Packing Videos & More

YOU GUYS. WE LEAVE IN JUST OVER A MONTH FROM TODAY. FOR REALS. THIS IS REAL.

At tonight’s meeting we’re going to talk about a whole bunch of important stuff, but I’m going to reference some videos to help you pack. I wrote a post back in November about packing. Here’s the link in case you want to look back at it.

This post is short and sweet. It is a list of a few videos to help you think about how you are going to pack.

12 Travel Packing Tips: Howdini Hacks

Travel Tips & Packing a Carry On!

How To Pack Light for Travel

Clothes to Wear in the Caribbean : Smart Packing & Travel Tips

My biggest suggestion? PACK LIGHT. Of all the travel I’ve done in my life, I’ve never regretted packing light; however, there were more than a few times that I regretted having so much stuff (AKA lugging a giant suitcase up a tiny, old staircase and thinking “Why did I bring all of this?”)

NOW is a good time to start thinking about what you’ll need and what you should bring. Start writing a list. Change it as you come up with new ideas. Be thoughtful and think about bringing items that serve more than one purpose. And do some research. There a million travel hacks. Everyone’s needs are slightly different so think about what yours are and then do some googling. Another great resource? Your super awesome chaperones. Collectively we’ve taken many, many trips and might have some ideas for you!

Día 1

So on a scale of 1 to 10, how excited are you that our trip is less than three months away?? I know that all of the chaperones are pumped!

As you know from the itinerary, our trip is packed with lots of exciting excursions filled with history, nature, culture, and fun. The next series of blog posts will help give you some more information about where we’ll be going and what we’ll see. We (your chaperones) strongly encourage you to do some of your own research about Puerto Rico, too, so that you really get to experience the trip to its fullest potential.

Much of our first day of the trip will be spent traveling; however, there will be time for some Puerto Rican fun. As you can see on the agenda you received from Explorica, the first day, in addition to traveling, we will see the Museo de Casa Blanca, La Muralla, and La Fortaleza all in Viejo San Juan. Keep reading for more information on these exciting destinations!

Museo de Casa Blanca

The Museo de Casa Blanca is all about history! Construction began on the house in 1521 to serve as the personal residence of Juan Ponce de León and his extended family. So, let’s back up a second because you’ve probably heard about him in a social studies class before...but who was he?

Check out this video for more information on Ponce de León.

Interestingly, Ponce de León died before ever being able to live in Casa Blanca, but it continued to serve as residence for his family for the next 250 years. In addition to housing the Ponce de León family, it was also the first military structure on the island and over the years also housed numerous militaries including those of Spain and the United States.

Today the house, although no longer in its exact original state, serves as a museum highlighting the history of Puerto Rico.

Interested in seeing more? Check out this short video about Museo de Casa Blanca.

Source, source, source.

La Muralla

What's La Muralla? Quite literally, it’s an almost 400 year old wall. Yep, a wall. But in reality it’s so much more than that!

La Muralla spent nearly 200 years under construction and is 45 feet wide and as high as 40 feet in some sections. This massive wall helped protect Puerto Rico from foreign attacks throughout history. Today the wall provides a sense of history and a beautiful background for Viejo San Juan.

Check out this video for some of the amazing views of La Muralla.

Source

La Fortaleza
On our first day in Puerto Rico, we will also visit La Fortaleza. Check out this video to learn more about it.

All in all, our first day in Puerto Rico is going to be full of history and gorgeous sights to see. I don’t know about you, but I’m going to have my camera ready! Keep researching Puerto Rico and keep your eyes open for our next blog post!

Planning to Pack

Two of the best ways to prepare for an upcoming trip are to a) research your destination and b) plan what you will pack. This blog post will address the latter to get you thinking about how you can be ready for a successful, fun, and educational trip to Puerto Rico.

Google “packing tips” and you will probably be floored by the number of people offering suggestions. While there are many sites and suggestions, there are always a few tips that appear almost everywhere. Here are some of the most frequent (source, source, source):

Make a list!

Planning ahead will help you have time to think about what you really need to bring. You might want to buy some new items, ask for some things for an upcoming holiday, or borrow items from friends and family. Thinking about what you need ahead of time will allow you to take inventory of what you have and what you might want to purchase/borrow...and more importantly, give you time to research!

Pack light!

Everyone everywhere will always suggest packing light. Why? Many people overestimate what they will need or not plan ahead and then be forced to lug around a heavy bag unnecessarily. On the trip, you are the only person who will carry your luggage. Think about that for a minute. Everything you bring, you will have to carry. All at once. Can you carry everything for a long distance (and after a long, tiring day of sightseeing)? Up a flight (or two) of stairs? Explorica allows us to bring one standard-sized suitcase (fee: $25 each way) and one carry-on bag for our trip; however, we are going to a warm place for less than a week. There is no reason you couldn’t pack everything is a carry-on roller board suitcase and one personal item (like a backpack or tote bag). The very experienced and very popular Rick Steves is a huge proponent of packing light. Read his tips for packing smart here.

