Here are answers to some frequently asked questions:

-Who is eligible to go on Just Coffee fair trade Delegation to Coffee Country?
Anyone with a positive attitude and a desire to learn and participate is encouraged to join a Just Coffee fair trade travel Delegation to Coffee Country! Our delegations offer a safe and supportive environment for people of all different ages, genders, capabilities, educations, nationalities, religions, and backgrounds to participate in.

-What is the purpose of Just Coffee's Delegations?
The purpose of Just Coffee Delegations is for our company to stay in close contact with the coffee producing groups we purchase from, a value we feel is integral to truly fair trade! We also hope to foster an educational travel experience that focuses on the long production of coffee from the tree to your cup, the ideologies and realities of fair trade as it currently exists, as well as discussions on globalization, cultural diversity, autonomy and indigenous rights, women's issues, international relations, the histories of the communities and countries we visit, current events, and much, much, more! Delegations are customized based upon the interests of the participants and are cultural exchanges that offer a great way to learn more about the planet we live on.

-How are the goals of these delegations accomplished?
In order to open the doors of communication between the growers we purchase coffee from and consumers we sell it to, our Just Coffee Delegations meet with, share meals, and often stay overnight in coffee growing communities. Depending upon the country we are visiting, we also meet with other organizations such as local craftspeople, artist collectives, traditional medicine healers, local radio stations, locally produced magazines, research organizations, Permaculutre and sustainable agriculture groups, United Nations officials, government officials, environmental groups, and many others. This holistic approach to travel education allows us to not only learn just about our where our coffee comes from but also about how life in the area we are traveling to became the way it is. Outside of these more formal encounters we also take every opportunity to visit local markets, eat traditional foods, and explore as much of the culture and natural environment of the area that we are visiting. Excursions such as nature hikes, volcano visits, and snorkeling and diving can also be added to some delegation trips.

-How many people travel together on a Just Coffee Delegation?
We try to keep our delegation trips small. We can accept a maximum of 15 people per trip but often only take 5, 8 or 10 people.

-How long is each Just Coffee Delegation?
Each delegation is usually between 5 and 7 days formally. Some people choose to come down earlier or stay longer on their own. Just Coffee Delegations can be customized to be as long or short as a group would like.

-Are there language requirements for travelers?
There are no language requirements for Just Coffee Delegations. If you speak a lot or a little of the language in which we will be immersed, you will have plenty of opportunities to practice your language skills. If not, many meetings will be in English and those that are not will be interpreted. No one, including the people we are visiting, expects you to speak their language fluently; We only expect that all travelers are kind and respectful.

-Must one have a passport to go on a delegation?
YES, you will need a valid government issued passport. If you do not have one and plan to travel with us, please get one right away! Passports can take a lot of time to process. If you need assistance in getting a passport issued or renewed, you may contact me.

-How and when do I pay to come on a delegation?
Money is due in the form of cash or check at the time of registration. All checks must be made payable to: Just Coffee with the location of the delegation in the memo line.

-How do we reserve our plane tickets?
Plane tickets for delegations are purchased separately. You must arrive in the country before the delegation begins. If you arrive after the delegation has begun or leave after it has officially ended you will be responsible for finding your own transportation from and to the airport. If you know ahead of time that you will be arriving late or leaving early, please let me know and I can let you know what transportation options are.
 

-From where do Just Coffee Delegations depart?

People come on Just Coffee Delegations from all different places and generally meet at the in-country airport or hotel. I can assist with arranging flights and if people are traveling from the same location I can arrange meetings in advance of the delegation so that they can travel together.

-Can I meet up with the Just Coffee Delegation if I am already in the country where the delegation takes place, arriving earlier, or leaving later than the scheduled trip?
Yes! It is no problem for people to travel longer than the group or to meet up with the Just Coffee Delegation if you are already in the destination country. Let me know what your flight/bus arrangements are and we will work out meeting locations. Of course, you will be responsible for all costs of additional days.

-How do we bring money along?

• In my opinion it is best to carry a debit card that you can use at any ATM machine. With a debit card you can directly withdraw local currency. This is the easiest way to change money at the most current conversion rate.
• A credit card is okay for charging things and can be a good safety measure, but you usually can't take money out of an ATM with them without it being a cash advance, which your back can charge you heftily for, and they aren't good for buying things at markets, and smaller shops and restaurants, which are the kinds of places we generally frequent.
• It is okay to carry cash, but it cam be dangerous to carry very much of it and you may loose money when exchanging it. Also, in some countries it can be hard to find a place to make exchanges.
• Personally, I always carry a VISA debit card, a MasterCard debit card (in some countries it is easy to find only Visa ATM machines, while in other countries only MasterCard machines are prevalent. Having said that, most countries now have both.), a credit card for emergencies, and a few dollars just incase.

