Volunteer Petén

Volunteer Handbook

Thank you for your interest in Volunteer Petén.  The following is a handbook for volunteers to help them prepare themselves for life in rural Guatemala.  Please take the time to print out this document and read it over. 

 Contents:

1.      Our organization

2.      San Andrés, Petén

3.      Living Conditions/What to bring

4.      Safety and Health / Personal Responsibility

Our organization

Volunteer Petén, is a small, independently run organization in San Andrés, Petén, Guatemala whose 4 main goals are to 1) protect and manage a 150 acre ecological reserve (El Parque Nueva Juventud), 2) to provide environmental education to schools in the region, 3) to assist and develop small community projects, and 4) to provide quality volunteer experiences for travelers and students.

Our program started in 2002, thanks to a generous donation from the Whitley Award Foundation and a generous donation from the Peters and Hartsock families in Pennsylvania and Maryland.  The director, Matthew R. Peters (native of Pennsylvania) and co-director Inoky Cameros (native of Guatemala), started rehabilitating and protecting the once abandoned community owned park in San Andrés, Petén and bringing school groups to the park for environmental education.  Our volunteer program started in January 2002, when our first volunteer Josh Pandolfi of Connecticut, helped to rejuvenate the park and start its programs.  Since 2002, we have had hundreds of volunteers from the US, Canada, UK, Europe, Australia and other developed countries participate in our program.  

The centerpiece of our project is the Parque Ecológico Nueva Juventud (The New Youth Ecological Park), a 150 acre reserve in the town of San Andrés.  The goal of the reserve is to convert it into an outdoor education center as well as to preserve its integrity as an ecological reserve.  We began work in 2002 and the park is now home to 3 km of trails, a botanical garden, tree nursery, an organic farm, an agro-forestry demonstration area, reforestation areas, small animal projects, a museum and educational center.  The park is fenced in and identified as an ecological reserve.  Two full time caretakers walk and maintain the perimeter of the park, as well as maintain the trails and protect the Mayan ruins that are in the park. 

           The park is run and managed by the director of Volunteer Petén, the co-director, 2 full time caretakers, and a part-time gardener.  Each worker specializes in maintaining one area of the park, and also trains volunteers in their specialty. One caretaker is in charge of the house, museum, and construction projects, the other of animals and agriculture, another of the trails, reforestation and perimeter, another of the gardens and medicinal products, and the director and co-director are in charge of education and community projects.

At Volunteer Petén, we believe that international aid needs reform.  We need to stop funding corrupt governments and large Non-Governmental Organizations, and start funding grassroots projects, where every dollar donated goes to a specific cause.  We are not designed as an business, we do not need funding for secretaries, office supplies, computers, company vehicles, rent, workshops, or travel expenses as do many other “Aid” organization.  We work every day in the communities and in the ecological reserves that we intend to develop, and not in offices or in other cities.  Every member of our staff plays an intricate role in the development of this project, and every staff member plays an active role, not a passive one, in its development.  When we restore wetlands or protect reserves, we do not do it with reports, or meetings, or workshops.  Instead, we go out everyday planting trees, marking borders, talking to locals, and making trails.  When we do an educational program, again, it is not only on paper, or in a report, but we go to all the schools, everyday, throughout the year.  This is development work; this is what being an international volunteer means. 

Over the years we have seen many big name and big budget organizations implement projects in the Petén region of Guatemala, and have been disappointed in all that we have seen.  We have learned that a big budget only means you have the largest office space, most computers, most secretaries, most company vehicles, most fancy brochures, and most workshops in other countries, but does not mean that anything is being done for the environment or for the communities. 

In January of 2002, we started this project with a $5,000 grant from the Whitley Foundation and over $9,000 donated from the director and his family.  For that year, we managed to create the ecological park, run the environmental education program, create the community projects, and create an international volunteer program.  In addition, we were able to employ three full time caretakers, one full time environmental educator, and six local families and four local Spanish teachers were employed though our project.  In total, over $11,800 was distributed among 14 different families in San Andres for the year 2002.

In 2003, we received a $4,000 grant from the Guatemalan Conservation Trust to create a women’s medicinal plant garden, and added to the$2000 from the St. John the Baptist Church in Shillington, PA in 2002, we were able to continue our program.  For this year, we were able to employ 4 fulltime caretakers and one part time caretaker, create a store in San Andres were we employ one full time clerk and three local women receive the profits, and nine families and four local Spanish teachers were employed though the project.  In total, over $17,000 was generated for 22 families in San Andres though the success of our volunteer project, Spanish School, and medicinal plant project. 

