Preparing for Your Trip

Before your Trip

• DON'T FORGET YOUR PASSPORT
• Learn some basic Spanish phrases before coming, especially to communicate with the Mexican children. Some of the children learn English in school.
• Check out the climate conditions for the area before departing
• Drink sports drinks, Gatorade, or cranberry juice the week prior to departing and Gatorade provided at the camp and worksites to raise your electrolyte and potassium levels.
• Get hydrated before the trip (drink lots of water in the weeks leading up to the trip) and then continue to drink plenty of water during the trip. Remind your children to take lots of water breaks. Remember that coffee and soda are dehydrating and don’t count as water!
• Staying a couple days in San Diego before the trip is a nice way to acclimate your body and prepare for the rustic camp conditions. Taking hikes along the beach or among the many trails in the San Diego area is a good way to prepare those leg muscles especially for desk jockeys or couch potatoes.
• Purchase a solar bag for showers, since warm shower water is very nice; however realize that on cloudy days, it will not be warm and so be prepared to either take a cold shower or use wet wipes or some combination.
• Confirm your airline and any additional hotel reservations before departing.
• Pack expecting that your bags will receive rough treatment by the airports and be squished into bus luggage compartments.
• When you pack, be prepared to have your family carry all of your luggage in one trip through the border crossing. Bags with rollers can be helpful for this.
• Ensure your name and phone numbers are on the outside and somewhere on the inside of each bag. Adding a distinguishing color tag or item to the outside of a bag to help you find it amongst all the others. Black bags especially are very common.
• If you have been ill for any reason prior to the trip, please let the camp director and your site manager know.

At the Worksite

• Stretch each morning before beginning work at the worksite.
• The Mexican children love to play soccer. Take some time during the work day to play, talk, and build relationships with them.
• It is important to be patient, but ready to help and occasionally offering when you see an opportunity. Don't be shy about asking to help somewhere.
• Pace yourself.
• If in doubt, ask the Site Leader.
• Don't pet the animals since they often carry diseases.
• Don't allow the Mexican children to drink out of your water bottle.

At the Camp

• Make it a priority to listen and talk to campers and the Mexicans around you to build relationships and learn from this experience.
• Do the suggested daily devotions provided to you.
• You won't go hungry!  Hot breakfast will be served every other day. In the morning you will make sandwiches and pack your lunch at camp to bring out to the worksite.  A snack of fruits, vegetables and chips will be available at camp when you return from the worksite.  Dinner will be authentic Mexican cuisine such as enchiladas, tostadas, or carne asada.  Some of the entrees you may be familiar with, others may be new to you! Encourage your family to try dishes that are new.  Each night will end with a Mexican dessert.  A beverage tent will be available at camp with fresh water, coffee, and hot tea.  Gatorade and water will also be provided for the worksite each day.
• Don't drink the shower water or water from the Mexican people or allow contact with your mouth. Don't brush your teeth or shave using it either. Don't allow children to play with the water and then put their fingers in their mouth.
• For your safety, keep yourself and your children within the camp perimeter while in camp.