Meeting agenda• Welcome• Official Tour Dates!• Trip insurance/payments/passports• Room assignments• Flight itinerary• Tipping on tour• $$$ on tour• Baggage needed• Dress code• Join Facebook Group!• Communication on trip• Medical forms

Official Tour dates

• 6/17 - 6/25/2015• Please double check that these dates are

going to work for you. – I have no control over them and cannot change

the dates. – This is how group travel works.

Trip insurance/payments/passports

• Be sure you are enrolled in trip insurance.• Be sure you are current on your trip

payments.• Be sure you have a valid passport:• Must be valid 6 months after the return date.– 6-25-2015 valid through Christmas day 2015

Flight itinerary

• We will get sometime in April• Usually 80 days prior to departure• They will send it to me, and I will forward it to

each of you.

Tipping on tour

• Plan on $10 a day ($85-$90) • $3 for driver every day• $6 for tour director everyday including the

two days of travel.• $ for other people who guide us on

excursions.

$$$ on tour

• Get a credit/debit card or both if possible for your kid.

• Currency is the US. Dollar.• You will need to use the ATM at some point.• You will need tipping money.• Get a lanyard for your money and travel

documents.• Some love to use pre-paid cards for their trips in

case they become lost or stolen.

Baggage needed

• We’ll be transported by boat to our location. Please bring something you can carry on your back. This will require a mile of walking.

• EF will be mailing us all a backpack for the tour. This will serve as an excellent carry-on to take. But I would plan on bringing something extra to pack everything else in.

Dress on tour:

• Please dress modestly.• You are representing yourself, our school, me,

your family and your country• As this is an educational trip, I expect that you

will dress modestly.• In a nutshell: cover yourself, and please don’t

let everything hang-out.

Join facebook Group!

• Vive Ecuador 2015

Communication on trip

• Communication on trip– Facebook– Phonetree• We need 1 parent to be the leader of the phone tree.• Who will volunteer to disperse information to other

parents?

Medical forms

• Please fill-out before you leave today!

Where we’re going!

Day 1: Fly to Quito

Airport is an 1 hour outside the city. Brand new airport less than 2 years old.

Set expectation that Day 1 is a late night, similar to Peru. No dinner provided. Pack snacks.

Next morning out the door fairly early, 8-9am.

All meals are included

Local currency is the US Dollar

Day 2: Yunguilla Sustainable Community

Homemade Cheese & Jelly

Farm to Table dinning!

Day 2 continued: Nan the “Museum of the Sun”

Day 3: Travel to Los Rios

#1 Cross over 12,000 ft

#2 Drive pass Tres Maria’s

#3 Enjoy your boat ride down the Napo

River

Day 4: Minga Lodge (Me to We)Service + Day in the Life

Welcome to the Minga Lodge (Me to We) Minga, in Quechua refers to community work or work among friends when

they need help from each other.

Local community votes for what they want built. They must contribute by working along side the volunteers and raise 10% of the funds.

The lodge is REMOTE! No wifi and absolutely no cell service.

Electricity is only on from 6pm – 9pm.

Me to We provides yellow work boots that must be worn. Along with hard hats, gloves and safety googles.

Long pants are required during service portion despite the extreme heat and 90% humidity.

Day 4: AM = Service

Day 4: PM = Day in the Life of a local Farmer

Jungle Hike!

Day 5: AM Service

Day 5: PM = Day in the Life (Local Cacao Farmer)

Day 5: PM = Day in the Life (Local Cacao Farmer)Making chocolate!

Day 6 & 7: Banos

TD Recommendation:

Hot Springs $3 per person + $1.30 for swim cap

La Piscina de La Virgen

Quick Optional Morning Hike

Day 8: Otavalo