Guatemala

Country Info

Known as "The Land of Eternal Spring", Guatemala is one of the most beautiful and diverse countries in Central America. Tourists travel from all over the world just to climb its volcanoes, drink its coffee, and zip line through the the rainforest. However, the true beauty of Guatemala is its people. Gripped by poverty and bound to religion, the people of Guatemala hunger for the Kingdom of God. The majority of Guatemalans practice a form of Catholicism that is a mixture of tribal religions and cultural tradition. Will you help them find the freedom of a relationship with Jesus?

BASICS

- Currency: Guatemalan Quetzal
- Language: Spanish
- Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant Christian, Non-Religious Mayan Beliefs

CULTURE

Shaking hands is the customary greeting in business settings for both men and women. Women may shake hands, alternatively patting one another on the left arm instead and air-kissing on both cheeks. In casual settings, people may greet each other with a hug and kiss, but foreigners are not expected to do this. Although most Guatemalans pay little attention to punctuality in daily living, it is expected from foreigners. Guatemalans often cast their eyes downward during conversation as a sign of respect, especially when a man is addressing a female stranger.

EXPLORE (some of these require more time than you will have on the non-ministry day)

- Hike the Pacaya Volcano and go ash boarding down.
- Depending on the time of year, Antigua is famous for festivals, celebrations, parades, and events. Go shopping at the Artisan Market, walk up to the cross overlooking the city, or just hang out in the Plaza Central.
- Go explore real Mayan ruins near Guatemala City called “Tecpan”.
- Visit the beautiful Santo Domingo monastery in Antigua.

As a U.S. citizen, you will not need to purchase a visa for Guatemala prior to arrival or upon entry. However, if you are not a U.S. citizen, you will be responsible for checking on your country of residence's process to obtain a visa for Guatemala.

COUNTRY ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Here is the info from the State Department website as of 3/19/23. We will do our best to update if things change but ultimately it is your responsibility to make sure you comply with the entry requirements. Also note the red box immediately above this section.

PASSPORT VALIDITY: There is conflicting info. Some sites say it must be valid at time of entry while most sites say it needs to be valid for 6 months after your departure date at the end of your trip. I would err on the side of having the 6 months.

BLANK PASSPORT PAGES: 1 page per stamp

TOURIST VISA REQUIRED: Not required

VACCINATIONS: None

CURRENCY RESTRICTIONS FOR ENTRY: There are no restrictions, but if the passenger is carrying $10,000 or more, s/he will need to justify the income and the purpose

CURRENCY RESTRICTIONS FOR EXIT: There are no restrictions, but if the passenger is carrying $10,000 or more, s/he will need to justify the income and the purpose

Here is the link to the State Department website.

ENTRY FORM

Guatemala’s customs process is an online format. Each person will need to fill out this form to enter and exit the country. It will not let you fill this out until you are within three days of your trip.

Please note, that if you translate to English, the website still refers to the US as Estados Unidos. Reason for visiting Guatemala is tourism. Once you have completed the form it will give you a QR code. You should take a screen shot of that page. They will also email it to you. You should print out that email. You will need to show this QR code along with your passport as you are entering Guatemala. Please do not assume you can just pull up the email when you arrive. Wifi can be tricky and we've had parents run into problems because they assumed they could access it that way. That's why we ask you to take a screen shot and also have a printed copy.

You will also need to complete the form again with your exit (when you are leaving the country) information.

PARENT VISION TRIP INFO

AIRPORT

You'll be serving alongside one of our ministry partners located in Antigua, Guatemala. However, you will need to fly into the Guatemala City Airport (GUA).

DO NOT PURCHASE your plane ticket until the trip has been greenlighted. Once it is greenlighted, you will receive the arrival and departure windows from your Admissions Advisor to know when to book your flight as well as where you will be meeting the other participants.

MEETING LOCATION

When you exit customs and baggage claim you will walk through an atrium. Right in front of you will be a row of car rental kiosks. You will have the option to turn left or to turn right. Please turn to the RIGHT towards ALA Celeste (Light Blue Wing) That is where we will be waiting for you all! If you end up in the ala rosada ( pink wing) you are in the wrong place.

