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Frequently asked questions:
Do I need to be fluent in Spanish? What does the Hospitalito offer volunteers? I would like to know more about the area, what books should I read, what websites? How do I know I would make a good volunteer? I have particular skills. Would you be able to use them? What will be different about working at Hospitalito Atitlán?
What are the visa requirements for staying in Guatemala for long periods of time? What are the licensing requirements? What can the Hospitalito do/What kind of care can HA offer? What are the most common patient cases? What vaccinations are required or recommended? Should I bring donations for Hospitalito Atitlán? What is appropriate clothing for medical staff at the Hospitalito?
Should I call to make my hotel and travel reservations in Guatemala? My flight arrives in the evening, where should I stay when I arrive in Guatemala City? (useful links)
How do I get to Santiago Atitlán?
Where is the Hospitalito in relation to town? What about phones and internet? Where can I buy food? What is available? Does the Hospitalito have food available? What restaurants in Santiago Atitlán do you recommend? Can I study Spanish while in Santiago Atitlán? What are the major holidays in Santiago Atitlán?
Health Care and Mental Health Care? Does Hospitalito Atitlán receive medical students for clinical rotations? I am interested in doing an investigation for credit in SA/ at HA. What do I need to do? What is the relationship of the Hospitalito, Asociación K’aslimaal, and Pueblo a Pueblo? Why does the Hospitalito charge for its services to the community? What would be good to avoid doing in Santiago Atitlán? What is the linguistic situation on Lake Atitlán? What kinds of traditional health providers exist in Guatemala?
I would like to bring a group of volunteers, what work would they do? What about accommodations for groups?
Do I need to be fluent in Spanish? For non-medical Volunteers: Very few locals speak English. A phrase book is absolutely necessary if you don’t speak Spanish. For long-term volunteers who don’t speak Spanish, and intensive six week Spanish course is recommended prior to coming. It is very important that volunteers use Spanish. Although these courses do not teach everything, you will learn a lot more, and it will stick if you put it in practice. For Medical Volunteers: It is necessary for medical staff to have intermediate Spanish, perhaps with the exception of surgeons or specialists, to be decided by the medical volunteer director. The Spanish in the village is easy to understand compared to other Spanish speaking countries because it is a second language for everyone in Santiago Atitlán, and people are used to communicating without full command of it. The local members of the Hospitalito Atitlán staff are bi-lingual in Spanish-Tz’utujil, and they act as Tz’utujil translators. Using English adds another translation, which is not beneficial for patients. The patient will prefer and feel more comfortable in confidential interaction with less people.
What does the Hospitalito offer volunteers? Hospitalito Atitlán is committed to welcoming volunteers as a pillar of sustainability. We offer orientation and assistance in finding housing and transport. The Hospitalito cannot offer financial support to short term volunteers. We do offer, depending upon availability, access to comfortable, basic accommodations to medical staff on schedule for a donation of $100 a month to cover expenses. For long-term volunteers, six months or more, a small stipend is available.
I would like to know more about the area, what books should I read, what websites? See our Recommended Readings and Links page.
How do I know I would make a good volunteer? The following is directed specifically at medical volunteers, but is applicable to any volunteers in a foreign country. From HVO’s “Highly Effective Volunteers” (http://www.hvousa.org/hev.pdf - a very good article worth reading in entirety- see Who Makes a Good Volunteer): What combination of skills and personality makes for a highly effective international volunteer? Surprisingly, the personal characteristics of exceptional volunteers, in any discipline, are remarkably consistent: people who are patient, flexible, adaptable, innovative and open to new experiences and ideas are typically the most successful and satisfied volunteers. “An outstanding HVO volunteer is a combination of skilled health care provider/educator, ambassador, and adventurer,” said David Frost, DDS, MS, Chair of HVO’s Board of Directors. “A volunteer has to be willing to share knowledge and skills in his/her area of expertise on many levels, with specialty peers, interested support staff and patients both in the treatment of routine and complex cases as well as the teaching of techniques from basic to cutting edge. The best volunteers are adventurers – people willing to accept a challenge, something out of the ordinary, which will ultimately enrich themselves and others.” See the HVO website for resources for volunteers.
