Do I have to be able to speak Spanish, in order to attend a trip?

No, you do not have to be able to speak Spanish.

Most everyone in larger cities and towns speaks Spanish, but in smaller, remote villages like Calhuitz, people speak indigenous dialects and may or may not know Spanish. In Calhuitz, the dialect is called Chu’j.  The Trip Leader will be fluent in Spanish and will be able to converse with the Chu’j speakers, and can speak in Spanish to Dr. Mario and Nurse Alma (who are the main Project Directors in Calhuitz).  It is beneficial to know or speak Spanish for daily interactions with the nurses and other staff at Casa Materna, but it is not something that is mandatory as you will have the Trip Leader interpreting conversations for you.

What is the nature of Global HEED’s selection process?

The application process is not “competitive” per se – we want to make sure that anyone who wants to attend the program and learn about international development projects in healthcare, education, and microfinance are given the opportunity to do so through Global HEED. We will have an informational interview with each applicant, and will make sure to allow any questions to be asked which are not already answered on our website and in this Information Packet. We do, however, anticipate a large number of applicants for a small set of open slots, and because we accept Interns/Fellows on a rolling basis, it is absolutely in each applicant’s best interest to apply as soon as possible.

We also ask that each individual who applies has read through the Summer Internship 2011 Information Packet and is seriously contemplating attending the program. By doing so, we can speed the process up a bit, and we can make arrangements for Interns to quickly be on-boarded into the organization and start undergoing our Training Program.

What does the trip cost cover?

The total cost of the trip is $1,999 for the Global HEED Summer Healthcare Fellowship/Internship Program in Guatemala.

The cost covers:

1. in-country travel costs, including airport pick-up and drop-off in Guatemala, round-trip transportation in a privately chartered bus from Guatemala City to project site (over a course of 4 days total), pick-up and drop-off from project site to San Miguel)
2. housing: 4 nights/per person in hotels, housing in project site
3. food: bottled water, all meals (airport meals not included), hiring a private cook to accommodate volunteers with dietary restrictions
4. tourist activities and cultural activities with residents of project site
5. airport exit tax
6. administrative fees assessed by local non-profit and Global HEED
7. project donation fee (covers costs related to volunteer service activities, including but not limited to construction materials, supplies for the health clinic and/or school, prescription costs for patients, etc.)

You are encouraged to contact friends and family members to help you meet these costs and an accountant to determine what portion of the cost can be used as a deduction for tax purposes. The trip cost does NOT cover airfare. Please do not book any airline tickets until you have permission of the Trip Leader. The cost does NOT cover visa fees (not required for US Citizens). The cost also does NOT include expenses related to vaccinations or travel insurance (required for the trip)

Does Global HEED offer financial aid to attend the trips?

We are not in a position to offer financial aid. We encourage our applicants to apply for aid through your school’s international programs office, as they usually have information on small grants available to you.

Is there a formal Training Program I will undergo before attending the Guatemala Trip?

Yes, the Training Program will cover numerous topics in healthcare, education, microfinance, and international development as it relates to your future experience in Guatemala. The Training Program will be administered by the Global HEED Guatemala Strategic Planning Team, and a few experts or professors from various fields. The program will last about two weeks, via phone/video conference, email, online forum collaboration, PowerPoint presentation and reading articles.

How is a Global HEED trip different from other organizations?

Global HEED is cheaper than other similar organizations, which charge volunteers up to $5000 for similar trips. These other organizations often do not have a scholarly component nor do they directly engage their volunteers. All of the funds generated through our programs are used on projects in our working areas, a fundamental departure from the majority of other service programs out there. Our goal is to minimize costs as much as possible to allow as many students to come on our trips as possible. The money you spend on the trip is both a direct investment in the community and an indirect investment in terms of the benefits you will receive through this memorable and unique experience. Global HEED is operated entirely by students and recent graduates with the purpose of directly engaging other students to address issues related to health, education and economic development in poverty-stricken communities. Unlike other organizations, Global HEED encourages the development of future servant-leaders in addition to scholarly inquiry and research, all while making a positive and lasting impact in communities. We work hard to ensure that our volunteers DIRECTLY impact the community. The service trip is more like an internship because volunteers will be working together for weeks before the trip and weeks after the trip. When you put this experience on your resume, you can list this experience as an internship that will span more than the 2-weeks on-site experience. Global HEED volunteers will have the unique opportunity to:

