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Travel Tips Here are some last minute suggestions to help make your arrival here go smoothly. PACKING: Pack as light as possible. Personal Items Checklist (Remember that many of the conveniences we take for granted may be missing at your destination.)
Identify your luggage in several places with your NAME and ADDRESS. Each team member should pack the following in their CARRY-ON BAG:
Bring a belt pouch (“fanny pack”) . In crowds, wrap the strap through another waist belt or loop for security. This should contain travel documents, health certificates, passports, ID, money, sun glasses, camera, pens, etc. INFORMATION: --We require team leaders to review the website and pass on relevant information to team members in orientation meetings. Please review and share the information off the website, especially from this page: http://www.gbgm-umc.org/hondurasini/Mission%20Teams/Preparing/preparemain.htm INSURANCE: --UMVIM insurance. Did everyone purchase it? The form is found here: http://gbgm-umc.org/vim/insuform.htm ARRIVAL: Before you land. During the flight to Honduras, each person will be handed two forms to fill out: one for immigration, and one for customs. Each person (or family) should fill these out, including the address and phone number of the Honduras Methodist Church office: Iglesia Metodista de Honduras Col. Jan Juan North, Ave. 1, Era 1, Bl 1, Lot 28 Tegucigalpa Phone Number—011-504-255-4526 Immigration. After disembarking and entering the airport terminal, you will enter immigration. Each team member should have their passport and customs forms ready for inspection. After passing through immigration,,you will enter the luggage claim area. Claim your luggage. · THIS ROOM IS VERY SMALL and there are a LIMITED NUMBER OF CARTS AVAILABLE for luggage. For this reason, we suggest that everyone pile all carry-on luggage in one spot, with ONE team member watching it. · Each team member should retrieve their ONE piece of personal luggage and ONE piece of team luggage which has been assigned to them when the team checked-in at the airport in the US. Keep carry-on luggage and checked luggage separate at this point. This makes it easier to count and re-count the number of checked luggage that arrived. · ANOTHER TEAM MEMBER should count (and re-count) the number of checked bags that arrive. The number of bags should match the number of white claim check tickets. After all the luggage has been retrieved, each piece must go through XRAY and then be checked by the customs agents. Each piece will be checked with the claim ticket and then you may leave this area. Missing Luggage? Talk to the appropriate desk in baggage claim. They speak English. LEAVING the AIRPORT: Airport porters will be available to take the luggage through the lobby to the loading zone. Use the same TWO TEAM MEMBERS to proceed the luggage and follow the luggage with the porters. Your team will be met by an UMVIM staff member in the lobby of the airport. DO NOT leave the lobby. UMVIM staff will direct the team and the porters to the vehicles to be used. ONE person on the team should be ready to pay the tip to the lead porter. The going rate is about $1.00 per bag (about L.20 per bag) which can be paid in dollars or lempira. DO NOT pay anyone except for the lead porter. He will pay any others who helped with the luggage. DOLLARS: --We've had problems in the past with certain US dollars not being accepted here because they are written on, have stains, or are ripped. The dollars that team members bring should be on the newer and crisper side (brand new is fine, but not necessary). Bring $20 bills to exchange. -The airport is a good place to change dollars into lempira before you leave for the site. The UMVIM staff will contact someone to change money for the group. Be sure to re-count the money that is given to you. You will not need to change a lot of money for personal use. Restaurants in Tegucigalpa and the shops in Valle de Angeles accept dollars or credit cards. Restaurants in San Pedro Sula accept dollars or credit cards. LEAVING HONDURAS: There is an airport exit fee of approximately $35.00 (can be paid in dollars or lempiras). After you check in at the ticket counter, you must take your passport and boarding pass to the exit fee counter to pay this tax. CONSTRUCTION: Honduras UMVIM teams always work under a local foreman and often with a few local workers, depending on the job happening at the time. Please take your lead and instructions from the foreman on the site. Please remember it is almost impossible to know exactly what your team will be doing in construction. Flexibility is always important--and teams that are trained to think this way have an easier time. The construction work that you will be doing depends on other variables that are hard to predict.
We typically
ask all construction teams to bring at minimum: --safely glasses --dust masks for all --rubber boots for a few, if mixing cement --a team first aid kit --athletic shoes or boots (no sandals, flip-flops, or crocs on the work-site) Construction sites in Honduras are not OSHA approved--meaning they will be more hazardous than the typical US construction sites people are used to. Each worker will need to look out for their own safety more than they might be used to in the states. Please emphasize this with the construction team. EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS: (while in Honduras, eliminate 011-504 when dialing) Iglesia Metodista Oficina--011-504-255-4526 –English is spoken David Ceballos, cell—011-504-9595-2685 House 011-504-763-3102 Cynthia Ceballos, cell—011-504-3231-8735 (Missionaries) Ron Davidson--house, 011-504-235-8360 cell, 011-504-9871-7416—the extra digit is needed Loretta Davidson, cell—011-504-9929-8777 (Missionary) Rev. Roberto Pena--house, 011-504-232-6016 cell, 011-504-9971-4788 (Superintendent) Sandy Raasch—house, 011-504-235-3512 cell, 011-504-9873-0781 (Missionary) Edgar Avitia—GBGM, New York—001-212-870-3828 (Mission Initiative Director) ONLY SPANISH SPOKEN: Mission House—Subirana—011-504-608-7645 Mission House—Talanga—011-504-775-8493 Mission House—La Ceibita—011-504-443-4245 Hotel Granada--Danli—011-504-3372-6450 Hotel La Fuente—Talanga—011-504-775-9978 Hotel Isis—El Paraiso—011-504-793-4251 Casal Bed & Breakfast—Tegucigalpa—011-504-235-8891
US Embassy—Tegucigalpa—011 504 238-5114 after hours—011 504 236-8497 The United Methodist Mission Church of Honduras thanks you for choosing to come here to work with your "brothers and sisters in Christ" to build God's kingdom. May God richly bless your trip to Honduras and your fellowship with the people. QUE LE VAYA BIEN (Have a safe trip)! Ron Davidson, UMVIM Coordinator
Cynthia
Ceballos, UMVIM Coordinator |
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