I have particular skills. Would you be able to use them? Please write a little about yourself to our Volunteer Coordinator. We will put your talents to use to the best of our abilities.
What will be different about working at Hospitalito Atitlán? Read the orientation document “Exercising your Health Profession in the Social and Cultural Environment of Santiago Atitlán”, and look at our List of Recommended Readings and Links, for some information about some unique aspects of our town.
Please consult our volunteer coordinators, and visit our Volunteer Calendar, to plan the best time for your volunteer stay.
What are the visa requirements for staying in Guatemala for long periods of time? At the airport your passport will be stamped allowing you 90 days in the country. If you plan to stay longer, you will need to go to Guatemala City to the tourism office, INGUAT, for an additional 90 days. This costs $10 and is guaranteed, but no further extensions will be given. After 180 days, you must leave Guatemala for two nights, after which the same rules apply.
What are the licensing requirements? A Guatemalan medical license is not needed to practice short term at our institution. The Hospitalito is committed to take responsibility for processing of licenses for long-term volunteers (more than six months commitment). What kind of care does HA offer? Hospitalito Atitlán provides the only 24 hour emergency care within a distance of two or three hours. We currently are limited by our temporary location and have only six inpatient beds at this time. In addition to 24 hour emergency service, we attend outpatients and general consultation Monday to Friday. For emergencies beyond our capabilities, we stabilize and transfer. The Hospitalito provides complete obstetric services, including operative delivery when needed. Our most common patients are OB of all types, pediatric diarrhea and respiratory illnesses, parasites, and trauma. We also see a fair number of adults with various acute and chronic illnesses. On occasion, when patients are not willing or able to be transferred, we can have patients who would otherwise be in an ICU. We also sometimes have general surgery (usually simple surgeries like gall bladders, hernias etc.) and other specialty care, depending on the presence of specialists. Diagnostic tests available: Hospitalito Atitlán recently purchased lab equipment and we now are able to do more that 40 lab tests.
What are the most common patient cases? OB of all types, pediatric pneumonia and diarrhea, parasites, and trauma. We generally have two to eight inpatients at a time. ER sees 20-25 patients a day. We also see adults with various acute and chronic illnesses and complications from diabetes. Our most common surgeries are C-sections. There is no malaria or dengue, but intestinal parasites such as ascaris, giardia, and entomoeba histolytica are endemic.
What vaccinations are required of recommended? There are no required vaccinations. All medical personnel coming to Santiago should be current with the following vaccines: tetanus, hepatitis A and hepatitis B, and typhoid. TB skin test should be within one year. Those volunteering for a long period should consider prophylactic Rabies vaccine. Because of the altitude, Atitlán does not have malaria. See http://www.cdc.gov/travel/camerica.htm for their Recommended Vaccinations and Preventive Medications
Should I bring donations for Hospitalito Atitlán? Please copy the medical or non-medical wish list on the www.puebloapueblo.org web site, and share it with your co-workers, church or civic group and friends. You are allowed two 50lb. suitcases, plus your carry on. These lists are updated frequently and are what we NEED.
Listed below are some examples of items we have received as donations in the past that we do not want and have caused problems because of disposal issues. Expired medications: Guatemalan law does not permit us to accept expired meds. Donors of medicines should please send medications that have expiration dates at least six months, preferably one or two years from the expected arrival date. While in special cases we may make exceptions, communication is essential so that we do not have the expense (per kilo) to send items to a medical waste company near Guatemala City. We understand that the medicines may still be effective, but for legal and social reasons we can no longer give our patients expired medications. Used clothing: Once in awhile we get garbage bags full of old clothing, often in sizes ridiculous for Guatemala. We have even received bags full of underwear with holes! We are happy to receive donations of small children’s clothing that are in good condition. Machines that cannot be serviced in Guatemala: We have received some wonderful machinery which we have been unable to maintain and repair in Guatemala. We have found that accepting donations of medical equipment that can be serviced in country is going to be absolutely necessary in the future. In all cases check with the Wish lists on the web site.
