Archive for the 'Reviews' Category

La impresora instantánea Polaroid Pogo

Published on March 4, 2012 in iPhone, Reviews, Tech and Tools. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Cuando me enteré de la cantidad de gente de otros países que disfrutamos de conseguir una impresión real de sí mismos, decidí que yo quería de una manera rápida y sencilla de imprimir imágenes cuando estoy de viaje o en un mercado. La impresora instantánea Polaroid Pogo es una gran y divertida manera para hacer copias de tus fotos favoritas cuando estás en el camino.

Con algunos ajustes, ajusto mi iPhone 3GS para imprimir imágenes directamente desde la cámara a mi Pogo. Aquí hay un enlace sobre cómo hacer que su iPhone imprima en el POGO utilizando una cuenta gratuita de Dropbox. Personalmente yo uso iBlueNova o el programa de Celeste Bluetooth File Sharing para obtener una conexión Bluetooth directamente desde mi iPhone a mi impresora Pogo. No puedo imprimir desde cualquier programa de foto, pero cuando lo guardo en el rollo de la cámara parece que funciona bastante bien.

Pogo printer

Por  18 a 23 centavos cada uno, las impresiones de  2″x 3″ (se doblan como calcomanías tambien) no son baratos, pero la movilidad de estas copias sin-tinta son bastante buenas. El papel ZINK dice que caduca, pero he leído comentarios suficientes de que no parece hacer mucha diferencia si es nuevo o viejo.

Tengo muchas ganas de utilizar mi impresora Pogo para obtener algunas impresiones agradables para repartir en Guatemala. En primer lugar, tengo que encontrar algunas buenas ofertas del Papel  Polaroid Zink para que pueda mantener esta fantástica herramienta en mi bolsa para la cámara!

Nota: Esta es una entrada en la forma que he estado usando mi impresora en Guatemala en una escuela para niños especiales!

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Speciality baby supplies in Guatemala

Published on October 25, 2011 in Guatemala, Mission Mom, missions, Pregnancy, Resources, Reviews and Saving money. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

I found a place to get speciality baby supplies (including breast pumps) in Guatemala! They continually have a variety of products and can ship items across the country very quickly!

Check it out at Babby Place (sic) on Facebook and get the baby items you need! You can email them at babyplacegt@hotmail.com to request something if you don’t see it on their Facebook site.

After my baby was born at a natural childbirth clinic in Guatemala City, I found that I needed a breast pump and they’re not easy to find in Guatemala. Thanks to La Leche League leaders in Xela, I found out about Babby Place and was able to have a shipped to me in just a few days! I paid through a money transfer at a local BanRural Bank. Just be aware that the shipping is sent as a pay-on-delivery so it cost about Q40 to receive the package.

If you’re looking for a good connection to specialty baby products and you’re in Guatemala, give Babby Place a try.

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GPS maps for Guatemala

Published on October 23, 2011 in Guatemala, Resources, Reviews, Tech, Tools, Travel and Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

Driving in Guatemala with my GPS in action.

Getting around in Guatemala can be tough. Finding a good road map of the capital or this nation that is roughly the size of Tennessee is difficult as well. That’s where Global Positioning Systems (GPS) come in handy.
We have a Garmin Nuvi 1350 that has great maps of the U.S. but a very rough and, frankly, inaccurate base map that shows some highways in Guatemala but when I drive the highways the basemap proves to be , the highway . So, I went in search of GPS maps that I can download and I found a few options:

 

Guatemala Screen shot from GPSWORLDNET

I found a number of negative comments on GPS Travel Maps so I had to go with another option…GPS World Net and I’m very glad I did. They have maps for all of Central America, (though I have only tested the Guatemalan one). I have found GPS World Net’s GPS maps to be accurate and very useful in the field. Not only that, I once had a Garmin Nuvi that I had loaded the GPS World Net maps on but it disappeared.  I had downloaded my points to  Garmin’s Road Trip so I was able to save those!

 

I had already paid the $80 for the map specifically for my first Nuvi. I thought I’d have to re-purchase the map, but when I contacted GPS World Net they graciously provided me with the download of the map for my new Nuvi and it’s working great! Two thumbs up to GPSWorldNet.

 

Here are key reasons I like my Guatemalan GPS map:

  • Accurate maps of Guatemala City, Villages, and local roads.
  • Lots of local points already loaded (though more pool halls than I could ever want!)
  • Easy functionality with Garmin devices. (Just follow the simple instructions to load the map on the device!)
  • Maps function for Windows Symbian and Android as well as Garmin devices.

 

If you’re looking for a good map I recommend GPSWorldNet for all of Central America.

 

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Polaroid’s Pogo Instant Printer

Published on September 6, 2011 in Guatemala, iPhone, photojournalism, Resources and Reviews. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , , , .

