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Guatemala

Service Learning: Classroom to Culture in Guatemala

Program No. 25624RJ
Engage in Guatemala’s historic past and contemporary life through service learning, local discussions and explorations of culture through cooking and dance classes.
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  • The yellow Santa Catalina Archway in Antigua frames a view of a volcano rising in the distance above a cobblestone street.
  • A colorful colonial building with a long arched colonnade sits on a cobblestone street in Antigua, with a large volcano in the background.
  • An aerial view of the grand Guatemala City Cathedral next to the bustling Constitution Plaza, with colorful market stalls and city buildings stretching into the distance.
  • A vibrant, layered display of colorful, hand-woven striped textiles with fringed edges.
Service LearningSmall GroupNew
Length
9 days
Rating
New
Activity Level
Starts at
2,699
Special Offer
Flights start at
850
Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. Read More.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
9 days
8 nights
What's Included
20 meals ( 7B, 5L, 8D )
2 expert-led lectures
6 expert-led field trips
4 hands-on experiences
2 performances
An experienced Group Leader
8 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
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Activity Note
Touch down at La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City, then travel onward to colonial Antigua. Here you’ll get to know your guide and group over a hearty welcome dinner, as well as learning about the basics of Guatemalan culture.
Dinner:
At 7PM enjoy Welcome Dinner and Program Orientation
Activity Note
Set out first thing for Quetzeltenango, stopping along the way to meet with local people who will share insights into Mayan wedding customs, invite you for a cooking lesson, and share the special coffee roasting techniques practiced in the area. Later in the day, we'll have an orientation to our service project over the coming days with our guide and staff from the local school we will be working with. Afterwards, enjoy dinner together in Quetzeltenango.
Breakfast:
Enjoy your breakfast at 7:30AM, then head to a Maya wedding ceremony where you will hear from locals about Mayan wedding customs
Lunch:
Right before lunch, we will enjoy a coffee tour at Finca La Azotea, and have lunch there. To follow, we'll drive to Quetzeltenango (about 3 hours drive) for orientation of the service project
Dinner:
Enjoy dinner at 7PM
Activity Note
Wake up with a cup of local coffee before heading to the nearby school to get to know the children. Meet with the director to learn how this innovative school promotes Mayan culture. In the evening, we’ll host a fascinating speaker, a former Guatemalan Civil War guerrilla turned human rights advocate.
Breakfast:
Start your day with breakfast at 7AM
Lunch:
From 8AM to 12:30AM you will spend your morning at a local school to get to know the children and assist with what they need.
Dinner:
In the afternoon, we’ll host a fascinating speaker, a former Guatemalan Civil War guerrilla turned human rights advocate. Then, we'll have dinner.
Activity Note
Spend the first half of the day at the school doing arts and crafts, playing games, teaching basic conversational English and coming up with ideas for useful learning resources. Afterward, relax at the nearby hot springs, before hearing from another speaker on the Guatemalan Civil War – this time a former military general
Morning:
This morning will be the same as yesterday. You will be back at the school for another meaningful half-day service day.
Lunch:
We'll have lunch before we head to the Hot Springs
Dinner:
Tonight we'll hear from another speaker on the Guatemalan Civil War – this time a former military general
Activity Note
After a final half day spent at the school, we’ll bid the students and teachers farewell before touring the famous San Andrés Xecul church, known for its unmistakable yellow façade covered in colorful figures. In the evening, enjoy dinner and a post-service discussion before putting on your dancing shoes and get ready to salsa as the group enjoys a fun and relaxed dance lesson.
Breakfast:
Wake up for your last breakfast at Hotel Luna Vela. It's another great day of service at school from 8AM to 12:30PM.
Lunch:
For lunch, learn about the food in Guatemala in the best way: through a cooking class.
Afternoon:
We'll have a Tour of San Andres Xecul Churches and have some free time.
Dinner:
Before dinner, we'll have a post-service discussion, followed by a fun salsa lesson
Activity Note
Today, we’ll travel to Lake Atitlán, sacred to Mayans and one of the 10 most beautiful lakes in the world. Along the way, explore Chichicastenango, the largest indigenous craft market in the Western Hemisphere (if schedule permits).
Breakfast:
Today we'll have an early breakfast, around 7AM, and then we'll take a 3-hour drive to Lake Atitlan.
Lunch:
On the way, we'll stop at Chichicastenango Market, the largest indigenous craft market in the Western Hemisphere, and enjoy lunch there.
Afternoon:
Continue your drive to Lake Atitlan, and check in at the hotel around 3 PM, and enjoy a free afternoon
Dinner:
Enjoy dinner at around 7PM
Activity Note
We'll have a morning of boating and hiking our way around the lake, and some time to explore Lake Atitlan
Breakfast:
Breakfast will be at 7:30AM, before our boat trip at the Lake Atitlan that happens at 9AM. We'll explore San Juan La Laguna and visit a women weavers at Flor Ixcaco.
Dinner:
We'll have some free time in the afternoon and then dinner together
Activity Note
We’ll head back to Antigua for an optional guided tour of this charming city. We'll then have some time to rummage for artisan souvenirs in the city’s boutiques. Afterward, continue to Guatemala City, where we will spend the final night. Enjoy a relaxing farewell dinner with the group.
Breakfast:
Head to Antigua right after breakfast. It will take about 2h30 to get there.
Lunch:
Upon arrival, opt for free time or a guided tour. We'll then head to Guatemala City (1h30 drive) for our farewell dinner
Dinner:
Farewell Dinner
Activity Note
Having reached the end of a truly unforgettable trip, we’ll travel to the airport for our return flights home
Breakfast:
Have breakfast at the hotel. The scheduled time to the airport will depend on the flight.
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