PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME!

Transcription

1 PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME! On your trip to Merida, Mexico, you ll be welcomed by the local staff who will be your hosts for the week. You ll visit the homes and communities of sponsored friends and learn about their joys and challenges while experiencing the beauty of the Mexican people. Mexico: Merida Project Trip Dates: November 12 19, 2016 Trip Size: participants Registration is on a first come, first served basis. We recommend applying by August 12, If you still wish to apply after this date, contact a trip coordinator regarding availability. Although some trips fill up quickly, spots may still be available. Registration will close on October 12, Note: Trips are open to anyone; however, due to the large geographic area that Merida Project serves, we are able to arrange visits with our sponsored friends coming from Merida subprojects that start with the letter M. Please contact a trip coordinator if you are interested in meeting your sponsored friend who is served by a Merida subproject that starts with the letter G. Those subprojects are very distant from Merida. These visits will be considered on a case-by-case basis. WHAT YOU LL DO: Please note that this is a sample itinerary. A detailed schedule and additional information will be sent one to two weeks prior to departure in the pre-departure packet. This Unbound trip provides the opportunity to attend Mass on Sundays. Day 1: Arrive in Merida. Local Unbound staff will welcome you at the airport. Day 2: Meet your sponsored friends! You will share a day together at a local park. Days 3-4: You will see first-hand what the families receive thanks to your sponsorship. Visiting a community each day, you will meet scholarship students and visit family homes. This region produces citrus fruits and hammocks. The scholarship students typically prepare an activity for the group. Days 5-7: Travel to rural communities, where you will again be welcomed into homes. Tour ancient Mayan ruins or a nature preserve. Day 8: Return home.

2 WHAT YOU LL NEED TO COVER: Please note that all outside fees and costs are estimates and are subject to change. Trip Fee: $650 International airfare: varies Passport valid for at least six months beyond the end of your intended stay Sponsors wishing to visit sponsored friends from a Merida subproject starting with the letter "G" should contact a trip coordinator about additional costs. WHAT WE PROVIDE: In-country ground transportation Lodging Meals/bottled water Interpreters The opportunity to meet your sponsored friend Lodging and transportation costs for your sponsored friend (and chaperone or local staff) Planned group activities Memories that will last a lifetime ACCOMMODATIONS AND FOOD While in Mexico, you will enjoy simple accommodations, typically in a retreat center or modest hotel. Married couples and/or families will be assigned rooms together. For those traveling individually, we will assign a roommate of the same gender. While running water for showers is available, it might not be heated. Please also remember that the tap water is unsafe for drinking. Instead, we will provide ample bottled water throughout the trip. Alcoholic beverages are not included in the trip fee, but there may be occasions when you will have the opportunity to purchase them. Meals are eaten with the group and will be simple fare from the local cuisine. WEATHER AND CLIMATE In November, Merida enjoys temperatures with highs in the low 90's and lows in the upper 60's with high humidity. Minor tremors are common in Mexico and may occur during the trip. HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS This trip may take routes along winding or rough roads, which can cause motion sickness. Consult with your doctor to see if this will affect you. Please contact a trip coordinator with any concerns. 5/15

3 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Q. What do you do on an awareness trip? A. Our trips are in-depth immersion experiences intended to strengthen the bond of friendship between sponsors and their sponsored friends and to show sponsors how their contributions are used to support and empower families. Many of our travelers choose to join a trip in order to meet their sponsored friend, which is part of the week s activities. Our local staff will meet you at the airport and will be your hosts for the week. Sponsored families will welcome you into their communities and into their homes. During the week, activities and presentations will demonstrate how Unbound works with families living in poverty. Unbound trips provide the opportunity to attend Mass on Sundays in most countries. The days begin early and are filled with scheduled activities. The trip can be rigorous, as rest time is limited. You may travel long distances by road and may be gone all day visiting communities, sometimes in very warm weather. However, an Unbound trip is not a traditional mission trip. You will not be building houses or working in communities. Participants should be able to climb stairs and walk on uneven terrain such as dirt paths or cobblestone. The amount of walking varies by trip. We suggest you contact a trip coordinator with any concerns you have about your ability to participate. Q. Will I meet my sponsored friend, and how much time will we spend together? A. This is one of the main reasons we offer the trips, and we will do everything possible to make this happen! If you are a sponsor, you will spend a day or two during the trip with your sponsored friend. In most countries, we will bring your sponsored friend, a member of their family and a staff member from their area to meet you. In rare cases, road conditions, illness or other unexpected circumstances can prevent visits from taking place. For this reason, we cannot make guarantees, but nearly all sponsors do get to meet their sponsored friend. Refer to the travel agreement for Unbound s policies regarding visit frequency. Q. How much do the trips cost? A. Trip fees range from $650 to $1200 depending on the date, length of the trip and location. Your food, lodging and in-country ground transportation are included. The price is the same for adults and children. Additional costs include international airfare, a valid passport, immunizations, travel medical insurance, entrance and/or departure fees for some countries and visa fees for U.S. citizens visiting Bolivia, India, Kenya and Uganda. Q. Is airfare included? A. Airfare is not included. Q. How do I sign up for an Unbound awareness trip? A. Send the completed application and forms, along with a non-refundable $100 deposit to: Unbound, Attn: Trip Coordinators, 1 Elmwood Avenue, Kansas City, KS Submit your application as soon as possible as some trips fill up quickly. Check our website regarding availability. Q. When do I schedule my flight? A. Make your airline arrangements only after your registration is confirmed and you receive the trip coordinator s written instructions for scheduling your flight. You can research airfares with a travel agent and on the Internet. The Florida-based agency, Vista Travel, is familiar with our trip schedules and may be contacted regarding airfare at (800) or info@vistatravelpalmbeach.com. Please book confirmed seats and avoid flying standby.

