This student handbook has been prepared by Roberto Mazariegos, Spanish instructor at College of the Siskiyous and program director. It contains information important in preparing for your trip to Antigua.
Located in the state of Sacatepequez, the romantic colonial town of La Antigua Guatemala is situated in a valley surrounded by volcanoes. The valley's 5,000 foot altitude provides a pleasant climate all year round. Antigua is such a small city that you can walk everywhere and you don't really need a car even though taxis ("tuc tuc") are available all over the city.
Antigua was founded in 1524 as the capital of the Kingdom of Guatemala. A gem in terms of its layout and as an excellent example of colonial architecture, Antigua has been able to preserve its characteristics, as if time had come to a stop. It was declared a Cultural Heritage of Mankind site by UNESCO in 1979 for its immense historic and cultural value. Three hundred years ago, the Santa Marta earthquake shook the city and left its mark on buildings throughout Antigua. Today the city's romantic ambiance, its cobblestone streets, peaceful parks, fountains, palaces and cathedrals make Antigua the ideal site to learn Spanish and to immerse yourself in the unique culture of Guatemala.
While Spanish is the official language, indigenous communities speak more than twenty different languages in Guatemala, foremost among them Quiche, Cakchiquel, Mam, and Kekchi. San Felipe, San Juan del Obispo, Santa Maria de Jesus, San Antonio Aguas Calientes, and Santa Catarina Barahona are a few of the indigenous villages which surround Antigua and where handcrafts and traditional weavings are made.
Ethnic Groups: |
Kakchikel, Ladinos |
Temperature: |
Maximum 90? F |
Minimum 60? F | |
Altitude: |
5000 |
Products: |
Coffee, apples, carrots |
Attractions: |
La Antigua Guatemala |
Festivals: |
La Antigua Guatemala: July 25 ( St. James ) |
College of the Siskiyous offers you the opportunity to study Spanish and learn about the culture and history of Guatemala in a small school setting. Only five minutes walk from the Parque Central (Central Park), the school has classrooms, an office and a patio where students gather during the break in classes. Computers are available for e-mail. There are also several internet cafes situated throughout the city.
Instruction is one-on-one: one teacher for each student. This ratio provides the best opportunity to get individualized instruction. Teachers are personally involved in all types of community activities: sport, cultural, religious who enables them to bring a wide variety of interests, information and insight into their instruction. The instructors take a personal interest in their students and provide encouragement and support for students' efforts to communicate.
You need a U.S. passport. If you don't have one, you should apply for one right now. Please provide a copy of your passport photo page to the director
If there are still seats available, students can travel on the pre-arranged flight. The director will provide you with the name of the travel agent. Students will be met at the airport in Guatemala City and driven to Antigua. It is your responsibility to make arrangements to travel to and from the city of departure in the U.S. You should plan to arrive at the airport three hours before departure.
The system of intensive language instruction combines the most successful language learning techniques, keeping pace with the linguistic advances of the day, but with an emphasis on communication. Beyond language instruction, the classes cover a variety of topics which further enhances linguistic and cultural immersion.
Beginners are introduced to spoken Spanish through simple conversation, learning common expressions of courtesy and basic grammar.
As students advance, we work through an orderly system for introducing verb tenses and their correct uses, all the while developing conversational skills, reading comprehension and writing skills.
Advanced students may specialize in working on specific problems, general grammatical and conversational improvement, mastery of written Spanish, and idiomatic expressions.
Included in your tuition costs are cultural and recreational activities. You can choose to participate in activities offered each afternoon. The activity program will be provided during the orientation day in Antigua (July 16).
• Lectures: Culture of the Mayans, Religion, Education, History
• Dancing classes
• Latin American films
• Traditional weaving demonstrations
• Guided excursions in and around Antigua
• Participation in local cultural, religious and social events
• Basketball, soccer, and other sports
Students receive four hours of personalized language instruction each day and participate in cultural activities and local excursions in the afternoon.
Classes start at 8:00 am and break for lunch at 12:00. Late afternoon is devoted to activities.
Here is an example of a typical day:
7:15 - 7:50
Breakfast
08:00 - 10:00
Spanish classes
10:00 - 10:20
Coffee break
10:30 - 12:00
Spanish classes
12:30 - 1:45
Lunch (main meal)
3:00 - 5:00
Activity Program
5:00 - 7:00
Free time & dinner
7:00 - 9:00
Optional cultural activities
Living with a Guatemalan family provides an excellent opportunity for you to practice Spanish and to immerse yourself in the culture. Most families have had house guests in the past and are most helpful in conversation as well as providing insight into Guatemalan culture.
Each homestay provides you a small private room. You will usually share a bathroom with one or more of the family members. You will also be given a key to the house. If you are going to be returning late or if you will be absent, you should let the family know.
Most of the families provide typical Guatemalan meals. We ask that you let the family know if you will be eating at home or not as meals will be prepared for you each day (except Sunday). If you are vegetarian or are allergic to certain foods, please indicate this on your homestay questionnaire.
There are a number of laundry facilities in town. You just drop off your clothes at the "lavanderia" and your laundry is done for you.