Antigua is about 1.5 hours away from the airport (Guatemala City) by bus. The ministry site is difficult to get to by yourself. If you will already be in Guatemala for personal vacation prior to the trip dates, please let your Admissions Advisor know so that they can help you arrange transportation to the ministry site.

PACKING

You are required to pack in one carry-on bag, plus the personal item allowed by airlines as a second, smaller carry on. (Any items you are taking to your Racer must fit into this limit.) We recognize this may be a challenge, but we have two primary reasons for requiring this. First, we are unable to make return trips to an airport if checked luggage is delayed or lost. Second, we typically rent vans or buses to transport parents from the airport to the PVT location. These vehicles are simply unable to accommodate large pieces of luggage in addition to the number of trip participants. Even if you are arranging your own transportation to Antigua, you are still required to pack in a carryon bag. The carryon requirement applies to everyone, regardless of any extra travel you are doing.

CLOTHING

Please be sure to check out the general packing guidelines found in the Personal Preparation section of the Trip Preparation tab.

Please keep up to date on google for exact weather conditions. No short, tight, or clingy clothing is permitted. If you cannot raise your arms above your head or touch your toes without showing your stomach or lower back, leave it at home. Make sure clothes are not stained and/or torn. Please make yourself presentable. Shorts must come to the top of the knee. Capris and gaucho pants are great options! Skirts and dresses should be below or close to the knee. Shirts should be short sleeved. You may bring any types of shoes you wish. Keep in mind, you will be walking some, so comfort is key!

MINISTRY

Parents and Racers will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of different ministries throughout the week in partnership with our Long Term Missions Team and Base in Guatemala.

LODGING

We have booked lodging at this point. You do not need to take bedding or towelsl. But if you use a washcloth, you need to take that. Married couples will share a room. Moms traveling alone will share a room with another mom (no shared beds). The same for dads traveling alone.

If you are arriving early and planning to sightsee prior to PVT, you may not stay in Antigua prior to the PVT.

Parent hotel - Hotel Posada Del Hermano Pedro (3a Calle Oriente No 3, Antigua Guatemala)

Racer hotel - Lemon Tree Hostel ( AV. 5a Poniente Antigua Guatemala). This is within easy walking distance from the Parent hotel.

FOOD / WATER / COFFEE

You'll be eating really good local food. If you have any allergies, let us know ahead of time before food is bought. We will do our best to accommodate your food needs, but may not always be able to do so. Please travel with snacks or other provisions that can bridge the gap if we are not able to fully support your dietary restrictions. Clean filtered water is provided for everyone, please bring a water bottle (like a Nalgene). Do not drink the tap water, and be cautious to brush your teeth in it as well. Filtered water is preferred. Coffee may or may not be provided. If you are super particular and in need of daily coffee, bring packets of your own.

WIFI / INTERNET

There may be wifi availability at the lodging site but often on PVTs we find that the wifi cannot handle a large number of parents and Racers being online at the same time. However, Antigua is a very walkable small city with a number of coffee shops that provide some additional wifi options.

NON-MINISTRY DAY

On the non-ministry day, since you are located in the city, you will be allowed to do whatever you'd like with your Racer! Depending on the schedule, you may need to be back for an after dinner worship time. There are some amazing things to do like hike Volcano Pacaya, tour a coffee farm, enjoy a spa, or just simply walk around town and enjoy the amazing restaurants Antigua has to offer. Your ministry host will be able to organize group tours or adventures upon arrival. Please do not schedule anything ahead of time and decide with your Racer what you'd like to do when you get there. All non-ministry day expenses will need to be paid for with personal money (except breakfast).

ELECTRICAL OUTLET

The standard residential voltage used in Guatemala is 120 volts.

P V T E M E R G E N C Y N U M B E R : 877.356.9266

A D M I S S I O N S A D V I S O R : 770.744.4542

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