The climate: April to November is rainy season, it rains most afternoons and everything is in bloom. The rest of the year it seldom rains. November thru February are the coldest months with temperatures dropping to 50 degrees at night. Year round, temperatures do not vary much from 50-80 degrees F. Modest clothing for women - the Tz’tujiil people are very conservative. Shorts are acceptable only on the Pacific beach. Bare shoulders, belly buttons and midriffs are considered suggestive. Although most people allow for different standards for foreigners, it is recommended to consider local standards. This is absolutely necessary for those who interact with patients. Avoid military style clothing and camouflage for unnecessary connotations to the experience of the community during the war.
What is appropriate clothing for medical staff at the Hospitalito? The dress code is fairly casual at the Hospitalito. Some volunteers wear scrubs or coats, but others wear their own clothes. Bring what you are comfortable wearing to attend patients (also see the answer to the previous question).
What else should I bring? sunscreen day pack hat good small flashlight good walking shoes swim suit towel clothing you can layer (some of it warm!) lightweight pants (blue jeans don’t dry during rainy season and are difficult to handwash) insect repellent if you plan to travel to the lowlands something against motion sickness if you need it during rainy season (May-October), poncho and/ or umbrella depending on where you are staying, sleeping bag and/or travel pillow
You are traveling to the third world, so use common sense!
Guatemala can be very inexpensive. However, there are many good restaurants which can upset the best planned budget. Good restaurants cost between $3 and $4 for breakfast or lunch and more for dinner. Travel across the lake to Panajachel or San Pedro costs $5 roundtrip If you watch your spending, prepare food at home, walk or take the Q1 transportation in town, and stay in the inexpensive lodgings, you will get by on less than $100 a week. However, there are many temptations.
Guatemala is a great place for children. A number of our volunteers have brought their families. It is a great opportunity for learning Spanish and about different ways that people live. For long term, there are several bilingual (English and Spanish) schools (primary and high school) in Panajachel, across the lake, to which a number of children travel each day from Santiago Atitlán.
Should I call to make my hotel and travel reservations in Guatemala? It is recommended that you make reservations by internet or investigate the cost prior to making the call. Unless you use Skype or another VoIP, or have an international calling plan on your phone in the US, calls to Guatemala can be expensive.
My flight arrives in the evening, where should I stay when I arrive in Guatemala City? We recommend that you stay near the airport or nearby in zones 9 or 10. There are small simple airport hotels, costing $10 or $20 a night depending if you request a private bath. Following is a list and the contact information. You can request that they arrange transportation to Panajachel with the shuttle service (ATITRANS or STA) at the time you make your reservation. Biltmore Express in Zone 10 is a very nice hotel that costs about $70 a night. A driver with a sign that says Biltmore Express, Holiday Inn and Camino Real is waiting for passengers before they exit the airport. The latter two hotels cost twice as much as the Biltmore Express. Here are some links that can be useful:
Good general travel information for Guatemala City: http://wikitravel.org/en/Guatemala_City
Listing of Guatemala City hotels, with location, prices and contact information: http://www.guatemalaturistica.com/hteles-guatemala-city.html
Hotels near the airport (over $50): http://www.channels.nl/airports/airports_gua.html
Hotels/hostels near the airport (many have airport pickup and drop-off service as part of their package):
Dos
Lunas Guest House Email: info@hoteldoslunas.com
Hotel Bed & Breakfast "Mi Casa" 5ª Avenida "A" 13-51 Zona 9. Tel: (502) 5709-4466, (502) 2339-2247 FAX (502) 2332-1364. Email: info@hotelmicasa.com
Hotel Aeropuerto Guest-House 15 calle "A" 7-32 zona 13 Colonia Aurora I Guatemala City 01013 Tel: (502) 2332-3086 Fax: (502) 2362-1264
Hostal Los Volcanes 16 street 8-00 Zone 13 Aurora 1 Guatemala City Tel: (502) 2360 3232 Fax: (502) 2 332 6873 Email: info@hostallosvolcanes.com
Hostal Hermano Pedro 6a Ave 20-53, zona 13, Aurora 2 Tel: (502) 2360-4862, 2332-4474, 5212-6129 Email: hermanopedro11@hotmail.com
Hostal Aurora II 20 Calle “A” 9-58, Aurora II, Z.13 Tels: (502) 2360-7203, (502) 2360-7213 Fax: (502) 2331-6476 Email: hostalaurora2@hotmail.com
Oma’s Guest House 6 Ave 15-37, Z13 Tel: (502) 5400-7440 Email: omasguesthouse@hotmail.com
Aurora Airport has ATM machines, and you will find them in most parts of the country, including Santiago Atitlán. Personal checks are sometimes cashed at a higher exchange rate at the Posada de Santiago, and at El Huipil in Panajachel. Cash and Travel Checks can be changed at any bank. Two banks operate in Santiago Atitlán. The US dollar is the common foreign currency; the euro is more difficult to change.
