Guatemala Student Initiative Humanitarian Trip
Nuevo Progreso
October 7 - 14, 2023
Please note you are responsible for your own tips ($50 US) collected by the team leader. You are also responsible for reserving and paying for your return shuttle from Antigua to Guatemala Airport. You will book your return shuttle upon check-in at Antigua. It is about a 40 minute trip and costs approximately $50 US.
Entheos Member Preferred Price: $769*
Member Sponsored Price: $969**
All prices are for dormitory style rooms and subject to change
HDLF Pricing:
• Audiologist: $699
• Ear Mold Technician: $699
• Audiology Student: $499.
• Interpreter: $399.
• Volunteer: $1799
Volunteers are persons without medical certificate training, not fitting any of the previous categories, including, but not limited to: spouses, high school and college students.
*Please contact Entheos directly for the non-member price cost. Price is only for Entheos Members and students from an affiliated university.
**Price is only for travelers sponsored by an Entheos Member.
You need to complete three separate items for this trip.
1. Entheos Application & Payment
2. HDLF Application & Payment
3. Sign Correct Waiver
October Itinerary
Oct. 7 – Arrive Guatemala City
Oct. 8- Travel to Nuevo Progreso
Training Day
Oct. 9 – Clinic Day
Oct. 10 – Clinic Day
Oct. 11 – Clinic Day
Oct. 12 – Half Clinic Day / Travel to
Antigua
Oct. 13 – Antigua
Oct. 14 – Return Home
Flight Information
What You Need to Know to Book Your Flight
Confirmation from Entheos that you are on the humanitarian trip.
Arrive Day 1 into Guatemala City, Guatemala (airport code: GUA).
Try to arrive midday or earlier to allow for the possibility of delayed flights.
Please enter your flight information by clicking the button to your right that says “Flight Info”.
- Depending on our location in Guatemala, we will either travel by bus the next day.
- The Entheos team may arrive a day early, confirm with your team leader. If you decide to arrive a day early, you will be responsible for an extra night in the hotel (under $100).
Tips / Additional Info
- Give yourself plenty of time at the airport to check in. The FAA recommends that you arrive 2 hours prior to international flights. Don’t forget to pack any scissors, pocketknives, or liquids over 3 oz. in your checked baggage. For any liquids less than 3 ounces that you will be carrying on, please make sure you put them in 1 quart size Ziploc bag. Whatever liquid items that do not fit in 1 quart size Ziploc bag will be thrown away. Please visit the TSA website for the most up-to-date restrictions prior to packing:
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm. - Make sure you have a name-tag with a current name, address, and phone number attached to each luggage item.
- If you use luggage locks (highly suggested on ALL bags to avoid tampering), make sure all locks are TSA approved (it will say on the lock and/or package).
- Please check at the web site of the Airlines that you are flying the Policy on Checked Luggage
- For luggage that weighs over 50 pounds due to personal items, the overage fee is the responsibility of each delegate.
- Entheos may ask to use some of “your space” to transport supplies and we thank you in advance for your willingness to help transport needed project supplies to Ecuador.
- Your carry-on bag should contain all your essentials in case your check-on baggage is lost in transit. Include at least one change of clothes and all necessary medicines and toiletries.
Disclaimer: Submitting an application for a humanitarian trip does not guarantee a spot on the trip. A completed application enters your name into the selection process. You will be notified if you are selected.
Entheos Audiology Cooperative is not a registered 501(c)(3) exempt organization, therefore the trip fee is not deductible as a donation or a charitable contribution.
Please consult your tax advisor if you are deducting any portion of the trip as a business expense. There are limitations as to the deductibility of expenses associated with meals and entertainment.
General Dress Code Rules
Clinic Dress Code
- Please wear long pants and the team t-shirts provided by our partners. We have found that breathable type pants by Eddie Bauer or Columbia are a good option for hot clinic days (jeans are fine). You will receive TWO clinic t-shirts on the first day of the trip. Laundry service is available at HDLF for no charge. You may be able to do laundry (for a small fee) at the hotel; we also recommend bringing a mini bottle of detergent (can be purchased at the travel section) to do laundry in your room.
- Bring comfortable shoes to wear. No open toe shoes for clinics.
- No shorts in the clinic.
Before/After Clinic
- There will be time for recreation after clinic days.
- Bring a fleece jacket for the mornings and evenings when it could get cool. Days will be fairly warm.
Day-Off
- On our day off, it is fine to dress like an American tourist. Please keep jewelry to a minimum.
One Week Recommended Packing List
Clothing
- 4 – Pants
- 5 – Shirts
- 8 – Pairs Socks
- 2 – Clinic Shirts (will be provided)
- 2 – PJ’s
- Walking Shoes
- Windbreaker or Light Jacket
- Swimsuit (if needed)
- Sandals
Toiletries
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Razor
- Hair Things
- Brushes
- Sunscreen
- Bug Spray
- Lotion
- Sunglasses
- Kleenex
- Imodium
- Advil
- Any Medications Needed
Misc.
- Cash
- Passport
- Passport Holder
- Bank Card
- Credit Card
- Pen (to fill out forms)
- Neck Pillow
- Phone Chargers
Electricity in Guatemala
Which power plugs and sockets in Guatemala?