When I found out how much people in other countries enjoyed getting an actual print of themselves, I decided that I wanted a quick and easy way of printing images when I’m traveling or in a market. The Polaroid Instant Pogo Printer is a great and fun way to get prints of your favorite pictures when you’re on the go. (You can buy your own Pogo Printer here.)

With some tweaking, I got my iPhone 3GS to print images straight from the Camera Roll to my Pogo printer. Here’s a link on how to get your iPhone to print on the POGO using a free Dropbox account. Personally I use iBlueNova or Celeste’s Bluetooth File Sharing program to get a straight Bluetooth connection from my iPhone to my Pogo printer. I can’t print from every photo program, but when I save it to the Camera Roll it seems to work quite well.

At 18 to 23 cents apiece, the 2″x3″ prints (they double as stickers too) aren’t cheap, but the mobility of these ink-free prints are pretty great. The ZINK photo paper says that it expires, but I’ve read enough reviews that it doesn’t seem to make much difference whether it’s new or old.

I’m looking forward to using my rinter to get some nice prints to hand out in Guatemala. First, I need to find some good deals on Polaroid Zink Paper so I can keep this cool tool in my camera bag!

Note: Here’s an entry on how I’ve been using my printer in Guatemala at a special needs school!

 

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International Health Insurance for Expatriates

Published on August 1, 2011 in Medical, missions, Pregnancy, Resources, Reviews, Saving money, Travel and Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

We live abroad and we want international health insurance for our family. While companies that provide international health insurance are many, we wanted something that provided some key options:

  • Reasonably good coverage (of course!)
  • Maternity coverage
  • A track record of good service to customers (see reviews)
  • A high deductible option,
  • Coverage inside and outside the U.S.,
  • Inexpensive, money-saving rates

We searched around, talked to fellow expatriates and discovered some options. Below is a break down on what we found.

(Spoiler!) After reviewing a number of options, we chose to go with IMG for these reasons:

  • Price ($200 less per month than previous insurance)
  • International experience and options
  • Maternity options

International insurance options we checked out:

 

 

Global Medical Insurance from IMG (International Medical Group) Continue reading ‘International Health Insurance for Expatriates’

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Tri-lingual children’s book teaches selfworth

Published on June 2, 2011 in Guatemala, Language, Resources and Reviews. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

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Tri-lingual childrens book helps bring selfworth to children in three languages.

Ishi, Un Simple Monito (Ishi, the average monkey), published in 2008 (ISBN 1-930992-23-8) is a beautifully illustrated book by Todd Aaron Smith that helps children realize that they are unique, valuable and special.

Written in English, Spanish, and the Mayan language of Quiche, the story is set in the Guatemalan highlands and features native animal characters like the quetzal, Guatemala’s national bird and namesake for Guatemalan currency, jaguars, and of course, Ishi, the monkey.

The artwork depicts many features of Guatemala including volcanoes, cornfields, futbol and more.

From what I understand, Smith originally wrote this book for and featured his adopted Guatemalan daughter as a secondary character.

We’ve been able to help distribute some copies of this book in the Guatemalan highlands among the Quiche Mayans.

Part of the Mayan Children Missions Project, this book has the unique feature of being in three languages.

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Cafe Baviera, Quetzaltenango, Guatemala

Published on May 14, 2011 in business, Resources, Reviews and Travel. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

Cafe Baviera Logo

Cafe Baviera is a quiet cafe/restaurant with several locations to choose from in Xela / Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. Known for it’s European feel, cafe, and casual feel, Baviera is also the home of some great sandwiches, specialty coffee drinks and some very smooth banana shakes. Their cakes and desserts are also very refreshing to he traveler’s taste buds.

Interior at Baviera Cafe I

Often frequented by expatriates and featured in Lonely Planet, Baviera I is a great place to quietly study or strike up a conversation or discuss this city’s unique history and stories. Although, you have to be careful where you sit. If you want to study your Spanish, the upper couches are a bit more private than the lower couches. We were sitting on the lower couches when we ended up in lengthy English conversations with other expatriates when we were really there to study.

The frames of Baviera Cafe I

The downtown location (in Zona 1) has an eclectic feel with walls plastered with framed photos, posters and more depicting Guatemalan history and international imagery. Decorations also include many old memoribilia, cameras, metal banks, car parts and nostalgic radios.

Baviera Cafe II (in Zona 3) has a beautiful courtyard with seating for guests. We enjoyed taking guests to this location. It doesn’t look like much on the outside, but like many buildings in Guatemala, the exterior seldom hints at the treasure within. This location was converted from a house into a restaurant. The conversion really turned out nice.

Prices for sandwiches, crepes and salads are in the Q20-30 range and my favorite shake is Q20.

