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ABOUT GUATEMALA
Bienvenido to Gautemala!
Guatemala is known as the Centre of the Mayan World. It is
called The Land of Eternal Spring. Not only
one of the most beautiful and culturally rich countries in Central America, it
is also one of the largest. With oceans on two sides and bordered by Mexico,
Belize, Honduras and El Salvador, there is a lot to explore!
Imagine
volcanoes, thick tropical forests and
outstanding Mayan ruins that stretch out and above the surrounding forest
canopy - you'll find it all here in this extraordinary
country. In addition to astounding natural landscapes, you will find
colourful and vibrant marketplaces such as the famous one in
Chichicastenango. The souvenirs all over the country and beautiful
handicrafts. For those on a budget, you are in luck! Along with the rest
of Guatemala, gifts and souvenirs are cheap and expect to bargain down
for an even better sale while all the while supporting the tourism
industry in the country. The friendliness of the people you will meet is
heart-warming and will certainly help you to feel right at home. As soon
as you arrive, you will slip into the laid-back culture of this Latin
American country and even though you may be volunteering and/or taking
Spanish lessons, you will be relaxed and calm at the same time… What a
place!!!
Our projects are based in gorgeous and social
Antigua, which has just won a Tripadvisor
2008 Travellers Choice Award!!!
WHY GUATEMALA??
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FREE (or extremely cheap!) Social and
cultural activities for all volunteers almost every afternoon,
including: films, sports, dance classes (salsa and merengue), a trip
to 'Cerro de la Crus', conversation classes, local handicraft
classes, fiestas, visits to voluntary projects for Spanish students,
visits to Jade, Silver and other local factories
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A very social
experience...There
are ALWAYS other volunteers and students here from around the world,
so you'll have lots of company!
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Organised trips
around Guatemala at the weekend... visit Mayan ruins at Tikal,
beautiful Semuc Champey reserve, Lake Atitlan and more. Simply hop
in the mini-van with the other students and head off! (these trips
are not included in the price - you pay locally)
download an example weekly
itinerary
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An introductory Spanish
booklet with lots of key phrases, free on arrival
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A huge network of staff
to make you feel welcome and supported at all times
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For American volunteers, volunteering in
Guatemala means low flight costs since it is so close!
ABOUT ANTIGUA... by our volunteers
By Nayna Kennedy (Care Volunteer)
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"In
Antigua, the flags flutter from the windows and doors. I finally had a
coffee at Frida’s; a beautiful cafe with paintings by Frida and Diego
and photos adorning every wall. It was full of people chatting and some
smoking...yes no laws here about smoking. Mexican cantina food and music
playing out onto the street. I loved it; the décor, the atmosphere and
of course Frida. Then it was down to the market to see the Pinyatas...huge
figures made of papier-mâché painted and filled with sweets. At parties
they are hung high, and the children break them by hitting them with
sticks until all the sweets fall out! Believe me these things are as
tall as me!
Like so many other towns in Guatemala, Antigua has a grid system so its
easy to find places and equally easy to get lost! Lots of single story
houses, brightly coloured with lots of iron work everywhere. Striking
coloured flowers and cacti adorn the windows, and often small pavements
fringe the very uneven (and difficult to walk on) cobbled stone streets
and avenues. Spanish music plays in bars and of course Salsa can be
found around every corner!! There is always a Salsa session going on so
there is music everywhere and lots of twirling and dipping can be spied
through the open windows. The volcanoes around Antigua are huge but
often evasive, and hide in the cloud cover."
By Rebecca Tilley
(Teaching Volunteer) -
"Antigua is absolutely
STUNNING. I cannot stress how stunning it really
is. I wish I could zap you all here just so you can see it for yourselves.
The cobbled streets contain brightly coloured
low houses and the most amazing cathedrals or ruins are everywhere.
Most of the house roof tops are covered with
flowers and plants. In the
center is a gorgeous park which is fascinating to sit in as this is where
those stunning colourful ladies and girls come to sell their
beautiful coloured fabrics, headbands and bags,
etc., etc.
The town
is very modern even though the locals are rather poor. They earn US 70 a
month!!!!!!!! There are many internet cafes,
restaurants, bars, shops, galleries, travel
agents, bookshops, etc. In
fact, have never seen so many internet
cafes, salsa bars and
travel agents in a small town.
Finally,
the most important and greatest asset of Antigua is
that it is surrounded by volcanoes and mountains -
every angle is a photo!!!! I have taken 3 rolls
of film already and I have been here 1 week out
of 6. All the buildings have stunning green courtyards inside,
even the banks.
I am always
seeing something different here. There is always
some form of music playing in the streets too. I'd
imagine Cuba being similar.
The food is sensational and
changes every day so that we try a lot of the local food.
