Preparing for the Trip

Let’s prepare ourselves for travel. Here are some ideas on what you can do now. Don’t forget to pick up some Spanish!

Preparation

Buy the ticket, take the ride. – Hunter S. Thompson

Be prepared. – Boy Scouts’ Motto

Physical

See the travel clinic for recommended vaccinations and medications. Be sure you are “up to date” on Hepatitis and Tetanus shots. You may be advised to take an anti-malaria treatment and more.

We require Travel Insurance for each traveler. Research and possibly purchase travel insurance (interruption, medical or emergency may be applicable). Some websites from a recent Star Tribune Travel section article include www.g1g.com (browse a selection of policies, from medical and trip insurance protection plans for individuals, to group insurance), www.insuremytrip.com (offers more than 100 plans from 18 insurance providers, but also publishes useful trips about travel safety) www.squaremouth.com (offers online applications that help travelers “easily and instantly” compare all the major travel insurance plans) www.travelinsurancecenter.com (Offers Policy Picker, a tool that helps you compare travel insurance packages, and www.travelinsure.com (offers a variety of products from annual travel medical insurance to medical coverage for frequent trips).

2022 Travel considerations

  • Complete your COVID-19 vaccine and boosts at least 2 weeks before travel.
  • Understand your own health risks.

Delta Cancel/Change Flights Policy (as of 1/2/2022)

Enjoy more peace of mind with no change fees when you purchase a Main Cabin ticket or higher on flights originating from North America. For all Delta tickets where travel begins outside of North America, we continue to offer waived change fees except for Basic Economy fares, which are not changeable.

From https://www.delta.com/us/en/travel-planning-center/travel-planning-overview

Costs

Flights

We fly Delta on the first flight on Saturday (5:10 AM) and return on the afternoon flight on Sunday (2:30 PM). These costs are Main Cabin as of 1/3/2022:

One Week

7/9-17

$1,149

Other

$200 (approx) $10 to enter the country, $40 or more to Sisters for food and expenses. For souvenirs and restaurants, have $1’s ready. Most will take it at a 31 to 34 Dominican Pesos to the US Dollar exchange rate, but won’t give change in USD of course. You can also use credit cards at some restaurants and shops.

Spiritual

Reflect on what you would like from the week. What gifts to you have to bring? How will you make the trip more enjoyable for the girls and the other travelers? Are you open to try new activities, new food, new language, new culture?

Make sure you have your passport and it is current. E-mail to your trip leader emergency contact information.

Cultural

Read fiction or non-fiction about the Dominican Republic, the Caribbean. Some suggestions include In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez (also a movie on DVD with Salma Hayek), Travel books with historical summaries, Sugar (HBO movie available on Netflix. It’s more about DR baseball than the girls, but it’s all related.) and Caribbean by James Michener (book on CD available at Hennepin County libraries).

Take a look at a map of the country.

Do a news search on the web about the Dominican Republic to find out recent events/hot topics.

Learn some Spanish, at least the “Must Know Phrases” later in this booklet. Subscribe to Spanish Word of the Day at http://www.transparent.com/, Listen to “Coffee Break Spanish’ on your computer or iPod through iTunes or at http://www.radiolinguamedia.com/cbs/www/index.html, go to a Spanish Langauge Mass at Sagrado Corazon in Minneapolis or Assumption in Richfield, check out language books and audio programs at the library. Attend community ed classes.

Packing List

Packing List

Donation List from Past Trips

This is a sample from past trips:

School  Backpacks

gym shoes (from Sizes kids’ 10 – adults 8 )

Underwear – Sleeveless Undershirts (small kids’ size 6 or 8), Panties, Socks

Girls’ Summer cloths, including light fabric pants and shirts, child sizes 6 to 12

Bathing Suits

Twin Sheet Sets

Towels

Children’s Multivitamins, not gummies

Vitamin C, not gummies

Advil Sinus or equivalent

Advil, Tylenol, Aspirin children’s and adults

“When meeting people from a foreign culture, offer a few gifts that reflect your interests as a gesture of friendship. Better yet, give things you’ve created yourself. Also, explore their interests and their culture. Ultimately, the best way to forge a lasting friendship is to create something together. Whether it’s a meal, an art project or a spontaneous dance party, when you create something with others, you build a connection that lasts a lifetime.” – International Diplomacy Guidebook, from the Blue Man Group