Consider the fact that Mother Teresa and her sisters “traveled only with such personal luggage as could be contained in a bucket or a cardboard box”.
CLOTHING
Dress should be casual and conservative. Don’t bring your favorite clothing to work in, as you will likely be getting dirt, paint, etc. on them. It’s a work trip not a fashion show!
Remember that we do not work in shorts.
Packing Tips: Bring a mixture of clothing that will allow you enough variety, but won't weigh your bags down too much. Don’t over pack. Expect to wear pants and shorts more than once.
· Casual shoes – I wear my shoes and pack the flip flops so as to save space in my bag.
· Work shoes – You don’t necessarily have to have work shoes other than your casual shoes but I have seen many people completely destroy their shoes on a work site. Also, you may be tracking around more than just “dirt” if you know what I mean. Keep that in mind when choosing what you will work in.
· Sandals or flip-flops
· Socks. For some reason, people run out of socks regularly. Plan accordingly.
· Underwear (that’s fun to wear!)
· Comfortable Pants/Shorts - On work days, pants or Capri’s below the knee are expected. Knee-length shorts may be worn while we are at our lodging facility only. Short shorter than knee-length are not permitted. Skirts and dresses are ok for our Antigua day and/or church. Consider what clothing is made out of before you pack. Lightweight and breathable materials may generally be more comfortable. (Hint: Cargo pants are my preferred choice for traveling because I always have a safe place for my passport & wallet.)
· Comfortable T-Shirts – No short or skimpy shirts, No tanks, spaghetti strap or strapless tops. Any writing/advertisement on shirts should be appropriate. (Hint: It is best if your t-shirts are not 100% cotton as those kind tend to retain moisture and do not dry quickly, I actually prefer %100 polyester because it dries so quickly. Wash it at night and it will be dry by morning!)
· One Church outfit – Girls: dresses (below the knee, with sleeves) or skirts (below the knee) with sleeved shirts. Guys: Kaki pants & a short sleeved dress shirt or polo shirt. (Hint: Most cultures dress to the nines for church. If you are going to err here it should be on the nice side).
· One Antigua outfit - We’ll be going to Antigua for our fun day. It is an extremely popular tourist area. We usually encourage people to dress in “nice-casual” attire. So, don’t plan to wear your work clothes on this day. Also, Antigua has cobblestone streets so we recommend shoes that will be comfortable for walking in those conditions. (One time I tripped on a rock the size of a softball in the middle of the sidewalk. Thankfully I had the right footwear or I would have broken my toe.)
· Hat, Bandanna, Sunglasses (you may not be a “bandanna person” but the Guatemalan sun can quickly convert you!)
· Rain Poncho (that can always be carried with you in your daypack)
· Comfortable work gloves
GENERAL ITEMS
· PASSPORT + 3 copies. One copy will be given to your team leader before leaving the country. One copy should be kept by you, in a location other than where you keep your actual passport. It is also recommended that you make a third copy of your passport and leave it with your family here at home.
· Toiletries: Shower soap, hand soap, razor, shampoo, deodorant, toothbrush, tooth paste, contact solution, Q-tips, Hair dryer etc. (Hint: Same sex team members may consider sharing shampoo in order to save space and weight in bags. Liquids should be packed in ziplock bags in order to prevent spills in your suitcase.)
Contact wearers: Don't chance missing the view! Bring extra contacts – just in case. Also bring your glasses.
· Towel & Wash cloth
· Sun screen, chap stick, & Aloe
· Bug repellent – though I don’t typically see lots of bugs in Guatemala.
· Medications & Vitamins / Allergy & prescription medications
· Small Hand Sanitizer or Wipes (it's good to have this when adequate hand washing facilities are not readily available.)
· Small Kleenex packs (these are handy).
· Bible, Notebook, Journal, Pen (Hint: you’ll need a pen on the airplane for completing your immigration forms)
· Ear plugs (in case your roommates snore - these are priceless!)
· Alarm clock
· Camera & batteries or charger, memory cards, etc.. (They have standard outlets and electric items work fine in Guatemala)
· Flashlight
· Trash bag– you’ll want this for your dirty clothes on the way home.
· Stationary – you may want to write an encouragement note for someone, etc.
· Refillable Water Bottle – You may also consider bringing some of those individual Gatorade/PowerAde Packs to flavor your water. Purified water will always be available for you during your stay.
· Small daypack (Hint: those nylon bags with strings make great daypacks for packing gloves, rain poncho, water, sunscreen, chap stick, kleenex, and hand sanitizer to the work site)
· Personal snacks (Sealed packaged snacks if desired. Granola bars, power bars, etc. Don’t take anything that will melt. Don’t eat in your room, or anywhere you don’t want cockroaches. Be prepared to share.)
· Card games, or the like.
· Money: You’ll want spending money, for souvenirs or for food in airports (all food in Guatemala is already covered), and you may also consider bringing some money to give at the church service we will attend. From time to time, teams also like to make an additional donation to the missionaries we serve with at the end of the week.
You will want to get Guatemalan currency in the US ahead of time. The current exchange rate can be found at www.xe.com. For a small fee, most local banking institutions can exchange your money for you with proper advanced notice.
OTHER IMPORTANT STUFF TO HAVE:
- Good Attitude
- Flexibility
- Patience
- Willingness to learn and grow
- Love for other people
- Knives & Firearms
- Fireworks
- Pets
- Electronic gadgets that mean a lot to you – (iPods, phones, etc..)
- High value items (jewelry, etc)
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