· Let's Go 2000 Mexico (Let's Go. Mexico, 2000)
· Lonely Planet Mexico (Mexico, 7th Ed) by John Noble, et al.(October
2000 ($19.99)
· The People’s Guide to Mexico: Wherever you go--there you are,
11th ed. 1998 ($18.36)
· Ferrari Guide's Gay Mexico by Richard Black. Paperback (November
1997) ($14.36)
· Blue Guide Mexico 1996 ($20.00)
A passport is *not* required for travel in Mexico -- a "real" birth
certificate (one with the state seal embossed on it) will do -- but if
you have a passport, BRING IT! A passport is convenient, identifies you
as a U.S. citizen and a serious world traveler, and prepares you to "pop
off" to London or Frankfurt for a weekend when cybersaver fares are
available. :-)
Since 9-11-2001 *reentering* the USA is more of
an issue than it was before. We want you all able to come back home
without any hassle. A valid passport will help.
When we stay in Mexico City, we stay in Hotel Bamer (2 nights on the
way in and 3 nights on the way out). The Bamer is wonderfully located and
very spacious. It has a restaurant on site as well as a meeting room available
for our use. The rooms are very large and furnished with double beds (for
the most part). It will be good if you can choose roommates -- both twos
and fours -- and that these would be folks with whom you are willing to
share a bed. If there is anyone who strongly prefers not to share a bed
(with someone of the same gender) I need to know about it. We can accommodate
to most needs.
You may also choose roommates for the Hotel Taselotsin
in Cuetzalan. There are a couple of large dorm rooms and several rooms
that accommodate two. The beds are twin-sized beds. There are indoor toilets
& sinks.
David Brye assigns the homestays with the able help of Mari Carmen who
personally knows and recuits the families. David considers a large number
of factors when choosing homestays--special needs that a student might
have and a family might be able to meet, the level of Spanish each student
has command of (there are a fair number of "no Spanish" persons in our
group and David likes to put one person with better Spanish with someone
who has none or little), and the matter of proximity of work assignments.
David likes to assign people to work assignments
based a little on interest and again, on their level of Spanish ability.
Then he likes the persons who live in homes that are near one another to
go to the same work assignment, if at all possible. That makes it more
comfortable for you to travel back home from the work assignment in the
evening. Generally work assignments involve from 2-6 students in each site.
It is likely you will know your homestay assignment before you leave for Christmas break. However, it may not be much before that. David will send this kind of description, so that you will have some information to share with your parents and to use to prepare your photo book and to choose gifts you might bring.
David works hard with a large number of variables to place each of you in homestays and in volunteerSra. R. M..... is a widow who lives with her two young sons, Javier (14) and Jesus (7). She speaks a fair amount of English and likes to interact with students living with her, as do her two sons. No one smokes in the house but there is a dog in the back patio - not allowed in the house. The apartment is located about a 15 minute walk south of the center of Puebla (and my home).
There are internet shops and cafes in Puebla so you will be able to purchase access to e-mail.
Once you have selected a company -- AT&T, Sprint, MCI, or other-- be sure to get the number to use for calling to the U.S. from Mexico or From Mexico TO the USA. This is a key and crucial number. I will try to check that you have these before you leave, but it is not something to leave to the last minute. Most of the companies have some special plans that give lowest rates for calling a limited number of locations, etc. -- so if you intend only to call your family and/or significant other, you should explore those plans.
AT&T gives the following advice (taken from Consumer Reports Travel
Letter, Dec. 1998) about long distance
service from Mexico to the US.
1. *Before leaving home* check with your long-distance provider
about rates and get the proper access codes
to call home or between countries. Be sure to specify that you are
calling from Mexico;
2. If you use a phone that blocks your call to the access number you
want to use, you may be dealing with
a disreputable provider. *Choose another phone.*
3. Look for a pay phone with posted rates that are competitive. Confirm
the rates with the operator. If the
operator is evasive, find another public phone.
4. Be just as cautious with hotel lobby phones as with pay phones anywhere
else.
5. At check-in, ask the clerk about the long-distance company that
the hotel uses and the rates it charges--
including charges for local calls.
6. Direct-dial your international calls through your preferred company
whenever possible. But watch out for
hotel switchboard operators who may be paid to switch you to an expensive
provider. (My note: Use public pay
phones, *not* phones in the hotel rooms, whenever possible.
Pack your suitcase. *Then* take it all out, remove and leave behind
1/4 to 1/2 of what you had put in the suitcase
to start.
But... take lots of underwear (depends on how willing you are to wash undies out at night--by hand, of course)
BRING TOILET PAPER and KLEENEX.
Also practice using less toilet paper. Septic systems
are more sensitive, particularly in small
towns and villages. Putting toilet paper (used) in a wastebasket is
expected. It may sound gross, but if you
begin to practice now, it won't be so bad.
