Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with guatemala

Fundraising ideas?

R a c h e l — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:28:38 -0800

Do you have good fundraising ideas for a high school junior? I've read the previous AskMes on this topic, but none seem as specific to my situation as I'd like. I'm not fundraising with a group.

I'm a high school junior, with a fundraising quota to meet for a program I'm doing. I'm going to get to go to Guatemala and participate in some sort of service project (I find out tomorrow what I'm doing) either construction of a school, picking coffee, working in a clinic/hospital, or reforestation. The money I'm fundraising goes directly into the fund fund that's funding our projects - none of it goes to the organization, my tuition, airfare, or anything else. Basically, this is a pretty much universally-liked cause.

This isn't, like, fundraising to offset my tuition or anything - it's required that we earn this - I couldn't even pay it off with my own, already existing money.

We've been provided with some tools - we can sell coffee, wreaths, tote bags, etc. The coffee is direct trade, which is great - it's from the farm where we will be staying/working, so that's awesome.

So, the first part of my question is, other than nicely worded emails and things, how could I sell these? I've sold ~20 bags of coffee and ~5 wreaths from this. I'd like to sell coffee throughout the year (I go next summer) but I don't want to be repeatedly emailing people if they didn't like the coffee or would rather purchase elsewhere (it isn't cheap).
As far as this goes:
-I don't go to a church but have already contacted one neighborhood church about putting a sign up
-I only have one more week to sell wreaths
-I've contacted those at my mom's office, though my dad's is more corporate and he doesn't think it'd be appropriate
-Many organizations around here sell similar goods, so I have decent amounts of competition

The second part of my question is, what are some things that people would buy that I could make? Are there recipes I could assemble or make and then freeze, providing people with ready made meals/cookies/whatever? Do you think people would be interested in purchasing entire pies or other baked goods? I'm a fairly skilled baker, always get compliments, and I have a few specialties up my sleeve. I also LOVE to make homemade ice cream, and I'm confident I could sell pints for $6-7 (is this reasonable?) that would far exceed even premium store-bought ice cream (think Ben&Jerry's. etc.).Would another email to the people who already bought things be inappropriate? I've pretty much harnessed my entire network of adults for it, so there aren't many other people I could contact (I could also include handwritten, colorful notes about it when I deliver the wreaths and coffee. Could attach it to a 'sample'?

Sorry for the length, brevity is certainly not my strong suit. Do you guys have any ideas? I'm happy to do whatever, labor, making stuff, etc. I'm not fantastic at physical labor but I am fairly artistic, kitchen-savvy, love to babysit but already do that for profit.

Central America

freddymetz — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 06:23:49 -0800

Backpacking from Mexico to Colombia! More inside Im planning to go backpacking in central america sometime over the next year. Has anyone here already done this? whens the best time to go? what should i watch out for? i know about mexico well enough, but how safe is guatemala, honduras, costa rica and panama? i also heard that there are no roads from panama to colombia and that one has to take the boat?
thanks in advance!

Headed to Guatemala. What should I read?

rebekah — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 08:44:02 -0800

I leave for a week in Guatemala later this month. I have a pretty good handle on what to do/see and where to stay/eat, but I'm wondering what I should read. Lonely Planet's literature recommendations are disappointingly spare, and a search for "Guatemala" isn't getting me very far on Amazon. So far Men of Maize and The Blood of Kings are on the list, but what am I missing? History, travel literature and fiction all welcome, and I'll be spending most of my time near Lake Atitlán, if that helps.

ISO waterproof luggage

SuperNova — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 19:58:17 -0800

Looking for a set of waterproof luggage, suitable for Central America, but not a backpack. Help? A friend of mine is going to be traveling to Guatemala for two years on an LDS mission and will be moving around quite a bit in country. A lot of the transportation will be by "chicken bus" -- basically old US school buses. Most of the time his luggage will be on top of the bus, so he's looking for something waterproof and durable. Unfortunately, backpacks are not allowed.

My friend, being acutely aware of the wisdom emanating from the MeFi oracle, asks your advice. Any thoughts?

What do you mean you're not having a wedding?

jshort — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:00:49 -0800

What are the requirements for my fiance and I (both US citizens) to get married in Guatemala? My fiance and I are going to Guatemala in early September and plan to get married while we're there. Much to the chagrin of our friends and family, this is not a destination wedding - it will be an adventure vacation for the two of us where we will also tie the proverbial knot (seriously, they would love to see the wedding, but are completely supportive of our plans).

In trying to track down the requirements for US citizens getting married in Guatemala, we haven't found a lot of information... We have read the US Embassy in Guatemala page on the subject, but that's about all the official information we have, as the Guatemala Embassy in the US site seems to be down.

