Trip Preparations for S2S Volunteers

Orientation Presentations

Proposed Checklist of Personal Items

Passports --- very important!! With recent changes in passport requirements, your passport must have an expiration date that is at least 6 months after the date of your planned return to the USA. DO NOT PUT OFF applying for a passport if you need a new one or a renewal – it may take three months or longer to receive your passport by mail from the US government.

• Blood pressure cuff
• Stethoscope
• Oto-ophthalmoscope
• Canteen/water bottle
• Camera
• Small Flashlight, headlight preferred
• Personal medications, including supply of Cipro or other traveler’s diarrhea med
• Passport, airline itinerary (tickets are electronic), money, including $40 saved for exit fees at departure -- a waist pack is a good means of carrying these items. A COPY OF YOUR PASSPORT should be placed in all of your luggage
• Personal journal, if desired
• Pocket translation guide/dictionary
• Toilet tissue/Kleenex
• Ear plugs
• 3-5 days of clothing. Comfortable, casual clothes area best. Scrubs are fine if you prefer, but not required. Shorts are OK to wear, but should be longer, close to the knee. Dress a little conservatively, no overly revealing tops, etc.
• Good walking shoes
• Flip-flops
• Rain gear: boots & poncho April thru November
• Towel/washcloth/2 bars of soap (one for you; one for medical project to distribute)
• Sheet – optional – pillows and clean bed sheets are provided on site
• Inflatable pillow or pillow case -- optional
• Insect repellant (30-50% DEET as active ingredient)
• Lightweight sweater or sweat shirt
• Bathing suit/sunblock
• Toiletries

You should plan on possibly not having your check-in baggage for the first couple of days (worst case scenario). All personal, valuable items should be kept in your carry-on (including at least one change of clothing and toiletries). All carry on fluids/shampoos/toothpaste, etc, must be less than 3.5 ounces and all fit in one quart sized clear plastic bag. Inexpensive laundry services are available from the local women in Santa Lucia, so you can pack light!

Evacuation insurance – This is now required of all brigade participants and included in brigade fees

If a participant has an accident or becomes suddenly ill and an ambulance, medical helicopter or other medical conveyance may be desired or required to transport them to immediate care, this can be quite expensive, sometimes over $50,000. If the need arises to be medically transported back to the U.S., this can include the expense for a private air ambulance, or for a block of seats large enough to accommodate a stretcher and medical equipment on a commercial flight, plus a medical attendant to accompany the patient. Most U.S. medical policies, HMOs & PPOs provide little or no coverage for these expenses. Medicare does not cover expenses outside the U.S., nor will most Medicare supplements. Trip fees now include payment of evacuation insurance for you through the Shoulder to Shoulder blanket coverage.

Packing and Shipping Supplies on Brigades and Rotations

We have found the following technique to be the best for shipping supplies to our sites. The container is rugged, cheap, relatively waterproof, and sizes to the maximum airline regulations.

Use the 24 gallon Rubbermaid. The rubbermaid hold up real well. It is 62.5 inches, 1/2 inch over the airline regulations, but that has never been a problem. The clear and brittle plastic containers break apart.

Be sure to keep the weight under 50 pounds unless you clear it with the airlines or are traveling in other than economy seats. Some airline "clubs" and frequent flyer levels allow 70 pounds. Use the same technique for heavier things but use an 18 gallon tub to lessen the load.

Drill 4 holes in the corners. The trick is to drill from under the lip from the bottom thru the top adjacent to the little reinforcement notched under the lip of the bin in all 4 corners. Do this with the lid on and you will drill both holes at the same time. Use the lip reinforcement tabs as a guide for symmetric holes so the hole will line up even if the lid is rotated by inspectors.

Use cable ties to secure the top.

Put 4 more taped to a 8x11 piece of paper with instructions for the TSA guys to use them to reseal the lid.