Packing List

• Toiletries. While you can buy just about anything in Mexico, but you don’t want to have to spend too much time looking for special toiletries or patent medicines.  Rarely does anyone from any of the groups get sick in Mexico, but just in case you should get a bug, bring along Pepto Bismal and Immodium AD or any other medicines you may use.

• Camera with extra batteries.
• Notebook, pen or pencil.
• Bible.
• Cash.  Travelers Checks can be difficult to cash, even at a bank.  Make sure you bring cash to exchange for pesos at the Mexico City Airport Airport when you arrive.  Visa and MasterCard are accepted in many shops in Puebla.  But only pesos are accepted in markets, by street vendors, etc.  ATM machines are plentiful, often have long lines waiting to use them.
• A couple of bottles of water.  You can buy bottled water when you get to Mexico, but you might get thirsty before you can get to a store.  Bottled water is supplied by the hotel for your room and La Familia has bottled water to refill your empty bottles.
• Spending money:  Ask your group coordinator for advice.  How much will also depend on how many souvenirs you plan to buy.

• Please pray for the success of the mission trip.

• Shots: Make sure your tetanus shots are up to date; no other shots are required.

• Passport: Be sure to order your passport well in advance of our trip.  To order, ask the procedure at your local US post office.

• Mexican Immigration:  If asked what you are doing in Mexico, DON'T say that you are WORKING at an orphanage.  Say that you are a tourist.  Mentioning WORK opens the door for immigration saying that you need a work visa.

• Pesos: You can exchange dollars for pesos when you arrive in Mexico.  In September 2009 the exchange rate was 10.15 pesos to the US dollar.  You will receive slightly fewer pesos if you exchange money in a store, shop, hotel or at the airport.  For simplicity, estimate one dollar for 10 pesos or approximately 10%.  If you were to see an item priced at 10 pesos, think of it as costing a dollar.  An item for 100 pesos is worth approximately $10,  1,000 pesos = approximately $100.
 ATM machines are also available if you need cash.

• *** Torn Currency:  Check paper currency carefully.  Merchants nor banks will typically not accept any paper money that is torn, taped together or in any way imperfect.  If you get stuck with imperfect currency, you may exchange it at any Mexican bank.

• Long Distance Suggestion: Purchase an AT&T calling card in the States, but be sure to call the customer service number on the back of the card to find out what number to call from a pay phone in Mexico to get an AT&T operator in the States.  If you should fail to purchase a Calling Card before you leave home, you may purchase a telephone card when you arrive in Mexico. (tarjeta de teléfono)  They are sold in $10, $25, $50 and $100 peso increments, although $100 peso cards are sometimes hard to find.  A $50 peso card (5 dollars) will pay for about 10 minutes of long distance to the states.  How to do it: Place your calling card in the slot in the pay phone and leave it there.  A LED readout on the pay phone will tell you how many pesos you have left on your card.  Then dial 001 + A/C + number.  Call quality is excellent.
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• Cell phones:  Most cell phones will work in Mexico City, Tehuacan, Tacamachalco and Puebla.  To be safe, before you leave home, call your cell phone provider and make arrangements to use your cell phone in Mexico before you leave the States.  I use Cingular (AT&T) cell service and it works just fine just about everywhere.
• Toilet paper: This is culture shock to most Americans, but do not put toilet paper in commode; use the plastic container next to commode. The reason is because the sewer pipes are much smaller in Mexico than in the states, so the paper tends to stop up the toilet. This is NOT the case in large airports. It IS the case in the hotels where we typically stay.
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• Public restrooms at Puebla bus station:  There is no toilet paper in the toilet stall.  The toilet paper dispenser is located on the wall of the restroom as you enter.  If you will need paper in the stall, you must get a supply before you enter the stall.  Three one-peso coins or a two-peso and a one-peso coin must be dropped in the slot to enter the restroom in the main building of the bus station.

• Facial tissues: If tissues are important to you, bring them. They are not standard fare in hotel rooms.

• Toiletries: You can purchase just about all US products in Mexico, but it might be wise to pack pain relievers, feminine hygiene items, Pepto Bismol, Immodium AD or any other medicines that you normally use so you don’t have to spend time chasing them down. Although small quantities of soap and shampoo are usually provided if you're staying in hotels, you may wish to bring your own.

• Wash cloth: Wash cloths are rarely provided in hotels, so bring one along.