1. Learn about the principles of community building, social change, servant leadership
2. Learn about the issues related to health, education, and development in poverty stricken communities in developing nations
3. Get exposure to the multi-faceted issues prevalent in developing nations
4. Directly work with local residents to make a positive and lasting impact in a poverty-stricken community
5. Participate in ALL meetings between Global HEED Executive Board members and on-site partners
6. Have the opportunity to develop and implement assessments and proposals that will directly benefit the community
7. Gain preference for Global HEED Executive Board positions after completion of the project trip

Why should I volunteer with Global HEED?

Aside from an unforgettable experience in a beautiful part of the world, this unique leadership and humanitarian experience will help you stand out when applying for jobs, scholarships, awards, medical school, public health school, law school, business school, and other graduate schools. While we hope that is not the primary reason to attend the trip, Global HEED offers you many opportunities to take on leadership roles in development by not only being informally trained and educated on the issues in development but also experiencing them first-hand while being able to continue working with our organization even after the trip. We hope you use the training and experience to either create a Global HEED Chapter at your own school to address domestic issues in your own community or continue to develop the skills that you learned during your trip to Guatemala.

How safe will I be on the trip?

Safety is our number one priority. The stories about Guatemala in the news occur mostly in inner-city areas of Guatemala City. However, our interns will be staying in a guarded hotel (24 hr security guards with gated entrance) in Guatemala City for 2 nights total (the first night they arrive and the last night before they depart)–the interns will not be allowed to leave the hotel premises.

From there, we take a private van with a trusted driver that we have been using for the past few trips and the group will go to Quetzaltenango, which is about 6 hours away from Guatemala City and is a tourist area (a lot of tourists from Europe and the US). Once again, we stay in a guarded hotel (gated entrance). The following day, the group takes another 6 hour drive through the mountains to get to our partner site, Calhuitz.

There is a section of unpaved roads, so in the packets of information we send, we recommend interns get Dramamine medication if they are prone to motion sickness. Calhuitz is a remote town in the mountains of northwestern Guatemala that is comprised mainly of women and children. The town has had outsiders coming in for the past 20 years and the local residents are very welcoming and hospitable. The interns will be staying in a volunteer house built by Global HEED and our partner organization. Global HEED also hires a private cook to accommodate any dietary restrictions. We have provided our trip leader with a cell phone that can make and receive both incoming and outgoing international calls. Interns will be able to call back home every night but if you would feel more comfortable, you can have your own cell phone – you may buy/rent a cell phone from online vendors, such as http://www.mobal.com/worldphone/index-h.php or you may Google for other companies.

A good website to look at for up to date information on safety in Guatemala is travel.state.gov. Not only will this website give you current travel warnings for numerous countries around the world, but it is an excellent source for information on passport renewal forms, travel tips, U.S embassy location in Guatemala, entry and exit requirements, specific roads that are most dangerous or safe to travel along, safety and security information and much more.

Do you register us with the US Embassy in Guatemala?

We will be registering interns with the US Embassy in Guatemala at https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/ so they know your whereabouts.  Sometimes the travel site has technical difficulties, so if we are not able to register you, we will be sure to let you know in advance.

Is health & travel insurance required? Do I have to pay for it myself?

Yes, we do require our interns to show proof of vaccinations, travel insurance and health insurance that will cover any international hospital care. You will have to pay for your own – Global HEED does not purchase insurance for interns and it is not covered through the trip cost paid to Global HEED.  Plans cover things like missed flight connections, baggage loss and recovery, accidents and sickness, emergency medical treatment and emergency evacuation. Having insurance is a necessary precautionary measure in the case of any unforeseen problems during your time in Guatemala.

