2019 Westgate Puerto Rico Service Adventure

Accommodations

Conturce Hotel

The hotel is designed for travelers from different places and cultures to share in common spaces, in an atmosphere of fellowship and camaraderie. Located in the heart of urban San Juan, hostel guests have easy access to many cultural places of interest. Free Wi-Fi keeps guests feeling connected at all times. Students will be grouped in their rooms according to gender.

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Parador y Area Recreativa Adrian Heriberto Acevedo Cruz

This location boasts a beautiful and relaxing stay among nature in Las Marias community.  This recreational center counts with several cabins with two rooms equipped with several beds and bunk beds perfects for hosting groups. Each cabin is also equipped with a kitchen and  showers.  The cabins do NOT include beddings or pillows so student must bring their own.  The center is surrounded by nature and has several outdoor spaces, a river and rest areas. Students will be grouped in their rooms according to gender and availability.

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Group Flight

DEPARTURE FROM USA

Airline: Southwest
Flight: WN1850
Date: May 17, 2019
Departs: Denver (DEN) – 6:00 AM
Arrives: Tampa (TPA) – 11:25 AM

Airline: Southwest
Flight: WN1850
Date: May 17, 2019
Departs: Tampa (TPA) – 12:10 PM
Arrives: San Juan (SJU) – 3:05 PM

RETURN TO USA

Airline: Southwest
Flight: WN5830
Date: May 26, 2019
Departs: San Juan (SJU) – 1:50 PM
Arrives: Chicago (MDW) – 5:50 PM

Airline: Southwest
Flight: WN4826
Date: May 26, 2019
Departs: Chicago (MDW) – 8:40 PM
Arrives: Denver (DEN) – 10:15 PM

Once your flight has been confirmed, the itinerary will appear here.

Walking Tree will secure a seat on the group flight for each participant unless otherwise instructed.

Travelers are responsible for checked baggage fees. Please visit the airline’s baggage webpage to learn if you should expect to pay anything.

We will provide a group manifest – complete with reservation codes and ticket numbers – to the Group Organizer/s before departure, and travelers will need to check in at the airport in order to receive their boarding pass and have documents verified. We recommend arriving no later than three hours prior to the scheduled departure, but contact your Group Organizer for specific details on exactly where and when to meet on the day of departure.

FLIGHT INTERRUPTION, DELAY OR CANCELLATION 
Air travel can be unpredictable.  Regardless of proper planning, there may still be instances when a flight is delayed or cancelled due to staffing shortages, weather, mechanical problems, etc.  Please note that in such an event, Walking Tree Travel (WTT) is not financially responsible for unanticipated costs incurred by travelers en route.  Our programs officially begin and end in the destination country, and because our staff doesn’t fly with the group, Group Organizers (the traveling faculty member/s) become the front-line advocate for the group in the event of a delay. In most cases of cancellations or delays, the airline will be the one who re-books travel or possibly arranges a hotel and food the night.  Our primary role will be to  keep families updated and provide support to the Group Organizer to reach a  quick and effective resolution.

Host Community and Project Details

Bucarabones is a small neighborhood located in Las Marías City in the west mountains of Puerto Rico Island. It’s far from the cities with the larger population and is one of the neighborhoods with families of scarce resources. Additional, it is in a mountain town, where people with older age have lived for many years. For this reason, most of the houses are very old and are built with the most economical materials that existed; the wood and the zinc. The most abundant population is elderly couples. On the other hand, it is identified by its friendly and helpful people. The main occupation in Bucarabones and in Las Marías City is the agriculture.  The main crop is coffee and oranges.  There are also other farms around the town that grow a variety of crops.  Farmers grow crops such as coriander, banana, plantain, cilantro, lime etc. and will sell their crops at local groceries and places. There you will be able to find most of the food and other basic things. There are a few bakeries and small tienditas where you can grab snacks and other kind of local food.  Finally, there are many cafeterias to eat arroz con pollo (a good common plate from the Island). About entertainment, the neighborhood Bucarabones have a basketball and volleyball court for the community, where easily you can play a game with the community people. The neighborhood is very small and is a very united community that is always open to receive Walking Tree groups.