Consider the Weather

Speaking of packing light, we will be heading to Puerto Rico on March 22. Historically the average high temperature for that time of year is 84F and the average low 73F (source). It’s probably safe to leave your heavy coat at home, but you’ll want to think about items like a really comfortable pair of walking sandals and a pair of athletic shoes. What about a useful layer that you can wear if we’re somewhere with air conditioning or night temperatures dip a little low? Think about how you would normally dress in the summer and go from there!

Consider the Itinerary

Most of our adventures are sightseeing walking tours around town or hiking through nature so we’ll be pretty casual BUT please log into your Explorica account and read the itinerary in detail to help you decide what to pack!

With several gift-giving holidays in the next couple of months, it makes sense to talk about packing in case you’d like to ask your family to contribute to your trip.

Items you might consider borrowing or purchasing

The items under “reference” are just to give you an idea of the product type and are not necessarily a recommended product. Feel free to talk to your teachers for their own personal recommendations.

• a carry-on size roller board suitcase (reference)
• packing cubes (reference)
• a backpack or tote
• a cross body bag (reference)
• a watch (this is required per our meeting)
• a small toiletry bag (reference)
• a collapsible water bottle (reference)
• a travel journal (reference)
• brightly colored travel tags (reference)

Brightly colored tags will make it easier for you to spot your bag.

• brightly colored TSA-approved locks (reference)

Brightly colored locks are easier to spot from a distance. Could help deter potential theft.

***Señor Díaz Super Traveler tip ***
Sometimes when he travels he brings old clothes and then leaves them at the hotel so that he has more room to bring home purchases from his travels.

Have you traveled? What do you recommend? Post your ideas in the comments section!

Check out our new bulletin board!

Check out our adorable bulletin board outside of A221! Thanks, +Stacie Chism! 

Highlights from the Thursday, October 13 meeting

VIP (Very Important Paperwork)

At the meeting everyone received a manila folder with important paperwork. Please complete all forms and return them in the manila folder to Mrs. McNally in A220 by November 22.

For this paperwork, please remember the following:

• Please call your doctor to get the exact date of your last tetanus shot.
• The Power of Attorney form needs to be notarized. Sally Olson in the Main Office can notarize. Please call to make an appointment (847) 718-5600. You will need to bring a photo ID. There are five forms and you will also need to include three copies of either a driver's license, a birth certificate, or a passport.

Student Behavior Expectations

We reviewed district expectations as well as ours. The short version? Be on your very best behavior at all times. No sketchiness (please read your paperwork for full details).

Explorica

Please make sure you are up-to-date on your monthly payments. You will notice a charge for tips. This money is for our main tour guide and bus driver. We will also collect an additional $20 to cover tips for any local tour guides. Please bring this $20 to the next meeting.

While we are on the trip, Explorica will post a daily journal with pictures of our awesome adventures. Please make sure to give your login information to your families so they can follow up while we're gone.

Communication

We will use Remind to send text reminders. Please text @bfdhb to 81010 to enroll in our group. While we are on the trip, if there is an emergency, please contact Explorica Tours in Boston (617-619-2913) or our District 214 contact, Lisa DaRocha (847-313-5333).

Money, money, money!

Explorica recommends each student bring about $50/day for spending money. This money covers lunches, bottled water, additional activities, and souvenirs.

Airport

We will MEET AT THE AIRPORT on our departure day. Please arrive THREE hours before our flight time (announced at next meeting). Please be on-time as we have to check in as a group.

On our arrival day, PLEASE be on-time for pickup. Sleepy señores will want to get home to their own families.

What should you be doing on your own before our next meeting?

• Contact your bank and ask about using your debit card and/or credit card in Puerto Rico. Ask about fees, etc. Also, ask them how to notify them of the trip so that your card doesn't get frozen (fraud protection).
• Contact your cell phone company and find out about using your phone in Puerto Rico. Check into SMS, data use, and phone calls. We're hoping most hotels with have some WiFi, but we don't know yet!
• Get your forms filled out and turned in by Tuesday, November 22.
• Read our blog!
• Practice your Spanish at every possible opportunity!!

Next meeting:

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

6:30-7:30pm

RMHS rm. A211

Welcome to Our Puerto Rico Blog!

¡Bienvenidos!

Welcome to our new blog! We will utilize this blog to share information about our trip with you as well as to get excited and learn more about Puerto Rico.

First step? Subscribe to the blog via email. By doing this, you will get an alert every time we write a new post. Follow the directions in this picture below:

Second step? Check out these 13 surprising facts about Puerto Rico (students, skip #10)