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VERMONT - HANDS TO HONDURAS - TELA

GENERAL INFORMATION FOR VOLUNTEERS

The Hands to Honduras -Tela (H2H-T) Program is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Charlotte-Shelburne (Vermont) Foundation and supported by Rotary District 7850 and is a fully federal tax exempt 501(c) (3) charity, ID number 22-3543303. A formal tax receipt will be immediately issued for cash and/or supply donations. Most costs of being a team member on a Hands to Honduras-Tela trip are tax deductible (following the IRS requirements). Tax deductible donations may be made to Hands to Honduras-Tela and sent PO Box 156 , Shelburne, Vermont 05482.

For information about the program:
kindly e-mail lindaggilbert@gmail.com
call Linda Gilbert 802-425-3838.

SCHEDULE 2013 tentative dates:

week 1: February 9-16

week 2: February 16-23

Options for volunteers include going for one week, two weeks. Volunteers often like to tag on a few extra days to do some site-seeing.

TRAVEL PLANS

Volunteers need to travel (fly) on same day, preferably same flight times to reduce the number of trips needed to drive vans to San Pedro Sula for pick up (travel time approximately 1 ½ hours from Tela to San Pedro). Same with return trips. Coordination of flights must be determined with program organizers. Try to avoid very early morning flights from San Pedro Sula to the states.

WHAT TO BRING

A good, positive, flexible attitude

Insect block (small) the stronger the better as they are for prevention of

malarial mosquitoes

Hand sanitizer (small)

Neosporin

Pepto Bismal

Immodium AD

Tylenol or similar

Sleeping pills (if you take such – a few volunteers in ’07 had trouble sleeping) Bandages, small personal first aid kit

Sunglasses

Sunscreen

Hat

“Hard” shoes —steel toe – for construction work, Wal-Mart - $20.00

Work gloves, light weight gloves (like garden gloves), latex gloves (for painting)

Cement trowels, tape measure, small 24” level, paint brushes, sponge brushes, chalk lines, Leatherman – type multi-tool (put inside your checked luggage), drill w/bits (optional)

Work clothes – plan on leaving your clothes there when you leave

Short sleeve shirts

Long sleeve shirt with high neck collar

Light weight travel shirts: great Exificio type

Shorts

Bathing suit

Light jacket/rain/windslicker

Small length of clothesline and a few clothespins

Camera and lots of film, spare camera battery – digital is great as Honduran kids love to see the picture of themselves

Water bottle (hard plastic)

Fanny Pack to carry camera, lempiras when going shopping

Alarm clock

Small flashlight

Snacks: energy or granola bars, dried fruit

3-4 copies of your credit card(s), passport—not to mention your passport valid until at least, 8/08

Copy of credit cards and other ID

Items to give away - toys for small children; pencils; crayons; T-shirts; baseball caps with US themed logos; vitamins, aspirin, first aid kits, etc.

ELECTRICITY

Electricity is 60~, 120v. The receptacles are the same as in the US .

WHAT NOT TO BRING

Flashy jewelry

Expensive cameras

Bad, inflexible attitude

TRANSPORTATION FEE

$75 (amount not confirmed yet) vehicle fee will be requested from each volunteer to help cover the cost of the rented vans/pick up trucks/cars and to help cover the cost of gasoline/diesel fuel. The vehicles are used to transport volunteers to and from the airport in San Pedro Sula and to the project sites. It is requested that this fee be paid prior to departure.

HOTEL SHERWOOD

Calle Peotonal, Tela, Atlantida

Phone: 011-504-448-1065

Fax: 011-504-448-1064

Website: www.hotelsherwood.com

Email: info@hotelsherwood.com

Swimming pool, ocean front, bar, restaurant

Single room: $___ 1 double bed, ocean view, AC, Cable, private bath, hot water

Double room: $___ 2 double beds, 1 sofa bed, private balcony

Executive: $___ 1 queen bed, 1 single bed, bathtub, private balcony, ocean view, AC, cable, private bath, hot water.

HOTEL CESAR MARISCO

Swimming pool, ocean front, bar, restaurant

INTERNET CAFES

Are all over town—nearby. The hotel also allows us to use their internet in lobby as available. Sherwood has installed a VOIP (Internet Phone Capability) on his computer.

Telephones are available and you can call the states for about 10 minutes for $2 or $3.

SHOTS

Musts:

Hepatitus A (this is more than one shot with “spacing” requirements)

Tetanus (good for 10 years)

Typhoid recommended

Check with UVM international travel clinic or your doctor:

Malaria pills (chloroquine)

Anything else he/she suggests???

EAT/DRINK

You can eat or drink things that are BOILED, COOKED, OR PEELED (by you)

You can eat anything at our Hotel and the Hotel next door

Salads are OUT except at the hotels (many still do not eat salads even at the hotels and you have to make the decision)

The Hotel has clean water dispensers in the hallways

DO NOT DRINK ANY WATER OUT OF ANY TAP and DO NOT BRUSH YOUR TEETH WITH TAP WATER!!!!!!!!

Don’t drink drinks with ice (except in hotel) and ensure glasses are washed in clean water

CURRENCY

Although it is always in a state of flux, the Lempira was valued at 18.89 to the dollar in 2011. You can determine the latest exchange rate by going to www.Honduras.com and look for the Currency Exchange on the vertical menu on the right.

CASH AND CURRENCY EXCHANGE

You can probably get by with $500.00 or less if you bring a credit card.

A bank in town will exchange traveler’s checks—as will the hotel with prior approval

Do not carry your cash in a big wad!!

At the airport, there are money changers. Only change $100 there and have it separate from your other cash. Do not exchange as a group. Robbers look for large groups of people cashing large amounts of money. You can probably get by waiting until you get to Tela. A bank in town gives us a better exchange rate.

The BGA bank has an ATM (3 blocks away) which will take Visa ATM cards. The bank will also give cash advances via VISA credit cards. Maximum transaction is 3000 lempira ($168) at a time…my per transaction fee was $3.50. The Banco Atlantida (4 blocks away) also has an ATM which will give cash advances from your Visa—my fee was $10 per transaction and the maximum transaction is 2000 lempira ($112) at a time. Consequently, you might want to think in terms of traveler’s checks.

You will need approximately $33 per person upon departure. This is a fee charged at the airport to leave the country . It is good to have the exact Lempira to pay this and then you won’t end up bringing Lempira back to the States. (You also can pay in American dollars. Be sure to save some $$ to pay this or you may spend more time in Honduras than you thought!

MEDICAL/TRAVEL INSURANCE

Check your medical insurance coverage. Most important is coverage in a foreign country and what are the restrictions/exemptions, if any. Another good consideration is medical evacuation insurance in the event you have to be medevaced – an expensive proposition. You can look at the internet at www.imglobal.com . There are many you can find on Google.

A TESTED TRAVEL INSURANCE THAT HAS BEEN PROVEN (by Gilberts):

CSA Travel Protection

5454 Ruggin Road

San Diego , CA 92123

Tel: 800-348-9505

Fax: 858-810-9505 or 877-300-8670

info@csatravelprotection.com

WEB SITES OF INTEREST

Traveler’s Health:

http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destination

Honduras facts:

https://www.cia.gov/redirects/factbook