Section 3: Preparations

Kenya Music 2019

Preparing to Go

Making Trip Plans

Your primary role as team leader is to work alongside your global partner and the Baylor Missions staff in order to shape the overall trip experience for your students. Creating your trip itinerary is the backbone of your trip experience. This is done in the following steps:

After approval of your location and global partner(s), begin developing your project and plans with your contacts.

Depending on the amount of preparation required prior to travel, encourage your team members to be an integral part of this planning process. Utilize team meetings to organize and plan your mission projects.

Provide guidance and training for students to build helpful skills for fieldwork so that they are prepared upon arrival. (i.e. basic medical skills, curriculum and classroom management techniques, etc.)

Many trips require flexibility. It is always better to over-plan, keeping in mind that in many other cultures, schedules and itineraries are not considered as important as they are here.

Consider your itinerary a framework that is flexible and alterable.

When working with partner organizations, obtain as much information as possible: o Names of all organization contacts o Name of Business Office Contact o Land line and cell phone numbers o E-mail addresses o Physical addresses o Location details § How many people will be present? § Is there electricity? § Can a bus or van get to the location? § What kinds of toilet facilities are available? o Required fees or donations o Required project materials

Make a list of priorities –What projects, sites, etc. does your team absolutely want to see/do?

What projects/sites are more flexible? Use sites that are less important to the overall team goal as back-ups after the main projects are scheduled or accomplished. Remember that making a trip itinerary is an ongoing process. These are only the initial steps. A finalized itinerary must be submitted to the Center for Global Engagement (CGE) online approval

process thirty days prior to departure. You will receive a template via email or may download it at baylor.edu/missions/finalitinerary. Be sure to share your itinerary with your students as things begin to take final form. You will want to introduce a general itinerary to them at your very first meeting. At the latest, they should have a full itinerary thirty days prior to departure.

Team Meetings

Team meetings are the most vital part of preparing to go on a trip. These meetings give your students an opportunity to get to know you, the team leader, as well as their teammates. These meetings are where the beginning of a group mindset is formed. Several things need to be accomplished at these meetings: - Spiritual Preparation - Housekeeping Items –paperwork, passports, shots, fundraising, etc. - Project Planning and Skill Building - Team Building and Group Development Team meetings do not always have to include all these items however, these things do need to be covered at various points prior to the trip.

The following are required conversations that do need to be covered before you travel.

- Destination Orientation and Cultural Humility - Project Planning, Training, and Skill Building - Travel Visa Applications, if applicable - Logistics, Packing and what not to wear - Travel Safety and Security Team meetings allow you, the team leader, to have a regular time for communicating valuable information to your students. While you should use this time to discuss ministry projects, and skills training or fundraising efforts, we ask that you also utilize your team meetings to communicate with your students about upcoming deadlines and BearsAbroad items (i.e. paperwork, deposits, questionnaires, etc.). YOU are the direct link between Baylor Missions and your students! Please make sure that they are aware of the responsibilities they have taken on when signing up for this trip and take time to remind them of any necessary deadlines or paperwork that is required. We may also ask you to specifically communicate with students if they are missing items on BearsAbroad or have yet to meet a financial deadline.

Best Practices of Team Communication

- Students don’t always read emails. Create a Groupme or other type of group message (other than email!) to communicate with students quickly and get feedback about upcoming events.

Use Doodle.com to create a poll so that you can survey the team about meeting dates during the semester to increase attendance. Give your team at least a 2 week heads up about upcoming team meetings. Update team members weekly about their financial status and deadlines. Don’t go too long without hearing from one of your team members—they may be having a rough time fundraising or just in life—reach out to them.

Passports

All participants, including team leaders, are personally financially responsible to secure a valid passport. All passports should not expire within six months of travel. Be sure everyone checks their expiration dates! For all the latest information regarding applying for a new passport or renewing an already existing passport, go to http://travel.state.gov/passport or visit your local post office. This process takes six weeks on average. Keep in mind that passport copies will be due to the missions in the months before the trip. So, encourage everyone to take care of this immediately.

Travel Visas

Baylor Missions will assist teams with obtaining a visa for every trip participant visiting countries that require travel visas. The cost of the visa may be included in the total trip cost paid by the student depending on the visa application process. Baylor Missions will discuss this with you in regards to your specific location. This process is usually completed 2-3 months before travel. A valid passport is required to obtain a visa. The passport cannot have an expiration date the same year as travel. The visa process can take some time, so it is important for students to have a passport or apply for a passport before they apply for a mission trip. International students also have special considerations. Sometimes it can take up to six months to process a visa for international students from a particular country. If you have an international student traveling with your team, we must be notified immediately so that this process can be started before it is too late. International students will be responsible for the cost and processing required for securing their own travel visas. Missions staff will be able to help them navigate this process.

