Archive for the 'Resources' Category

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Residency papers for expatriates in Guatemala

Published on June 7, 2011 in Guatemala, Paperwork, Resources and Travel. 6 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , .

As new missionaries in Guatemala, we needed to get our residency papers so we didn’t have to leave for Mexico every six months and still be legal in Guatemala. Here are some of the things we wish we had known when we were going through the paperwork process for residency after we moved to Guatemala.

U.S. Paperwork prep

Read on, but get the following papers together so you can impress your lawyer and get things moving quickly:

  • Complete copy of your passport
    • Yep, even the blank pages and the full cover
  • U.S. Embassy validated copy of passport at the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala
    • WARNING: This may be the U.S. Embassy but validation takes time. Get there before 12 noon and you can probably get it at 2:30 that afternoon. Get there in the afternoon and you’ll have to go back the next day. Oh, and each validated copy will cost you US$50. They do accept credit cards if you don’t have the cash.
  • Criminal background check (This should be less than 6 months old when you turn it in and will require you to get things done in the U.S.)

Guatemalan Residency Visa Options

According to our lawyer  and other sites there are three main long-term residency visa options (not including student, diplomatic, etc.) Since we just had our baby here in Guatemala, we opted for the Parents of Guatemalan child option. While others are available, I have listed three main options here: Continue reading ‘Residency papers for expatriates in Guatemala’

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Natural childbirth in Guatemala

Published on June 3, 2011 in Medical, Pregnancy, Resources, Saving money and Travel. 15 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

 

Chrisi at the Chichicastenango municipal sign

Pregnant and moving to Guatemala

On January 28th of 2011, we moved to Guatemala to serve as missionaries when we were six months pregnant (about 25 weeks) with our first son. We wanted to have our son naturally, and we very quickly found out that this would be a bit difficult. With C-section rates at 80% in the private hospitals in Guatemala, we realized that we needed an alternative in order to have the birth we wanted.

For months we’d been preparing, reading and learning about giving birth

Download a free book on Healthy pregnancy (52 Brilliant Ideas) from Amazon!
Other books we found helpful as we prepared for our little one are:

Ok, Back to Guatemal…we started checking our options. We were studying Spanish in Xela so we checked out an APROFAM public clinic that has a birthing center, but it still wasn’t what we were looking for.  We did have an ultrasound and bloodwork done at APROFAM and every thing was looking great!

BabyBjorn Travel Light

Preparations

In Xela we prepped the baby’s bed by buying 5-inch mattress foam and cutting it to fit inside our BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib. We used three pieces and had them covered with regular sheet material we had purchased at Megapaca. A sostre or sewing guy, made the mattress cases with a zipper for us so we can change them as needed. The new mattresses gave 15 inches of lift to the modified play pen so our baby would be at a bassinet level and we can lower it as he gets bigger. Continue reading ‘Natural childbirth in Guatemala’

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The midwife option for natural birth in Guatemala

Published on June 3, 2011 in Guatemala, Medical, Pregnancy, Resources and Travel. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

 

 

Family at clinic

Centro De Parto Natural

While Mayan midwives or comadronas are common across the countryside of Guatemala, finding an English-speaking midwife in Guatemala can be difficult. As best as we can tell, we found the only American-trained, English-speaking midwife in Guatemala City when we found Hannah Friewald at the Centro De Parto Natural where she specializes in water births and has one of the only, if not the only, water birth centers in all of Central America.

Hannah’s Story

Initial newborn exam

Hannah is from Germany where home births are the norm. She has been around it her whole life and also speaks perfect English. She trained in the States through Maternidad La Luz in El Paso, Texas and is also certified in Guatemala (which can be an important thing if your international medical insurance only gives coverage for certified medical care).

Hannah has worked as a midwife for years and has attended some 1,400 births as of May 2011. She said that she has never lost a baby and even told of a couple breech babies she has delivered and some v-bac babies she has delivered, along with a couple emergency situations. She has delivered babies for the ambassadors of a couple different European countries here in Guatemala and seems to keep a full schedule. Continue reading ‘The midwife option for natural birth in Guatemala’

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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: , , , , , .

20110601-111732.jpg

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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Spanish Language Schools in Guatemala

Published on May 20, 2011 in communications, Language, missions, Resources and Travel. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , .

 

Michael with teacher Luis.