What are the requirements to serve as a Global HEED volunteer?

Volunteers must be 18 years or older. There is no language requirement although fluency or proficiency in Spanish is an asset. Global HEED, at this time, does not require academic transcripts, letters of recommendation, or interviews. In addition to filling out the application and paying the trip cost, interns are also required to sign a liability form, purchase airline tickets, get vaccination shots, and obtain travel insurance.

Where do I buy insurance?

We require that all Global HEED Summer Healthcare Fellows get health insurance through Gallagher Charitable International, their website is http://www.aaintl.com/. The cost of the insurance will usually run between $60-$80, and Global HEED can help sign you up. Once we have the exact quote for the insurance, we will send the quote to you and you can write us a check for the amount. We will sign you up for the insurance in the meantime and use your check to reimburse us.

You should look into travel insurance on your own – there are plenty of sites out there which you can find through Google.

When should I arrive to Guatemala City?

We require that you arrive into Guatemala City (La Aurora Airport) during daylight, preferably around noon. The Global HEED Project Trip Leader will be waiting for you outside the airport exit (only ticketed passengers can enter the airport). The trip leader will have a sign that says “Global HEED” or “Curamericas”. You should book your departure flight from Guatemala City during the daytime as well.

Electrical Outlets in Guatemala?

No difference between USA and Guatemala

In Calhuitz, should I bring a shower basket and wear shower slippers?

Yes, you definitely should.

Do American cell phones work in Guatemala?

If your provider offers a temporary Global service with a SIM card (many do—just ask), you can generally get cell service on American phones, although rates are expensive. You have to ask your cell carrier to activate these services—they will not work automatically on most phones. If you do not want to pay the high fees or use an American cell phone, it is possible to buy or rent Guatemalan phones for a reasonable price. TIGO is the brand that works in Calhuitz, and once you purchase the phone, you reload minutes by buying prepaid cards, which are sold everywhere. You might want to check out this website for purchasing a phone: http://www.mobal.com/worldphone/index-h.php or you may Google for other companies. If do you buy a cell phone, please make sure you buy the cell phone that works in Guatemala (there is a phone on there that does not work in Guatemala). The $49 cell phone doesn’t work in Guatemala (the website has a listing of the countries in which the phone will operate for each phone). The cell phone cost per minute is ~$3 per minute using a cell phone from the website. You can buy a cell phone in Guatemala that will work and will be much cheaper–around 5 cents per minute. Just an option for interns whose family members may feel more comfortable having their son or daughter have their own cell phone. Interns will also have occasional access to the internet at a nearby internet cafe.

How should Project Interns/Fellows buy cell phones in Guatemala, if desired?

The Trip Leader will go with Interns/Fellows by taxi service to a store to buy the cell phones.

What is the hotel like and how will Interns/Fellows get there?

A taxi driver will take Interns/Fellows to a hotel that is 15 minutes from the airport; next door is a Burger King. The hotel is secure with an onsite security guard. 2-3 people will stay in each room. On the day of arrival of the Interns/Fellows, the Trip Leader will go to the airport and pick up the Interns/Fellows. Interns will be given the phone numbers for the Trip Leader and the hotel in case they have difficulties locating the Trip Leader who is to pick them up at the airport.

What does “microfinance” refer to?

