Guatemala Some information

Economy Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America. The distribution of income is unequal with the richest 20% of the population accounting for more than 51% of Guatemala's overall consumption. More than half of the population is below the national poverty line, and 13% of the population lives in extreme poverty. Nearly one-half of Guatemala's children under age five are chronically malnourished, one of the highest malnutrition rates in the world.  Agricultural exports include sugar, coffee, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom, manufacturing products, precious stones and metals, electricity.

Currency Name of Currency: Guatemalan Quetzal Exchange Rate: Q7.6405 per $1 Make sure you do not bring any dollars that are torn, ripped, or very old. They will not exchange them. Visas are widely accepted. Following is MasterCard and Amex. ATMs—known locally as cajeros automático – are found almost everywhere, except in smaller towns. Major banks in Guatemala include BAM, BanRural, and Bantrab Make sure your pin number only has 4 numbers. Make sure you include ATM and merchant fees or surcharges in your budget, if you plan to use a credit/debit card. Don’t forget to notify your bank you are traveling out of country.

Places in Guatemala Antiqua – Where our hotel will be located Perez – An indigenous village (in the mountains) Chela – An indigenous village San Miguel – An indigenous village San Bernandino Santo Domingo Las Playas San Juan

Guatemalan Main Dishes Tapado, seafood soup with green plantain slices Chiles rellenos, bell peppers stuffed with meat and vegetables, covered in whipped egg whites and fried Gallo en perro, dog stew Gallo en chicha, hen stew Pepián de indio (19th century recipe), meat and vegetable stew in a thick recadosauce Subanik, meat and vegetable stew in spicy sauce Kak'ik, turkey soup with "ik" (a spicy chili from Coban Caldo de res or cocido, beef and vegetable soup Caldo de gallina, hen soup Jocón, chicken stewed in a green sauce Hilachas, shredded beef meat in a red sauce Güicoyitos rellenos, stuffed zucchini Pollo a la cerveza, chicken in a beer sauce Pollo guisado, Spanish chicken stew Carne guisada, meat stew Chuletas fascinante - "Fascinating Chops", a breaded pan-fried pork chop Ensalada en escabeche, picked vegetable salad Pollo encebollado, chicken in an onion-based sauce Estofado, beef, potato and carrot stew Revolcado, tomato-based stew with spices and cow’s underbelly Pollo en crema, chicken in cream-based sauce Carne adobada, marinated preserved beef Pulique, yet another kind of meat and vegetable stew Mole de Plantain - fried plantain slices in a chocolate-based sauce (not a sweet dish)

Food Note: We will be drinking purified water. Don’t forget to bring a water bottle.

Transportation If you wake up late If you miss the taxi Team Transportation

Weather in July A lot of rain (rainy season) falls in the months: May, June, July, August, September and October. Mostly hot, a little cooler in the mountains Humidity Temperature

Clothing A light jacket for the evenings, and when we are in the mountains is suggested, especially during the chilly nights. Comfortable walking shoes are needed for walking distances and climbing. Closed slippers are recommended for hygiene reasons. Open toe slippers can be worn indoors. High heels are not recommended. Guatemalans are very modest and conservative. We should dress in the same manner. Very light cotton materials, double layered clothing is suggested. Because of heavy rainfall, a good umbrella or rain jacket will be necessary. Because we will spend a lot of time in the sun, a hat, visor, sunglasses, to protect your head, face, and eyes will come in handy.

Hotel Posada Del Hermano Pedro Antigua, Guatemala

Communication There is Wi-Fi at the hotel we are staying at. It’s best to keep your phone on airplane mode till you are in a wi-fi area. It would also be beneficial to turn off your voicemail feature on your phone till you return. Make sure to check with your cell phone provider to see what the cost is for messaging, data, and calls while roaming in Guatemala. There are 3 major cell phone providers in Guatemala; Movie Star, Claro, and Tigo. You can take an unlocked phone and buy a SIM card to make calls. Average calls to the US is about .10 a minute (using their providers) We should have an emergency phone available for places where there is no wi-fi. Take advantage of Skype, Facetime, Whatsapp, or any app that you can use to communicate using Wi-fi. To call the US from Guatemala – 00 + 1 + 210 (xxx – xxxx). To call Guatemala from the US – 011 + 501 + xxxxxxxxx