I have been living in Guatemala for nearly 18 years now and I have quite enjoyed helping friends establish themselves in this beautiful country. Guatemala is really beautiful if you plan things ahead of time and are patient adjusting to the rhythm of things.
The locals are quite laidback and that at times can be really frustrating especially if you are accustomed to "the 30 minute or is free" culture.
If you are in Guatemala it is perhaps because you were looking for a change and surely you will find it. However it surprises me how many people look for change but end up stuck in the melting pot of the most touristic areas. It is okay, I suppose if you are looking to create a comfort zone. To me, it just sounds too much like being home.
I often see people that come wanting to make a difference but surround themselves with people that speak their same language and start a club of travelling friends. Rent a very expensive home in the well known expat areas and fall into the comfort of never ending tourist lifestyle. That will just make you waste time and in the long run you will see your capital disappear slowly but surely. Years will pass and you will see very little progress in your language learning.
So, my suggestion is to discover the beauty of the interior of the country. Build something that can create you profits and community around you. This country is rich in opportunity for those who can commit to community development. Start innovative education establishments, create a new product and show locals how to export directly, discover nutrition products and teach how to process and ship internationally, show people how to improve in quality of production, utilize your experiences to help others.
You will make a difference in the lives of people around you if you have the skills to teach someone something new or are creative and want to establish a growing industry. If you had a dream and felt that you could not accomplish it at home, well Guatemala truly opens the door for those dreams to come true. If your heart is set on helping others and have access to gain your own property and start a new business, then don´t waste all your time and money in the most expensive tourist areas. Invest it in the paradise that the interior of the country offers, then enjoy the tourist areas, once you have your investment in motion creating interest and see it growing.
You will also experience personal growth and a great strength in your language learning skills. After years of stumbling through the same obstacles that I see many others go thru, I felt I needed to share this little piece of advice in case someone was waiting to hear the voice of experience. God Bless.
The locals are quite laidback and that at times can be really frustrating especially if you are accustomed to "the 30 minute or is free" culture.
If you are in Guatemala it is perhaps because you were looking for a change and surely you will find it. However it surprises me how many people look for change but end up stuck in the melting pot of the most touristic areas. It is okay, I suppose if you are looking to create a comfort zone. To me, it just sounds too much like being home.
I often see people that come wanting to make a difference but surround themselves with people that speak their same language and start a club of travelling friends. Rent a very expensive home in the well known expat areas and fall into the comfort of never ending tourist lifestyle. That will just make you waste time and in the long run you will see your capital disappear slowly but surely. Years will pass and you will see very little progress in your language learning.
So, my suggestion is to discover the beauty of the interior of the country. Build something that can create you profits and community around you. This country is rich in opportunity for those who can commit to community development. Start innovative education establishments, create a new product and show locals how to export directly, discover nutrition products and teach how to process and ship internationally, show people how to improve in quality of production, utilize your experiences to help others.
You will make a difference in the lives of people around you if you have the skills to teach someone something new or are creative and want to establish a growing industry. If you had a dream and felt that you could not accomplish it at home, well Guatemala truly opens the door for those dreams to come true. If your heart is set on helping others and have access to gain your own property and start a new business, then don´t waste all your time and money in the most expensive tourist areas. Invest it in the paradise that the interior of the country offers, then enjoy the tourist areas, once you have your investment in motion creating interest and see it growing.
You will also experience personal growth and a great strength in your language learning skills. After years of stumbling through the same obstacles that I see many others go thru, I felt I needed to share this little piece of advice in case someone was waiting to hear the voice of experience. God Bless.