All language schools are not equal, nor is finding the best place for you as simple as reviewing a few schools online and then picking one. I’ve been there and there’s a lot of info out there, but making a decision of where my wife and I were to spend our next six months or so as we studied Spanish was kind of like diving into a river after talking to others who swam there before. We hoped to hit the right spot and not drown or hit any rocks in the process.

When you’re looking for a place to learn Spanish there are many elements to take in to account: Location, Cost, Perks, Experience and more.

First of all there is the consideration of countries. There are lots of Spanish Language schools in Spain, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and probably every Latin American country on the map. Here’s a list of 90 schools in 14 countries. We wanted to learn Latin America’s version of Spanish and we have plans to be in Guatemala for a while so we chose to study in the beautiful highlands of Guatemala. Once the country was settled, it became a matter of what city: the main choices are: Antigua, Xela / Quetzaltenango, or Panajchel but about 10 cities offer language studies in Guatemala. Private tutors can be found in other places, but you’ll need some sort of contact to connect with them since there’s no central way to find them.

Getting the right teacher is very important. One thing we learned is that in one-on-one teaching sessions, the individual teacher really makes a difference. Don’t be afraid to change teachers if one doesn’t work for you. Usually within one week you can know whether or not you and your “maestro/a” are a good match. If you’re not, change so you can get a better fit and learn all that you can. Continue reading ‘Spanish Language Schools in Guatemala’

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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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Grand Rapids Michigan Entertainment

Published on May 4, 2011 in Resources and Travel. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .

I like to keep up with what’s going on in my community and enjoy the local entertainment. Here’s a list of entertaining venues, events, museums available in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area. Get out there and enjoy the community!

Museums and Art Venues

The Grand Rapids Art Museum is located near the center of downtown Grand Rapids and provides a modern venue of classic as well as new art. The GRAM includes traveling displays and an extensive collection of it’s own.

Grand Rapids Art Museum
101 Monroe Center
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
(616) 831-1000 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (616) 831-1000 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

The Grand Rapids Public Museum provides a variety of exhibits for the whole family. This museum is a great place to catch up on the history of Grand Rapids and learn from the ever changing seasonal exhibits available at this beautiful museum located on the west bank of the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids.

Grand Rapids Public Museum
272 Pearl Street NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
616.929.1700 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 616.929.1700 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
616.456.3977 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 616.456.3977 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Map

The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum is located on the western bank of the Grand River and provides an excellent look at the presidency of Gerald R. Ford. This museum hosts a variety of related exhibits throughout the year and  is the location of Gerald R. Ford’s tomb. It is located next to Ah-Nab-Awen Park.

Gerald R. Ford Museum
303 Pearl Street NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504-5353
(616) 254-0400 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (616) 254-0400 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is a unique oasis of art and nature. This experience in art, sculpture and nature is located on 132 acres of grounds featuring art by Rodin, Oldenburg, Moore, Bourgeois and Plensa, and others. Indoor galleries hold changing exhibits by sculptors such as Picasso, Degas, di Suvero, Borofsky, Calder and Chadwick. Not just for the art lovers, the gardens and park provides interactive experiences for the whole family with one of the largest children’s gardens in the country.

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
1000 East Beltline NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49525
(616) 957-1580 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (616) 957-1580 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
888-957-1580 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 888-957-1580 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Arenas

The DeltaPlex Arena offers live entertainment in the form of concerts, family shows, sporting and motor events. The DeltaPlex Conference Center provides up to 85,000 square feet of space for trade shows, corporate meetings, charity functions, small concerts, banquets, exhibitions, and more. Past shows have included the Home and Builders Association Show, Gun and Knife Show, West Michigan Harvest Dog Cluster Show and more.

Van Andel Arena hosts the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team and many other events including circuses, rodeos, live shows, concerts and more. This 12,000-plus seat arena is located near the heart of downtown Grand Rapids. See the upcoming schedule here.

Outdoors

West Michigan Trails & Greenway Coalition is a great source for trail maps, updates on trail expansions and all sorts of information about trails in West Michigan.

Besides a great number of beautiful trails, an extensive park system is available in the Grand Rapids area including parks, biking trails, river walks, ice skating, and more. Here are some highlights:

Downtown:

303 Pearl St.
Grand Rapids, MI 49504

Once the site of a Native American village, this 6.5-acre park is adjacent to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum and includes a portion of a river walk trail and hosts many community festivals and the annual Independence Day Fireworks.

