El Salvador--Any ideas>

dougo83

dougo83

Joined
Feb 28, 2008
Messages
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I am leaving for El Salvador in May to take an internship with Habitat for Humanity. I have knives and lights covered I think. Can anyone think of any gear I might need while I am there? I will be heavily involved in construction, I assume that equipment is provided.

Let me know what y'all think.

Thanks Y'all!
dougo
 
I just came back from Nicaragua and El Salvador.

I would recommend talking with your doctor and considering taking some antibiotics in case you get unlucky while you're there. In Nicaragua there is still things like Malaria and other things that we don't really think about in the US. I found El Salvador to be quite nice (I was only there a short time), but if you're out in the jungle it might be a different story in terms of what sort of bugs are out there.

There's also some really gnarly spiders that come out at night :)
 
How's your spanish? If you have the time and money to take spanish lessons Id recomend that, if not at least be sure to get an inglish-spanish dictionary. I live in Costa Rica, a couple countries south, if you ever need any help translating anything either way I'd be glad to help!
Cheers!
 
5 gallon bucket of DEET and some netting,... Might want to get a hennessy hammock. May is the start of the rain season flys and bite'n bugs galore!!!
 
RE: DEET

I suppose my best bet will be to take the same stuff I took to Kenya, right? I packed Sawyer Time-Release 100% DEET and treated all of my clothes with Repel One 100% DEET as well.
 
dougo83 said:
RE: DEET

I suppose my best bet will be to take the same stuff I took to Kenya, right? I packed Sawyer Time-Release 100% DEET and treated all of my clothes with Repel One 100% DEET as well.
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yep thats a good idea
 
Might take a look at the permethrin product sold by Wal-Mart..wash your clothes with it, stays for a while. Nothing wrong with DEET but probably still MELTS watch crystals and ruins rifle finishes.

Get whatever shots called for and include a malaria preventive drug[ my wife, a medical-missionary, takes a pill a week for five weeks and no malaria yet]...mosquito net a must in most areas where they are found.

Congrats on banging nails for Habitat.
 
zenheretic said:
How long is the trip?
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364.25 days...possibly more after that.

kozak6 said:
Do you think a multitool would be useful?
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Yea...I am going to look at what I have and see which option I prefer to pack. I don't want to take a ton of gear.

Practical Use said:
Browning Hi-Power
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No firearms. Not going to go through the hassle of licensing and not going to risk getting put in a jail in San Salvador.

Unk said:
Might take a look at the permethrin product sold by Wal-Mart..wash your clothes with it, stays for a while. Nothing wrong with DEET but probably still MELTS watch crystals and ruins rifle finishes.
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I will try to find it. The clothes treatment, IME, worked better than the stuff you apply to your skin.

Get whatever shots called for and include a malaria preventive drug[ my wife, a medical-missionary, takes a pill a week for five weeks and no malaria yet]...mosquito net a must in most areas where they are found.
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Definitely. I am not leaving until May, but I am setting up an appointment with a doctor sooner just to get an idea of what I need.

Congrats on banging nails for Habitat.
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Thanks! I can't wait to be down there. I am hoping this opens up to a more full time possibility with them.
 
Also, does anyone have suggestions for rain gear? I am looking at Frogg Toggs because they are more breathable, but I want to get something durable as well as comfortable and FT looks and feels like it would rip in a heartbeat.
 
kinzli said:
I just came back from Nicaragua and El Salvador.

I would recommend talking with your doctor and considering taking some antibiotics in case you get unlucky while you're there. In Nicaragua there is still things like Malaria and other things that we don't really think about in the US. I found El Salvador to be quite nice (I was only there a short time), but if you're out in the jungle it might be a different story in terms of what sort of bugs are out there.

There's also some really gnarly spiders that come out at night :)
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Sweet! I will be packing the cameras for the spiders. Too bad I can't bring specimen back. :(

Also, do I need those nifty plug adapters or will my American plugs fit sockets?

WBaaijen said:
How's your spanish? If you have the time and money to take spanish lessons Id recomend that, if not at least be sure to get an inglish-spanish dictionary. I live in Costa Rica, a couple countries south, if you ever need any help translating anything either way I'd be glad to help!
Cheers!
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Mi Espanol es asi asi. Trabajaba in San Luis Potosi cada verano por seis anos construiendo casas con my iglesia y tralduciendo Espanol por nuestro equipo de ministerio. Ahora, aprendiendo espanol para viendo telemundo :)(sorry, I dunno how to make the little accent marks :o)
 
Portable water purifier. The outfit you work for should have that covered, but..."contingencies" happen, & you may well want to take side trips.
 
Ed Ricketts said:
Portable water purifier. The outfit you work for should have that covered, but..."contingencies" happen, & you may well want to take side trips.
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I had some sort of straw-like contraption made by Katadyn I think. I may go with one of their larger models or an inline. Unless anyone has a better suggestion. I know I shouldn't put a limit on these things, but $100 is probably tops for me. I am, after all, a poor college kid going on internship.
 
If you can go to Kenya you can go to El Salvador. Make sure the shoes are comfortable and take a good pair of shades. I think your ready to go.
 
Take a few, not to expensive folders, or multy tools. They might buy you some lifelong friends among the locals. That’s what I do when up in the Sierra.
 
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