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This page is a collection of the planning & preparatory information that was disseminated before the short-term mission trip to Guatemala occurred. For pictures and reports of the actual trip experience, please visit the Trip Highlights page.
Destination: Livingston
Photo courtesy of Aventuras Vacacionales
Experience clear blue skies, palm trees, and the laid-back lifestyle of the Garifuna people in a village nestled along the Caribbean coast. Accessible only via boat, Livingston feels more like Jamaica than anyplace else in Guatemala. The Garifuna are descendents of Africans who escaped from the slave trade, and even today, their culture and language give this village its unique Caribbean character. As the first Global Village team to work with the Livingston affiliate, we look forward to making new friends, helping the affiliate grow, and – of course – building houses. Another web sites with additional information about Livingston is: the http://www.mayan-traveler.com/riodulce.htmMayan Traveler.
Construction of Habitat houses in Livingston
The average Habitat for Humanity house in Guatemala ranges from 344 to 550 square feet depending on the future homeowner’s payment capacity. The average cost of the houses is $3,120 USD. Houses are built of concrete block with steel reinforcement, a cement floor, and a corrugated metal roof. There is a good picture of a Guatemala Habitat house on http://www.habitat.org/hw/june_06/cominghome.htmlthis page of the June Habitat World magazine.
Accommodations
We will be staying at the Hotel Rios Tropicales. http://www.mctropic.com/rios_tropicales.htmlHere is a link, but it's pretty graphics intensive, so you may not like their site if you have a slow Internet connection. There is a laundry shop nearby. The HfH staff in Guatemala is still working to determine if any of our meals will be prepared by the families, and there is also a restaurant across the street from the hotel.
R&R
Balancing our building and advocacy work will be some R&R time to further explore the Guatemalan culture.
- On Friday evening, July 14, we will visit the Livingston Museum with a locally renowned historian.
- On Sunday afternoon, July 16, Shannon will escort us to the Seven Altars waterfall.
- On Sunday, July 23, we journey by boat on the Rio Dulce to http://www.hotelbackpackers.com/index1024.htmlHotel Backpackers which is operated by an orphanage called Casa Guatemala. Not only will we enjoy a picturesque place to stay the night, the profits from our room fees will help provide care and medicine for the children. Eve Andersson's site includes many fine pictures of the area. Along the way we'll stop at Castillo de San Felipe and a hot springs.
- On Monday we will travel to http://www.aroundantigua.com/antigua.htmAntigua, one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in Central America, where we will spend our last two nights, and discover much more about Guatemalan arts and crafts. Nestled at the base of three volcanoes, it provides opportunities ranging from mountain biking to visiting a coffee plantation.
Pricing Information
Although the actual cost of the trip will not be finalized until we know exactly how many people join the team, we believe following guidelines to be very close. The total price is likely to be about $1,800 to $1,900 per person plus the cost of any immunizations, medicines and passport that you may need.
Description |
Amount |
Payable To |
| Round trip airfare. Although we will negotiate a package through http://www.twinhorizonstravel.comTwin Horizons Travel, you are free to make your own arrangements. | $750 | GV Team or travel agent |
| Food, lodging, ground transportation and activities in Mexico | $525 | HFHI |
| Travel health insurance | $45 | HFHI |
| Donation to Habitat for Humanity International to support the Global Village program | $100 | HFHI |
| Donation to HfH Guatemala for house materials | $350 | HFHI |
| Immunizations and malaria tablets | $0 to $275 | Clinic |
| U.S. Passport (must apply for renewal if expiration is earlier than Aug 1, 2006) | $100 | State Department |
| Guatemala Visa | none | none |
| Columbus GV Team Administration | $35 | HFHI |
| Optional donation for tools | $50 | GV Team |
Read about Tax Deductions and the Cancellation Policy here.
Health & Safety Information
Fortunately, we are traveling to a relatively safe area. Nonetheless, it is prudent to be aware of some standard precautions that apply to all of our trips. If, after reading the standard precautions, you wish to visit the Centers of Disease Control site, click here to jump to the Guatemala page.