300 Ottawa Ave. NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49503

The open plaza adjoins the City and County buildings and is host to many community events including many musical performances during Festival. The names comes from the artwork of Alexander Calder,  “La Grand Vitesse,” which symbolizes the City of Grand Rapids. If you are adventurous, head to the northwest corner of the Calder Plaza and visit the giant tire swing. The swing is tucked behind a building on the north end of the plaza beyond the raised tree groves. This hidden ride is a great find. Besides, it’s just fun to ride a tire swing!

560 Front Ave. NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504

The Grand Rapids Fish Ladder provides a practical function — access to upriver spawning grounds for lake salmon — and a public function providing up close views of the fish in motion. This functional artwork was designed by Joseph Kinebrew and is located on the Grand River on the northern end of downtown Grand Rapids.

Maynard Ave. SW & Butterworth Dr.
Grand Rapids, MI 49509

Millennium Park is an ongoing project to turn about 1500 acres from former industrial use into green spaces in an urban setting.  As of 2011, the park included a beach house, playground, picnic areas and fishing ponds.

Rosa Parks Circle
Monroe Center and Monroe Ave.
Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Rosa Parks Circle was designed by Maya Lin and provides an area for summer concerts and winter ice skating. The winter ice park provides free ice skate rentals generally November through March.

Festivals

ARTPRIZE is a unique art exhibit and viewer judged art show that is open to anyone who can find a venue within the prescribed art zone. Art varies from live art to sculpture to just about anything you can imagine including a Lock Ness Monster on the Grand River (2009).

“Festival” as it is often called by locals includes art, music, dance and lots of food. With multiple venues across the downtown area, this festival draws crowds by the thousands the first weekend of June.

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The Quetzaltenango to Tapachula Visa Run

Published on April 28, 2011 in Resources and Travel. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

When your 90-day tourist visa is about to run out for Guatemala. It’s time to visit Mexico!

Border marker for Mexico-Guatemala international border

OK, so you’re a student from Europe, Canada, or the U.S. and you’re studying Spanish in (Xela) Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. When you entered Guatemala you received a 90 day tourist visa, but that’s not long enough to really get the language down. Before your 90 days are up you need to renew your visa in the capital, Guatemala City (about 4.5-5 hours away) or you can get a fresh new visa good for 90 days by leaving the country. Time to head to Tapachula, Mexico!

Why Mexico?

At the end of 90 days you will need an extension or a new stamp in your passport to legally remain in Guatemala. That’s why you’ll need to go to Mexico. Some people say they require you to be gone for 48 hours, but we found that by leaving on Saturday and returning on Monday, we were able to gt the stamps we needed without any problems. Continue reading ‘The Quetzaltenango to Tapachula Visa Run’

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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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Accessing Apple’s Time Machine files with a PC

Published on February 13, 2011 in Resources, Reviews, Tech, Tools and Travel. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

I like Macs…I really do, but when my video card went out on my MacBook Pro I wished I had purchased a backup to keep on hand.

My screen was blank and I found myself with all my information on my computer or on my Time Machine backup hard drive with no way to access it. Oh, and I”m living in Guatemala where the nearest Apple repair center is about five hours away. Sadly, my only working computer is my wife’s PC.

Not only can I not access all my wonderful media and information, I also can’t read the Time Machine backup because PCs don’t play well with Apple’s Time Machine format. I plugged in my hard drive and had access to nothing!

After several days of trying to get my going again and praying for it to work (literally!) I found out about MacDrive.

From MediaFour's MacDrive

MacDrive didn’t give me my computer back, but it gave me access to the backup drive so I can see the files, copy them to my wife’s PC and get what I need until my Mac can be fixed. I tried out MacDrive’s trial copy and probably will buy this handy software unless I end up getting my Mac fixed in the next week or so.

Here’s my review of MacDrive:

I like it because it’s simple. Just load the software. Restart. Plug in your Mac formatted drive or Time Machine Backup drive and, voila! you’re ready to access your files!

I don’t like how you have to copy the files to your PC instead of accessing them straight from the drive, but this probably is a good safety check to keep from messing up my backups for when my Mac is up and running again.

If you’re having trouble with your Mac. You have a backup drive and your only computer is a PC…go for it. Try out MacDrive and get easy access to your files…at least until you can get your Mac back from Apple repair!

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