4 MORE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Q. Who can go on an Unbound awareness trip? Trips are open to everyone based on availability: family, friends, even children (6 or older), whether they are sponsors or not. In general, you will enjoy our trips if you enjoy meeting new people, trying new foods, and can handle long days with frequent changes in routine. An adult must accompany minors and will be responsible for their behavior. Special considerations must be made to accommodate minors, so please let our trip coordinators know if you will be traveling with a minor. A trip coordinator will confirm participants once an application and deposit have been submitted and the participant has cleared a background check. All participants must register. Q. What are the accommodations like? A. Accommodations are simple, such as a retreat center or a modest hotel. Married couples and/or families will be assigned a private room. For those traveling individually, we will assign a roommate. Single occupancy rooms are available in some areas for an additional fee. This fee varies by trip and is confirmed approximately one month prior to departure. While running water for showers is available, it might not be heated. Meals are eaten with the group and will be simple fare from the local cuisine. We provide ample bottled water throughout the trip. Q. I don't speak the language, is that an issue? A. Don t worry, Unbound provides interpreters throughout the trip. Q. Should I bring my friend a gift? A. You may bring a small, simple gift for your friend and for the family if you wish, though it is not expected. Sponsored friends and their families greatly anticipate these visits, and your presence is itself a special gift. Check out the travel guide included with your confirmation packet for gift ideas. Q. Do I need a passport and visa to travel? A. A valid passport book is required to travel internationally. Most countries require the passport be valid for at least six months past your departure date. Passport cards, certificates of naturalization, birth certificates, driver s licenses and photocopies of these or other documents are not acceptable travel documents. A visa is also needed by U.S. citizens visiting Bolivia, India, Kenya and Uganda. A trip coordinator will provide instructions for obtaining a visa after you register. If you are not a U.S. citizen, you will need to research additional requirements for entering each country. Q. Do I need immunizations? A. Consult your medical doctor or local health department for recommendations based on your health history. Staff members of Unbound are not qualified to offer advice on immunizations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at has country-specific recommendations. You can also contact them by phone at 800-CDC-INFO ( ). We recommend speaking with a medical professional as soon as possible, as some immunizations are time sensitive. Q. Will my health insurance cover me in another country? A. You should consult with your medical insurance company prior to traveling to confirm whether your policy applies in a foreign country. If your policy does not cover emergency expenses such as medical evacuation, we urge you to consider the purchase of temporary travel insurance. Many insurance plans, including Medicare, do not cover treatment outside of the U.S. You can obtain further information on travel insurance from a travel agent or through research on the Internet. Q. Where can I get more information? A. Read about other travelers experiences on our blog at You may your questions to trips@unbound.org or call us during business hours. Confirmed travelers will receive a travel guide which includes a packing list, gift guide and tips to prepare for your trip. One to two weeks prior to departure, confirmed travelers will receive a detailed schedule, the names of the group members, lodging information and final reminders. 3/16

