English
"
 At the beginning of the program six months seemed like a very long time, but now I realize how necessary it was to spend at least that amount of time in Quetzaltenango in order to experience the city and culture on a deeper level - as more than just a tourist
"
- Stephanie Lew
Living in Guatemala

Family Homestay

An integral component of the Student Immersion Program is the chance to live with wonderful Guatemalan host families. This gives students firsthand cultural experiences while greatly improving their language skills. Only one student will live with each host family in order to optimize the immersion experience. All homestays will be located within walking distance of the school and bus stops where you can take public transportation to any of the volunteer projects.

Your family will provide you with:

Your family will not provide you with a towel nor wash cloth. You will need to bring your own or buy one here.

Each family varies in make-up and personalities. Some households may consist of a single "stay at home" mother, with or without children in the house, and some may be very large with extended family members such as cousins and grandparents.

Xela

The program is located in the city of Quetzaltenango (more commonly known as Xela, which is the shortened version of the indigenous K'iche' name Xelaju). Xela is the second largest city in Guatemala, with about 119,000 residents. The city is located at an altitude of 2,333 meters (8,000 ft) between several volcanoes, which results in warm days, cold nights, and very few mosquitoes. About 50% of the population is indigenous and 50% meztizo, resulting in an interesting mix of cultures.

Homestays are located within a few blocks of the language school, which is just a few blocks North-East of the historic center of Xela. All volunteer projects are either within walking distance or a short bus ride away. Occasionally, we participate in weekend-long projects that are located a little farther away, to which we travel as a group.

Guatemala

We advise that you do a bit of research on Guatemala and Central America on your own so that you are better prepared to understand the situation here. To get started, visit the following websites for information:

There are also countless books about Guatemala and its history and current issues, including:

Somos Hermanos highly recommends that you read more about Guatemala before arriving to help you get the most out of the lectures and the experience as a whole.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Frequently Asked Questions Answered by Staff & Past Participants

Is this program for me?

“For me, the program was one of the most influential periods in my life. I really enjoyed every aspect, from learning Spanish, to volunteering, to learning about the history, politics, and culture of Guatemala, to hanging out with some of the most interesting and intelligent people I've met.

 

If you want to learn Spanish and are interested in using Spanish at some point in your future as a health care professional, if you like learning about social justice issues and the rights of the underserved populations, if you're passionate about human rights, if you like hiking and the outdoors, if you like new adventures, new cultures, and if you are willing to give up a few small comforts to have some amazing experiences, then you will love this program.”

          --Mojdeh Toomarian (Fall 07)

 

Program Details

 

Why did you choose the Somos Hermanos Student Immersion Program?  

“I chose Somos Hermanos because it is the only program of its kind.  It gives you experience in a developing country unlike any other.  Not only do you see what life is like, you learn so much about the history, culture, and other relevant global relations issues.  The opportunity to be bonded as a group of participants who all have the same interests and passions is an invaluable experience that will help you learn so much more than if you went by yourself.”

          --Katy Lewis (Fall 07)

 

How many participants are in the program?

Competition for our program is strong and we select 12 applicants to participate in each session group. There are two sessions per year: one from January through June and the second from July through December.

 

How competitive is the program?

The competition for the Somos Hermanos program is very competitive. Generally we receive from 75 to 100 applicants for each session and as stated above, only 12 are chosen to participate.

 

What is the ideal applicant?

Overseas/travel experience and prior knowledge of the Spanish language are not requisites. We are looking for recent college grads who have been accepted or are planning on applying to med school, are applying and/or have been accepted and/or applying to be PAs, nurses, health care professionals, etc. and are interested in, and who have been involved in serving their communities, have the desire and aptitude to learn a new language, and lastly put into practice all that they have learned in the US. An openness to learn about new cultures; living in a cross cultural situation where you may struggle with the language, and being away from home and your everyday luxuries, are all important factors to consider when applying.

 

In terms of encouraging participants to continue working with the Latino community after completing the program, does the program set up its participants with jobs or volunteer opportunities upon returning the US? 

Clinics you work in afterward depend on you. We don't have specific projects set up in the U.S. for you; you are allowed to pick your own sites in order to maintain a level of flexibility.

 

If I apply for financial aid, does that hinder my chances of being accepted into the program?

It is against the very nature of the program to let financial matters determine who can and cannot participate in our program. Applying for financial aid will definitely not affect your chances of being accepted.

 

I am planning to apply to graduate schools during this program. Were you applying to any graduate schools during that time? Were there any real problems?  Is it possible to fly back for interviews?

We understand that many of you are in the process of applying to graduate school and may need to return to the US for interviews.  In this case, please work with the Somos Hermanos In Country Coordinators in order to schedule your absence from the program at times that will least affect your participation in the SIP, and for the least amount of time possible. In the past, we have been able to write letters to admissions officers requesting special rescheduling of interviews due to extenuating circumstances (i.e. participating in a program outside of the U.S.).  This can help to simplify your interview schedule and to minimize the amount of the program that you miss.

