Article: Preparing for Your Trip

Here are some tips from Children of the Americas:  Please feel free to add your own thoughts or feedback by clicking on “Leave A Comment”, below.

• Phone Numbers:  Have a printed information sheet for each team member with contact information on it. This should include contact information for team members, host group, and your hotel.  Also, rent some cell phones when you get to Guatemala for several key team members and give out the phone number to all members for communications.   This saves major frustration during the week to be able to communicate.
• Emergency Contacts:  Leave 2 emergency contact numbers behind in the US for team member’s families.
• Clinic Paperwork: Have prepared clinic sheets, prescription pads and note pads packed.  Number each clinic sheet at the top so you can later determine how many patients you saw. Gather each clinic sheet after patient is seen. This provides invaluable information  for future trips, and is excellent support documentation for the IRS or your donors.
• Feedback:  Ask team members to send thoughts within 3-4 days of arriving back home: It is good to get ideas on what worked and what needed to be tweaked.  It may be helpful to pre-determine a date and time for a conference call or meeting for after your return.
• Embassy:  Have each team member register with consulate.
• Passports: Have each team member supply you with a copy of their passport. This is invaluable if their luggage is stolen or passport lost.
• Photographs:  Warn team members against photographing children without consent (fear of child abduction).
• Meds:  Have your pharmacist pack Cipro for team members who might get sick on local food or water.
• Papers:  Keep a three ring binder for team with passport copies, copy of their application and liability waiver, and emergency U.S. contact person.
• Safety:  Advise caution when using Guatemalan banks, tourists are easy targets when exiting.  Most U.S. banks will wire in Quetzales for a small fee but they need at least 8-10 days to do so.
• Documentation: Remind team members that expenses, hotel, flights, etc. are tax deductions, but they must keep receipts.