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Visit Guatemala with NISGUA
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NISGUA General Delegation Introduction

NISGUA regularly organizes delegations of U.S. citizens to visit Guatemala and experience life in the developing world. Our delegation provides a deep understanding of Guatemala and the connections between peace, human rights, economic justice, and sustainable development. Delegates learn and witness firsthand how U.S. and multinational economic and military policies affect the people of Guatemala. Delegates are also introduced to an active South-North solidarity partnership and are encouraged to become engaged in economic justice and human rights struggles through NISGUA’s U.S. based grassroots network of activists.

While in the capital, Guatemala City, delegates stay together in simple, but safe and clean, guesthouses (hospedajes or pensions), which normally provide dormitory style rooms (2-5 people per room) and shared bathrooms. Delegations often involve overnight stays in a rural community where the homes are usually humble and rustic, and the community members are quite impoverished. Though conditions may be much different from those to which delegates are accustomed, NISGUA delegates consistently rate home stays in rural communities as one of the highlights of their trip.

The safety of our delegates is very important to NISGUA. We have been hosting delegations to Guatemala for many years and have built trusting partnerships all throughout the country. This experience has allowed us to responsibly and safely coordinate delegations. Before beginning our delegation, participants receive an extensive security and health briefing, and go over common sense precautions. By following such measures, delegations are generally very safe.

Your delegation fee covers just about everything except airfare: food, lodging, translation, accompaniment, facilitation, reading and preparation materials, orientation and on-the-ground transportation. It’s a good idea to bring extra money for buying souvenirs, leaving the airport, etc.

A limited number of partial scholarships are available. Delegates seeking financial assistance also have a very successful track record of raising the needed funds. Please contact NISGUA for more details.

Preparation for the delegation is an important part of your experience. Before leaving for Guatemala, you will receive reading materials that cover health precautions, items to pack, what to expect from your delegation, and a reading packet. An extensive orientation and training session takes place the first day of your trip. This includes cultural awareness, health and safety guidelines, and other logistics. You will also become familiar with international development policies as well as the historic and current political reality of Guatemala.

Click here for some basic information about Guatemala.

Some colleges offer credit for participation on a NISGUA delegation. Inquire with your school.

While traveling to Guatemala with NISGUA can be a rewarding alternative travel experience, a key component of our delegations is the follow-up work we expect delegates to do upon return to the States.

If you have more questions about NISGUA’s delegations, please contact NISGUA’s National Organizer at organizer[AT]nisgua.org.

You can download a delegation application here.

Some of our past delegations have included:

2004 - 50 Years is Too Much: Drawing the Connections Between US/Guatemala Military and Business

2003 - A Testament to Hope: The Struggle to End Violence in Guatemala

2002 - Accompanying the Quest for Justice: We Say No to Impunity and Genocide

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