BUILD HOPE
GA Mexico Trip 2015
Build Hope is…
BUILDING CHARACTER.
BUILDING HOMES.
BUILDING HOPE.
Challenging Circumstances – Empowering
Encouragement - Leadership Lessons –- Real
Reflection - Memorable Moments - Faith
Formation - Stirring Stories - Lasting Legacies –
Framing Futures
Why build a house?
http://vimeo.com/66821403
What is the plan?
DAY 1
DAY 2
DAY 3
DAY 4
DAY 5
DAY 6
DAY 7
DAY 8
DAY 9
DAY 10
DAY 11
Fly to LAX from Heathrow
Travel to Mexico and set up camp
Build House – Foundations
Build House – Walls
Build House – Roof
Build House – Windows & Doors/Rendering
Build House – Rendering & Hand over keys
Travel across border & Shopping
Final day to relax in San Diego
STUDENTS WILL BE TRAVELLING
WITH OTHER STUDENTS AND
Travel to UK
STAFF FROM SCHOOLS AROUND
Arrive back home
THE UK
TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
Sunday 28th June until Wednesday 8th July
Flight times TBC
We are flying from Heathrow to LAX International by British Airways
Transport to and from the airport will be provided by your individual school – departure times for each
school to be confirmed. You will leave in the morning.
You will arrive at the airport 3 hours before your flight leaves.
Upon arrival in LAX we will then travel by coach to San Diego (approx. 2hrs) to stay overnight in a hotel.
BAGAGGE ALLOWANCE WILL BE COMMUNICATED PRIOR TO TRAVEL – CHECK
BA WEBSITE FOR LATEST GUIDANCE
PASSPORTS & VISAS
PASSPORT
COPIES
MUST BE
HELD IN
SCHOOL BY
FEB 1st
2015
Your Valid Passport must be up to date with minimum
six months valid time left
All travellers must have a valid visa for entry to US (ESTA)
available online (Cost is $14-payable by yourself)
https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/ for ESTA details – ask for help if
needed!
Address for ESTA is 1664 Precision Park Lane San Diego, CA 92173
Staff must view your passport before you leave for the airport on the
day of travel. Photocopies kept with school & Build Hope Team
YOU WILL NOT GET INTO AMERICA WITHOUT A VALID VISA!
Where are we going?
AMOR CAMP SITE
Featuring...
Secure location
Beautiful scenery
Large shared tents
Clean toilet facilities
Solar shower block.
Fully catered
Beverage Tent
Outdoor meeting venue
THE HOUSE BUILD
5 STEP PROCESS
Foundations
Walls
Roof
Windows & Doors
Rendering
NO EXPERIENCE
NECCESSARY!
WE WILL BE BUILDING
SEVERAL HOUSES AS A
TEAM – 20 STUDENTS
& STAFF PER HOUSE
NO ELECTRICS / PLUMBING
OR DECORATING WILL BE DONE
EVENING PROGRAMME
LOTS OF ACTIVITIES TO BUILD CHARACTER, DEVELOP THINKING & CHANGE PERSPECTIVES
HOTEL ACCOMODATION
1st Night
HOTEL NEAR MEXICAN
BORDER
Last 2 Nights
HOTEL IN SAN DIEGO
You will be in shared rooms with other students
SAN DIEGO SIGHT SEEING & SHOPPING
PACKING LIST
Each person is expected to bring everything on the packing list.
It is important that these items do not take up
more space than the airline will allow. We
therefore strongly recommend that you pack a
limited amount of clothing since this is a work
situation and you will not need more than two
sets of work clothes. Please follow the kit list
as cultural considerations mean that people
without long trousers and tops with sleeves
will not be allowed on the worksites.
STUDENTS SHOULD NOT BRING:
Alcoholic
beverages,
Non-prescription
drugs, hair straighteners, hair dryers, MP3s,
IPods, IPads, Gameboys, fireworks etc.
Weapons of any kind are not permitted.
There will be no power outlets available for
electrical goods on the campsite. Mobile
phones are not advised.
NB: Any clothes worn on the work site are likely to be unusable after the trip
due to the use of cement. This needs to be taken into account when preparing
or buying work clothes before you come.
PACKING LIST
Items to bring
Sleeping bag (3 season at least, as it will be cold at night)
Camping mat style mattress (people have mentioned that air beds are warmest)
Small pillow
Toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, brush, soap and shampoo)
Towel and flannel
Head Torch and spare batteries
Sunglasses
Sun hat – ensure it covers neck and ears
Sun block
Lip Balm
Insect repellent
Work shoes – sturdy, no open toe shoes with thick soles
2 Sets of work clothes – nothing sleeveless, no shorts (full length trousers only)
Swimming costume (no bikinis) – to be used for showers
Warm clothes for evenings and night/ Warm night wear
Camp clothes – shorts and dresses ok
Non-work shoes (these must be comfortable)
Money pouch
Rain gear
Notebook, pen
Camera (optional)
Toilet bag – containing baby wipes (moist toilet tissue), antibacterial gel (toilet paper provided)
Labelled drinking container 1L min– for water on the worksite.
Nail pouch – (helpful but not essential)
Work gloves
Solar shower / Camp shower (20L) – available online for around £5 from Amazon
FOOD & DRINK
Be prepared to
try something
new!
