Practice Documents for Guatemala Mission Teams

It seems like every time I take teams to Guatemala there are always a lot of questions on the airplane about how to fill out the customs and immigration forms.  It's tough to try to help everyone at that time, but the good news is that it's not really that complicated, there are just a few terms that we don't use regularly like, "Surname".

So, in hopes of helping participants feel more prepared and comfortable with this paperwork, I thought I'd provide samples of the papers that team members will need to fill out on the airplane.  This way, if there are any questions I can help you ahead of time.

If you are headed to Guatemala on one of our mission teams this year, take a moment to review these documents and let me know if you have any questions.

Guatemala Customs Form

Guatemala Immigration Form


I hope this helps you feel more prepared for your upcoming trip!

What To Know Before You Go To Guatemala

Before going on any trip, it's important to know a few things about where you are going. And while we always emphasize the idea that "expectations are the enemy", in this particular case it is good to have a general understanding of what to expect regarding climate, dress, food, and entering the country.

Climate

The climate in Guatemala City is spring-like most of the year due to the altitude being more than 5,000 ft above sea level. Your body will take a few weeks to acclimate to this change if you are not from a mountainous area. Your body will tire more quickly and physical activity will cause you to breathe more heavily. Try to be patient with yourself.

There are two seasons - rainy and dry. The dry season is from mid-October until early May. Sometime in May the rains begin to return. From June until early October daily heavy rains are expected in the afternoons. The warmest times from February until August (65 to 80ʼs). The coolest months are November through early January (50 to 75 degrees). Due to no heat in homes, the mornings and evenings can be a little chilly in the cooler times of the year.

Dress

Dress in Guatemala is a bit more conservative than some other locations in the world.  While you will see people wearing them, please choose other shirts than tanks, spaghetti straps and muscle shirts to use during your time there. Pants and skirts below the knee are worn in most locations no matter the heat. (The hot coastal plains will vary from the locations you will usually be in.) Men and women alike do not use shorts other than for sporting events or at the beach. Mission team members will not be wearing shorts on work days. So, please come prepared with pants for the work days of your trip. Ladies, long capriʼs (calf length) are fine. Please bring pants or long skirts to wear when not playing sports. You will need athletic shoes or work shoes for most occasions that are work oriented. Sandals are fine for other times, but please expect to wear shoes that are good stable walking gear most of the time.


Food

In general, Guatemalans eat a breakfast early in the morning, a big lunch somewhere between 1 and 2pm, and a lighter dinner about 7 pm at night. There are a variety of breakfasts, but one common one is an atoll. It is a thick, hot cereal drink made from any of a few grains. Lunch, generally consists of rice and tortillas with a main stewed vegetable dish with meat (if available), and many times a salad. A typical dinner is scrambled eggs, fried ripe plantains, beans, and tortillas or bread. Soups are popular, as well.

As a mission team member, you will likely get foods that you may be more familiar with, rather than 100% Guatemalan food. You may also want to bring a few of your favorite snacks along. (Please notify me of any food allergies at least a week or two prior to your departure.)


For your safety, please do not drink any water that is not purified (bottled) during your trip. Brush your teeth with bottled water, as well. It is not fun to spend hours in the bathroom because of not being careful in this simple way. If you are going to eat fresh fruits, a good rule is to peel it yourself before eating. Do not buy pre-cut fruit on the street. All fresh fruits and veggies are to be washed in a disinfectant (bleach water mixture) and rinsed before eating. Salads (including lettuce and tomato on sandwiches) usually are best to avoid at restaurants - unless we are at a chain type restaurant like McDonald's or Subway.

Enjoy the variety of foods that are available and different from what you usually eat. It is a great experience to try these different foods, however, please do it with the above guidelines in mind.


Entering Guatemala

You will need your passport handy when entering Guatemala. Keep all other important documents, cash, cell phones, etc. tucked away. You won't need them at this point in the journey. Go through the passport check point area. You are a tourist. You are likely only bringing items that will be deemed for ʻpersonal useʼ on your entry papers. Then go to baggage claim to gather your belongings. You will then pass through customs. It is usually pretty smooth.  You will probably not need help with bags at the airport. It is best just to say, "No Gracias" to the men offering help. Our missionaries will be outside the airport waiting for you.  

Enjoy the trip!

What To Bring To Guatemala

Consider the fact that Mother Teresa and her sisters “traveled only with such personal luggage as could be contained in a bucket or a cardboard box”.

CLOTHING
Dress should be casual and conservative. Don’t bring your favorite clothing to work in, as you will likely be getting dirt, paint, etc. on them.  It’s a work trip not a fashion show!

Remember that we do not work in shorts.

Packing Tips: Bring a mixture of clothing that will allow you enough variety, but won't weigh your bags down too much. Don’t over pack. Expect to wear pants and shorts more than once. 

· Casual shoes – I wear my shoes and pack the flip flops so as to save space in my bag.