From reading the US Embassy site, we know the general requirements, but we aren't sure about how to satisfy some of them and we are looking to find out if there are any others. Here's what (we think) we know so far...

US documents must be authenticated by the Guatemalan Embassy/Consulate in the US. It seems that this requires them to first be authenticated by the US State Department, which we learned this morning requires the documents to be authenticated by their respective issuing states' Secretary of State.

Marriages are performed by civil authorities or a Guatemalan lawyer. Should/can we arrange for this now or wait until we are in Guatemala? How would we find someone someone reputable?

Guatemalan law requires proof of legal capacity to enter into a marriage contract in the form of certification by competent authority that no impediment exists to the marriage. No such document exists in the United States, but Guatemalan authorities usually accept an affidavit written by the U.S. citizen stating that they are free to marry and notarized at the American Embassy. The US Embassy website tells how to do this and it seems pretty straightforward.

When a foreigner requests to be married in Guatemala, Guatemalan law requires that the foreigner publishes an announcement in the official newspaper for two weeks to check if there is an obstacle for the marriage. We think the official newspaper is Prensa Libre de Guatemala. Is this correct? How do we go about publishing an announcement? We only speak a little Spanish...

What else is there that we don't know? Are there resources we haven't found on the web (preferably in English)?

Finally, we have read the various AskMe and Thorn Tree threads about Guatemala, but if anyone has any recommendations on what to see, where to stay/eat, etc feel free to post them. This isn't really the point of this thread, but we always love to hear what other travelers have enjoyed.

Buying a cell phone abroad & using it in other countries later

gottabefunky — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 23:23:24 -0800

If I buy a cheap, pay-as-you-go cell phone in Guatemala to use while I'm traveling there, can I then use it in other countries I visit later - and which ones? Is it as simple as replacing a SIM card every time? Basically, how does the whole multi-country cell phone thing work? I'm thinking more calling locally, but calling back home would be nice too. (I'm a Verizon customer, ignorant of these mysteries.)

Where the streets have no name.

greta simone — Thu, 22 May 2008 16:51:58 -0800

Please help me find a map of Santiago Atitlan, Solola, Guatemala! I have been in Santiago for 4 days now, and getting around is pretty confusing. I haven't really been able to go outside of a four block radius, for fear of geting lost. I have asked many people, both natives and expats, where I could find a map, and no one seems to have a good answer for me. I have tried teh google, to no avail. I do realize that the streets don't really have any names, and that streets and alleys aren't really discernable from each other, and that everyone is directed to places according to their approximation to other places, but I need help! I am going to be here for another four weeks, and it would be helpful to have some sort of visual guide if I'm ever to explore safely.
Just to ward off certain answers:
I do not have much to time walk around and find my own way. I work all of the daytime hours, I am female and protective of my safety, and I have very little time before it gets dark to explore. I would like to use what little free time I have to get from point A to point B without getting lost.
Any kind of map, no matter how rough, would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

Volunteer or Grad School?

bobdylanforever — Thu, 08 May 2008 07:57:16 -0800

How much will dropping off the face of the earth for a year impact my getting into grad school? I'm contemplating volunteering for about 8 months after I graduate from college (June 2009) in Guatemala, or wherever (I just don't want to commit to two years with Peace Corps) after which I'd like to go directly to grad school the following fall (fall 2010). I'm not sure what I want to do and my plan is to apply to this volunteer program (I'm not sure they'll take me) as well as a few grad schools. I may very well decide to go to grad school in the fall of 2009 instead of traveling- I'm just not sure- so I'm going to apply for both.

One of these grad schools has a program that is pretty much a dream come true (It's a program for Board Certified Behavior Analysis through an all autism school) So let's hypothetically say I get in and choose to nicely decline because I want to go save Guatemalan children for 8 months, then come back spring of 2010 and want to get into the program in the fall of 2010. Do I reapply? Is there a chance that my acceptance or any fellowships I might have been granted would still stand? My main concern is that I'd get into my dream program, turn it down, come back, and my spot would be gone and I'd be kicking myself. I'm also concerned about coming back from Guatemala or wherever and trying to reapply, get recommendation letters, etc all ready before the application deadlines.

In short, any ideas about how long an acceptance to a grad school would stand or any advice in general?

I need to brush up on my Spanish.

greta simone — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 08:07:14 -0800

I need recommendations for the best Spanish review/dictionary. Hi all. I'm going to be going to Guatemala for five weeks on a service learning program. I will be taking language courses there and I have a really basic knowledge of Spanish at this point. What I am looking for is a good book that includes both a review of grammar and a useful Spanish-English dictionary. I want to be able to review grammar in the weeks before I go, and have a dictionary to carry around with me when I get there. I would prefer this book to be travel-sized (small paperback) so it can fit in my bag, but as comprehensive as a small book can be. I went to the local Barnes and Noble, but the Spanish section was huge and overwhelming. I would like to narrow my search a little- please help!
Thanks-

Central America chili-off

harhailla.harhaluuossa — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 01:31:36 -0800

So Taksi Putra has challenged me to a 'chili-off' in Central America (Mexico, Guatemala, Belize) this summer. What should we eat and where? Higher on the Scoville the better. Anything east of Baja is fair game. If it sounds tasty and is super-hot, we'll hunt it down. Specific restaurants / neighborhoods to go to?
Recipes welcome too.
Also: what drinks do we pair the food with? Alcohol suggestions?

We're not looking only for Central American food; simply the hottest.

Note: We're pretty resilient to capsacin and super-mobile - suggest away!

Guatemala, ya'll

greta simone — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 09:15:24 -0800

Travelfilter: Going to Guatemala for 5 weeks. Need tips. Hello all. I will be staying in the Lago de Atitlán area from May 16 to June 21 this summer. I am going with a school program, but we are to be split up and placed into individual homestay and service work situations. I do not yet know exactly where in the area I will be placed. Our orientation meeting is not for a few more weeks, but I am nervous about preparations.
What do I need to remember to take? I know it will be rainy season- how do I best prepare for it?
Are there unsafe areas I need to be sure to avoid? (I am a 25 year old female).
How easy is it to get around?
Which travel book(s) should I buy?
I know these are all very general questions, and I've looked at various websites and previous ask.me questions, but everything is so brief and not terribly descriptive.
Any and all advice/suggestions/recommendations are welcome.

What's that Smell Filter: Why can't most third world countries' septic systems handle toilet paper?

bobdylanforever — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 20:45:18 -0800

I was recently in Guatemala and I know that there and in most of Central America and many other third world countries you can't flush toilet paper because their septic systems can't handle it. What's the difference between our (More Developed Countries) septic systems and theirs (Less Developed Countries) that ours can handle it? Is it a matter of water flow, sanitation processes, etc?

Finding a house in Guatemala

sargento29 — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 18:35:04 -0800

How can I find a house in Guatemala?! I am taking my family on a short 10-day vacation to Guatemala City. I need to rent a two-bedroom house for two weeks, and it seems nearly impossible to find one.

I have family in Guatemala, and they too, have had a hard time finding something. Am I missing something? Have I not looked in the right places? I am willing to pay whatever necessary to stay in a safe and clean place.

Feliz Navidad!

Rain, rain, stay out of guatemala??

Kololo — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 08:31:54 -0800

I need/want to go on an interesting & adventurous vacation at the end of august, and I'd gotten myself all excited about the possiblity of backpacking around Guatemala for two weeks. But.... it appears that its the rainy season. I have two questions:

1) How serious is this here rainy season? I can easily deal with an hour of rain every afternoon, but would probably be pretty unhappy with rain that lasts half the day. Have any of you travelled in Guatemala (or its neighbouring countries) during the rainy season? How was it? Would you do it again?

2) Are there any alternate suggestions for an interesting backpacker-type vacation at the end of August? I want to avoid hurricanes, flights over $700-ish (flying from toronto), all-inclusive resorts, and boredom. Spending a day or three on a beach is appealing, spending the whole vacation on the beach is not. I'm also not so into the whole multi-day-hike focused trip, although a bit of physical adventure/exploring could be good.

Oh, and i'm a well-travelled 30 year old Canadian woman, who has travelled solo fairly extensively, and has plenty o' common sense.

Suggestions? (Or, re: guatemala - reassurances?)

Experience with Casa Guatemala?

night kitchen — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 15:49:55 -0800

Anyone have experience volunteering with Casa Guatemala? My mind's about 90% made up to volunteer for 6+ months with them (if they'll take me), and I wanted to poll the hive mind for wisdom.

Any experiences (positive or otherwise) from someone who's been there? Any recommendations for being a successful applicant? For being successful as a volunteer?

What to do in Guatemala for 10 days?

btkuhn — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 15:00:57 -0800

What to do in Guatemala for 10 days? I'm flying to Guatemala City, Guatemala tomorrow for a ten-day vacation. This will be my first real international trip, as well as my first solo trip. What destinations/experiences/attractions can't be missed? More details: I'm planning on getting out of Guatemala City as quickly as possible and heading to Antigua, and I have some ideas after that but nothing definite. I plan to (at some point) head up around Lake Atitlan, see the market at ChiChi and probably one of the smaller markets in the area, and I'd like to climb one of the volcanoes at one point on my trip. But I have no specific towns/lodging places that I have my heart set on in Atitlan or anywhere else, and I am totally open aside from these priorities. What should I do, where should I go? Where should I eat, outside of Antigua? Is Tikal worth the 11 hour ride each way (flight is probably above budget)? Should I consider Copan instead?

One further caveat: I'd like to spend as little money as possible without overdoing the cost-cutting - I have no problem staying in budget hotels/hostels and taking crappy buses from town to town, but I can afford more than bean and rice for every meal.

Thanks!

Hasta la vista, winter (for a while)

Gordion Knott — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 03:36:58 -0800

Travel: Our brief "escape the chill" winter trip to Guatemala is impending. Recommendations on sites? Thanks to fine recommendations from the MeFi gang, we settled on Guatemala as our destination for our winter holiday this year. Antigua , Lake Atitlan, and possibly Tikal are on the base itinerary. Any additional ideas vis-a-vis easily accessible, interesting, and relaxing sites?

Recommendations on good eats also welcome, especially in the fish department.

Guatemalan black beans

bluejayk — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 13:54:23 -0800

How do I make Guatemalan style black beans? Just plain old black beans. I don't know how different Guatemalan style beans are than say, Cuban, or Mexican, but I want to make black beans in the style that I had while I was at a homestay in Guatemala. I've got the dried beans, but when searching on the internet, all I can find are fancy recipes for various chilis, beans soups, salads, or whatever.

So here's what I want to make: Black beans, that you eat as a side dish, kinda soupy. Simple stuff, I may try fancy variations later.

Broadband in Antigua, Guatemala?

theora55 — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 11:29:13 -0800

Broadband in Antigua, Guatemala? Any expertise on getting a reliable fast or broadband connection in Antigua, Guatemala would be appreciated. A friend needs to telecommute for several months. I have a gmail account if you want to reply directly. Checking it only every other day or so. thanks.

An ingenious game of chance in which the deluded player thinks he’s beating the house.

lalochezia — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 18:25:28 -0800

Travel[+Insurance]Filter. I have medical (50% cost) + Emergency Repatriation coverage for a 10 week trip to Central America. Should I have anything else? If so, where can I get such a custom policy? Any last minute advice on destinations as well? I’m off to Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua to learn Spanish and see mayan sites, mountains and dive off coast [wohoo!]. I may go on to Costa Rica and Panama or head back into Belize or Mexico.

My question is this: Should I get more insurance?

I have $150k repatriation insurance through my employer. My US health insurance pays 50% of out-of-network costs for any procedure, no matter where it’s conducted.

I’m traveling with <$750 of gear total (bag, camera, clothes, books etc) and will be staying fairly low rent in cities, jungles etc. I have my shots and meds ready. My travel plans are v. flexible, so I don't know dates or when I'll buy my tickets during the 10 week period.

As a bonus: any suggestions on places to go or last minute advice for that part of the world?

Guatemala travel advice?

soviet sleepover — Mon, 27 Jun 2005 20:43:26 -0800

In a few days I'm headed to Guatemala for a month followed by several weeks in southern Mexico. Offer some travel suggestions please! Also, as I'll be traveling by myself, suggestions on how to be more outgoing in a language I'm not confident with welcome. I've got a rough itenerary mapped out: a day in Antigua, several days in different towns on lake Atitlan, and then two weeks in Quetzaltenango studying Spanish. After this I have about ten days before I'm due to meet friends in Mexico. Initially I'd planned to go to the Mayan ruins of Copan in Honduras, then spend about a week hiking & hitching around the rural Honduran highlands putting my brushed-up Spanish to the test before heading back through Guatemala to San Cristobal in Chiapas. Lately though, an intermittant hip problem's been flaring up making extended walking/hiking painful, so a change of plans may be in order.

I'd like to stay off the tourist track, minimize days spent mostly/entirely in travel, and choose a route that heads either through the Peten (to meet up with my friends at Palenque) or through the Guatemalan highlands (to San Cristobal). After spending hours poring over the guidebooks, brain numb with guidebook-ese, everywhere sounds pretty much the same ("quaint" architecture, "charming" Mayan women in traditional clothes, etc). I'd like suggestions/stories about interesting places in the highlands or en route to Tikal. I'm on a budget but a flight between Guatemala City and Tikal wouldn't be out of the question provided I was near GC to get that flight. Finally, what are your tips for having meaningful interactions with strangers in a second language?

Guatemala Travel

alball — Fri, 04 Mar 2005 06:38:05 -0800

My wife and I are planning a vacation to Antigua, Guatemala in April. Any tips on things to do or see, places to stay, etc? We are hoping to attend a Spanish language school in the mornings, and maybe take day trips in the afternoon. I would like to go to Lake Atitlan, but we are a little bit worried about safety on some of the less traveled back roads.