All food and drinking water will be provided during the trip.
You will experience authentic and delicious local Mexican food along
with traditional pack lunches.
A beverage tent will be available at campsite with fresh water,
Gatorade, coffee, hot tea, and hot chocolate. Gatorade and water will
also be provided for the worksite each day.
Special dietary requirements and allergies will be accommodated for.
We will discuss this with individuals beforehand where supplements
may be required.
There is a shop on site that sells snacks
SAMPLE MENU
Breakfast
Scrambled Eggs, Mexican Sausage, Potatoes, Tortillas, Salsa, Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes and Cactus, Beans,
Salsa, Tortillas, Pancakes and Scrambled Eggs,
Fried Eggs over Tortillas Chips and covered in a Spicy Red Sauce, Cold Cereal, Oatmeal and Fruit
Self- Packed Lunches
2 Sandwiches-PB and Jelly or Meat and Cheese, Chips, Fruit, Granola Bar
Dinner
Spicy Chicken with Pasta Salad, Bistek Ranchero with Beans, Rice and Pico de Gallo, Chicken or Beef Tostadas with
Potato Salad, Enchiladas with Beans and Rice, Chicken and Vegetables over Rice with Tortillas, Carne Asada with
Beans, Rice, Salsa and Guacamole
Dessert
Tres Leche Cake, Ice Cream and Cookies, Mexican Pastries, Sweet Rice Pudding,
Strawberries and Cream
ESSENTIAL ITEMS
SPENDING MONEY
You should not bring more than around £100 (minimum £20) which
needs to be exchanged into US dollars by yourself prior to the trip
This may be useful for:
Snacks and sweets
Souvenirs
Amor Site Shop
(Gifts, Mexican blankets, Amor T Shirts/ Hoodies etc)
Shopping in California
The only British pounds needed will be used for snacks whilst in the airport so you do not
bring these for spending overseas!
CONTACT WITH THE UK
Personal Mobile Phones are not recommended to be taken on the trip although this
is at your own discretion. We will not take responsibility for security of any of your
personal belongings.
PLEASE NOTE:
•There will be no means of charging phones for students on the campsite
•Signal is not guaranteed and is dependant upon location and your specific phones
international roaming capacity
•Phones will not be allowed to be used when on the worksite
Please note the appropriate time for making and receiving calls taking into account
the time zone difference in Mexico is between 4pm – 10pm UK time. This will be
from 8am -2pm in Mexico. On most days we will be working on the build site during
these times.
PARENT/CARERS CONTACT
Official Contact Protocol
Parent/carers will receive official contact from the trip via your school at three
points during the trip:
•When the group arrives safely in the USA
•Midway through the trip with a brief update on how the team is doing
•Upon landing in Heathrow on the date of the return
Parents will have emergency contact numbers to be able to get hold of a member of
staff if needed.
We are unfortunately unable to give regular updates to individual parents regarding
individual students throughout the trip unless in exceptional circumstances. Parents
will of course be contacted should any issues arise.
SAFETY IN MEXICO
A Full safety briefing will be given to
students at the start of the trip. Risk
assessments available upon request.
•US HOMELAND SECURITY – area declared safe to visit
•Experienced staff
•Previsit check completed & 2013/2014 successful trips
•Full risk assessment in place before we start
•Working with AMOR (17000 houses safely built over 20
years with exemplary safety record).
•Working with URBAN SAINTS (experts at taking UK
students overseas).
•Locals with sound understanding of Mexican culture
•Tight control over what students do and do not do
•Students stay away from areas of concern
•Code of conduct in place
MEDICAL INFORMATION
We are not qualified to advise you on vaccinations, therefore each team member should seek
out professional advice from their own doctor.
The Build Hope Team have received health advice from InterHealth, and the following
recommendations have been made by them.
The vaccine recommendations for Mexico are the following:
•Tetanus should be in date i.e. within the last 10 years
•Hepatitis A
•Typhoid if visiting areas where food and water hygiene may be poor – this should
not be an issue as Amor will provide safe food and water for us.
Other health advice:
•Rabies does exist in Mexico and therefore any incident involving a warm blooded animal should
be reported immediately. It is good practice to avoid all animals to be safe.
•There are mosquito borne diseases in country but these mainly exist towards the south of the
country. Bite avoidance measures are always good practice e.g. Insect repellent.
•As the worksites can be dusty, pack extra antihistamines for allergy sufferers and extra saline
solution for contact lens wearers.
For any other health and safety related issues please see the Risk Assessment.
ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF
MUST ATTEND THE
TRAINING DAY ON
MARCH 28th 2015
DETAILS TBC
REQUIREMENTS
ALL STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE
• Signed Medical Consent Form
• Signed Code of Conduct (Given on Training
Day)
• Amor Participant Form
• Copy of up to date Passport
• Copy of ESTA Visa confirmation
ALL Payments must be kept up to date according to your
school deadlines which will be published by your school
A £100 NON REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT SECURES THE FLIGHT
THE COST IS £1495 PER STUDENT
FUND RAISING
ASK US ABOUT HOW
WE CAN SUPPORT
YOUR STUDENT TO
RAISE THEIR FUNDS