The Centro de Apoyo Mutuo Bucarabones Unido (CAMBU) was born after the disaster caused by Hurricane Maria on September 20, 2017 in Puerto Rico. It is located in Bucarabones neighborhood of the town of Las Marias, PR. CAMBU arises to meet the needs of different sectors in this town. The Bucarabones neighborhood builds solidarity from within and from below. The center is an integral and self-managed space for the development of educational, recreational and cultural experiences that promote the individual and collective wellbeing of the community in general. Their vision, as a reference for community unity, seeks to build and develop a space to heal and collectively create opportunities to support the present and future generations in the face of eventual challenges. In addition, it organizes its future from work based on values of social, economic, cultural and environmental justice. After the natural disaster, CAMBU has received different groups from different parts of the United States, including groups of volunteers from Walking Tree Travel, and have managed to do a lot for the community. But there is still a lot to do. Among the tasks that do not stop are to continue installing rainwater collection systems in different homes in the neighborhood, continue to enable the structure (the center) that includes painting, organize areas such as the community kitchen space, among other tasks of habilitation, work in planting areas for agriculture, and many other tasks that arise over time. Groups not only have the opportunity to serve CAMBU, but they have the opportunity to share with the community and the duty to smile to make everyone happy there. For the community, CAMBU is not a center, it is a family.

Packing List

What follows is a sample packing list, which will be updated for each program. We recommend you bring a larger piece of luggage like a roller, duffel bag, or backpack, as well as a smaller backpack that you can bring on hikes, weekend excursions and shorter activities.

Most importantly, be sure to remember your PASSPORT and STUDENT ID.

CLOTHES:

Underwear
Socks
T-shirts, tank tops or work shirts
Long sleeve shirts
Shorts
Jeans/pants
Swimsuit
Rain jacket
Sturdy shoes (appropriate for lots of walking/athletic activity)
Sports sandals ie Chacos/Tevas etc. (optional)
Flip flops (optional)
Hat

TOILETRIES: BRING THE BASIC TOILETRIES YOU NEED PLUS:

Sunscreen (you will use a lot)
Mosquito repellent
Band Aids and Neosporin, anti-diarrhea meds, basic first aid
Hand Sanitizer
Medication in properly marked original container (better to pack this in your carry on luggage)

MISCELLANEOUS:

Sunglasses
Journal and pen
Book/s
Small lightweight blanket and pillow for the cabins in the community
Camera
Alarm clock and watch
Debit card/US Dollars (we recommend about $100-$200, depending on amount of desired souvenirs, extra items etc.)
Durable water bottle with a personal water filtration system (optional- Walking Tree will always provide drinking water)
1 quick-dry towel
Soap for washing your own clothes while in the host community
Flashlight/headlamp
Deck of cards or other portable games
Student ID
Spanish/English Dictionary

Support Team

At a minimum, one experienced Program Leader will travel on every trip. In addition to this full time leadership presence, Walking Tree has additional support staff in all destinations and 24/7 support from our headquarters in Denver, Colorado. Below you’ll find a list of the team members involved in the planning, organizing, and leadership of your program.

Luke Mueller

Co-Founder of Walking Tree Travel and Business Lead - Denver, CO

[email protected]

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Emory University – B.A. Sociology and minor in Latin American History

During college, Luke spent a semester living and traveling in rural Mexico. His experience sparked a fascination with Latin America and a commitment to community service that continues to this day. Upon graduating from college, he joined WorldTeach and lived with a local family in a small village in Costa Rica while teaching elementary English. After this experience, he moved to San José, the capital and largest city of Costa Rica, and wrote for The Tico Times newspaper. Luke has since traveled to over 60 countries on five different continents.  Now settled in Denver with his family, he continues to crave massive helpings of rice and beans.

Antonio Moreno Ortiz

Puerto Rico Country Director

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Universidad de Puerto Rico – Bachelor’s in Animal Science

Antonio was born and raised in the west side of Puerto Rico. During his bachelor degree in Animal Science, he got community experiences that opened his mind in different ways. One of his hobbies is taking care of small ruminants, like sheep, and growing his own plants in addition to his love for video games. He made a personal promise of travel a minimum of one time a year to appreciate different places around the world, and he is doing so. He is also passionate for helping youth achieve their goals, both short and long term ones, by giving them advice and helping them along the way whenever he can. He really loves his island and also loves to show people around his beautiful Puerto Rico, including Walking Tree Travel groups! 

