I have been on a mission trip to Mississippi to help cleanup after Hurricane Katrina, and to New Mexico to volunteer at a boarding school on a Navajo reservation and Church cleanup. I also have been to Nicaragua twice, where I worked at an orphanage, and this will be my second trip to Costa Rica where I will be working at a children's home. No matter where YOU are going, these tips will be helpful!
1. Go to the bathroom when you have the opportunity to!
I learned this lesson the very hard way, the last time I was in Costa Rica. I have a very embarrassing story about a long bus ride on that trip! If you want a good laugh you can ask me about it!
2. Ladies, leave the makeup bag at home! Unless you are going to a cold climate it's not worth the space it takes up in your bag. In all of my experiences my makeup just sweat right off my face. If you feel it's necessary, just pack the very basics to wear to church services.
3. Ladies, leave your hair straightener at home. Unless, you will be working inside or in a cold climate it's not worth the room it takes up in your luggage. In my experiences I was either so hot I just put my hair in a pony tail or if I did attempt to straighten my hair it just frizzed out.
4. If you want to bring back a lot of souvenirs or lighten your load for the trip back, pack clothes, shoes, toiletries, etc. that you can donate to the organization you are working with. Not only will you be blessing others with your donation, you are also lightening your load!
5. Ask to see what exactly you should pack! Last time I travelled to Costa Rica, I was having a hard time keeping my bag from being overweight. Since my full size bottles of shampoo, face & body wash weighed so much I took them out of my bag, thinking I could buy them for cheap in Costa Rica. If I had asked I would have found out that toiletries are outrageously priced there. I spent way too much on a much too small bottle of shampoo.
6. Make sure you contact your bank and let them know where you will be traveling and what the dates are otherwise they will freeze your account for suspicious activity! It is much harder to contact your bank from a foreign country, so call them before you leave!
7. If you are going on an overseas mission trip ask your bank if they charge a service fee for using your debit card in a foreign country. That is definitely good to know!
8. If you are traveling overseas, check the Center for Disease Control's website for any required vaccinations and the recommended vaccinations. Just search for the country you will be traveling to, and they will let you know what health risks are in the area you are traveling to. You can also check for travel warnings on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website for other travel warnings.
9. Do not be afraid to reach out to your friends, family, and church for prayer/financial support. One thing that my mom has always told me as I was planning on going on a mission trip is that my job is to give people an opportunity to give, and God will do the rest. So many times people would give to a great cause, but are never asked.
10. Enjoy a day of rest and recreation. Sometimes in the past I feel bad about taking a day off to explore or do touristy things. But I think God wants us to go out and enjoy His creation! Sometimes when I went into town or on our trip to see the Volcano Arenal I would just stop and look around me and thank God for making this beautiful place. Definitely, remember that you are there to work and to help, but have fun too! The picture at the top is of me enjoying a day at the Animal Sanctuary!
BONUS & MOST IMPORTANT
11. BE FLEXIBLE! GO WITH AN OPEN HEART! BE PREPARED TO GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY!