| Guatemala Mini-Venture offers participants a once-in-a-lifetime experience for those wishing to explore the prismatic nature and unique culture which comprises Guatemala – while simultaneously supporting a needy group of orphaned and/or disabled children. Participants can contribute by granting some much-needed help in a local social, health and education project where they will assist children at Antigua’s public hospital and orphanage.
After contributing to the local community, participants will embark on a 7-day tour of glorious Guatemala organized by Global Crossroad – exploring cultural wonders as well as the beauty that is the culture of the Mayans. Also: the tour will take participants on a memorable journey to such destinations as: the active volcano, Pacaya; the wonder-filled, Mayan villages of Lake Atitlan; the relaxing town of Panajachel; black sand-covered beaches of Monterrico; the amazingly colorful, native market of Chichicastenango where visitors can often witness some of the traditional ritualistic processions of the Mayans
PROGRAM
OUTLINES
Day 1: Volunteers will arrive to Antigua . Introductions will be held with the staff and the host family; volunteers will spend the rest of the morning with their host families.
In the afternoon there is a city tour in colonial Antigua , which has been declared UNESCO world heritage. After the tour volunteers will get general information about Antigua , Guatemala and can ask any questions they have to our leaders.
Day 2: Our leaders will introduce you to the volunteer project ´Hermano Pedro' and you start working.
The projects name ´Hermano Pedro´ comes from a munk who in 1660 healed the poor people in Guatemala by giving them health care. Nowadays the hospital still has the same mission. The majority of people in Guatemala are treated in the overburdened national hospitals, while access to larger, better-equipped private hospitals is limited to the wealthy and those in major cities. The only option that the poor people from the rural areas around Antigua have is the hospital ´Hermano Pedro´. It is also one of the few places where mentally and physically disabled persons and orphans have a home. Besides the hospital they manage a nursery, which is also based in Antigua and an optional project for the volunteers.
Day 3- 6: Share your love and smiles with the children in the local hospital or nursery of Antigua . As a volunteer at this social/health project, you will be working with groups of orphans, elderly or physically and mentally disabled people. There are various tasks, such as: help the clients get dressed, give them food, organise cultural activities, take them out of the hospital, for a walk to the park etc.
Help the children and patients develop their creative talents by working with them to draw pictures, play games, and perform various related activities. This work is a great mission and provides you with a chance to reach out to those who need extra love and attention. We promise that this experience will be life changing for all—the hospital/nursery, the children, and you. Our volunteer Guatemala projects with these disabled and orphaned children hope to contribute to the well being of them and support the continuance of the Hermano Pedro Hospital .
Volunteers are free to explore the surrounding areas and participate in afternoon excursions to nearby villages, markets, and other interesting spots. Volunteers, please feel free to explore the culture and life of Antigua and surroundings in your free time. Our local field staff will support you with any assistance that you may need.
Discover Guatemala 's stunning nature, volcanoes, lakes, beaches, indigenous culture and traditions. (7 days)
Day 8: The first day you visit the coffee plantation ´La Azotea´, close to Antigua . There is a coffee museum to explore the process from the coffee plant to the final product that is exported and learn about coffee history. Guatemala is famous for the high quality of its coffee and this is a special opportunity to see first-hand how coffee goes from the bean to your cup. At the same plantation there is a cultural museum with traditional clothing and music instruments.
Day 9: To the Pacific black sand beaches of Monterrico. Here you can visit the turtle refugee and if you are lucky and it is breeding season you can free some little baby turtles to the sea. Bring lots of sunscreen and a hat to enjoy the gorgeous beach to its fullest. In the evening return to Antigua .
Day 10: Climb one of the most active volcanoes of Guatemala , el Pacaya. After a walk through different kinds of biodiversities you climb to the top over volcano rocks and then look into the crater, filled with lava. From here you have a spectacular view of the other volcanoes, the capital and the Pacific coast. Be prepared to hike; bring comfortable hiking shoes, water, a snack and lots of energy! Altitude: 2550 meters .
Day 11: Test your Latin American rithem during the Salsa classes with our experienced teachers in Antigua .
Day 12: A trip to the indigenous village of ´San Antonio Aguas Calientes´, which is famous for its production of fabrics and woodcarvings. Here you will be literally taken into the daily life of a group of indigenous women. They invite you into their house, show you a traditional dance and teach you all the steps how to make a ´huipil´ (traditional clothing/blouse), of which the making usually takes them a whole year! You will learn how to make tortillas and after that eat them with a typical meal called ´Pepian´ the women serve you. The women will also tell you the story about their settlement in the village and development of their lives. Thanks to this tour and the selling of handicrafts these women founded an association and were able to start a medical clinic and a school for their children.
Day 13-14: Leaving early in the morning, you will take a two-day trip to one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, Lago Atitlán. Renowned for its beauty, highland Mayan culture, and the volcanoes surrounding the lake, this will be a memorable two-day visit. Enjoy breakfast on arrival in the town of Panajachel on the lake, then head out in a boat to tour three villages around the lake, stopping in one of these to eat lunch and relax. In the afternoon, volunteers are free to explore Panajachel where they will stay overnight. Dinner will be in a local restaurant. The next day volunteers will begin early with a visit to the famous handicraft market, Chichicastenango, an amazing outdoor market in a traditional village where it is often possible to see Mayan processions.
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Mini-Venture
- Guatemala