Remember sunscreen
a case for your camera
lots and lots and lots of film (but pack it in your CARRY ON)
Poloroid 600 film if you want to use
the Poloroid camera at your family's home
pictures of your US family, house, dog/cat/horse, in a little album
Try to decide on 1 *ONE* pair of functional shoes that can be worn on most occasions -- 2 at the most. DO NOT bring sandals or Flip-flops or similar foot wear unless you will wear it in the house. Sandals, etc., are not dressy enough for official functions in Mexico (including our classes and tours) and will be too cold, generally, for the weather where we are and unsuited for the rough streets in Cuetzalan and the village.
Women, bring 1 *ONE* skirt--dark colored, polyester (which means easily washable and not requiring ironing). We will go to the US Embassy and this is considered a "formal" affair. Mexico City is more business-like--dressing as you would for business or an office is expected. What you plan to wear for this can be your dressy outfit for other similar occasions.
Try to get by with 2 pair of shoes--one good for walking (nice looking
but comfortable and utilitarian);
one dressier (loafers, perhaps) for going to the embassy, etc..
Crackers and peanut butter (or whatever snack you crave) can be a touch of home when you are very tired of things being different. But.... remember that this is less than one month. It will fly by. We can handle difference for one month, si?
1. small packs of Kleenex
2. small non-electric alarm clock that will wake you up
3. laundry detergent (although shampoo works too)
4. washcloth and towel --
a good Christmas present
to ask for is a towel that can be bought at REI or other camping supply
store. They absorb a lot of water and dry very, very quickly. (Small or
medium sized is plenty big!)
It is damp in Cuetzalan and hard to get things to dry--regular towels
are almost impossible.
5. large plastic bag for wet or dirty clothes -- a supply of little
plastic bags too --the freezer ziplocks are sturdy and great for all kinds
of things.
6. small sewing kit with safety pins, needles, thread, scissors, etc.
7. durable notebook for keeping the journal (required) NOT black paper;
3 or so pens (*NOT* gel pens) lined paper is better in my opinion,
but
if you like to draw, enter photos, etc., you may use an unlined journal.
--or better yet bring two books--one for the required writings and
the
other for a travel journal that you keep for yourself.
8. toiletries in small containers -- think of the amount you use in
one
day times 30. And remember that we *will* be in civilization. You will
be able to buy shampoo, etc. if you need to, although it may not be
your
ultimate favorite brand.
9. pharmaceuticals - if you are on regular medication or regularly
use
over-the-counter meds--bring a more than ample supply. Bring remedies
for things you might not have (and might not get), but for which you'd
like to be prepared --Vaginal yeast infects is one of those (for the
women), since you can take over the counter remedies quite easily and
save taking time from the program to go looking for such.
You might need: Milk of Magnesia or similar for
constipation
Dramamine for motion sickness
Anti-histamine for ear and sinus problems on the
airplane
Lomotil, Kaopectate or Pepto Bismol for diarrhea
(also antibiotic,
if you believe you are prone to traveler's diarrhea)
cough syrup, throat lozenger, and/or other cold, flu, or sinus med
that
you use when you are sick at home.
10. Swimsuit either for the free days on the coast
or to go swimming
in one of the indoor pools in Puebla or in the waterfall near Cuetzalan.
11. relatively inexpensive camera and film. (I take
a Poloroid camera
and frequently take pictures of the people we visit to give to them
as
souvenirs. This is very popular). If you'd like to use the camera one
of
our days in the village, for example, it would be nice if you brought
a
box or two of 600 Poloroid film. They are often on sale at the major
stores for about $10 a box.
12. Gifts for your families
13. Picture book -- an ESSENTIAL!
14. Extra spiral notebooks (70 sheet), pens, crayons,
other school
supplies to donate to the schools we visit -- aspirin, tylenol, advil,
etc. to donate to the health organizations, and anything else that
you
think would be good to leave as a token of appreciation at the visits
we
are making.
15. Any comfort food that is particularly important
to you--but
*NOT* bottled water. There is plenty of bottled water to buy.
16. Credit card (s) to use in ATM's if you
need extra cash --be
sure if you bring 2
cards that they are from different systems -- Cirrus, First-Plus,
Optimax, are common systems. Doesn't matter whether they are master-card
for visa or am exp. It is a good idea to call the company service reps
and tell them that you will be in Mexico and planning to use the cards
from Jan 3-30. Saves them shutting you out because they think someone
has stolen and run off with your card.
17. About $100 in *new* 20 dollar bills
and probably about 20
dollars in $1.00 bills. The dollars are good for tips. $20 and $50
bills (must be the new kind of bills)
can be more easily converted to pesos than Travelers Checks.
18. telephone card with pin and number that allows
you to get into
your preferred system in the states. I had better luck with the Sprint
system last time than with AT&T, but it's probably a toss up now.
And
then there's MCI, etc.
19. Passport
20. International ID card
21. Books, for class
22. lined paper for writing final paper -- expect
it to be 15-25 pages in length.
