These “Dealbreakers” cover the most common reasons Builders get sent home, but these are not the only things you could get sent home for. Please thoroughly review the full Builder Agreement and make sure you will be able to succeed on your HXP trip. Although some of these rules may seem silly or extreme, they are all in place for a reason and allow us to run trips throughout the world with confidence that we are prioritizing Builder safety.
If you break any of these rules, you will be sent home from your trip immediately, at your own expense.
The "3's Actually Not a Crowd" Rule (The Rule of Three)
Whether it be at the worksite, a sightseeing activity, church, or even just running into a public bathroom, all Builders must be in a group of at least three people, always. No matter where you are, find at least two Builders and stick together. Like glue. Like super hot glue you kind of hate at first but then love when you realize how useful it is. More than anything, it’s about always having one another’s back. Take care of your people by making sure that no one in your group is ever alone. If someone in your group needs to go to the bathroom, decide now to be the first one to jump up and go with her. This rule has saved lives at Humanitarian XP more than once. Love each other enough to never leave someone in your pack vulnerable. This rule also prohibits anyone from pairing off… need we say more?
Kissing (or anything like unto it)
Actually, we will say more. Let us be clear here. . . we are, in the abstract, pro-kissing (in the right settings). But on a Humanitarian XP trip, pairing off becomes a serious distraction to why we’re there: to help people. Listen. Kissing (or pairing off) totally changes the group dynamic and affects everyone on the trip. Trust us. So we are asking you to keep your focus on serving, and even if you meet the girl or boy of your dreams, please try to restrain yourself from kissing them until you get home. After that, it’s entirely up to you.
If you decide you simply can’t wait to kiss someone on your trip, you’re welcome to make that choice. Just know that you’ll be choosing that instead of staying on your trip (i.e. you’ll be flying home early to your own cost and never coming back to Humanitarian XP). That’s one expensive kiss! But hey. . . no judgement.
Sneaking Off
No matter how confident you feel going off by yourself in another country, or how good that treat from the market next door sounds, sneaking off is a serious risk. Like, buried-landmines-and-poisonous-snakes-type risk. You aren’t in Kansas anymore.
Health Code
We’ve chosen to follow the same code as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. No drugs, vaping, smoking, alcohol, black tea, or coffee. We’ve had to send a few Builders home for this in the last few years, and it is always so sad for everyone. If you’ve had a problem with substance abuse, think about this trip as a chance for a clean start.
Secret Phones
At the airport, your Trip Leader will collect all the phones. Once in a while, a Builder sneaks a secret phone in their luggage. It seems like no big deal, but you’d be stunned at how that one choice can actually totally wreck your whole experience – and not just yours, but your whole group’s. It’s damaging enough that this year it landed in the dealbreakers section. Know that at any point on the trip, your parents can reach you in an emergency through your Trip Leaders within just a few minutes, and if you need to talk to your parents once or twice, your Trip Leaders can always make that happen as well. And pssst…you’re actually going to love it. Here’s why…
It’s a literal Digital Detox.
Studies show that teenagers spend nine hours every day on various social media apps on their phones. Hold up—NINE. HOURS. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
You can fly to Peru in that amount of time! Make no mistake, we love social media and we believe it does so much good. However, one of the greatest blessings of these trips is the fact that you will have ZERO access to your phones, which allows you to be totally present in the experience. Breathe. You will be okay.
You may not believe this now, but the “Digital Detox” will be one of your favorite aspects of the trip. At the airport when your Trip Leader asks to hold on to your phone, you may experience a few moments of utter panic and may forget your identity as a human being—but you’ll survive. Without the distraction that carrying your phone will bring, you will be able to completely focus on the service you are providing and the relationships you are building with the other members of your group. Thoughts of home, school, work and stress can be left at the departure airport allowing you to “leave the real world behind” while you are serving for two and half weeks or ten days. Never underestimate the power of a Digital Detox. You’ll leave behind stress, distractions, and open up a lot of opportunities to strengthen your relationship with your Humanitarian XP family, your Savior, and your Heavenly Father.
AGGRESSIVE LANGUAGE / BEHAVIOR
At HXP, we take Builder safety extremely seriously.
Any language or behavior that compromises another Builder’s sense of safety or detracts from the group’s ability to have an uplifting experience may be grounds for being sent home. This includes, but is not limited to, any verbal, written, or physical expressions of violence, intimidation, or discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, etc.
Racist jokes are not okay. Sexist or demeaning comments are not okay. Bullying of any kind is absolutely not okay. Part of the magic of our trips is the unique spirit that we enjoy as we serve together. We will not tolerate any language or behavior that detracts from that spirit.
No form of sexually explicit language, sexual advances, harassment, or abuse will be tolerated on an HXP trip. In addition to immediately being sent home, legal action may be taken against any person who sexually harasses or abuses another person on a trip. We feel a parental level of protectiveness of our Builders, and we will not hesitate to take drastic measures to keep them safe.
To ensure a safe and uplifting environment throughout the trip, HXP strictly enforces the following practices:
Sexually explicit conversations are absolutely out of place on an XP trip. No sharing beds, cuddling, hand holding or massaging. No inappropriate games, music, pictures, drawings, letters, or gestures.
We embrace a “Don’t shut up, report up!” mentality and strongly encourage any Builder who experiences anything that makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe to immediately talk to their Trip Leaders regarding the situation.
Your Trip Leaders have been trained to listen to you, believe you, and do whatever is necessary to make you feel safe.
In the very unlikely event that your Trip Leader’s behavior makes you uncomfortable, please pull aside one of the other adults on the trip (either the other Trip Leader or one of your Parent Builders). They will immediately put you in contact with the HXP office where the issue will be promptly addressed and resolved.
We hold our Trip Leaders accountable to the highest standards, always. We will take whatever action is required to make you feel safe, including putting you in contact with your parents if you desire.