Mission Trip Panic: How rough are we roughing it?

You’ve got questions. We’ve got answers. Wait a second…did we just steal that slogan?

Anyways, we know that people have questions but that they might be too embarrassed to ask. They know that a SHIP Trip is a mission trip, so they should be grateful for whatever accommodation they get and just shut up and feel #blessed. Yeah, we get that, but that’s not SHIP. So, we’re going to answer some of questions we would have if we’d never been on a SHIP Trip. This is a safe space.

When we built the SHIP property, one of our board members (Marjorie Morris) was in her 80s and then 90s. So, when we planned out the guestrooms, we kept her in mind. We wanted it to be a place where she would be comfortable, so you’ll find comfortable beds and AC in every guestroom. Also, no one on the SHIP staff is especially outdoorsy, so we weren’t looking to “rough it.”

We also kept the needs of our trippers in mind. We’re not going to lie: SHIP Trips are A LOT of work. Even if you’re not working construction, you’ll be going all the time. You need a comfortable place to rest at night. We’ve got you! So…

What’s it like to stay at SHIP?

Imagine that SHIP is a bed and breakfast. We’re going to focus on the “bed” part of that pair in this section. We try to make SHIP Trips comfortable and accessible for everyone. This isn’t bootcamp, and we’re not trying to make you do penance. We figure that you’ll work hard during the day, so you’ll need somewhere nice to rest at the end of the day. So, here’s what it’s like to sleep at SHIP El Salvador:

If you go on a SHIP Trip, you’ll stay in either Building F or G. (Check the map!)

Rooms: Rooms are modest but nice with comfortable beds and air conditioning. We don’t do bunk rooms. Sure, we’ve got some bunk beds, but we don’t separate groups into men’s and women’s dorms. Married couples stay together in a room; people traveling solo will be either in a private room or in a shared room of no more than four people. We have a two-bedroom apartment that we often use for families traveling together. We take room assignments really seriously, and we work hard to match people with just the right roommate and just the right room.

Beds: Our mattresses are really comfortable. If you need anything like an extra pillow or blanket, just ask. Seriously, we want you well rested (in part because we’re going to work you to death an appropriate amount the next day).

Bathrooms: Many of our rooms are equipped with full bathrooms. For those rooms that don’t have attached baths, full bathrooms are available throughout the facility and will be a short walk from your room.

Those are the basics of staying at SHIP El Salvador. Have any questions? Just ask!