On the weekend I had the most
amazing journey with two friends to the Tikal jungle!!!!!!!!!!! The
bus ride was 8 hrs long and there was no window where we were sitting -
COLD and unbelievable.
Tikal was absolutely amazing
the jungle was stunning and the noises of the animals in the morning was
sooooo cool. All my memories of Africa came flooding back. The beauty
about this jungle is that it contains hundreds of ancient ruins, from the
fascinating and very violent Mayan tribes.
Tikal was one of the reasons
why I wanted to travel to Guatemala, so I can tick that one off of my
list! It was soooooooo good but long distances to travel - I got back at
6.00 a.m. this morning."
Click here
to see a Photo Gallery of Guatemala taken by Travellers Volunteer Amy
Blong During her Placement. |
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Teaching:
In
Guatemala you can teach conversational English, Music, Drama, Maths, and more, to children and adults.
The schools are very colourful and often classes take place outdoors.
Spanish Language Courses:
Embrace the Spanish language by living, eating and
breathing it while you study. There are many other people studying
Spanish in the town so you'll have lots of similar-minded people to mix
with.
Care Projects:
Gain experience in care, or simply to challenge yourself in a friendly
environment where your assistance is really needed.
Creche Projects: A very deserving
placement working with pre-school children, the crèche project in
Guatemala is a truly rewarding experience
Work Experience: Gain international experience in Medicine or Physiotherapy - make
your CV/Resume stand out from
all the others!
Community
Project:
Do you want to help out without being in a classroom environment? Then a
community project is for you! OPTIONAL ADD-ONS
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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ABOUT GUATEMALA |
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Guatemala is a country bursting with beautifully
striking features, biodiversity and an indigenous culture with a powerful
and vibrant identity. It boasts of volcanoes, thick tropical forests,
outstanding Mayan ruins that stretch out and above the surrounding forest
canopy, beautiful lakes, and is bursting with exotic fauna, flora and
wildlife.
One of the most
beautiful and culturally rich countries in Central America it is also one
of the largest, covering an area of over 108,000 sq Km (slightly smaller
than England). Guatemala shares its main border with Mexico to the north,
the east by the Caribbean Sea and Belize, on the west by the Pacific
Ocean, and on the south by both Honduras and El Salvador.
Guatemala also has a fascinating environment, with over
8000 species of plants in 19 different ecosystems. It overflows with an
abundance of animals; 250 species of mammals, 600 species of bird and 200
species of reptiles and amphibians. Guatemala is also home to the
resplendent quetzal, the national bird, which is often used to
symbolise Central America.
The
landscape is awe inspiring, from mountainous
forest highlands, to jungle plains, and volcanic beaches.
There are 30 volcanoes spread through out the
highlands in the Cuchumatanes range, they reach
over 4,000m. The Cuchumatanes range includes the
volcano Tajumulco, the tallest peak in Mesoamerica, standing at
4,220m.
There
are 30 protected areas of national parks
and biological reserves and north of Guatemala
city the highlands of Alta Verapaz slowly descends
into the low lands of Petén. Petén; part of Central America’s
largest tract of virgin rainforest, the Mayan Biosphere Reserve (MBR),
encompasses the Guatemala-Mexico border. The low plains of the Petén form
part of the tierra caliente, they are hot and humid through out the year.
Climate: Guatemala City
and many other parts of the country have a stable and pleasant
climate. Rainfall here is moderate with a distinct dry season from
November to April. The
Pacific slope is rich in coffee, cacao, fruit, and sugar
plantations.
The Pacific coast is covered by vast sprawling
beaches of glistening black volcanic sand and small palm trees. The coast
is tropical, rainy, hot and humid most of the year. Air temperature often
reaches over 32 C º/89.6 F although the black sand of the Pacific coast in
midday heat has been known to reach close to 50 C º/ 122 F. In Antigua,
where you will be based for volunteer work, the temperature is quite
comfortable as the town is settled and protected in the coolness of a
valley.
"We got here safe and sound yesterday afternoon,
and I am officially in love with this country!!! The house I am staying at
is like something out of a travel guide, and the family I am with is sweet
and so thoughtful! Flori, Edgar Sr., Edgar, Denise and Paula are sure to be
fast friends! My housemates are great too, there are 3 guys from Germany,
Colorado and Miami, and we get along great! They are showing me around the
city and explaining important rules of thumb (like don't flush the toilet
paper down the toilet!!). We had the opportunity to get to know a dozen
other foreign students who are learning Spanish, and went out for supper
with them. We have met some fantastic people, amongst them Lilian and Ana,
the principal of the school in San Felipe that we will be working at. We
will be figuring out grades, hours, and tasks in the next couple of days and
starting teaching by Wednesday or Thursday" - Elizabeth
Collin, Teaching 2008
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THE MAYANS |
800 BC – 900 AD The Mayans -
A civilisation a thousand years ahead of the Incas of Peru.
