GUATEMALA: Under-Developed or Misunderstood?
Growing up a young athlete, I developed a unique obsession with seeing the world.
From camps, to tournaments, to combines I was always traveling with my family to different places across the US. And with youth sports encompassing such a broad stroke of the general population in this country, I was exposed to different cultures and lifestyles which opened my perspective of people as well. As I grew older, I realized that as citizens of this country we are largely shielded from the realities of the world, some of which are harsh but most of which are the beautiful intricacies that ties us all together as humans. And unfortunately for me, prior to traveling to Guatemala, I really had no clue how truly vast and well crafted this planet really is.
At the time, I wasn’t really sure what attracted me to Guatemala but my desire to experience something different than the ‘American Way’ was definitely one of the largest deciding factors. Guatemala, like most Central American countries, is largely untouched by the US sprawl which made it innately attractive, not to mention the existence of volcanoes and the fact that decedents of the indigenous people still live off of the land made the decision that much more necessary. All things considered, I had no clue what to expect. My Spanish speaking ability wasn’t the greatest, still isn’t 3 years later, but what I quickly found out was that the human curiosity and the desire to communicate effectively will always equalize the language barrier when individuals find genuine connection.
One thing I aim to do with this travel blog is to not only eliminate the fears of traveling but to leave behind gems that I am learning along the way. So the style of these blogs will be 1-part story, 1-part advice and 1-part local experiences and expectations.
Tip 1:
More Money, Less Problems
I canNOT stress enough how important it is to come financially prepared, especially on international travel. Not only will American banks give you a hard time when it comes to accessing larger amounts of money, on multiple occasions but also why would you want to inconvenience yourself by continuously having to stop by atm machines? The short answer is, you wouldn’t want to.
Come prepared. Bring enough cash to begin with and keep it in secure places while moving around. The last thing you want to do is keep all your money in the same pocket or bag, and then lose it or get it stolen. International travel isn’t anymore dangerous than domestic travel but never under-estimate how much we stick out as 1st Worlders.
Tip 2:
Don’t Put All Your Cash in One Exchange Company
Equally as important as Tip 1, is Tip 2. Airports, ATMs & Shops in popular tourist areas tend to charge more money to convert your cash than the local, in-town banks or cashiers at local shops. What often happens is that the more populated places and airports will charge a fee to convert your USD (or whatever your base currency is) strictly out of convenience and willful ignorance that they expect tourists to have. If you’re fortunate enough or can talk your way into it, sometimes you can find market shop owners or the quick stand hustlers that will exchange currency with you on the street. Know the exchange rate and either do the conversion in front of them or have them do the conversion in front of you to ensure that you aren’t shorted.
