UPCOMING TRIPS
BRIGHT HILL TRIPS
SEE YOU IN EL SALVADOR
We love El Salvador. We love introducing people to the place that has become our second home and the people there who have become a part of our family. We'd love to introduce you to this wonderful country and to show you all that God is doing in our little mountainside neighborhood in El Salvador.
Each trip is unique, but you’ll always find lots of ways to serve. You might build a home for a local family, help with vacation Bible school, or share your testimony during a Bible study.
You might do all three, and you’ll probably try a few things you’ve never done before. Your comfort zone is about to get a little bigger.
If you think you want to step out in faith and board a flight to San Salvador, we would love to talk to you about going on a Bright Hill trip.
I'm Interested in a Bright Hill Trip!
TRIP FAQs
The Basics: The Mission, Cost, and Logistics
Now you know about what’s not included (your flight), but what does your Bright Hill Trip fee get you? Your $850 gets you a trip t-shirt, in-country transportation, good food, room (with air conditioning, linens, and comfy beds), and an excursion.
Note about flights: We regularly check flight costs and will send out emails to alert trippers of good deals, but (and this is incredibly important) you have to act FAST to secure those deals.
Preparation & Packing
Here’s how to do it:
STEP 1:
Gather your documents. Look here to find everything you need:
PASSPORT PHOTOS: We recommend having these done at the Study Abroad Office as well. Information can be found here: Passport Photos
FEES: Take a check or money order with you to the Study Abroad Office. Fee details can be found at the documentation links above.
STEP 2:
Make an appointment at the Texas A&M Study Abroad Office: Schedule an Appointment
DAY OF THE APPOINTMENT:
Take all of your documents and your check or money order to the appointment
If taking a passport photo, dress according to the guidelines at the passport photo link above
There is Visitor Parking available for $3 in the Central Parking Garage. Visitor Parking details can be found here: Texas A&M Visitor Parking Map
You will find the study abroad office on the first floor of the Pavilion Building (directly next to the Central Parking Garage; it is the building marked “0471 PAV” on the map above, address is 424 Spence St.)
NOTE: The Study Abroad office will handle processing/mailing most applications. For Adult Passport Renewals, they will verify your documents, application and fees, place them in a USPS mailer that you will seal and take to the Post Office. It will be addressed and ready to go.
If you would like to view the status of your application…
Visit US Dept of State: Application Status
If you need your passport in fewer than 3 weeks…
Visit US Dept of State: Get My Passport Fast
For more information…
Now you know about what’s not included (your flight), but what does your Bright Hill Trip fee get you? Your $850 gets you a trip t-shirt, in-country transportation, good food, room (with air conditioning, linens, and comfy beds), and an excursion.
Note about flights: We regularly check flight costs and will send out emails to alert trippers of good deals, but (and this is incredibly important) you have to act FAST to secure those deals.
Ask your doctor if he/she recommends any other immunizations. Keep in mind that mosquitos can be a problem in El Salvador and are a source of several illnesses. Malaria medication isn’t usually necessary, but we do recommend using mosquito repellant.
- Enough clothes for the trip:
- Jeans, capris, shorts with a minimum inseam of 6 inches.
- Shirts: no low-cut shirts/tee shirts.
- Church clothes for Sunday and for Outreach on Monday evening: Ladies, dresses or skirts (no spaghetti strap sundresses, no more than 3 inches above the knees) or nice pants/jeans. Men, dress pants or jeans, with nice shirt. Bright hill trip shirts are OK for everyone to wear.
- Shoes: Closed-toe shoes for work site; sandals/flip flops around the Bright Hill building.
- Work clothing that you don’t mind getting dirty.
- Other things to pack:
- Sunscreen and mosquito repellant
- Toiletries: We have body wash and shampoo/conditioner in the showers. PLEASE do bring your toothbrush, toothpaste.
- Your prescription medicines. It’s usually best to keep these in the original labeled bottle.
- Spending money. Usually $100 or less is adequate. You can use your credit cards at many places (but not the souvenir market), but we don’t recommend it, except in emergencies; notify your bank/credit card company/ID theft service if you plan to bring your credit card.
- Water bottle for personal use
- Charmin-on-the-Go or tissues, just in case.
- Summer trips: Poncho, umbrella, raincoat.
- Nice to have but not required: Flashlight, binoculars, hand sanitizer, cap or hat, jewelry (not flashy, and don’t bring your good stuff)
No problem! If you run out of clothes, you can purchase anything you might need from our on-site shop. It’s a resale shop where most items can be purchased for $1-2. If you run out of most other items—shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste—those can be replaced easily with a trip to the grocery store or Walmart (yes, Walmart is there, too!).
The Trip: In El Salvador
Even when the gangs were still causing trouble, we did not have problems, and none of our Bright Hill staff have felt unsafe during the many trips they’ve taken to El Salvador. Mostly that’s because we take safety seriously. We have a good relationship with the community and with our US Embassy in San Salvador. Our gated property is surrounded by a concrete wall which is topped with concertina wire.