 

Living with a Host-Family

How were the living conditions? How sanitary was it? Dirt floors? Running water? Electricity?

The home stays are comprised of middle and upper-lower class Guatemalans families. You will have your own bedroom with a bed, linens and a blanket, a bedside table, reading light and access to the family bathroom. Bathrooms have running water, lukewarm water showers and regular flush toilets. The only rule is: “No toilet paper in the toilet!”

 

The most rustic conditions you will encounter will be during some of our weekend trips to rural villages. In these cases the families live in remote areas where there is no running water or electricity; they have outhouses and dirt floors.

 

What is your host family like? 
“My host family consisted of my stay at home host mom, temporarily working host father, three host sisters (aged 23-30), my host brother (18) and Guatemalan houseguest (27).  I admired my host family a lot.  My host father clearly placed a high importance on education - all the children graduated or would graduate from University level.  While studying they also held jobs.  This is not common in Guatemala and it gave me hope that other Guatemalan families would be able to achieve these educational goals soon.  One of the daughters is a doctor who left while I was there to pursue her specialization in surgery in Cuba through a scholarship program.  The next oldest sister was studying accounting and she had a 3-year-old daughter, Camila.  While she went to school and worked, my host mom took care of Camila.  My host mom was consistent with meal times and flexible about saving me food if I wasn’t there.  My host father was very talkative and interested in cultural exchange.” 

--Stephanie Lew (Fall 07)

 

“My host family was fantastic. There was a mom, her 18-year-old daughter, her 14-year-old daughter, the 18-year-old’s husband and 1-year-old baby. They did not speak a word of English, but included me like I was part of the family.”

          --Molly Ainsman (Fall 07)

 

What did you enjoy about staying with host-family?

“Conversation with my host father, going out with my host sister and running at the track with the other houseguest.  Eating typical Guatemalan dishes.”

--Stephanie Lew (Fall 07)

 

“It was a great opportunity to use your Spanish and learn more about the culture.”

          --Molly Ainsman (Fall 07)

  

What problems did you encounter at your home-stay?

“While I was very grateful that my host mom liked to cook (rather than serving fast food), I didn’t like all of the dishes she prepared – so those days I politely ate less and had to buy other food.”

--Stephanie Lew (Fall 07)

 

“It was a little difficult to adjust to the food.”

          --Molly Ainsman (Fall 07)

 

Spanish Language Instruction

Do you need a strong background in Spanish to do this program?

The Somos Hermanos SIP focuses strongly on the acquisition of the Spanish language and for this reason you do not need to come with prior Spanish knowledge. A number of our participants have arrived with not one single word of Spanish and after six months they left “fluent.” The program includes 10 weeks of full time Spanish, one on one instruction, and 14 weeks of part time Spanish; this means that our program is geared more towards students who have little or an intermediate (at the very most) handle on the language.

 

“When I started the program, I had taken a few years of high school Spanish and a two semesters of college Spanish. I was not anywhere near proficient, contrary to what college proficiency exams would have had me believe. There were people in our group had never spoken Spanish before the trip. By the end of the trip everyone spoke and understood Spanish pretty well.


Your level of Spanish, unless you are already fluent, doesn't really influence your experience. The less you know, the more you learn! However, if you are fluent, this is really not the best program for you since it caters mainly to learning Spanish.”

          --Mojdeh Toomarian (Fall 07)

 

Do they just throw you into Xela and expect that you can successfully communicate?

“No, the program is great at easing you into speaking Spanish.  You start classes immediately when you arrive, and the first few lectures will be translated for you.  Only when you are able to understand and feeling more confident will things be conducted exclusively in Spanish.”

          --Katy Lewis (Fall 07)

 

How much did your Spanish improve?

Learning another language is difficult; many of your teachers and families here in Guatemala will say “don’t worry you’ll be speaking Spanish in no time at all,” and to an extent this is true.  However, you need to put in time and study, there are grammar rules, verbs galore and a ton of vocabulary, so although you are in a complete immersion situation, the level which you attain and how quickly you attain it, has a lot to do with how much you apply yourself to the classes and practice. Practice, practice, practice!

 

“It depends on where you are with your Spanish when you arrive, but you will undoubtedly notice improvements within a very short period of time and feel confident in your abilities to communicate by the time you leave.”

          --Katy Lewis (Fall 07)

 

Volunteer Opportunities

What are the volunteer opportunities/experiences like?

“The volunteer projects are geared towards helping you practice and improve your Spanish. I taught health education classes to women and children, which helped me tremendously with Spanish. I had a wonderful time hanging out with the kids and I learned a lot from the women.

