Guatemala Adoption Travel
What to expect when traveling to GUATEMALA
Guatemala is a wonderful country with beautiful people and beautiful landscapes. Guatemala is called the land of eternal spring because of its mild temperate climate in certain areas. The following are some suggestions that will make your travel experience to Guatemala easier and one to remember.- CULTURE SHOCK - if you have never traveled to a 3rd world country then you might be in for a big surprise. Once you leave the US there are so many different customs, cultures, and ways of doing things that at first it may feel a bit uncomfortable. This feeling is normal and is associated with the stress that you are no longer in surroundings that are familiar to you. Some where in Guatemala you are bound to run into heavily armed guards. This may be either at the airport, hotel, bank, mall, or grocery store. The first couple of times that I visited a bank in Guatemala, my hair would stand up on my neck. I felt like I had to make sure I made no sudden moves or I would be a dead man. I soon came to find that my suspicions were completely wrong and I could move about freely as I normally would. It just took some getting use to. Remember you are in another country and they do things differently.
- GUATEMALA CITY AIRPORT - So many new
sounds and smells, this is definitely not home. Soak it all in and
enjoy it for what it is. It's unique and stimulating to the senses.
If this is your first trip outside the US, you will probably get the
travel bug and want to see other countries. Each country is unique
and has its own to offer. The airport of Guatemala is where you will
begin and end your journey to the Land
of Eternal Spring. Upon arrival you will first clear immigration where
you will need to show your passport and the immigration paper you are
given on the plane . US citizens need a current US passport for a maximum
stay of 90 days. If you are a US resident and a citizen of another
country you may need to acquire a visa to enter Guatemala. For
current visa requirements on any country, you can email us
Most of the hotels have small kiosks where you can wait or call for the shuttle if not feel free to wait inside while waiting for your ride. For the more adventurous, lies ahead the main doors to the outside area of the airport. You will probably see a large group of people outside waiting. Most of these people are waiting for family or they may be one of the many taxi drivers eager to offer you their services. Once you venture outside be prepared to be bombarded by people offering to carry your luggage, shine your shoes, exchange US coins for dollars, and sell you just about every widget and gadget that exists. At first you may find it hard to say "no". Even though they might be good people, with good intentions, there are always those looking for the right opportunity to take advantage of you. Someone that offers to carry your luggage may in fact do so and never return with it. Someone wanting to exchange US coins for dollars may take all your dollars if they see what is in your wallet. Normally such things do not occur however there is always the exception and you don't want to be it! Just use your common sense, remember you are a guest in their country, and enjoy every minute of it! - FOOD AND STAYING HEALTHY - There are
a couple of things to remember when traveling to Guatemala and other
3rd world countries that will help you stay healthy and enjoy yourself.
- Drink only bottled water! If you drink the tap water, even if the hotel says it is purified, you may find yourself more sick than you ever have been before.
- Only eat fruits that have a peel. Examples of what to eat include: apples(they can be washed with soap), watermelon, papaya, bananas, etc. Examples of what not to eat include: lettuce, strawberries, grapes etc. If it can be peeled or washed thoroughly then for the most part you are okay. Porous fruit such as strawberries are hard to wash and most likely will cause you to become very ill. The fruit that is okay to eat does not mean you can eat it anywhere they sell it. You would not buy already sliced watermelon from the lady that sells it on the bus or on the corner even though it looks fresh . It is not worth the chance of getting sick.
- Do not eat food from street vendors!
- Eat only at restaurants that won't make you sick! You say well how do I do that? When you go into a restaurant take a look around. Are the tables clean? Is the floor messy? Are there flies? Generally if the dining area and bathrooms are kept clean you can have a pretty good idea that the kitchen is kept clean as well. I have also found that the busier a restaurant is, the more likely the food is good there however an expensive restaurant probably won't be busy.
- For more detailed information on Guatemala and your health please visit the US Governments Center for Disease Control and Prevention web site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/camerica.htm
The poverty you will see in Guatemala is heart breaking however you will find the people to be happy and content with what they have. I have wondered many times, "why is it that people with so little can be so happy"?
