Ven Aca at Lake Atitlan

1. Guatemala absolutely amazing. The weather is perfect, the food is so good you won't want to stop eating, and the scenery will take your breath away. There is so much to see and do! I lived there for 3 months and still didn't get to do everything. I highly recommend using Authentic Guatemala Tours for your airport pick-up/drop off and tour needs. It is a private tour service and they have the best prices and services. Tell Fabio that Kendra sent you! I have tons of recommendations on where to eat, what to do, and where to stay. You can find all of that in this post.

2. Google Translate will be your best friend. People speak very little English there. I was able to use my high school Spanish to get me through, but if you don't remember anything from Spanish class, or if you took French in high school...use Google Translate!

3. Put your phone down.  Some reports will make Guatemala sound like a war zone, but it is not. Well, at least the touristy parts are not. BUT- If you are staying in Guatemala City, cell phone theft is rampant. Here are a few rules that even locals follow:

• When walking around Guatemala City do not take your phone out. 
• When riding in taxis and cars, do not take your phone out.
• Keep your phone in your pocket or purse until you reach our destination.
• If someone approaches you and asks for your phone- give it to them!!! Do not put up a fight.

Though I did not have any encounters during my stay, you need to be careful. When you go on tours to places like Antigua, the Mayan Ruins, Lake Atitlan it is safe to have your phone out, take pics, etc., but when in Guatemala City, put your phone away.

4. People will stare. If you are Black and traveling to Guatemala, people will stare. Read my experience about being Black in Guatemala here.

5. Wear Layers. The weather in Guatemala is beautiful all year round. However, it is highly variable depending on where you are. I lived in Guatemala City and did day trips to see the sights. Most sights are 1-4 hours away from Guatemala City and you will notice that the weather varies from city to city. For instance, you might leave Guatemala City one morning headed to a spa day at Santa Terista wearing a light sweater, but when you get to Santa Terista it will be flip flop and tank top weather and it is only 45 minutes away!

I hope you enjoy Guatemala! If you want a detailed list of recommended places to eat, shop and stay, check out this post.

Before I moved here I assumed that since I was moving to a country full of brown people, I would fit right in and be welcomed with open arms. I was WRONG.

Walking into a store or restaurant in Guatemala is almost exactly like walking into a store or restaurant in a small racist hick town in Texas. People stare with looks of confusion, curiosity and sometimes, disgust.

Now don't get me wrong, Guatemalans are extremely nice people...but ONLY when they realize we are American. At first glance, most Guatemalans assume that we are from Livingston, Guatemala. Livingston is on the Carribean coast of Guatemala. During the slave trade days, a slave shipped wrecked in Livingston and became the home of many displaced Africans. Livingston is very poor and though the people are technically Guatemalan, they are not held in high regard among the rest of Guatemala...unless they are helping the national Guatemalan basketball team win games...sound familiar?

I find myself having to constantly explain to people that I am not from Livingston. Sometimes, I even announce that I am from the U.S. before they can even ask. Once they know I am American, they have tons of questions about why I am here, etc. (Remember the guy that led us on the Volcano hike and all of his questions?)

One time, at a restaurant, a guy approached and flat out said: "What are you doing here?" We told him we were here for vacation but that was not good enough for him...he really wanted to know what business we had being in that restaurant. We went back and forth until finally he saw that he had taken it too far and left us alone.

Though the starring and the questioning makes me really uncomfortable and irritated, I know that most people are just curious and have never encountered a black person before. I have to constantly remind myself to me nice despite the stares and rudeness because I may be the only black person they ever interact with...so I am basically representing the entire black community lol! Just kidding...kind of.   :)

Remember when Amber and I went to that Day of the Dead kite festival? We saw a black girl in the crowd and it was like spotting a long lost relative! While we were debating on if we should say something to her or what would be the right thing to say to introduce ourselves without sounding weird, she came up to us and said "Yay, Black People!". And we exchanged email addresses and I made a new friend in Guatemala! More on that in my next post "Being Black in Guatemala Part 2."