What to Expect on Our Trips!

Should you ever decide that this type of experience would be great for you and your family, here is a run down of what you can expect when you visit Guatemala with us!

Flights:

First things first! We will have everything in the trip planned for you EXCEPT flights. We will let you know when you need to be in Guatemala and when to leave. It is important we all arrive close to one another since we take a tour bus to the villages we will be serving in, which are usually 4-5 hours away from Guatemala City. Please ask us for this information BEFORE you book your flights. Once you have your flight plan, let us know so we can schedule our meetup time in Guatemala City as well as any other necessary arrangements such as bus or hotel stays. If we do need to use a hotel for a night in the city, we usually stay at the Barceló.

Transportation:

We always book a tour bus from a reputable company with many positive reviews. Our drivers become a part of our trip and we’ve enjoyed getting to know them while we are in Guatemala! The bus is our safe haven during the days when we are out serving. It is where we can keep our belongings knowing that they are safe (the bus is always locked when we are not in it) and where we sneak in naps, visit with one another and discuss humanitarian work and how we can best help without accidentally doing harm.

Lodging:

When we have visited the coast for our service projects, we have always stayed at the Maya Jade hotel. This community has our hearts, as it’s the first place we served in and so many people in the village (who make up most of the employees at Maya Jade) have been so great and helpful to us during our projects. When we stay at Maya Jade, our meals are mostly eaten there in their restaurant.

When we visit different areas of Guatemala, we search for high rated airbnbs large enough to fit our group and have been able to find many beautiful, comfortable accommodations. We do our best to make sure each participant/family has their privacy and space. Every location we have been to thus far has been so fun and spacious!

Project Days:

We have done so many different types of service over the life of AWB. Whether they’ve been labor intensive or more focused on education and relationship building, there is something to do for everyone who comes on our trips, including children!

Often our project days go like this:

-Wake up, get breakfast, pack your day pack

-Travel to location

-Serve

-Eat lunch

-Continue serving

-Travel home

(We try to not stay out too late, some days it can’t be avoided,

but we try to make it back before or around dinner time.)

Below are some photos from previous projects. We’ve done english to spanish flash cards, english to spanish children’s books, water filter bucket kits, painting and cleaning up local schools, taking apart rusty, old desks, installing electricity in schools, painting mini chalkboards for students, fixing the schools water pump, building a shed to protect the water pump, health classes, medical clinics, dispersing reading glasses, etc. So many different ways to serve, so many ways to get involved!

Fun Days:

We always try to add a fun excursion to our trips. Whether it be an awesome hike, thrift shopping, exploring a new city, or swimming, we promise you’ll have a ton of FUN with us along with all the work and service!

Sundays:

Because our families are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, we always enjoy finding a branch or ward we can attend in Guatemala near to where we are serving. If we are near a temple, we enjoy stopping by there as well. Attending our church service or visiting the temple with us is NOT a mandatory part of our trips. You can stay at the hotel or airbnb, or sometimes the church service is located near a town hub with shops or parks to explore. Sometimes we have church clothes packed, sometimes we just wear the cleanest thing we can find! These days are usually quite the adventure and are another great way to delve into the local culture.

Here are some of our memories on Guatemalan Sundays!

If you have any questions involving our fun and fulfilling non profit trips that we haven’t covered in this article, please feel free to reach out to us so we can’t chat! Hope to experience the joys of Guatemala with you soon. :)