Book now to reserve your spot on Pam Rybus’ bottle school trip: March 3-9, 2016
Estimado Amigo y Amigas
Several years ago I cut out an article in Oprah Magazine about building bottle schools in Guatemala. It became my dream to be part of this creative venture. Last May I led a group of volunteers to Guatemala to help Hug It Forward build a bottle school. We spent one week in Guatemala working with a local village community and helped build a school using “eco-bricks”: plastic bottles filled with inorganic waste. The purpose of the trip was to address two seemingly unrelated issues: 1) environmental harm resulting from trash and 2) the lack of adequate educational facilities in Guatemala. The school was is in San Martin Jilotepeque, Guatemala. It was a fantastic trip and we all felt that we got a lot more back than we gave.
I am excited to once again be a part of this project. I am leading a similar trip in March to help build another middle school. The focus of this week will be tying bottles into the wall. We’ll also learn about the cultural heritage of the villagers and students at the school.
I have been an educator my entire career…building a teen parent program, alternative school libraries, and teaching subjects ranging from cooking to child development to research skills. I love to work hard, to help others, to explore new places and to have fun, all of which will all be a big part of this adventure.
Abrazos Hugs
Pam Rybus (AKA Pamarian, Pamacita, Pam ella)
How kids and communities build bottle schools
Some pictures from our bottle school trip in May 2015
Want to know more?
Visit the Hug It Forward web site to find out all about bottle schools.
Information about your trip
Please make sure you read all the information on this web site, including the Information section and the FAQ.
Book now by Paypal, or by check
Your bottle school trip costs $1,299 per person. What does this include?
You can reserve your spot by paying a $650 non-refundable deposit by December 3rd, 2015, with the balance ($649) payable in full by January 3rd, 2016.
Please make sure you have read the Terms and Conditions before booking.
Have you read the Terms and Conditions?
How to pay for your trip
There are several ways to pay for your bottle school trip. You can avoid paying fees if you choose Option 1 or Option 2. Choose Option 1 if you have a PayPal balance or if your bank account is linked to PayPal. If neither of these are the case, please choose Option 2 to avoid paying fees. If you want to use PayPal and don’t mind paying fees, please choose Option 3.
Option 1:Pay using Paypal’s “Send Money” feature”
- Log in to Paypal (www.paypal.com)
- Click the “Send Money” tab
- Enter our email address servetheworldtoday@gmail.com and the amount $1,299 (or $650 if you are just paying a deposit now)
- Before you click “Continue”, choose the “I’m sending money to family or friends” button. If you have a PayPal balance or your bank account is linked to PayPal, you will not have to pay fees. If neither of these are the case, please choose Option 2 or Option 3
- In the “Message” box on the following page, please enter which trip you are booking!
- That’s it!
Option 2:Mail us a check
- Mail a check payable to “Serve The World Today” to:
Serve The World Today
4307 1/2 Ocean Blvd
San Diego
CA 92109- Please write on the memo line of the check which trip you are attending
- Send us an email to servetheworldtoday@gmail.com – please tell us:
- That you sent a check and what the amount was ($1,299 per person, or $650 if you are just paying a deposit now)
- Which trip the check is for
- The name on the check
Option 3: Paying by Paypal (this costs $39 in fees)
Click the “Buy Now” button on the right to pay the $1,299 cost of your voluntourism trip, plus $39 in Paypal fees.
Click the “Buy Now” button on the left to pay the $650 non-refundable deposit for your voluntourism trip.
Fundraising for bottle schools
You might also like to fundraise for Hug It Forward bottle schools. Fundraising for bottle schools is optional – it is not a requirement of participating in a bottle school trip.
If you choose to fundraise, we suggest a $250 fundraising goal, but some people choose to do more or less than this. It’s really up to you – how much you think your friends and families can give, how creative you can be, and how much time you’re prepared to put into it.