Exception: If a person is traveling separate from the group, they may be responsible for obtaining their visa. Also, transit visas are not included in the overall trip cost.

Helping Students Prepare

Support Raising 101 and Missions Summit

Baylor Missions will host two trainings during the academic school year for which student participation is required. 1. Support Raising 101, an online training: Students will learn how to navigate the payment system and explore avenues for fundraising and other means of support for their particular mission projects, and more. ALL students are required to complete Support Raising 101. 2. Missions Summit, a huge meeting with all the teams traveling: We will focus our time on missional theology and formation, cultural awareness, reflection, and general travel policies/advice. ALL students and team leaders are REQUIRED to attend Missions Summit. Please refer to the Baylor Missions Timeline Document for the specific dates, times, and locations.

Money and Travel Documents

These are the most important items that any traveler carries. Students should not carry large amounts of cash. Bank ATM and credit cards can be used in almostevery country to obtain local currency and to make purchases. In some cases, it may be wise to instruct students to carry their money, passports, international student I-20 form, and ticketing documents on their person in a money belt or travel pouch that is hidden beneath their clothing. Someone on your trip may misplace their passport or ticketing information. Make sure students never throw away a travel document thinking they won’t need it any more (i.e. e-ticket confirmations, etc.). Passports and documents may be collected upon arrival by the team leader and kept in a hotel safe. Team Leader notebooks will also have copies of passports and flight reservations, if needed.

Packing List

Below is a sample packing list which is on our website for you to download and edit as needed. You are welcome to amend it in order to fit it specifically for your projects and contacts. Please make sure that in doing so however, you are remaining culturally appropriate for the context into which you are entering. We recommend that you send out the packing list at least one month prior to the trip and again ten days out. Please consult your global partner who may have additional comments on appropriate clothing or supplies needed.

Sample Packing List

Carry-On

- Passport - Shot Record - International Passport Holders Only: I-20 form - Spending Money for Travel - $40-200 USD or green card - ATM Card - Change of Clothes (x2 Socks and - Snacks

Undergarments) - Antibacterial Wipes - Glasses or Extra Contacts/Solution - Reading Material - Toiletries in 3-ounce containers - Baylor ID card - Prescription Medications (In Original - RULE OF THUMB: Include items that you

Containers, Accompanied by a Physician’s would want if your luggage was lost

Letter on Letterhead)

Essentials

- Flashlight or headlamp - Bible, Pens, and Journal - Bug Spray with Deet

Toiletries/Meds

- Toothbrush and Toothpaste - Deodorant - Hairbrush/Comb - Shampoo - Soap/Body Wash - Toilet Paper (Travel-Sized Rolls or Travel-Sized

Packages of Kleenex) - Feminine Hygiene items

Clothing

- Modest dress is required out of respect to

different cultures

- Skirts (Below Knees) - Shirts (No Tank Tops or Spaghetti Straps or

Anything That Reveals the Midriff) - Pants, Jeans, or Capris (Lightweight) *Leggings are not appropriate in some communities - Shorts (To Be Worn at the Hotel or For Specific

Mission Projects…KEEP THEM MODESTLY

LONG) - Undergarments

Optional

- Umbrella - Cheap Watch - Power Converters - Snacks (Bring Items That Won’t Melt) Malaria Meds (If Needed) Sunblock Sunglasses

Anti-Bacterial Hand Sanitizer Allergy Medicine (Benadryl) Pain Reliever (Tylenol or Advil) Imodium Pepto-Bismol Laundry Detergent (Travel-Sized) Laundry Bag (Pillow Case or Trash Bag) Towel and Washcloth

Socks Shoes (Closed-Toe Shoes, Tennis Shoes, Chacos, Dress Shoes…Depends on Your Projects) Flip Flops (For Around the Hotel, etc.) Pajamas Fleece/Sweatshirt (For Mornings and Evenings) Windbreaker or Lightweight Waterproof Jacket

Meal supplements for those with specific diet restrictions such as gluten-free; some cultures will not be able to accommodate all requests. Camera and Memory Cards

DO NOT BRING [RULE OF THUMB: If it will distract you or others, leave it behind!]

- Travelers’ Checks - Regular-Size Pillows - Large or Flashy Jewelry (rings, necklaces, watches, earrings, etc.) - Laptops and Electronics