Continue reading ‘Cafe Baviera, Quetzaltenango, Guatemala’

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Camera+ App for iPhone

Published on May 13, 2011 in communications, iPhone, photojournalism, Reviews, Social media, Tools and Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Camera+ logo

Camera+ is my new favorite App for the iPhone. ($1.99)

I’ve been using the standard camera option on my iPhone 3GS. It was handy but nothing fancy and with pretty much no options or editing capabilities. Camera+ has so many options, filters and editing tools built right in that it turns your iPhone camera into a photo machine that gives you customized images that look awesome!

Summary

Fresh bean dip

Easy to use and great additional features for your iPhone camera including zoom, filters, self-timer, and more! Many options are available without paying more than the basic 99 cents. (There are additional features available for additional costs but they’re just more filters.)

Things I love about it:

  • Quick button response — The Camera+ App provides quick response times. When you push the shutter button…the photo is taken. What a concept!
  • Timer — Want a photo of yourself? Camera+ includes a self timer with audible warning. There are 5 second, 15 second and 30 second timers available.
  • Cropping — Get just the good stuff when you crop down the image as you desire. Options allow you to keep a variety of ratios or crop freestyle.
  • Borders/Frames — This option really makes your presentation look good before you post your images out to your friends. Includes a variety of options to choose from
  • Filters — One of my favorite things… I really like the options that are provided. From antique looks to HDR and limited depth of field , cross processing and more, this App provides a wide selection of filter effects that can be expanded (paid service).
  • Sharing –  With Camera+ it’s easy to share your favorite images via Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, or by emailing the image size of your choice to your friends. Continue reading ‘Camera+ App for iPhone’

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APROFAM Medical Clinic in Quetzaltenango

Published on April 28, 2011 in Medical, missions, Pregnancy, Resources, Reviews, Saving money and Travel. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Are you an expatriate looking for a women’s health clinic in (Xela) Quetzaltenango, Guatemala? Maybe you’re a Spanish school student, missionary, or traveler needing some extra medical attention.

We moved to Xela for Spanish school and we also happened to be pregnant so we checked out the APROFAM (Asociacion Pro Bienestar de la Familia) Clinic. Since we were looking for a place to have our baby in Guatemala. Here’s what we thought…

Especially for women,  APROFAM provides a full-service clinic and mini-hospital complete with multiple in-house surgeons, doctors, overnight rooms and birthing facilities.

This clinic is part of a nation-wide clinic service and offers an all around good choice for locals and expatriates as well. Located on 3 Calle 7-02 Zona 1 in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, APROFAM is just a few blocks from Parque Central (Central Park) just off of octava avenida (8th Ave.) Phone: 7765-3886 Continue reading ‘APROFAM Medical Clinic in Quetzaltenango’

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Nais: Guatemala City’s Aquarium Restaurant

Published on April 22, 2011 in Nature, Reviews, Saving money and Travel. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

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At the new and high-tech Oakland Mall in Guatemala City (Diagonal 6 13-01 Zona 10) a unique restaurant named Nais S. A. provides more than a tasty meal. This restaurant provides unique entertainment for the entire family to enjoy.

In the center of the dining space is a large saltwater aquarium 128 feet long and lively with a good-sized shark, rays, moray eel, and a variety of other saltwater fish.

This mid-scale dining experience feels top notch because of the one-of-a-kind environment. The restaurant  includes a significant menu with prices ranging from about Q42 – Q100 (US$7 – US$13) per plate.

We dined on a large tasty burger, a chicken sandwich, fries, potato soup, and an all-you-can-drink soda for Q150 (US$ 19.97) including the tip. We didn’t try the fish.

This restaurant is great for your next family outing. Occasionally a diver passes by waving to the crowd and a glassed-in air bubble let’s adventurous diners stand inside the aquarium area for a photo with the fish or the diver. We hear it is a pretty exciting show during live feedings, but we didn’t get to observe this.

Refilling our soda with our own soda fountain wand!

Food was delivered to our table quickly and we didn’t have to stand in line. (We’ve read that people waited for more than an hour when Nais S.A. first opened at Oakland.) At first we thought the waiter was neglecting our refill on the soda. When we asked for a refill on our Sprite, he indicated a small cabinet on the wall. Inside this Coca-Cola branded cabinet was a soda fountain nozzle all for us! We could refill our soda until we were as full as the aquarium!20110422-051705.jpg
Seating on the main floor is booth style seats. On the other side of the aquarium the restaurant seating area continues with larger tables and the walls include smaller fishbowl aquariums house a number of jellyfish which are entertaining to watch.

So if you are looking for unique dining experience, Nais S. A. is the place to check out. Before or after dinner you can wander the stores of the six levels of Oakland Mall.

Bathrooms are kept clean and include a baby changing station.

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