How do I get to Santiago Atitlán? You have various options, beginning with the quickest, most comfortable and expensive.... Private van: Will pick you up at your hotel or at the airport. If you arrive on an evening flight, it is recommended that you spend the night in Guatemala City or in Antigua before coming to Santiago Atitlán. Travel time to Santiago Atitlán is 3 1/2 hours. The driver will take you shopping and make whatever stops you desire along the way. Cost: Q700 or about $90. On occasion, there are planned trips for the van which would reduce the cost, but might delay the travel time for errands. Write volunteer@puebloapueblo.org to schedule a private van pickup. Send your flight arrival information in this email.
Shuttle tourist vans: Will pick you up at your hotel or at the airport (you will need a reservation). Travel time four to five hours to from Guatemala City to Panajachel, a one-hour boat ride to cross the lake (~$3) and tuk-tuk to your hotel (~$1.50). Check schedules for the best one for you:
STA- http://www.transportguatemala.com/sta.htm - online reservation form
ATITRANS – Schedule and rates: (link to word document) You
can contact Atitrans at info@atitrans.com
or call 7831-0184 / 5572-0288 (country code 502) The following for the brave, foolish, or experienced:
Pullman: Greyhound type bus leaving Guatemala City for Sanitago Atitlán at 3 PM. Cost Q30 or ~$3.50. Second class buses leave from the same location almost every hour until 4 PM, costs Q25. Take a taxi to “donde pasan los camiones que van a la costa sur” (Where the buses pass for the pacific coast.) A taxi costs $6 to $10. The Pullman bus takes three hours or more and the smaller buses longer. The smaller buses (called Chicken buses by gringos) usually drive very fast and you must share a seat with up to four other people. Your luggage will go on top, unless you can keep it with you. “Ayudantes” (helpers)will want to help you find your bus. Be firm saying you want to go to Santiago Atitlán, as many helpful people will offer a part way trip, where you will get off and wait for a bus to Atitlán. The buses will say Atitlán in the window on front.
We do not recommend public buses if you do not have experience traveling in the third world, or if you have unwieldy luggage. The bus terminals and buses have skilled pickpockets and diversion artists. Disoriented travelers are easy targets. However, if you are comfortable linguistically, do not have too much luggage and keep your wits about you… it is not that mysterious. The buses are not as comfortable as the vans, but offer an interesting cultural experience.
When you confirm your plans with our volunteer coordinator, and decide on your length of stay, we will assist in locating accommodations within your budget. Or go online and look at the better local hotels, and make your reservation there.
We find home-stays successful only with a few families that have had years of experience offering home-stays. The problem can be in food preparation and staying healthy. Home-stays are recommended for those planning to stay a month or more. A home-stay includes meals and laundry and cost about $8 a day (Q60). You will have a private room.
How do I find out about private housing? Contact our volunteer coordinator at volunteer@puebloapueblo.org
Where is the Hospitalito in relation to town? Hospitalito Atitlán’s temporary location is in Cantón Tzanchicham, which is about a 10-15 minute walk from town. Our new property is about five minutes further away from town from our current location, and we expect to be able to move in two years, hopefully in late 2008 or early 2009.
Address mail in your name care of Hospitalito Atitlán Tzanchicham Santiago Atitlán Sololá, Guatemala Central America It can be quick, but sometimes it can take a long time.
What about phones and internet? There are several internet cafés in town that charge $1 an hour. Cell phones are for sale in town for $50, local calls cost Q1, and Q2 to the US (25 cents) per minute. US cell phones will not work here unless you purchase a special chip. An inexpensive way to call other countries is to get a Skype account, or use another internet based phone service (you will have to bring a headset).
