,325 per participant. For a group of 20 people the same trip to the Dominican Republic will be $1,050.    

do you organize service trips?

Our focus is on creating meaningful and informed encounters with people and organizations, always respecting their communities.  We have two services trips: one music immersion service program in Cuba, and another trip for high school students in the Dominican Republic.

do YOU work with the local jesuits?

We do not have a formal institutional relationship with the Society of Jesus. Still, we partner informally with organizations and ministries created and run by the Jesuits and affiliated groups to create specific contextualized and informed experiences.

What is the impact of your Immersion trips?

We carefully design our trips to maximize benefits and minimize disruptions to students and local communities.  A portion of our budget goes to local institutional capacity building.  

CAN we give money to the people we will meet?

Our program provides structured donations to the community groups we visit.  We discourage our participants to donate money directly, to minimize any misunderstanding and dependencies among the community we visit.

DO YOu CUSTOMIZE your trip to every group?

Since each group has unique needs and dynamics, we try to accommodate for 1) number of nights, 2) daily reflection time, 3) dietary requirements (i.e., gluten free or vegan), 4) focus (urban, rural, border, health, history, education, etc.), and 5) security and liability concerns. 

CUBA

Schedule Sample

Day 1
Arrival at Habana, Cuba
Introductory Meeting: History of Cuba
Location: Centro Pedro Arrupe, Habana, Cuba

Day 2
Catholic Mass at the Parish of Reina in Cuba
Lecture: History of the Jesuits in Cuba
Meeting with leadership of Catholic Parish “Reina”
Walk the streets of Havana with parish youth
Location: Centro Pedro Arrupe, Habana, Cuba

Day 3
Visit parishioners at other catholic communities in Habana
Dialogue with Cuban Jesuits and parishioners
Visit the National Shrine of of Our Lady of Regla
Location: Centro Pedro Arrupe, Havana, Cuba

Day 4
Travel to the town of Cienfuegos, Cuba
Meeting with local Jesuits and parishioners
Location: Jesuit Parish, Cienfuegos, Cuba

Day 5
Mass at the Jesuit church in Cienfuegos, Cuba
Visit the City of Trinidad and meet Dominican Order priest
Travel back to Habana, Cuba
Location: Centro Pedro Arrupe, Havana, Cuba

Day 6
Dialogue at Centro Cultural Pedro Felix Varela
Meeting with elderly parishioners at Jesuit parish
Dialogue at Centro de Bioetica Juan Pablo II
Location: Centro Pedro Arrupe, Havana, Cuba

Day 7
Meeting with elderly parishioners at Jesuit parish
Youth ministry afternoon at the local beach
Location: Centro Pedro Arrupe, Havana, Cuba

Day 8
Flight back to the United States 

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Schedule Sample

Day 1
Arrival at Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Introductory Meeting: History of the Hispaniola
Location: Manresa Loyola Retreat House, Santo Domingo

Day 2
Visit to a Batey in Monte Plata
Day with Mujeres Negras, a women artisan group
Location: Manresa Loyola Retreat House, Santo Domingo

Day 3
Catholic Mass at the Jesuit Parish near River Ozama
Morning with parishioners
Visit to a local Museum and Street Dance Event
Location: Manresa Loyola Retreat House, Santo Domingo

Day 4
Day visiting Slave Trade historical landmarks
Location: Manresa Loyola Retreat House, Santo Domingo

Day 5
Visit Centro Montalvo, a Jesuit Think Tank
Lecture: Racial relations in the Dominican Republic
Meeting with group of Dominicans from Haitian descent
Location: Manresa Loyola Retreat House, Santo Domingo

Day 6
Travel to the East of the Island
Encounter at Radio Seibo with land right activists
Lunch and afternoon with Haitians workers
Location: Manresa Loyola Retreat House, Santo Domingo

Day 7
Dialogue at Fe y Alegria, local school network
Visit and lunch at the elementary school
Shopping at an Artesian Market
Evening with local College Students
Location: Manresa Loyola Retreat House, Santo Domingo

Day 8
Flight back to the United States

GUYANA

Schedule Sample

Day 1
Arrival to Georgetown, Guyana
Introductory Meeting: History of Guyana
Location: St. Paul’s Pastoral Centre, Better Hope, Guyana

Day 2
Lecture: History of the Jesuits in Guyana
Visits: Arrupe House, Jesuit Presbytery, St. Stanislaus College, Marian Academy, St. Joseph Mercy Wings Vocational School
Location: St. Paul’s Pastoral Centre, Better Hope, Guyana

Day 3
Flight to Lethem, Guyana
Lecture: Reading of Encyclical Letter Laudato si from the Amazons
Location: Catholic Mission, St. Ignatius Village, Guyana

Day 4
Crossing to Bonfim, Sao Salvador, Brazil (no visa is needed)
Meeting with Brazilian Jesuits
Location: Catholic Mission, St. Ignatius Village, Guyana

Day 5
Driving to Karasabai, Guyana
Meeting with indigenous groups
Location: Saint Angel House, Karasabia Village, Guyana

Day 6
Meeting with indigenous groups
Location: Saint Angel House, Karasabia Village, Guyana

Day 7
Driving back to Lethem, Guyana
Flight back to Georgetown, Guyana
Location: St. Paul’s Pastoral Centre, Better Hope, Guyana

Day 8
Flight back to the United States

COLOMBIA

Schedule Sample

Day 1
Arrival at Cali, Colombia
Introductory Meeting
Location: Instituto Mayor Campesino (IMCA)

Day 2
Travel and Meeting with Environmental Group
Meeting with Agroecological Women Group
Visit to a community aqueduct
Location: Instituto Mayor Campesino (IMCA)

Day 3
Trip to Universidad Javeriana in Cali
Campus Visit
Sightseeing City of Cali
Location: Instituto Mayor Campesino (IMCA)

Day 4
Travel and Meeting with Coffee Farmers
Visit Coffee Farms
Location: Instituto Mayor Campesino (IMCA)

Day 5
Visit a Sugar Can Museum
Meeting with Redemptorists Priests
Visit the Basilica el Señor de los Milagros
Salsa Dance crash course

Day 6
Travel and Meeting at La Selva Agrocultural School
Activities with local youth and children
Location: Instituto Mayor Campesino (IMCA)

Day 7
Travel to learn about Agroforestry Systems
Swim at Rio Guadalajara
Location: Instituto Mayor Campesino (IMCA)

Day 8
Morning visit to a waterfall
Late flight back to the United States