23. sensible walking shoes
24. hat (warm)
25. gloves
26. 1 pr.wool socks
27. 2 sweaters or one that you like *a lot* (but
*not* heavy cotton knits)
28. perhaps even a set of silk long underwear
-- they are very
lightweight, but warm and can make the difference between being comfortable
and not
(it will be 60-70 in the daytime, but very cool inside at night, since
there is generally *no* indoor heating)
Be prepared to layer things. Dark colors can
be worn longer without
washing than light ones. Things that can be handwashed are particularly
good.
29. I took a polar fleece "sleeping bag" which
was very, very handy on
some of the cold nights.
30. eyeglasses and contact lenses-- extra pair and/or
prescription
31. Something for rain. + swimsuit
I recommend about $200 spending money. (4-$50 bills or $20 - 20's)
plus a credit or bank card that can be used in Mexico (ask the bank)
should be ok. The fee to cash traveler's checks is often high and you
*must* have a passport..
Bring extra prescription meds, glasses or contacts, etc!
Pack them in *carry-on* luggage. Have some way of keeping
money and important papers *under* your clothing, in a
belt, or similar secure place. Even fanny packs can be
sliced, cut, or otherwise removed from you quickly. Mexico
is not particularly dangerous, but things can happen anywhere.
January is normally the dry season in Mexico and usually warm by day
and
cool by night. Many days, I wear only a short sleeved shirt even in
the
evenings. However, you do need to be prepared for some rain and
coolness with a light rain-proof jacket (or small collapsible umbrella.)
You need not "dress up" for classes, but jeans and
similar casual
wear is not appropriate for most tours. There will be a couple of
dressy occasions -- the visit to the Embassy in Mexico City and the
visit to the State Department of Health. Most of the work sites will
accept slacks and even jeans as you will be working very directly with
the people.For the weekend in Acapulco you may want
to bring a pair of shorts and a couple lighter tops and your swimming
suit.
Athletic shoes are fine for most things but have
one set of sensible walking
shoes. David thinks discos do not accept athletic shoes. Flip flops
are only
acceptable for going to and from the shower and on the beach in Acapulco.
TAKE LESS than you think you'll
need.
There is a story about Ann Bancroft and the other
7 who made the trip to the North Polesome years ago. After a few days on
the ice in temperatures colder than could be recorded by the thermometers
they had with them (that registered 70 degrees below zero only), they were
running low on provisions. There was a conference about what to do.
They considered several alternatives and finally decided that everyone
who had started should try to finish and that meant leaving behind "non-essential"
provisions to lighten the sleds and make the running faster.
Now......if you were packing for a dogsled trip
to the North Pole, how much "extra" or "unnecessary" things do you think
you would have taken?
I like this example because
I think it points out how our definitions of "essential" can change with
the circumstances. What seemed "essential" at the beginning of the
trip, became less essential or non
essential when they had to make a choice between taking those things
and having every person make it to the pole.
For one thing they left behind half the sleeping bags and for the rest
of the trip slept 2 or 3 to a double sleeping bag.
So try packing essentials; then try for a different definition of essential.
One idea is to pack for one week. Or another suggestion that you
lay out what you think you need to take and put half of it back.
Remember that we are
going to civilization. You can buy almost anything you really needand have
not brought along. And you may want to shop so leave room for a jacket
or sweater, a new billfold or fanny pack, etc. But when souvenir shopping,
remember how heavy pottery is--even the famous Talavera pottery made in
Puebla.
Bring addresses for people back home. I write addresses on white sticky
labels that are 1x1 1/2 in or so.
Then all I have to do is peel them off and stick on an envelope or
post card. Then I know who I have left to
write to by the labels that are left.
No one is required to bring anything to donate to one or any of the organizations or sites we visit. If you bring things you may designate the recipient and your may give away what you bring without my even knowing about it. This is a completely voluntary act. That said:
In some of the volunteer assignments you may recognize needs. If you are going to be placed with children, you may find it helpful to bring some simple craft things--crayons, glue, a packet of construction paper, for example. If you will work with patients who have AIDS (SIDA, in Mexico), you might bring a bottle of Tylenol or Ibuprofen --both are expensive in Mexico -- bandages or some other commonly used medical supply. (Nurses: if you can, remember your stethoscopes)
When we attend Opening Exercises at the Telesecundaria, a middle school, that serves several villages around Cuetzalan, we offer a donation of school supplies--pencils, pens, notebooks, notebook paper, etc. The principal gives them to the appropriate students throughout the year. These things are heavy, so don't try to bring a lot -- remember the weight limits -- but we have a large group and even a modest amount is appreciated by the school.
We will also spend time in the classrooms at an elementary school, the Telesecundaria, and a pre-school in the village. Any toys, books (preferably in Spanish), and teaching aids (Mary Carlsen made flash cards for teaching common English words) will be useful and make your experience more memorable.
When we are in the village of San Miguel Tzinacapan we will sponsor
a time one day when mothers, sisters, and children can come to get used
clothing a shoes. David and I both collect appropriate clothing throughout
the year. Anything for children or small adults is welcome. Children's
sweaters, sweatshirts, jackets, and shoes are especially appreciated.