Many recommend that you use a probiotic, acidofilus, before you travel and during your trip, especially if you have taken antibiotics in the past year. Use purified water for drinking and brushing teeth. Fruits and vegetables should be soaked in water with a few drops of chlorine, iodine or other disinfectants. Eat street food at your risk.
If you rent a house, the guardian will find a woman to come to do your laundry, weekly or more frequently if needed. This will cost about Q20 or $3 a load. You should be advised that hand washing can be hard on delicate fabrics, and you may want to give special instructions. If you do a home-stay, your laundry may be included in the cost, but if your clothing is heavy or difficult to wash, you could be charged. The Hospitalito has a washing machine in the laundry which is available for volunteers to use (the top loader… the other one is for hospital needs and should not be used!). Volunteers using the machine will have to agree on scheduling.
Where can I buy food? What is available? The Atitlán market is open every day, with the main market day on Friday and smaller markets on Tuesdays and Sundays… vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, onions, carrots, radishes, broccoli, green beans, occasionally eggplant, celery etc.), fruit, eggs, and free range chicken and beef are always available, as well as seasonal foods. There are three grocery stores in town that sell mozzarella cheese, yogurt, canned beans, tortilla chips and other nonperishable food (each has things the others don’t.): Distribuidora Ramirez - in the center, has yogurt, cheese, sandwich meats, and wine. Simon’s - is on the left as you come up the hill from the boat dock. The other, Corazon de Jesus (no sign) - is across from the meat door at the market. Several bakeries offer banana and carrot bread and muffins, whole wheat bread, and the usual pan dulce and pan francés (there are quite a number of others that make these basic traditional breads). Recommended is Panaderia Maná.
Recent additions: El Horno, also in Panajacel and Sololá, has great pastries (cake, pie, éclairs). Sarita’s; Earlier real ice–cream only came once in a blue moon with the ice-cram truck that sometimes would drive from San Lucas Toliman. La Posada de Santiago has the best ice-cream (homemade).
In Panajachel, specialty meat cuts, imported cheeses and butter, tofu, tempeh, juices, granola and other more gringo style goodies are available several different stores (Pana Super, on the road toward Sololá, and Chalo’s near the market. Panajacel also has a Health Food store, on Calle Santander, which mostly has herbs but also certain health food items). You can probably get anything, but certain things are costly. The market in Panajachel is better than the market in Santiago Atitlán. Guatemala City has a number of grocery stores if you are staying awhile or are a large group, and are able to stop (in a private van, for example), you can stock up on different items hard to get around here. (There are also several region specific grocery stores: Spanish, Chinese, Middle Eastern and Columbian, ask your van driver)
Things difficult to get (and good to bring with you if you like them): Nuts, dried fruit, fine teas, brown rice, miso, nutritional yeast, vitamins and herbal supplements
Does the Hospitalito have food available? The Hospitalito does not currently offer food services to patients or staff. We hope to soon have a small store onsite for snacks and a limited variety of foods like licuados, yogurt and fruit, and possibly sandwiches. A number of local restaurants will deliver via tuc tuc.
What restaurants in Santiago Atitlán do you recommend? El Pescador: Top of Calle de los Turistas. Favorite of tourists, it also has more of a variety on the menu that appeals to foreigners. A little more expensive, U$3-8 for lunch or dinner. El Shadai: A bit further up the hill than El Pescador. She serves wonderful pita sandwiches, salad dressing, soups, burritos, gado gado, and lassi. This is a very unusual variety for Atitlán. El Horno on the Calle de los Turistas makes sandwiches and serves the best coffee in the center of town. El Gran Sol at the bottom of the Calle de los Turistas has been around longer than all of the above and does a great desayuno chapin (Guatemalan breakfast), and other traditional fare. La Posada de Santiago, Hotel Bambú and Tiosh Abaj all have nice ambiance and fine cuisine. Especially recommended is La Posada, which does a truly wonderful job (David, the owner, is an exceptional chef).
Can I study Spanish while in Santiago Atitlán? There are a number of Spanish teachers in Santiago Atitlán, with varying levels of experience that give classes from conversational to quite formal. Here is a short list:
Escuela de Español “Naoj” Contact: José Reanda at 7721-7014 The instructor has had over ten years experience in giving Spanish lessons.
