Monday through Friday we will follow this general schedule:

7:30 - 8:00 AM

Eat breakfast with your family

9:00 AM-12:00 Noon

Morning activity

12:30 - 1:30 PM

Eat lunch with family

2:00 - 6:00 PM

Afternoon class

7:00 - 8:00 PM

Eat dinner with family

On Saturdays the meal schedule will be basically the same, except you and your family may want to adjust it a little, especially a later breakfast time. On Sundays, you will need to go to a local restaurant to buy your meals. Don't worry! There are many good, inexpensive restaurants in town.

The morning activities are an integral part of the program and there are many fun and educational programs planned. Here is the tentative schedule for our arrival, morning trips, our big adventure to Tikal, and our departure.

Arrival in Guatemala

Plan on arriving in Guatemala on this day. Let us know your flight number and airline and we'll pick you up at the airport and bring you to your Guatemalan family in Antigua. Once you're settled in, take a stroll around the city. We'll be coming around to see how you're doing and help you get settled in.

Wednesday, July 9 - 10:00 AM

Cerro de la cruz

We start the first morning off with an invigorating climb to the top of a hill overlooking Antigua. You can get a great view of the architecture and general layout of the city from up here. Be sure to bring your water bottle!

Visit to Cirma

Founded in 1978, CIRMA today is one of the region's premier social science research centers. Since 1996, it has taken a lead in designing and implementing trans-disciplinary research in Central America about the quality of the relations between the many ethnic groups that inhabit the region. The books published in 2003 and 2004 on this subject, according to academic and social critics, establish a new baseline in our understanding of this issue in Central America. It's bookstore has so many good education books that it's hard to choose which ones to buy!

We visit El Centro de Formación de la Cooperación Española

We visit and listen to officials from this very important Spanish government agency. Among the many objectives of the center are the promotion of Democratic government, citizen involvement and institutional development; provision of social needs; promotion of an inter-working business community; the environment; increase in liberty and cultural activities; gender equality; and the prevention of conflict and the promotion of peace.

Saturday, July 12 - 9:00 AM

Tour of the ruins in Antigua

From the earliest times, the beauty of Antigua has been periodically destroyed by earthquakes. A professional guide spends the morning taking us to various ruins around the city and explaining how they happened and their significance.

We will see former convents, churches, and public buildings that were once inhabited by the first Spaniards to come to Guatemala.

We will gradually begin to get an understanding of what this colonial city looked like in its earliest days.

Be sure to bring your camera!

Flight to Flores

We arrive at the Flores airport around 11:00 AM and check into our hotel in El Remate, a small town next to a beautiful lake. Enjoy the local restaurants, explore the town, and gaze at the beautiful lake. Be sure to go to be early, so you'll be ready for tomorrow's big tour of Tikal.

Monday, July 14 - 7:00 AM

Tour of Tikal

We eat breakfast at 7:00 AM in the hotel and then board the bus for Tikal, arriving around 9:00 AM. Our guide conducts us through the jungle as we observe the ancient Mayan temples. Along the way, there are lots of monkeys and other wildlife to observe. When our tour finishes, we can eat lunch at one of the local cafes before returning to the airport for our flight back to Guatemala City and our return to Antigua.

Free Morning

After our big trip to Tikal, you can sleep in and relax or use the time to get things done around town in Antigua. Spanish classes resume as usual at 2:00 PM.

We travel up a winding mountain road to visit the rural Mayan school in Vuelta Grande. This is the school that we will be bringing our school supply donations to. We get to observe these elementary age children during their school day.

Guatemalan Education System

Lecture by Elizabeth Bell

One of the most prominent and knowledgeable citizens of Antigua, Elizabeth Bell gives us her understanding of how the Guatemalan education system operates, how this has changed over the years, and what it means for the future of this country. Spanish classes resume immediately after this special lecture!

Open Windows Foundation

We travel to San Miguel Dueñas to visit the Open Windows Foundation, a dynamic children’s educational center (library, computer center, and more). Open Windows Foundation is a US non-governmental organization (NGO) that currently provides 1,500 children in the community with important educational services and programs to help improve their life options and to increase their self-sufficiency. During our visit, a member of the staff will talk to us about the education system in Guatemala and how Open Windows' role in supplementing what the government provides.

Visit to local schools

As teachers, we are lucky that our summer months are regular class days for the Guatemalans. We visit two local schools, one public, the other private, to see how Guatemalan children spend their learning time. You will be able to interact with the students and ask questions of the staff.

Clase de Baile

If you like to dance, this is your chance to learn the special dances that Guatemalans love to do. Expert and patient teachers show you how to do it. Lots of fun for everyone!

¡Salsa!

¡Merengue!

¡y más!

Playa Monterrico

After being in the tropics for two weeks, it's time to go to the beach. We spend the day visiting Monterrico, Guatemala's beautiful black-sand beach and the adjacent mangrove swamps. You'll find amazing wildlife coupled with breathtaking scenery. Unfortunately, the strong currents prevent you from actually swimming in the water.

Volunteer in a local school

Spend the more helping a local teacher in the classroom. You can use your skills to teach an English lesson, play with the children, or observe. It's your choice, but no matter what, you'll value the experience.!

Free Morning

You can choose to return to the same place that you volunteered yesterday or you can spend the day finishing up things in Antigua. Final day of classes starts at 2:00 PM. this afternoon.

Goodbye Party

We meet at the school for a goodbye party with our families and teachers. Lots of good food to share with each other!

Return home

Return home Time to return home. Let us know you flight number, airline, and departure time so that we can pick up you and your family and get you to the airport in time for your flight.

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