Group Roster

Below is a list of the travelers enrolled on the program.

• 1 Aleda Readio
• 2 Callie Moreno
• 3 Carlene Moreno
• 4 Danila Romanov
• 5 Jason Burds
• 6 Jason Diblasi
• 7 Jordan Dinsmore
• 8 Joseph Jones
• 9 Micah Sturr
• 10 Peyton Meredith
• 11 Tou Lee

Blog and Communication

During travel we will work hard to keep families updated as frequently as possible with blogs and photos, giving you peace of mind that your traveler is safe and thriving on their program.  Students regularly contribute to these posts, giving parents a great way to vicariously track the progress of the trip. You will receive an email notification when the first blog is posted, after which we recommend you check in regularly via the black “Program Blog” button at the top of this page.

Beyond this proactive approach to communication during the trip, most destinations are wired enough to allow participants semi-regular access to WiFi so you can also expect to communicate with your traveler directly. Ask your Walking Tree representative about the degree of connectivity on your program.

GLC Curriculum

Standards of Behavior

In order to run a safe and successful program, it is important that we create an environment of trust, security and respect. All individuals participating in our programs are required to take responsibility for their actions and adhere to a high standard of behavioral conduct.

ABSOLUTE DISMISSAL

1.  Possessing, consuming or distributing alcohol or illegal drugs.
2. Associating with participants while they are in possession of, or are consuming, or distributing alcohol or illegal drugs.
3. Behaving in a way that consistently damages the group dynamic or jeopardizes personal or group safety.
4. This includes consistently displaying a negative attitude, intimidating or excluding other participants, sneaking out, disobeying group leaders, and any other behavior that is not conducive to an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect.

GROUNDS FOR DISMISSAL OR IN-COUNTRY CONSEQUENCE

1. Getting a piercing or tattoo.
2. Stealing, or deliberately damaging or defacing any personal property, buildings or materials.
3. Threatening physical or emotional harm, or brandishing a weapon.
4. Possessing, consuming, or distributing tobacco or nicotine, including vape pens.
5. Riding mopeds, motorcycles, or any other type of unauthorized vehicle.
6. Being out of designated area or accommodations after curfew.
7. Breaking group rules.

These standards of behavior are essential for the successful completion of your program. Please take the time to review these as a family and make sure everyone understands and agrees to them.

Health and Safety

We strongly recommend visiting the CDC Puerto Rico website to get the most updated information on health and vaccination considerations in your destination country. In addition, we encourage you to consult with your personal family physician so you can be as informed as possible when making important decisions about vaccinations and other necessary health-related preparations before travel.

Beyond these recommendations, our in-country staff prepare meticulously for all programs. Walking Tree will register our programs and travelers with the U.S. Department of State Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) in case of emergency. In country staff also verify the safety records of our partner organizations, vendors, and transportation providers, thoroughly vet homestay families via in depth interviews and home visits, and keep up on important current events in the region.

Program Leaders are seasoned travelers who are CPR and First Aid certified, undergo thorough training in crisis management, and participate in a multi-day leadership training retreat. We do our best to prepare for any eventuality and have detailed emergency protocols for our leaders, in-country staff and U.S.-based staff.

We receive medical disclosures from all participants to ensure we are able to meet every students’ needs during the program. Please inform us immediately of any additional health issues that you did not list during your initial registration process. Program Leaders will also hold an online information session before your departure, as well as an arrival orientation in-country, in order to give participants important instructions on food safety, hygiene and preventing injury and illness. Leaders and in-country staff always respond immediately to any mental, physical or emotional health issues and follow comprehensive emergency protocols.

Insurance

While we work hard to ensure the safest experience possible for our travelers on program, experience teaches that travel is never without risk. For this reason, we recommend that all travelers consider a travel insurance policy with  two additional provisions: Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) and Bed Rest. Detailed explanations of both provisions can be found on the link below.

To provide families with a quality option, Walking Tree has partnered with Travel Insured International, one of the most respected providers in the industry.  Begin by getting a quote here.

IMPORTANT NOTE: in order to secure coverage with CFAR included, you must purchase the plan within 21 days of your deposit/first payment. You must also insure 100% of your trip cost, so program tuition + flight.