· Work shoes – You don’t necessarily have to have work shoes other than your casual shoes but I have seen many people completely destroy their shoes on a work site. Also, you may be tracking around more than just “dirt” if you know what I mean.  Keep that in mind when choosing what you will work in.

· Sandals or flip-flops

· Socks.  For some reason, people run out of socks regularly.  Plan accordingly.

· Underwear (that’s fun to wear!)

· Comfortable Pants/Shorts - On work days, pants or Capri’s below the knee are expected.  Knee-length shorts may be worn while we are at our lodging facility only.  Short shorter than knee-length are not permitted.  Skirts and dresses are ok for our Antigua day and/or church.  Consider what clothing is made out of before you pack.  Lightweight and breathable materials may generally be more comfortable. (Hint: Cargo pants are my preferred choice for traveling because I always have a safe place for my passport & wallet.)

· Comfortable T-Shirts – No short or skimpy shirts, No tanks, spaghetti strap or strapless tops. Any writing/advertisement on shirts should be appropriate. (Hint: It is best if your t-shirts are not 100% cotton as those kind tend to retain moisture and do not dry quickly, I actually prefer %100 polyester because it dries so quickly. Wash it at night and it will be dry by morning!)

· One Church outfit – Girls: dresses (below the knee, with sleeves) or skirts (below the knee) with sleeved shirts. Guys: Kaki pants & a short sleeved dress shirt or polo shirt. (Hint: Most cultures dress to the nines for church. If you are going to err here it should be on the nice side).

· One Antigua outfit - We’ll be going to Antigua for our fun day.  It is an extremely popular tourist area.  We usually encourage people to dress in “nice-casual” attire.  So, don’t plan to wear your work clothes on this day.  Also, Antigua has cobblestone streets so we recommend shoes that will be comfortable for walking in those conditions. (One time I tripped on a rock the size of a softball in the middle of the sidewalk.  Thankfully I had the right footwear or I would have broken my toe.)

· Hat, Bandanna, Sunglasses (you may not be a “bandanna person” but the Guatemalan sun can quickly convert you!)

· Rain Poncho (that can always be carried with you in your daypack)

· Comfortable work gloves

GENERAL ITEMS

· PASSPORT + 3 copies.  One copy will be given to your team leader before leaving the country.  One copy should be kept by you, in a location other than where you keep your actual passport.  It is also recommended that you make a third copy of your passport and leave it with your family here at home.

· Toiletries: Shower soap, hand soap, razor, shampoo, deodorant, toothbrush, tooth paste, contact solution, Q-tips, Hair dryer etc. (Hint: Same sex team members may consider sharing shampoo in order to save space and weight in bags. Liquids should be packed in ziplock bags in order to prevent spills in your suitcase.)

Contact wearers: Don't chance missing the view! Bring extra contacts – just in case. Also bring your glasses.

· Towel & Wash cloth

· Sun screen, chap stick, & Aloe

· Bug repellent – though I don’t typically see lots of bugs in Guatemala.

· Medications & Vitamins / Allergy & prescription medications

· Small Hand Sanitizer or Wipes (it's good to have this when adequate hand washing facilities are not readily available.)

· Small Kleenex packs (these are handy).

· Bible, Notebook, Journal, Pen (Hint: you’ll need a pen on the airplane for completing your immigration forms)

· Ear plugs (in case your roommates snore - these are priceless!)

· Alarm clock

· Camera & batteries or charger, memory cards, etc.. (They have standard outlets and electric items work fine in Guatemala)

· Flashlight

· Trash bag– you’ll want this for your dirty clothes on the way home.

· Stationary – you may want to write an encouragement note for someone, etc.

· Refillable Water Bottle – You may also consider bringing some of those individual Gatorade/PowerAde Packs to flavor your water. Purified water will always be available for you during your stay.

· Small daypack (Hint: those nylon bags with strings make great daypacks for packing gloves, rain poncho, water, sunscreen, chap stick, kleenex, and hand sanitizer to the work site)

· Personal snacks (Sealed packaged snacks if desired. Granola bars, power bars, etc. Don’t take anything that will melt. Don’t eat in your room, or anywhere you don’t want cockroaches. Be prepared to share.)

· Card games, or the like.

· Money:  You’ll want spending money, for souvenirs or for food in airports (all food in Guatemala is already covered), and you may also consider bringing some money to give at the church service we will attend.  From time to time, teams also like to make an additional donation to the missionaries we serve with at the end of the week.

You will want to get Guatemalan currency in the US ahead of time. The current exchange rate can be found at www.xe.com.  For a small fee, most local banking institutions can exchange your money for you with proper advanced notice.

We will carry a small first-aid kit with things like aspirin, band-aids, Imodium (just in case), and antiseptic cream to cover most situations.

OTHER IMPORTANT STUFF TO HAVE:

• Good Attitude
• Flexibility
• Patience
• Willingness to learn and grow
• Love for other people

WHAT NOT TO BRING:

• Knives & Firearms
• Fireworks
• Pets
• Electronic gadgets that mean a lot to you – (iPods, phones, etc..)
• High value items (jewelry, etc)