Guatemala Local Living Trip

[jaycw]

Well I wrote this post last night and for some reason it didnt take so forgive me if there is a delay and this becomes a duplicate.

I was wondering if anyone has been on this trip? I understand its a new trip and only runs a couple times this year but if anyone went please let me know how it was.

I am really hoping to stay in a place thats very remote and "indigenous", I understand everywhere on earth is modernized to some point but I would really like to go somewhere thats slower, quieter and "real".

Or if anyone has been to Guatemala in or around this area and has some reviews that would be great thanks!

[ballu]

Haven't done this trip...but did an all over Guatemala trip with G Adventures a few years ago. We stayed for 2 nights in Jaibalito on the lake. The area is absolutely beautiful. Reading your trip itinerary I can't see you'd be disappointed.

[Janice08]

I wasn't on this trip but I did do the "Western Guatemala Highlights" trip in April which included a one night homestay in San Juan. Unfortunately that trip isn't listed anymore. This is the description I posted on my trip evaluation of the homestay:

"Day 4 - Home stay in San Juan la Laguna
- We started the day off by carrying our bags about 5 blocks to the local shuttle van. Wheeled luggage is useless here - you need a backpack for the cobblestone streets. We then took the shuttle across town, got off, walked through the local marked with our packs to the chicken bus station. At the station most of us got on the bus while the guys helped to push the bus to start it. After a very bumpy, winding ride we arrived in San Juan. After lunch we had a walking tour of the town prior to dividing up for our homestays. Everyone had a different experience but all said it was worth it. The family we stayed with had 3 kids - 7, 11, 15. The two younger kids, both girls, were experienced in dealing with guests and welcomed us and entertained us. The older girl knew about as much English as I know Spanish (which isn't much) so we had fun communicating. If you choose to bring a small gift, bring something that you can do with the kids to help break the ice. I had a frisbee, which they had seen but wasn't much use in the small courtyard, and a "slinky." There weren't any stairs but I never dreamed all the things you could do with a simple dollar store toy. Some of the others had crayons and paper."

Life is definitely slower in San Juan. You'll also come to appreciate that it doesn't take a lot of "stuff" to make you happy. The family we stayed with had so little in the way of belongings yet they were content. It isn't a tourist mecca like some of the neighbouring towns. There are very few cars so most people get around on foot, bicycle or tuktuks (3 wheeled motorcycle taxis). The area around Lake Aititlan is beautiful. I would have loved to have had more time there to do some hiking or kayaking.

[Janice08]

jaycw,

From the looks of things you may have waited too long to book this trip. As of a few days ago this trip isn't showing up anymore. Instead its been replaced with "Antigua Local Living" which although in the same area of the same country doesn't seem to have anything else in common. The "Guatemala Local Living," which was advertised as "one of our popular trips" or something like that, included staying with a local family in a small community and having the opportunity to share in their way of life while still having a tour leader and group to spend the days exploring with. The new trip, which G Adventures seems to have added several of this style, involves staying in a house with your entire group, including the CEO, and doing whatever you want to with your time (at your expense). For $619 in Antigua you can easily get a bed in a private room in a hostel, including breakfast, and have at least $300 for the rest of your activities. Most hostels will also help you to arrange activities. Antigua is a tourist town and won't be giving you that "slower, quieter and real" experience that you are looking for - unless you consider McDonalds "real" and being able to retreat into your private home with a bunch of other tourists "slower and quieter".

If you are still interested in the homestay, and can speak some Spanish, maybe G Adventures will give you the contact information for the co-operative in San Juan that they work with to arrange the homestays.