-May children participate in Just Coffee Delegations?
Yes, children of any age can travel on Just Coffee Delegations. The cost may not be different for children as things like accommodation, transportation, and food are all based on per person rates. Remember, these trips are educational delegations and may not be interesting to children of all ages. There are times on Just Coffee Delegations when we have meetings with communities and groups and may be sitting in one place for many hours. Having said that, it is also a wonderful trip to take children on! Just Coffee fair trade Delegations to Coffee Country are incredible educational experiences for all ages and will offer younger travelers opportunities to meet local children, learn more about the world they live in, ask important questions, and experience a culture very different from their own.

-What is accommodation like on Just Coffee Delegations?
Just Coffee Delegations are often broken-up between staying in simple but lovely hostels or hotels and visiting and/or staying out in coffee growing communities. More deluxe accommodation can also be arranged in some cities and towns at an additional cost.  Accommodation while staying in coffee growing communities can be quite simple, meaning that we may sleep on the ground, inside or outside, without pillows or padding, and it can be helpful for travelers to have a small sleeping bag.  Staying overnight in coffee growing communities is a great experience and a LOT of fun!

-Can special dietary needs be met on Just Coffee Delegations (vegetarian, began, gluten free, diabetic, etc.)?
-There is generally vegetarian food options available on delegation trips. Depending upon our destination, most restaurants that we eat at are accommodating and often offer something vegetarian and even vegan. When staying out in coffee growing communities it can sometimes be more difficult if you don't eat any meat, chicken, fish, or meat broths. If you are at all flexible on this issue, then this may be the time to be. We are generally treated as honored guests and therefore are sometimes specially presented with meat. When we do stay in communities we can bring extra food and snacks in case there isn't something that suits your dietary requirements. Before traveling into community our group will discuss this topic further as well as ways to be most polite when sharing meals. For trips to East Timor being vegetarian is much easier as most locals in Timor-Leste rarely eat meat.

Please let me know what your dietary requirements are. I can not guarantee that every diet can be accommodated, but I will do my best to prepare you for what to expect and you can decide if the trip will work for you. I have successfully taken vegetarians, vegans, people with a gluten free diets, and diabetics on previous Just Coffee Delegations.

-How will the group travel within the country we are visiting?
Generally we travel together by car, van, bus, mini-van. On some occasions we may take taxis or walk, depending upon the distance we are traveling and our location. We often travel on small, curvy, mountainous roads at fairly high elevations, and people have been known to get car sick. If you are easily affected by this, prepare your self however you need to (medicines, puke bag, whatever).

-In what way do Just Coffee Delegations help the people we visit?
We are not intending to 'help' anyone on Just Coffee Delegations; Just Coffee Delegations are not mission or charity trips. We do intend for all individuals and groups involved to learn from each other in an attempt to better understand the world that we live in hopes that this will be beneficial to people and the planet both presently and in the future. Just Coffee fair trade Delegations to Coffee Country offer an opportunity to strengthen relationships that already exist between our worker-owned cooperative, coffee consumers, and the coffee growers we purchase from and work with. Coffee producers that our delegations meet/visit/stay with are paid for services that they provide as well as receive donations for their time and attention.  As a result of Just Coffee Delegations coffee producers generate further income through more coffee sales.

-Are Just Coffee Delegations political trips?
Yes. Politics are involved in Just Coffee Delegations and in all of the choices and decisions that Just Coffee makes as a worker-owned cooperative.  Being up-front with our politics is one of Just Coffee's values and serves as the foundation on which our cooperative business was formed.  Politics are inherently a part of many important topics we will be investigating and discussing together on Just Coffee Delegations, including but not limited to: history of the communities, cooperatives and countries that we will be visiting, coffee production, trade and trade relationships, different forms of government and autonomy, equality and justice, and more. We welcome different types of people with different backgrounds and opinions to join us. Everyone on the trip is responsible for treating each other with complete respect and dignity.

-What if I don't drink coffee?
It does not matter if you do not drink coffee. You will have opportunities to drink coffee on the trip but you do not need to and will not feel left out or excluded if you choose not to drink coffee. Our delegations are more about education than about tasting and evaluating specific coffees.