PROGRAM TOPICS

Human Connections operates as an important part of the Bucerias community and therefore has connections with partners and local organizations across a multitude of industries and social sectors. Below are some of our most common themes:

• Social entrepreneurship
• Sustainable volunteering
• Microfinance
• Economic development
• Indigenous rights
• Migration
• Environmental sustainability
• Opportunity, equity, and access
• Comparative and cross-cultural education Don’t see your program topic here? We are happy to curate a customized program incorporating your learning objectives and goals.

ITINERARY OPTIONS & INCLUSIONS

Pre-Trip Support & Orientation

You and your group will receive comprehensive support prior to your travels, with detailed information about our Bucerias community, your itinerary, and, of course, a suggested packing list.

Upon arrival, your group will go through an engaging orientation focused on preparing students for enriching intercultural experiences in our local community and remaining safe throughout all activities.

Partner Visits, Guest Speakers & Organization Visits

All of our custom programs include opportunities for reciprocal exchanges and learning during visits with our HC partners. The specific partners are aligned with your program’s focus and interests.

We have many connections with local organizations and leaders in the public and private sector and are happy to help source guest speakers and subject matter experts for your group’s program.

Cultural Activities

Most of our partner visits have immersive cultural experiences built into the visit. For example, a visit with Wixarika artist Leonarda will include an opportunity for your group to try their skill at the indigenous art form Leo has mastered to create a small business to support her family. A visit with Gilari and Shamar, beekeepers and owners of a natural products company, isn’t complete without an opportunity for your group to witness the beekeeping process and create their own honey-based products.

Beyond these opportunities offered by our partners, Human Connections is happy to organize additional cultural experiences for your group.

Group Debriefs and Reflections

Throughout the program, uur Human Connections team is happy to facilitate group debriefs and reflections to maximize student learning. We are also able to provide educators with resources to facilitate these sessions independently.

Accommodations

Our programs allow a choice in accommodation style so that each group is in control of their budget, comfort, and immersion preferences. We work with carefully selected local partners and businesses to offer comfortable and safe homestays, mid-range hotels, and high-end resort options.

Meals

Our team is dedicated to finding the most delicious, authentic Mexican cuisine for your group. Many of our programs let us take care of all meals so that your only responsibility is to show up hungry! We can also offer a reduced 50% meal package, at your request.

We are happy to accommodate dietary restrictions and special diets.

Travel Arrangements

Human Connections is happy to arrange roundtrip airfare for your group or you can use your own travel agent to book your trip into the Puerto Vallarta Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR). Either way, our team will meet you at the airport and provide comfortable, safe transportation throughout the entire program.

Excursions & Free Days

Most of our programs include at least one excursion through the gorgeous Riviera Nayarit and a free day for local exploration and/or relaxation on our peaceful Bucerias beach. Our most popular excursions include:

• A jungle hike with an indigenous guide to see ancient petroglyphs
• A day trip to San Sebastian, a colonial mining town in the mountains of Jalisco
• A boat trip to Yelapa, a beach town on the southernmost part of the Bay of Banderas for some sun and relaxation.
• Overnight retreats in nearby San Sebastian, a pueblo magicos nestled in the Sierra Madre mountains, or the beautiful crater lake community, Santa Maria del Oro.

ETHICAL VOLUNTEERING/ SERVICE LEARNING

We recognize that those who wish to volunteer, at home or abroad, generally do so with the best of intentions. However, when international volunteers come into our communities to “help,” the outcome is complicated and often reinforces damaging power dynamics between groups of people. Here are one, two, and three resources to learn more about “voluntourism.”

At Human Connections, we are discerning about the volunteer experiences we facilitate, and always integrate the following two commitments:

Partnerships

We partner with local organizations to make sure that any volunteer work our groups do is truly needed, does not take away local jobs, and compensates the organization’s staff fairly for their time with volunteers.

Learning

We contextualize the volunteer component of our itineraries with discussions that address the concerns with “voluntourism” directly. Students hone their critical thinking skills, learning tools to tackle social justice issues and developing a broader global perspective that will serve them for years to come.