Rosa Archila: The longest standing Spanish school in Santiago Atitlán, run by Rosa and her sister, who have many years of experience.
Rebeca Chiyal: A young teacher, who has given Spanish lessons to a number of volunteers over the last few years. Tel. 5280-7037.
What are the major holidays in Santiago Atitlán? Semana Santa is the week before Easter. The 25th of July is the fiesta of Santiago, the patron saint of Santiago Atitlán. September 15th is Guatemala’s Independence Day. November 1st and 2nd Todos Santos (All Souls Day) is celebrated. The Christmas holidays begin in mid-December and last until January 6th (the arrival of the Three Kings).
There are areas in Guatemala City that are NOT safe and areas around the lake where is not recommended to walk alone, especially at night. Guatemala remains a poor country, and visitors from the first world will have to be aware of their inescapable comparative affluence, which may make them targets mainly of overcharging, and sometimes crime. But, if you use common sense and are aware of your surroundings, Santiago Atitlán feels very safe.
Health Care and Mental Health Care? The Hospitalito, a small primary care hospital, provides basic healthcare for volunteers, Any potential volunteer with potential or ongoing mental or physical health problems must discuss these with the chief of medical staff prior to coming to Santiago Atitlán. Hospitalito Atitlán is unable to provide mental health-care or any controlled drugs or prescriptions for controlled drugs for volunteer staff. Many prescriptions should be brought from home or filled in Guatemala City
Does Hospitalito Atitlán receive medical students for clinical rotations? Medical students are welcome after they have completed a clinical year and have a good working knowledge of Spanish. The minimum time for a student volunteer is one month. They will be integrated into the team, in the different areas of the hospital, and will be able to apply their knowledge under the direct supervision of the chief of medics or of the doctor on turn. Medical students will rotate through clinical and non-medical areas, and will also be expected to fulfill a specific function during their time at the hospital.
I am interested in doing an investigation for credit in SA/ at HA. What do I need to do? Medical students or others interested in doing research projects in Atitlán, while affiliated with the Hospitalito, should also request and fill out our Studies and Investigations Form, to be submitted for evaluation and approval of our Investigations Committee. Students must arrange one or more local mentors, with help from the Investigations Committee, who will be the local advisor to their study, making sure of its local applicability and contextualization. Of what benefit will this study be to the community? How will needs in the community that may emerge as a result of this study be addressed? What kind of follow up is offered if the study merits it? Students applying will have to pose these and other questions. Studies that fill local needs and demonstrate integral consideration of all phases of the investigation (before, during, and after) will be approved. Guidelines will be provided to applicants.
What is the relationship of the Hospitalito, Asociación K’aslimaal, and Pueblo a Pueblo? Asociación K’aslimaal (Tz´utujil for life/rebirth), Hospitalito Atitlán’s board of directors, is committed to the establishment of the Hospitalito as a stable long-term institution in Santiago Atitlán partnered with the community to improve health. Pueblo a Pueblo, inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the United States, has partnered with K’aslimaal to raise funds in North America as our principal international fundraising arm.
Why does the Hospitalito charge for its services to the community? See our Sustainability page: Porque cobrar?
What would be good to avoid doing in Santiago Atitlán? Coming into a community like Santiago Atitlán, it is easy to be concerned about making faux pas, especially as a volunteer. Generally speaking, people are pretty tolerant of the ways of foreigners. Many more allowances are made for the behavior of gringos than people would make for themselves, since after all who knows what these people from other cultures think. Nonetheless, there are things that one could do that inadvertently cause concern or insult Be aware that you are inevitably affluent in comparison to most locals which is a complicated thing to come to terms with, and which may make certain things good to be aware of invisible. For example: -Avoid handouts of money to the children of town. This encourages begging! -While you may be tempted to pay more than things are worth, this can create a false economy and adversely affect those who are not on the international economy. Again this is difficult, since many things are based upon this dual economy of services and products priced for folks who earn first world wages, and the things that are priced for people who earn Guatemalan wages (because of this even Guatemalan wages have a great range and certain things affordable to some will be unimaginable to others). -Social politics in town are far more complicated than you can ever imagine. Santiago Atitlán is a large town and everyone is related in some way. Some interfamily conflicts are generations-old and one will often never know people’s prior relationships with each other until a problem arises. Be aware that this may always be a possibility. Foreigners who might become involved in these conflicts will leave, locals will have to live here in town with each other. Local methods of dealing with problems will reflect this, sometimes to the frustration of outsiders who are unaware. -We have prepared some materials to educate you a little about some of the problems that have been created by decades of paternalism, both national and international, towards the poor in Guatemala. See our Sustainability page.