5 PAYMENT AND CANCELLATION POLICY Keep this page for your files. Do not return it to Unbound. PAYMENTS All trips require a $100 non-refundable deposit, which is applied to the total trip fee. The trip fee is the same for adults and children. The trip fee includes: background check, in-country ground transportation, meals as outlined on the trip itinerary, bottled water, lodging, planned group activities, interpreter services, and the cost of your sponsored friend s transportation, meals and lodging in relation to their visit with you. The trip fee does not include: airfare for international travel, airfare for flights within the destination country (unless otherwise stated), passport, travel medical insurance, immunizations, entrance and/or departure fees, visa, trip cancellation insurance, and alcoholic beverages. Full payment is due 90 days prior to the trip s departure, unless otherwise stated in your confirmation letter. To register for a trip within days of a trip s departure, submit full payment with the application. Some of our trips may have a waiting list. If the trip you apply for is full, you will be placed on a waiting list and your deposit will be returned to you. A trip coordinator will contact you if a space becomes available. The trip fee (including the deposit) is not tax-deductible, because you receive a service in exchange for payment. We only accept payments made by credit card, EFT or check (personal or cashier's). Personal checks are only accepted in U.S. dollars (USD) from bank accounts within the United States. Unbound cannot guarantee a visit with sponsored friends due to unforeseen circumstances that may arise. No refund will be issued if a visit does not occur. Your sponsorship contributions must be current to travel on an Unbound awareness trip. Private rooms are available for married couples and families. Individual travelers will be assigned a roommate. Single occupancy rooms are available in some areas for an additional fee. This fee varies by trip and is confirmed approximately one month prior to departure. When a single room is available, requests are accommodated on a first-come basis. Single room requests should be made in advance. The expense of running background checks on travelers is offset by tax deductible donations made to Unbound s General Fund. CANCELLATION BY TRAVELER Notify a trip coordinator as soon as possible if you must cancel for any reason. If a traveler must cancel his/her trip prior to the payment due date, the deposit can be transferred to a future trip no more than twice, and must be applied toward a trip in the next two years. Unless otherwise stated in your confirmation letter, the payment due date is 90 days before departure for most trips. Deposits cannot be transferred to a future trip if the traveler cancels after the payment due date. If a traveler needs to cancel his/her trip after the due date, the refund amount will depend on reservation expenses already incurred. No refund will be given if a trip participant cancels after the scheduled trip activities have begun or chooses to leave the trip for any reason. No refund will be given if a trip participant is traveling without a confirmed seat assignment (e.g. standby) and needs to cancel on the arrival day or thereafter. CANCELLATION BY UNBOUND Unbound reserves the right to cancel an awareness trip. In the event of a trip cancellation by Unbound, all trip payments made to Unbound including the $100 deposit will be fully refunded for registered participants. Unbound requires a minimum of 12 paying travelers for each awareness trip. If registration has not reached 12 confirmed travelers by the trip payment due date, Unbound may cancel the trip. 3/16

6 TRIP APPLICATION Each traveler must complete and submit the provided forms along with a non-refundable deposit of $100 per person to: Unbound, Attn: Trip Coordinator, 1 Elmwood Avenue, Kansas City, KS, If applying within 90 days of the trip s departure date, please include full payment. Make checks payable to Unbound. Apply as soon as possible. Space is limited. Please print clearly. Fax: trips@unbound.org Member ID: (if applicable) ASC Trip date Destination Name to appear on your name tag (first and last name) Birth date MM / DD / YYYY Check one Male Female Adult T-shirt size S M L XL XXL Name of Parent/Guardian (if under 18) Mailing Address City, State, ZIP Daytime phone Cell/Other phone Preferred contact Phone Passport/legal name *Passport No. *Passport Issued By: USA Other country *Passport Expiration Date DD Month YYYY (*)If you are in the process of applying for or renewing a passport, you may submit the information once it is received. Will you need an interpreter? (Spanish-speaking countries only) Yes No, I speak Spanish fluently Travel companion (name and relationship) Solo travelers are assigned a roommate of the same gender. If you are a solo traveler and would like to be contacted about the option and cost of a single room, check here. This option may not be available for all trips. Would you like to visit a sponsored friend? Write the full name of sponsored friend CH# (if known) I d like to visit more than one sponsored friend and have listed additional names and CH# s on the back of this form. I am interested in sponsoring before the trip. Please contact me. (Optional) Please use the space below to tell us about yourself (occupation, interests, etc.). How did you hear about the trip? (circle one or more) Brochure Website Friend/Family Returning traveler At church Letter from my sponsored friend Other 3/16