Microfinance consists of loans, credit, capital, and other financial services that are made available specifically to the poor, who often do not have access to standard financial services since banks and other institutions consider them to be high-risk. This specific population also often does not have credit or a high enough credit rating thereby preventing them from obtaining loans. In addition, a large number of people live in rural or remote areas where formal banking institutions are not present. Most banks also do not consider offering small, low-risk loans because the transaction and processing fees can be prohibitively high. Despite being considered high-risk by formal institutions, microfinance initiatives serve as a viable alternative as they often do not require collateral. Microfinance initiatives are based on the fact that the poor have survival skills that make them credit-worthy. Microfinance aims to reduce poverty of the clients and spur local economic development by providing clients with assets and capital while reducing economic stress. Microcredit dates back to the 1970s but has become increasingly popular in developing nations. The World Bank estimates that 7000 formal microfinance institutions currently exist and reach over 20 million people in poor and developing nations. During the mid- 1970s, Muhammad Yunus, a native economist of Bangladesh, realized the prohibitive barriers to credit access and other financial services for the poor. He believed that “giving the poor access to credit allows them to immediately put into practice the skills they already know- to weave, husk rice paddy, raise cows, peddle a rickshaw. And the cash they earn is a then a tool, a key that unlocks a host of other abilities and allows them to explore their own potential”. Yunus, therefore, started the Grameen Bank, a successful community-based financial institution that has provided micro-credit to 7.34 million people, 97% of which have been women. Since 197, the bank has loaned 6.55 billion dollars out of which 5.87 billion dollars have been repaid. Many other models have been developed and implemented throughout the world based on the Grameen bank model. According to Muhammad Yunus, “The accepted human rights are food, shelter, health and education, and the basic responsibility of a society is to make sure that an environment exists so that people can have these things. Employment is also a right, but society can’t assure wage-based work for everybody, so the alternative is self-employment. The big financial institutions currently ignore almost two-thirds of the world’s population. So I say the right to credit should have the topmost priority on the list of human rights.”

How much money should I bring?

All of your meals and in country transportation are covered by your H.E.E.D. fees. You should only bring money for snacks, souvenirs, and emergency costs. This totals no more than $150-200 usually, but this amount is left to your discretion.

What about any information on food?

• There will be a cook during your stay in Calhuitz- She will prepare food for you while you are in the village. Meals in transit to Calhuitz will be at various restaurants.
• The closest market is 20-30 minutes away and sells fresh vegetables and fruit. Every Saturday there is a flee market that offers more variety.
• Touristy areas are good about cleaning vegetables and fruits, and restaurants in these places can generally be trusted. Eating food from street vendors is never really a good idea.

What about lodging information in Calhuitz?

Fellows and interns will be staying at the Volunteer house.

What to bring to Calhuitz?

Bring iPod, laptop, dvds, a raincoat, rainboats, sandals for the shower, and towels.

• Clothing you should bring to Calhuitz –Interns should pack lightly and bring old clothes; those you can leave behind. Don’t carry clothes with a military theme or that has the US flag on it. Dress conservatively.
• Baby Wipes—they are awesome for everything.
• We will provide a separate packing list for our Project Interns/Fellows, for a full list of items to pack.

What is the weather like in Guatemala?

Rainy season starts around mid-May and ends around October or November.  In Guatemala City, Panajachel, and other, low areas, it is fairly warm and even muggy. In Calhuitz and higher climates, it is cold (during both seasons) and rainy if you are there for the rainy season. Fellows should be prepared for such weather, with warm clothing and rain gear.

What about the language and culture?

Most everyone in larger cities and towns speaks Spanish, but in smaller, remote villages like Calhuitz, people speak indigenous dialects and may or may not know Spanish. In Calhuitz, the dialect is called Chu’j.  The Trip Leader will be fluent in Spanish and will be able to converse with the Chu’j speakers, and can speak in Spanish to Dr. Mario and Nurse Alma (who are the main Project Directors in Calhuitz).  It is beneficial to know or speak Spanish for daily interactions with the nurses and other staff at Casa Materna, but it is not something that is mandatory as you will have the Trip Leader interpreting conversations for you. The Guatemalan culture is overall extremely generous and kind. People will be quick to accommodate, and it’s important to be polite in return. Remember that you are a guest in Guatemala and that you represent Global H.E.E.D. It is also important to note that indigenous populations will tend to get discriminated against in larger cities, which affects their choices in living and behavior.