 

Through my volunteer projects, I learned a lot about the realities and obstacles in Guatemala and walked away with a real perspective of the multi-dimensional problems that exist there. I realized that the problems are bigger than I imagined, and that I’m much smaller in comparison that I had hoped. But my projects got me thinking critically about global issues, specifically health care, and looking for real solutions versus attractive quick fixes.”

          --Mojdeh Toomarian (Fall 07)

 

Living in Quetzaltenango (Xela) — Food/Weather/People/Communication

 

What was the city like? Did you find Xela a nice place to live? Did you live in the city or outside of it?

“Xela is a smaller city that has everything you would need.  For the most part you can walk the whole city or there are mini vans (micros) you can take.  Xela is a hub for students and so the social life is fun and while you still stand out as a tourist, you are not alone.  You will live in the city within walking distance of the school which makes everything really convenient.  By the time you leave, you will call Xela home.”

          --Katy Lewis (Fall 07)

 

“The city was like any other small Latin American city: small, smoggy, and loud. However, living in the city meant that we had more to do and had access to more amenities. The city is in the mountains, so the surrounding area is absolutely beautiful.”

          --Mojdeh Toomarian (Fall 07)

 

How is the weather in Xela?

“Because Xela is at such a high altitude, it is usually cooler, especially at night.  During the rainy season, it will rain almost every afternoon, so bring shoes and a coat that are rain friendly!  Other than that though, there are lots of blue sky days and the nature around the city is beautiful.”

          --Katy Lewis (Fall 07)

 

Is there stable internet and phone connection during your entire stay there? How did you communicate with family and friends in the U.S.? How did you communicate with other students in the program? Are cell phones available?

Yes, there is Internet in Xela; the Spanish school has WiFi, as do many cafes and restaurants around town. Internet cafes can be found on most street corners and are very economic – around $0.50 an hour. Almost all cafes have cameras so that you can use Skype.

 

Cell phones are also very popular. We recommend that you buy a cheap cell phone here in Guatemala to use for calls to the US and to other participants. An economic phone will cost around $20 and the phone cards are pre-paid so you can choose how much money you want to spend on calls as you go along.

Concerns: Safety/Health/Support

 

Is Guatemala safe?

There is more crime in Guatemala than the average U.S. city; however, if use common sense and take some simple precautions you can avoid most problems. Most crimes against tourists are opportunity crimes so if you do not give the criminal the opportunity it should lower your chances of becoming a victim.

- Do NOT walk around at night--take a taxi

- Do NOT travel at night

- Do NOT hike the volcanoes alone

- Leave expensive jewelry, watches, rings, and gadgets at home.

- Dress conservatively (jeans, t-shirts, regular clothing – NO short mini skirts or very tight pants, lycra, deep open shirts or very tight clothing)

- Be aware and alert of your surroundings at all times day or night

- Avoid dark, lonely streets.

- Avoid large crowds of people protesting

- Be polite and try to speak Spanish even if it is not perfect.

- Know the words for help - "Ayudame" or "Auxilio" and use them if you get into trouble.

- Worth repeating...Do not walk around late at night. Most crimes happen at night!!

 

What resources are there if you get sick?

The Somos Hermanos SIP employs two In Country Coordinators; they are responsible for the administration and running of the program; our Administrative Coordinator is from Vancouver, Canada and our Field Coordinator is from Kalamazoo, Michigan. They are dedicated to making sure that every participant receives quality health care when necessary.

 

As a participant if you get sick all you need to do is contact one of the coordinators and they will accompany you to a doctor, pharmacy, laboratory and or hospital if necessary. Participation and payment of the program includes travel health insurance and this insurance includes airlift to the US in case of emergency.

 

What vaccines or medications will I need for my trip?

Please see your doctor at least 6 weeks before arriving in Guatemala to receive vaccinations. The Center for Disease Control recommends receiving the following vaccinations:

We recommend that you bring a record of your travel immunizations, as they could be useful in diagnosis of illness, should you become sick.

 

Quetzaltenango is not in a malaria area, as it is in the highlands. However, throughout the program, we will be traveling to malaria-risk areas, such as the coastal region, forests, and rural areas of El Salvador. The Center for Disease Control recognizes malaria risk in the rural areas of Guatemala at altitudes lower than 1,500 meters (4,921 feet) and in the rural areas of the Salvadoran departments of Santa Ana, Ahuachapán and La Union.

 

We recommend that you discuss with your doctor anti-malarial medications for the short periods in which we will be in malaria-risk areas. The most effective way to prevent malaria is to avoid mosquito bites. However, if you choose to take Chloroquine, anti-malaria medication, it is more cost-effective to purchase it here in Guatemala, as it costs about US$1 for 5 weeks’ worth.

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