ATC is sponsoring another trip to Guatemala in august! and YOU can be there!
i can't even tell you what a great time i had when i went in march -- and i will go again in the future! it was a fabulous life experience and a thrill to experience another culture. since ATC did all the planning and covers ALL the logistics, it was a brain-free, stress-free trip. all i had to do was purchase a plane ticket. you can arrive from anywhere, it's all the same. and the work is so rewarding!
Join us this August 3rd to learn natural building techniques working with bamboo, earth, stones and fiber to build a medical clinic on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. We promise lots of work, lots of cultural activities and an experience you will never forget.
Quick Details:
dates: August 3-11
cost: $1100-1350
covered: accomodations, transportation in country, all meals, guides, cultural activities
not covered: plane fare to Guatemala City, extra drinks
Come join The Appropriate Technology Collaborative for the experience of a lifetime. This trip will focus
on a hands-on workshop on natural building practices on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. Recent participants report ATC volunteer work projects as “life changing” and “the best vacation we ever had.” (Note: we promise hard work but most people call it fun) While most tourists never experience Guatemala up close you will work hand-in-hand with local talent and gain insight into an indigenous Latin American culture. You will work with an English speaking professional natural building expert, Charlie Rendall, local Mayan natural building teachers and your ATC project manager.
The personal rewards from this experience in an indigenous Mayan region are incalculable. Your
perspective on life and the world around you will be changed. We will start the project with a historic
walking tour of Antigua Guatemala, a World Heritage site and former capital of Latin America, and end
our trip with a tour of the ancient Mayan city Iximche. If you are game for hard work, daily hikes in the
mountains, riding in the back of a pick-up truck and making new friends, this trip is for you. Some ATC
volunteers will be coming back from previous projects to work with us again. We suggest you contact us
soon at: info@apptechdesign, please include in the subject line “Travel August 2013.”
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| Natural Building |
About Guatemala:
Guatemala is located in Central America. It borders the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea located just
south of Mexico. Guatemala is rich in natural beauty and travel opportunities; it's a country that offers
much to those willing to step off the beaten track for a little while.
Antigua Guatemala is often regarded as the traveler's hub, a picture-perfect Central American town
ringed by volcanoes. La Antigua is a great place to learn Guatemalan history or simply sip some coffee in
a street-side cafe and watch the world go by.
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| Antigua |
Lake Atitlan (or Lago de Atitlan), where our project is located, is another frequent stop on any visitor's
itinerary. Lake Atitlan is a volcano-rimmed lake considered by many world travelers to be one of the most
beautiful places on earth. The lake also is one of the world's top coffee growing regions.
Guatemala is small with an estimated population of 13 million. It hosts a tropical climate along the lower
elevations and cooler weather in the mountains where our project is located. The country is full of rich
indigenous culture and Spanish traditions. However, Guatemala also has a nearly 80 percent poverty rate.
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| Lake Atitlan |
Itinerary:
Day 1 - Greeted at the airport by ATC Guatemala staff, a shuttle to Antigua.
Day 2 - (Sunday): AM, Breakfast then a walking tour of Antigua with local historian Elizabeth Bell or her
staff; travel to Lake Atitlan; dinner at our Hostel / Hotel with families and ATC staff;
Days 3-7 - (Work days, Monday-Friday): Breakfast served at 8:00 AM before traveling by boat (or pickup) to work sites; work from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. with lunch on-site; free time after work to clean up; supper
served family style; time for team activities and socializing.
Day 8 - (Saturday): Travel to Mayan Ruins at Iximche; travel to Antigua; free time; walking tour of the
Antigua Market (optional); overnight in Antigua.
Day 9 - (Final day, Sunday): Departure day, ATC provides transportation to Guatemala City Airport.
Note: Trip includes special events throughout the week, including cultural experiences, visits to local
NGOs, market tours, boat rides, etc. All food and travel is covered in the Program Cost. Beverages other
than coffee or tea at breakfast and safe drinking water all day are not covered in the Program.
Accommodations:
Hotels / Hostels include double- or triple-occupancy rooms and are simple, clean and typically located
near the project site. Guatemala's climate can be hot during the day and cool at night. Hot water is
provided but will probably not work 100% of the time. Hotel rooms will be cleaned and maintained
daily. Lake Atitlan is at an altitude over 5,000 feet so mosquitoes are rare. If you are staying in a Hostel
room please check your valuables with ATC staff or the Hostel desk.
Program cost: (airfare not included)
US $1,250.00 Based on Double Occupancy, Hotel Room
US $1,350.00 Based on Single Occupancy, Hotel Room
US $1,100.00 Based on staying in Hostel / Dorm Room style
Team leaders:
Charlie Rendall will be the Project Leader, Monika Goforth is the ATC Project Manager. John Barrie will
be nearby in San Juan and visiting the project on a regular basis. John is the founder of The Appropriate
Technology Collaborative; he is an Architect and Industrial Designer. John works about 25% of the time
in Guatemala and Nicaragua. Monika has been a project manager for ATC, she speaks Spanish and she
has extensive experience in the area where this project will take place. If interested please contact
info@apptechdesign and include "Travel August 2013" in the subject line.
Sounds like a really great opportunity to make a difference with the benefit of really experiencing the culture of someplace new.
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