What is the linguistic situation on Lake Atitlán? Spanish is the common language in Guatemala, but in villages and towns in the highlands, Mayan languages are most common. In Santiago Atitlán, Tz’tujil is spoken. To the east, in San Lucas Tolimán, the languages are Spanish and Cakchiquel. To the west, in San Pedro La Laguna, a different dialect of Tz’tujil is spoken.
Language maps, links: Mayan Languages: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayan_Languages http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Mayan_Language_Map.png http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Idiomasmap.jpg Mesoamerica: http://www.proel.org/mundo/mesoamerac.htm
http://www.sil.org/Mexico/maya/00i-maya.htm English http://www.sil.org/Mexico/maya/00e-maya.htm Español
http://www.vacilando.org/index.php?title=Mayan_languages
What kinds of traditional health providers exist in Guatemala? There is a full spectrum of ritual specialists and traditional health-care givers in Guatemala. Most receive their calling as a ‘don’, a gift from God, in dreams or other mystic means at different points in their lives. They range from priests and shamans, to curanderos, midwives, bonesetters and people who prepare the dead for burial, as well as others. All of these specialists exercise their calling as a duty, a charge or ‘cargo’ that they must carry for the proper continuation of the world, and are accorded respect in the community because of it. Modern times have certainly affected these different practices. Midwives, who traditionally do not receive any training or apprenticeships and practice principally in an empirical way, are now required by the Ministry of Health to attend monthly meetings where they receive trainings about signs of risk and other topics, and are required to maintain an identification card. Bonesetters or “hueseros” have a great deal of credibility in the communities and are often the first choice when there is a broken bone. While doctors often see many broken bones that were inadequately treated by bonesetters, there are also many accounts by individuals in which broken bones were very effectively treated by visits with hueseros. San Pedro la Laguna has long been famous for their hueseros, though of course some are known to be better than others. Santiago Atitlán has a few curanderos, and many, mix traditional medicines with modern ones. Traditonal/modern remedies are most often tried at home under the direction of family members. See the list of Recommended Readings and Links for readings about midwives, hueseros and other kinds of traditional care giving in the area.
Santiago is the name given by the Spanish conquerors to the Tz’tujil village of Atitlán. One would naturally assume that Santiago is the local short version for the town’s name, but most people from town and from surrounding areas refer to Santiago Atitlán as Atitlán. Since there are many Santiagos in Guatemala, saying Atitlán is more precise.
I would like to bring a group of volunteers, what work would they do? We have begun construction on our new property, and there is plenty of work for groups (we estimate to be finishing in late 2008 or early 2009, in about two years time.) There are also often many jobs around the hospital itself at its temporary location, such as sorting and inventorying donations or purchases of medications and supplies (medical or personnel can be useful for this), doing gardening and grounds upkeep, carpentry, electrical work, machine repair or other projects. Please consult the volunteer coordinator for current tasks that groups might do, and for a copy of our Group Information Sheet and Form (which asks for the number of participants, any special skills they may have, and a group work schedule). PLEASE keep us advised of changes in your schedule so that we can make arrangements. We will need a list of names and addresses of participants, so that we may keep everyone updated about our doings with our newsletter.
What about accommodations for groups? La Posada de Santiago is well equipped to handle groups of all sizes and has had years of experience preparing economy meals and sack lunches for volunteer groups. Sometimes economy lodging is also available for individual volunteers. Visit their web site at www.posadadesantiago.com. Also inquire at the Hotel Bambu (www.ecobambu.com). Turicentro TioshAbaj is another large hotel in town that can accommodate groups. (www.tioshabaj.com) There are also several less expensive hotels in town that do not have the ability to communicate via web. Please ask our volunteer coordinator for information and help with these.
If you have any other questions, please let us know.
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