At its height the Mayan lands were not ruled as an empire but as a
collection of interdependent city-states. The king, the fulcrum of city life,
appeased the gods by shedding his blood - this he did
by piercing his body with a sharp object.
Great Mayan cities with temples
that towered over the forest canopy were constructed around the late Classic
period, such as Tikal, Yaxchilán, Copán, and Quiriguá.
Tikal is the largest excavated site in the American continent and is
Guatemala’s most famous cultural and natural preserve. Tikal possesses a
certain magic and is so irresistible that it's a difficult place to leave!
Tikal remained a mystery for centuries, after being abruptly abandoned by
the Maya over 1000 years ago and overgrown by a relentless jungle. Only a
legend survived among the Indians of a lost city, where their ancestors had
achieved a high cultural development.
The
collapse of the Mayan civilisation was swift. Destructive slash and burn
agriculture, water and food shortages combined with a population explosion
all contributed to the demise.
Guatemala’s indigenous population, the Maya,
still account for up to approximately half of the population, one of the
largest indigenous populations in the Northern hemisphere.
They continue to practice Mayan beliefs. In Modern Guatemala there
are still over 20 Mayan languages in use. |
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PLACES TO SEE |
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Guatemala, the "Land of
Eternal Spring", is home to more than 100 distinct ethnic groups. Visitors
can experience luxurious spas in nearby Antigua, climb active volcanoes,
tour the jungles, or explore the still undeveloped and pristine Caribbean
coast.
MONTERRICO:
Monterrico makes for one of the best
locations on the Pacific coast for a weekend break. It is a coastal village
with a few small inexpensive hotels and situated on the beach.
HAWAII:
The small village of Hawaii is home to
the biotopo Monterrico-Hawaii, a 20 Km-long nature reserve. The reserve was
created by ARCAS to protect not only the turtles, but the mangrove forests
and its various inhabitants. Ridley and leatherback turtles can be spotted
crawling up the beach to lay theIr eggs during the
rainy season (June-October). Hawaii is home to a thriving turtle hatchery
operated by ARCAS.
ANTIGUA:
The city of Antigua, initially called
Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala (St. James of the Knights of
Guatemala), after the patron saint of the Spanish conquistadors, was founded
in 1543.
For 200 years it was the capital
of an area that is now Central America and the Mexican state of Chiapas.
Along with Lima and Mexico City, it was one of the three great cities of the
Americas and a major political, religious, intellectual, and economic
center.
However, late in 1773, a series
of devastating earthquakes struck, reducing much of the city's elegance to
rubble. Reluctantly, the government relocated to a safer site in the Ermita
Valley 45 km (28 mi) east, where Guatemala City now stands.
Ironically, it is because the
city, renamed La Antigua (Old) Guatemala, was abandoned that it retains so
much of its colonial character. Only the poorest inhabitants stayed put
after the capital was moved, and because they were of limited means they
could only repair the old structures, not build anew. Recent restoration
projects have transformed this once-rustic hamlet into a hip and trendy --
but still captivating -- destination.
Antigua is
generally known to be more beautiful than Guatemala City and is a very
popular destination with tourists who want to 'experience' Guatemala.
LAGO DE ATITLAN: This is a beautiful lake and
certainly one that deserves exploring! There is a waterside market that is a
great place to do a little shopping and then head out into the natural
beauty of the area. There are lots of little towns and villages on the lake
where you can choose to stay and explore. Have a breakfast of fruit and
honey out on a restuarant deck looking over the sunlit lake to start your
days…it doesn’t get much better than that!
SEMUC CHAMPEY: In this location, where the Cahabòn River flows and
there is a natural limestone bridge, there are fantastic trails to hike.
Since it is in a beautiful humid tropical forest, a nice cool dip in one of
the many pools of water is a refreshing treat after you have such a hard
hike workout! Or…skip the hike and jump straight in the water! The pools are
famous for their beauty! Some travellers enjoy the peacefulness of Semuc
Champey so much that it has become a place for meditation. The tropical
forest provides a home for a great deal of wildlife and especially birds.
Explore caves, swim under the picturesque waterfalls and float down the
river in a tube. How relaxing….!
TIKAL: Get up close and personal with ancient Mayan ruins! You may
have studied this archaeological wonder in class sitting in front of a video
or looking at slides, but NOTHING can compare to seeing it for yourself.
Walking up the Mayan temple and hearing the howling of monkeys in the trees
around you, is an incredible experience that you will never forget. It is
truly astounding and humbling to imagine how people lived so long ago and
the immense structures that were built, with little technology, in the name
of their faith and ideas.
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