7 TRAVEL AGREEMENT A relationship of mutual respect between sponsor and sponsored person is central to Unbound s mission. Unbound Core Value IV We have developed the following agreement and guidelines for the protection of each sponsored person, the privacy of travelers, and the integrity of Unbound as an organization. We require that all trip participants adhere to these standards to ensure a positive and fulfilling experience for all involved. Unbound reserves the right to determine whether a participant s behavior is considered offensive or inappropriate and has instructed the local staff to notify Unbound-Kansas if there is a violation of any policy and to notify local authorities when necessary. This agreement provides standards of behavior including, but not limited to: I. Unbound Visit Standards a. Sponsors may visit with a specific sponsored friend/family once per calendar year. This visit can occur either on an awareness trip or through an individual sponsor visit (ISV) scheduled through Unbound s Kansas City office. b. Travelers age 18 and older are required to authorize and clear a background check in order to travel. c. Unbound reserves the right to prioritize first-time travelers visiting their sponsored friend for the first time. d. In an effort to offer the awareness trip experience to as many sponsors as possible, Unbound may ask trip participants who have attended awareness trips to the same destination in consecutive years to refrain from applying for that destination for one year. Instead, we will invite these travelers to schedule an individual sponsor visit, apply for an awareness trip to another destination, or wait until the following year before returning to that country on an awareness trip. e. Unbound has the right to deny participation on awareness trips for any reason. II. Behavioral Policies and Guidelines for Travelers a. Traveling to another country and with a group requires an extra level of behavioral sensitivity. Treat everyone with respect, patience, courtesy, dignity and consideration. b. Always follow the directions of Unbound staff members. c. For security reasons, trip participants must stay with the group and follow the planned itinerary at all times. All personal engagements must take place prior to the start of the awareness trip or after the trip concludes. No personal itineraries, agendas, or unregistered guests are permitted during the trip. d. Be culturally sensitive when choosing your clothing. Revealing or immodest clothing is inappropriate. Clothing must cover the knees and shoulders unless otherwise stated in the trip s pre-departure materials. Do not bring excessive or expensivelooking jewelry. e. Never give monetary gifts or other valuable gifts directly to a sponsored person, family member or Unbound staff member. All monetary gifts must be made through Unbound s office in Kansas City. This allows us to ensure that your contribution is used appropriately and effectively, in the best interest of the child or aging friend. Also, we can send you a receipt so that your gift may be tax deductible. Field offices cannot provide receipts required for tax-deductible donations. f. If a sponsored friend or a family member asks for additional monetary or material assistance, please speak with a local Unbound staff member before agreeing to provide any additional assistance. Remember, monetary gifts may not be given directly to a sponsored friend or family member. Please be aware that we discourage sponsored friends and their families

8 from initiating these types of requests. g. Randomly distributing gifts in public, including candy and money, is not permitted. Such actions are disrespectful to the dignity of community residents and can create uncontrollable, chaotic situations. h. Excessive consumption of alcohol and/or public drunkenness is not acceptable. Refrain from consuming alcohol in the presence of sponsored members. i. The use or possession of illegal drugs is prohibited at all times. This is a serious offense, subject to the laws of the country visited. III. Protection and Privacy of Sponsored Members, Travelers and Staff a. A staff member or volunteer of Unbound must accompany you at all times when visiting with sponsored members. For your and everyone s protection, you should never be alone with a sponsored member. b. Be sensitive to another s need for space. Sponsored members should not be held, kissed, touched, cuddled or hugged in a manner that a reasonable person might construe as inappropriate. c. Flirting, unwelcome flattery, suggestive comments, or intimate relationships with members of our community or staff is unacceptable. d. Never provide, ask for, accept or record personal contact information (including addresses, phone numbers and ) to a sponsored friend, family member, or directly to local Unbound staff. All communication during and after the visit must follow our regular correspondence guidelines. e. Do not locate or connect with sponsored friends, their families or Unbound staff through social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Violation of this policy goes against Unbound s sponsored member protection and communication policies and may jeopardize your friend s eligibility for sponsorship and your eligibility to sponsor. f. For the protection and well-being of our sponsored families, do not geotag your locations. Please make sure location services on your GPS enabled devices, such as smartphones and cameras, are turned off. Refer to your user's manual for information on how to disable geotagging. For example, a geotagged photo includes specific geographical data, which can then be pulled from the photo when posted to social media, ed or shared in any other digital format. g. Do not ask for or accept accommodation with the family of a sponsored friend or staff member during or following the trip. h. Do not offer or accept a petition to bring a sponsored friend to visit or reside in the U.S. or your country of origin. Non-compliance with the aforementioned standards or recommendations of local Unbound staff could result in the loss of visiting privileges or termination of sponsorship. If, during your visit, you observe others acting inappropriately or inconsistent with these standards, please report this activity immediately to the local Unbound staff. I have read, understand and agree to abide by the aforementioned Travel Agreement. I have also read and understand the Awareness Trip Payment and Cancellation Policy. Printed Name Date Signature A copy of this Travel Agreement will be in the travel guide included in your confirmation packet. 3/16

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