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| GUATEMALA |
LIST OF PROJECTS IN GUATEMALA |
GUATEMALA |
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. Guatemala is known as the Centre of the Mayan World. It's called The Land of Eternal Spring. It's one of the most beautiful and culturally rich countries in Central America, and one of the largest. With oceans on two sides and bordered by Mexico, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador, there is a lot to explore! "Antigua is absolutely STUNNING. I cannot stress how stunning it is. I wish I could zap you all here just so you can see it for yourselves." Rebecca Tilley
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“The support that I needed was provided as well as encouragement and care. I was very happy with every aspect of my stay. THANK YOU VERY MUCH for making it so much easier.” Nayna Kennedy |
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Bienvenido to Guatemala! 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. For those on a budget, you're 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 meet is heart-warming and will certainly help you to feel right at home. As soon as you arrive, you'll slip into the laid-back culture of this Latin American country. You'll be relaxed and calm at the same time… What a place!!! Our projects are based in gorgeous and social Antigua, which won the Tripadvisor 2008 Travellers Choice Award! WHY GUATEMALA?
ABOUT ANTIGUA... by our volunteers 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." Georgia Peek (Teaching Volunteer) - "Not only can I say life in Antigua is full of fun and full of new experiences and a great place to make friends (full to the brim of students and volunteers of all ages) it is a great place for self discovery and just to have an incredible experience working, studying and learning about a new culture. There is also the opportunity to travel when in Guatemala, something I did at weekends, which is fantastic - you can see places you never dreamed existed and it’s just incredible. I can't justify my time in Guatemala with words. All I can say is that Travellers were 100% fantastic to work with and the trip there was the most amazing thing I have ever done in my life." Click here to see a Photo Gallery of Guatemala taken by Travellers Volunteer Amy Blong During her Placement. |
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| MORE 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! |
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Suite 2A, Caravelle House, 17/19 Goring Road,
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