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Guatemala: Dialing 711:
The answer is yes and no. You are taking about Alerta Medica. They also have a doctor on the Ambulance and in many cities, including Antigua, have a helicopter on standby. They guarantee emergency response within 15 minutes and will make free house calls within 2 hours. (it was unlimited service but now there is a base 14 visits a year limit on visits) I have used them for 5 years and have their sticker on my motorcycle helmet. But it an't free. It costs a little less than $250.00 a year. they are in 17 Latin countries and the number is 711 or 1711 depending. They also have your medical information and preferences for doctors and hospitals as well as contact information in their system.
Guatemala: Short Lodging Recommendations:
I have been in Antigua for 6 years and if you rent from a Realtor you will pay three times too much. You want to ask very nicely in Spanish at the local grocery stores and the guards at the private communities who wants to rent? For this you need a Guatemalan since the price doubles if an expat is asking. The local Spanish schools will teach you Spanish but more importantly give you an instructor who is really paid less than a dollar an hour and needs extra money, the schools also have quarters for students with hot showers and a kitchen, some even include meals or at least a cook to teach you local (gringo-ed) dishes. Two schools that have been around forever are Centro Linguistico La Union and Spanish Academy Sevilla. Both on second avenue. Remember in Guatemala everything is negotiable do not even think of paying list price.
Guatemala: motor scooter for sale in Antigua:
I have a 2012 Italika CS125 with around 8000km that I no longer need. I bought the girl that works for me and myself new motos two years ago and we kept this one as a spare. But although it is regularly serviced we almost never use it. q3,000. or $400.00. It has the best leg room of the small scooters and was built to carry 360 lbs. Comes with a box on the back. call John 5326 1894
Guatemala: Where to live near Antigua with kids:
I lived in the gated community, Guavelas, but I found it too artificial. I have lived in the community of Panorama for the last 5 years and have found it to be a very enjoyable and safe place to live. The streets are quite and most afternoons there are kids playing ball on the street, The older kids play football or basketball at the park on the corner. I have never seen or heard of any crime. 2 x presidents live here and the National Police have over 200 police stationed and many housed here. There are 2 bilingual private schools here with a lot of expat students. This is the most diverse neighborhood I have ever lived in, the neighbor at the end of the block has a jet-prop helicopter to commute to work and a family across the street live in a tin shack with 9 kids and no water or electricity. The children all play together. The best way to find a house is to talk to the local grocery stores. Those woman know everything that is going on. If your Spanish is not good enough get a Spanish teacher to walk around with you. Try Antonio 5574 7939 he does this for several Canadians. You can get something in Panorama for just about any rent you want to pay.
Guatemala: Looking for advice:
The University of San Carlos is more than 200 years older than Harvard and one of the finest universities in the world. It is free to Guatemalan nationals and I am told it is much easier to get into as a transfer student from the U.S. than as a new freshman. There are also several good private universities and their tuition is a small fraction of a U.S. school and you do not have to be a citizen to attend. With a Guatemalan mother citizenship should not be a problem I would call a Guatemalan attorney. Edwardo Salazar 502 4034 9753 might be a good place to start since he also teaches at San Carlos and speaks perfect English. Not just tuition is cheap here, I had a law student living with me for a while, everyone chips in and they buy one copy of the text book, they scan it and give everyone the book on their android tablet....so much for buying $150.00 text books.
Guatemala: Appraisals in Guate?:
If you are an American, safe bet the asking price is 2 or 3 times what they would want from a Guatemalan. This is the old west something is worth what you can get someone to pay for it. Like the old days in the U.S. where all real estate was sold for "one dollar and other good and valued consideration" the purchase prices on deeds here have no relation to the real price paid. You buy property here because you want it and have the money. I have seen Americans buy property in Antigua, paying U.S. prices try to sell it for what they paid and it has sat on the market for 5 years until some other idiot comes along who is willing to pay an outrageous price. There are no effective land records, so who owns it is anyone's guess . no title insurance and no zoning, So like in Antigua they can right next to your million dollar house put a roister breeding farm, truck repair shop, bus terminal (with them leaving at 3 in the morning) or a metal stamping plant. All of which they have done.
Guatemala: Money Exchange:
think of what you have left when you leave a Latin American country as play money to give the grand children. The only place you are going to change it is at the boarder and then with a 3 to 15% discount. Catholic Charities is also usually there to take your useless money. Use the ATM and only take out what you need. Check with your bank I suspect they have a card with no international charges. Swab has no international charges and reimburses the local atm fees. If you are going to be traveling that might be a consideration. and just forget about coins, I finally filled the bottom of the fountain at my house with useless coins.
Guatemala: transferring funds:
I would recommend G&T Continental they are the largest bank in Guatemala and own Bank of Texas in the U.S. they also generally give the best exchange rate. However...whether it is because not paying taxes is a national pass time here or some other reason a lot of people here have a U.S. bank account, would rather have dollars and will give you a better price if you pay in dollars to their U.S. account. Wire transfers are no problem.
Guatemala: Lost one:
what is your problem - it is a good thing. If he tried to drop off the grid and engage in the use of drugs with no visible means of support in the good old U.S.A. he would quickly run himself up a long criminal record that will follow him around the rest of his life and in the U.S. there are enough bleeding heart liberals that he can go on until they stop letting him out of jail with free food and housing. The real purpose of the police the world over is to get the undesirables out of their city. In Guatemala they will just throw him in the back of a pickup drive him out of town, beat him soundly and suggest he not return - no criminal record and no bleeding hearts giving him free food and housing. I would suggest a more effective way to convince him he should become a productive citizen.
Guatemala: Locals Advise Please!:
You are just asking for trouble to carry a pocket full of dollars anywhere in zones 1, 6 or 4 these days. U.S. dollars from $20.00 down no longer meet international counterfeit standards and few people will take them unless they are greatly discounting them. $100.00 bills have to be pristine and even then most banks want you to have an account with more than enough money in it should there be a problem. You need to use a visa card the 5-B machines are the safest. As to getting to Flores from the city Trump airlines flyes 4 times a day takes less than an hour and is not much more than an overnight bus. If you are going to stay at the park stay away form the Takel Inn (unless you want to rent out your kids) It seems to be into child sex now. If you want to rent a car go on line to www.holidaycars.com they are a swiss company but will get you much better rates than you will.
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