• Sunscreen: The sun can sneak up on you.  Be sure to bring sunscreen and a hat.  You can buy a nice straw wide brim Mexican hat for about $3 at the local market.

• Water: To be safe, brush teeth, rinse mouth and drink only bottled water.  If you run out of water, bottled water (botella de agua) (chica = small bottle or grande = large bottle) is readily available from local stores.  If you use drinking straws, bring them along with you. Great Suggestion: To prevent running tap water on your toothbrush out of habit, it's a good idea to place a towel over the lavatory knobs as a reminder.  Also, be cautious about buying fruit or vegetables -- both should be washed in a bleach solution before consuming, which is the practice at La Familia.

• Food: You cannot be assured of always having as great a choice as you have in the States.  Samples of the kind of food you will be served at La Familia:  Fried chicken, salads, corn tortillas, scrambled eggs with ham (ranchero style is optional…with tomato salsa), rice, refried beans with every meal, tamales, ham and cheese sandwiches, fresh fruit, watermelon, mangos, avocado, papaya, string beans, tomatoes, jalapeñas and other types of peppers, squash, corn, salads, etc.

• Suggestion: In a Puebla restaurant, try ordering a Gringa, the best taco you ever put in your mouth.  Try the salsas on the table, but test them first to avoid more heat (picante) than you bargained for.  Quesadillas in this part of Mexico are flour tortillas with cheese only, and are quite tasty, but probably not enough for a full meal.  Also order a taco carne asada (chopped beef taco) for an excellent taco. Tacos "al pastor" are made with chopped barbecued beef or pork that is cooked on a rotisserie.  A torta is a soft roll with carne asada inside and very good.

• Housing: The hotel rooms we stay in are clean and totally adequate.  If you wish to avoid having to keep up with your room key (la llave), you may wish to leave your key with the desk clerk when you leave the hotel.  A night in the type hotels we stay in cost approximately $28 to $33 per night for a single.  It is customary to leave a tip (propina) for the housekeeper in the hotel.  How much to leave is a personal thing, but I typically leave about $5 pesos for each night I stayed in the hotel.

• Language: In the areas you will visit, very few desk clerks, housekeeping personnel, wait staff, market vendors, etc., speak English.  You must either learn enough Spanish before your trip to ask for the essentials or ask someone that speaks Spanish for help.  Just remember that hundreds of mission workers have gone before you who spoke no Spanish. at all.  The Mexican people are incredibly nice and helpful.  If you learn just a few Spanish words, however, you will find the trip much more interesting and fun.

• Security:  Odds are you will experience no personal fear on your trip to Mexico.  While it is safer to walk the streets in Mexican cities than in most US cities, it is always a good idea to walk in a group of 3-4 whenever possible.  Petty theft can be an occasional problem.  On rare occasions, unwary tourists and mission workers who don’t take precautions have been know to be victimized by a pickpocket when in major cities.  It is recommend that before you leave for Mexico that you purchase a money belt for your money and your passport.  A good selection is available at most luggage stores. 
• Saturday Travel:  Due to heavy air and bus traffic on Saturdays, give yourself an additional two hours to reach your destination from Mexico City.  On Saturdays, especially late in the day, there may be a long line waiting for a bus to your final destination at the Puebla bus station.  The good news is that buses leave approximately every 15 minutes.

PUEBLA HOTELS

    Hotel San Angel is popular with mission teams.  It is located on 4 Poniente in Centro Puebla.  It is a great location with single rooms costing around $33 US per night.  It also has a good restaurant for breakfast.  Telephone: 011-52-222-232-2766.

    Hotel Santo Domingo is a hostel located just one block toward the market from Hotel San Angel.  The price is super inexpensive, but be prepared to pay extra for soap, shampoo, towels, sheets and blankets.  Even with all of the extras, it is still very inexpensive.  No restaurant.  The hotel opened in 2005, so it is quite new and clean.  The manager speaks English.

    Hotel Colonial located at 4 Sur 105 is much more upscale than either of the two above hotels, but a single room runs around $570 pesos per night.  The hotel is located in the heart of the historical district near the market and one block from the zocolo.  www.colonial.com.mx  Reservations: 01-800-013-0000

    Holiday Inn is located on 2 Poinente near the market.  Cost is approximately $800 pesos per night.

Puebla Restaurants