In Guatemala, the power sockets are of type A and B. Most sockets are type A. Check out the following pictures.
- Type A: mainly used in North and Central America, China and Japan. This socket only works with plug A.
- Type B: like type A but with an extra prong for grounding. This socket also works with plug A.
Guatemala uses 110 volt, 60 cycle electricity, same as the US. Plugs are typically the 2 pronged flat type so US travelers will not typically need a converter or adaptor. Outlets rarely have 3 holes so if your device has a third prong, bring an adaptor.
Barcelo Hotel
17A Avenida 15-45, Ciudad de Guatemala 01009, Guatemala
Phone: +502 2378 4000
Click Here for More Info (you do NOT need to book any rooms)
This is the hotel you will stay at when you first arrive to Guatemala.
Hospital de la Familia
Click Here for More Info (you do NOT need to book any rooms)
Lodging at the hospital is dormitory style with multiple people to a room. If you have a roommate request let your team leader know if advance. Housekeeping staff clean the rooms daily.
Lodging at the hospital is dormitory style with multiple people to a room. If you have a roommate request let your team leader know if advance. Housekeeping staff clean the rooms daily.
Hotel Posada de Don Rodrigo
Calle de Arco No. 17, La Antigua
Phone: +502 7832 0387
Click Here for More Info (you do NOT need to book any rooms)
This is the hotel you will stay at in Antigua.
Click Here for More Info (you do NOT need to book any rooms)
This is the hotel you will stay at in Antigua.
Additional Information
Money / Currency / Expenses
- Most expenses will be prepaid for you including: ground transportation, medical evacuation insurance, hotel room accommodations, translators and team meals.
- Each volunteer is financially responsible for paying for and obtaining a passport and visa (it is not necessary to travel to Guatemala), receiving any necessary immunizations, all food/beverage items in all airports and outside team meals, and any other personal expenditures/shopping during the trip.
- You will want to take enough cash with you for personal shopping. Bring U.S. currency that is as new as possible and undamaged. Traveler’s checks and credit cards (VISA or Master Card) will be good in airports, major hotels and many shops, but cash is the easiest and most convenient method of payment.
- You will be able to exchange money locally.
- To find the most up-to-date currency conversions, please go to http://www.xe.com/ucc/. The currency in Guatemala is typically around $1 USD to Q7.50 = Quetzales- local currency exchange-.
Safety / Security
Here are some helpful guidelines concerning the safety and security of your personal items:
- Be mindful of how you carry your purse or where you place your wallet. Men, keep your wallets in a front or zippered pocket, as keeping it in your back pocket will make it susceptible to pickpockets. Ladies, keep purses across your chest or use a fanny pack (keeping your hands free is also wise).
- An under garment money belt worn around your waist is a safe way to carry your personal cash or passport.
- Stay with a group of people at all times – always go somewhere in pairs.
- Take a minimal amount of jewelry with you – nothing flashy.
- Be a confident traveler even if you are unsure or uneasy in a certain situation; confidence and calmness is key.
- We also suggest that you make copies of all flight itineraries, wallet contents, passport, visa, etc. and carry copies in a separate, secure location. It would also be a good idea to leave copies of everything with someone at home also, just in case. These copies could prove invaluable should your personal documents be lost or stolen.
Food
We hope you will enjoy the local cuisine. Most meals will be eaten at a hotel or local restaurant. All foods that will be provided to you should be well prepared and safe for you to eat.
Meals are supplied on clinic days, but not on travel or recreation days.
- As far as drinking water is concerned, to be on the safe side, always drink bottled water and brush your teeth with bottled water at the hotel. Avoid ice. Bottled water will be available.
- You may want to take some personal snack items with you – good items to take include granola bars, dried fruit, and trail mix.
Time Zone / Weather
WEATHER:
Weather conditions vary from season to season and region to region. The dry season is from October to early May and the rainy from late May until the end of September. Temperatures vary little during the year. The average high temperature is 77°F and the low 55°F in the highlands.
For further information about weather, please consult these sites: Weather.Com and Weather Underground.
TIME ZONE:
Guatemala is in the Central Standard Time zone and does not observe daylight-savings time.
Click here to view the current time in Guatemala.
Vaccines
One of the first things you have to be aware of on any international trip is the necessary vaccines. Some of the vaccines are hard to get in a quick time frame. Please make sure you read and check the CDC website for information on vaccines immediately.
As we travel internationally, we may be exposed to certain diseases that are rare in the United States. Fortunately, the risk of catching these diseases is still quite low since we will be on site for only a short time and will be eating properly prepared food, etc. However, since it is impossible to eliminate all risk, there are a variety of vaccines and immunizations that provide prevention against many of the most serious infectious diseases in the world that we ask each delegation member consider receiving.
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) website www.cdc.gov, there are no required vaccines for Guatemala, but make sure your routine vaccinations are up-to-date. Please refer to the following CDC website for information.
Due to the Zika virus outbreak, some participants may have concerns about the upcoming travel. However, we recommend participants contact their primary health care provider if they have any concerns. We will respect each participant’s individual decision to travel.
As for any international travel, all participants are advised to continue with the precautions advised for travelers in the CDC guidelines: (http://www.cdc.gov/zika/prevention/index.html)