Because the climate is relatively mild all year round in Antigua, you should take what you would typically wear during the spring in California. Temperatures do vary between morning, afternoon and evening and it is wise to bring clothes that can be layered. A cotton sweater over a tee-shirt is perfect for most morning weather. A light weight jacket is also recommended. Comfortable walking shoes are essential.
April to November is the wet season so you'll need to bring a raincoat and umbrella. Mornings are usually clear, but clouds roll in for afternoon rainstorms.
If you like sports, bring the appropriate gear and attire. There are health clubs in the town for a nominal fee and also facilities for swimming and tennis at nearby hotels.
These are some suggestions for what to bring for a 4 week stay in Antigua.
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Light jacket or sweater for the evening
• Prescription drugs should be brought with you
• Large bath towel and wash cloth
• Beach towel
• Enough toothpaste, shampoo, soap, etc. to last until you can go shopping
• Sunglasses
• Travel alarm clock
• Small flashlight
• Camera
• Backpack or book bag
• Sunscreen 15 SPF or greater
• Anti-diarrheas (Lomotil, Pepto-Bismol, Imodium, etc.)
• Umbrella (folding type is handiest)
• Gift for your family
• Mosquito repellent
• Spanish/English dictionary
• Notebook and pens
Gift for your family: One idea is to take your host family out for dinner during the last week of the program. There are several nice restaurants in town where you can have a wonderful and thankful experience with them.
The Guatemalan currency is the Quetzal. At this writing the exchange rate is 7.6 Quetzales to the dollar.
ATM machines are available throughout the city of Antigua. This is usually the easiest way to access money (STAR system). You can also bring travelers checks which can be exchanged at any Guatemalan bank for the official exchange rate. It is not recommended to exchange money at informal booths on the street. You should bring about $ 100 in cash (in increments of $ 20) so you have money available right away. Credit cards (Visa preferred) can also be used at many stores and restaurants.
Guatemalans are extremely courteous and friendly. Greetings and handshakes are very common. When you greet someone its proper to say "buenos dias" (good morning), "buenas tardes" (good afternoon) or "buenas noches" (good evening or good night). Shaking hands occurs when you meet someone new or are saying hello to someone more formally. Handshakes are usually light, not bone crushers. Women also shake hands with other women. A "woman's handshake" is usually a light grasp of the wrist or lower arm rather than the hand. When offered food or refreshment, it is rather insulting to refuse. If you must decline something, do it in a graceful manner.
Punctuality is really not stressed in the Latin culture. Lateness is usually accepted particularly in social situations. However, we expect you to be on time for your classes as the American system will be stressed in this case.
The following Code of Ethics for Tourist was prepared by the North American Center for Responsible Tourism:
• Travel with a spirit of humility and genuine desire to meet and talk with local people.
• Be aware of the feelings of others. Act respectfully and avoid offensive behavior, particularly when taking photographs.
• Cultivate the habit of actively listening and observing rather than merely hearing and seeing. Avoid the temptation to "know all the answers".
• Realize that others may have concepts of time and attitudes which are different -not inferior- to those you inherited from your own culture.
• Instead of looking only for the exotic, discover the richness of another culture and way of life.
• Learn local customs and respect them.
• Remember that your are only one of many visitors. Do not expect special privileges.
• Keep your promises to people you meet. If you cannot, do not make the promise.
• Spend time each day reflecting on your experiences in order to deepen your understanding. Is your enrichment beneficial for all involved?
• Be aware of why you are traveling in the first place. If you truly want a "home away from home,", why travel?
Antigua's main attractions are its churches, monuments and colonial buildings. You will have the opportunity to visit many of these places during your classes. If there is a place you would particularly like to visit, tell your instructor or the director and a visit may be arranged.
Antigua also has many fine restaurants with a variety of ethnic foods from which to choose. There are also different types of bars and discos. Some of the tourists in Antigua like to frequent particular ones. Remember if you spend time at the tourist "hangouts" you will probably be speaking English, which is not the best use of your time if you have come to Antigua to improve your Spanish.
On weekends there is usually some kind of musical entertainment in the Parque Central. On Sundays, families and young people also go there to socialize and stroll around the square.
If you like to read, the library is located above the Bank of Guatemala in the Parque Central. Several restaurants also have a variety of books in English and Spanish available for anybody.
We will be visiting a low-income public school in Guatemala. Part of the activity is to provide the school with much needed supplies. If you can, please bring some supplies to give the students such as pencils, pens, erasures, notebooks, rulers, calculators, etc. The children will greatly appreciate your contributions.
No vaccinations are required for travel to Guatemala. However, some vaccinations may be recommended. You should consult your physician before you go.
If you should need one, there are doctors, dentists and other health care providers who speak English. If you need a doctor or dentist, you can ask the director for recommendations.
You should purchase additional health insurance for international travel. Information will be provided.
Although Antigua is a quiet town with little crime, you should avoid taking chances. Like in many places in the US you should avoid walking alone at night if at all possible. Inexpensive taxis are available at any time during the day and evenings. Be careful with your money when in large crowds, such as in the central market. It is also not advisable to visit certain locations on your own, such as Cerro de La Cruz and volcano Pacaya. The school may arrange special tours to these sites which you can participate in. Please always check with the director before going on distant excursions on your own.