PRICING

As a social enterprise, we are committed to keeping our prices accessible.

Trip prices depend on number of people, length of stay, accommodation type, and other variables that you decide, as well as time of year. Input your information into our calculator to get an immediate estimate.

*Note: Additional fees may be necessary to ensure appropriate Covid-19 health and safety measures are in place, including surcharges for private bedrooms for all participants.

RISK MANAGEMENT

While no organization, in the US or abroad, can guarantee a risk-free learning environment, Human Connections places the highest priority on the safety and security of our student travelers.

Our team of seasoned professionals receives ongoing risk management training that is aligned with education abroad, international travel, and local Mexican travel best practices.

Bucerias is the only location where Human Connections operates and our bilingual team is available 24/7 for your group while in Mexico. Our valuable connections within the community include healthcare providers experienced in providing care for English-speaking student travelers.

Comprehensive general liability insurance covers the organization and all program participants. International travel insurance is required for all student travelers.

An important component of our risk management procedures is student preparedness. All participants receive health and safety information prior to travel and are provided a comprehensive orientation upon arrival in Bucerias.

For high school programs, an educator is required to travel with the group. At the university level, we welcome groups with or without educator program leaders. Most of our programs operate with an 8:1 student to staff ratio or better.

COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS

As an organization rooted in the values of responsible travel, our priority is the safety of our guests, partners, and staff. Human Connections is taking the following measures to promote safe travel during the COVID-19 pandemic:

• Daily Symptom & Temperature Checks: Students will be asked to self-report their health daily and temperature checks will be taken at the beginning of each day.
• Masks Required: Everyone involved in this program - students, partners, and staff - are required to properly wear a mask at all times during the program.
• Vehicle Sanitation: Our vehicles are completely sanitized at the beginning of every day. They are equipped with sanitizing wipes and hand sanitizer, which we ask all participants to use between stops. Most distances are shorter than 10 minutes and, whenever possible, the windows are left down to promote ventilation.
• COVID-19 Testing: Human Connections will require all participants to produce a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to arrival in Mexico. Students who arrive without this test will be required to self-quarantine and not be permitted to participate in any program activities until a negative test result is available. All costs associated with quarantine, including private transportation, are at the student’s expense.
• Vaccinations: When possible, participants are strongly recommended to obtain the COVID-19 vaccination prior to participation.
• Cancellations: Human Connections is not responsible for cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the event the entire program must be canceled, every effort will be made to recuperate and refund student fees and/or offer credits for future travel opportunities. Students are recommended to purchase “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) trip insurance to protect their investment in this program.

LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

Human Connections caters to groups from zero Spanish to fluent, depending on your needs. Interpreters are included at no additional cost.

Our Global Engagement Trips are very popular with Spanish language departments and we are happy to organize an experience that enables your students to experience the value of immersive language learning.

IMPACT & SUSTAINABILITY

At Human Connections, relationships are at the core of everything that we do. Our trips are intentionally experiential; participants are welcomed into the homes of local people, where they listen to diverse perspectives and engage ethically in a reciprocal exchange of resources and experiences. All of our programs include fair payments to all providers and we pride ourselves on being socially responsible, educating about how to travel responsibly, and channeling tourism dollars into local hands.

The reciprocal nature of our programs creates impact for both our partners and your students. As our partners gain an opportunity to strengthen their businesses and acquire a platform to share their cultural traditions, our students develop a more informed, empathetic perspective about Mexico and responsible tourism. The long term impact of these lessons can be witnessed in commitments to empathy and social responsibility in their interactions, professions, and future travels.

Every Human Connections Global Engagement Trip includes carbon offsetting to neutralize our participants’ carbon footprint for the duration of the program. This includes everything from airfare, to on-the-ground travel, and every day usage. We partner with Ecosphere+ to offer carbon credits that funds sustainability projects across Latin America, including community-driven reforestation, conservation, and sustainable land use management. In 2019 Human Connections was recognized with the GoAbroad.com Innovation in Sustainability Award for this practice.

Learn more about our Impact and Responsible Tourism Guarantee.