The document provides an agenda and details for an upcoming trip to Ecuador from June 17-25, 2015. Key points include: official tour dates; requirements to have trip insurance, be current on payments, and have a valid passport; plans to receive the flight itinerary in April; recommendations to budget $10 per day for tipping and bring a credit/debit card; information that baggage will require carrying and a backpack will be provided; dress code expectations; and medical forms should be completed. The itinerary then outlines activities each day, including visits to communities, hikes, and learning about local industries like cheese making and chocolate.

1. 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

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. $$$ 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. Join facebook Group!
• Vive Ecuador 2015

10. 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?

11. Medical forms
• Please fill-out before you leave today!

13. Where we’re going!

14. 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

15. Day 2: Yunguilla Sustainable Community

17. Homemade Cheese
& Jelly

18. Farm to Table
dinning!

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

22. 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

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

24. 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.

28. Day 4:
AM = Service

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

33. Jungle Hike!

35. Day 5:
AM Service

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

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

46. Day 6 & 7:
Banos

47. TD Recommendation:
Hot Springs $3 per person + $1.30 for swim cap
La Piscina de La Virgen

48. Quick Optional Morning Hike

53. Day 8:
Otavalo