After receiving our 501c3 tax exemption status in the USA, we registered over $11,000 in donations received for 2004.  For 2005, with a donation from the Rufford Small Grant and US Fish and Wildlife Service, we generated over $30,000 and hosted 160 volunteers.

Given the fact that the average family in San Andres earns about $90 per month, our project is not only helping to protect the rain forest, educate young minds, and provide meaningful experiences for international volunteers, but is also giving opportunities and economic stability to the families of San Andres.

In 2006, we put all of our resources, money, and time in to developing the community library for San Andres, which now serves as the cornerstone of the town.  In 2007, we finished construction, and in 2008 built two complete schools for San Andres.  In 2009 and 2010, our efforts now focus on education, and trying with all our might to provide any type of education in this failed system.  Here in Guatemala, going to school should not be confused with getting an education, since here they are two completely distinct ideas.  Which is why we started to develop our own school program in 2009.

Some important things to keep in mind when you come to our project.

1.  Our project is for the community and not designed as a tourist project for the volunteers.  Volunteers can coordinate tourist types of activities on their own (jungle tours, fishing trips, swimming)...but we always encourage you to try to include the local community in your activities.  Wouldn't it be nice to have some local kids swim with you in the lake? Walk around Tikal with you? Go on a bike ride with you?  Don't just hang out with other travelers...try to involve community members! We can help you to organize any type of activity.

2. It takes a while to get accustomed to San Andres.  The heat, bugs, language, confusion, stomach pains, dehydration, snakes, spiders, etc,....This isn't supposed to be easy...so give it time.

3. Volunteers run the show here!  Sure we need you to dig a hole sometimes, or bang in a few nails here and there, and throw some paint on a school....but what we really need are volunteers that take the initiative to start or continue projects.  On a personal note, I (Mateo) have been trying my best over the past four years with this project to become proficient in all projects (building, planting, painting, welding, etc.) and this should be one of your goals as well. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, that is what helps us learn.  Get on a project that you want to become an expert on and get it done.  Oh, and ask lots and lots and lots of questions.

Letter 1     Letter 2

San Andrés, Petén

San Andrés is a small town located on the northern shore of Lake Petén-Itzá, the third largest lake in Guatemala.  The Petén is the largest department in Guatemala, occupying nearly 1/3 of the area of Guatemala. It is home to the Mayan Biosphere Reserve, the largest rainforest reserve in Central America.  The Petén is now home to over 700,000 people (Pop. Guatemala= 14 million), and its largest cities are Santa Elena, San Benito, Poptun, and Melchor de Mencos.   San Andrés is also the name of the municipality (which is equivalent to a county in the US) and it is the largest municipality in Guatemala, containing 44% of the Mayan Biosphere Reserve. The municipality of San Andrés is home to around 42,000, while the town of San Andrés is home to about 7,000.  

The people of San Andrés are a mixture of native “Peteneros” and migrants from other departments such as Cobán, Zacapa, and Chiquimula.  All members of the community speak Spanish; however, many families speak a Mayan dialect as a first language.  The native language,Maya-Itza, is a dead language and only a few of the elders can recall its words and phrases. 

In comparison to other “tourist” areas of Guatemala, San Andrés is not set up as a tourist destination.  We do have a bank (built in 2010), a hotel, and a restaurant.  There are a couple of comedors (eating establishments), a billiards hall, various dingy cantinas, small stores that sell common goods, a hardware store, basketball courts, and soccer fields.  An internet opened up and usually has a few computers working.  Most roads are still dirt, although since 2009 it has been the governments priority to pave as many roads as possible.  Luckily, the road to the park is relatively flat with no hills, so riding a bicycle or walking to and from the park is very easy.  Most houses have electricity, and most roads have lamps that are illuminated throughout the night.  There are no longer any public phones or direct phone lines, since everyone over the age of 2 has a cell phone.  All families now have running water, and water usually runs 4-8 hours daily, 5-6 days a week.  For days with no water, most travel to the lakeshore for bathing and washing needs.  The beach is only a few minutes away by foot, and there are some nice public beaches where the water is safe and clean to swim.  All families provide purified drinking water and the park provides all purified drinking water.  It is not recommended to drink from the tap. 

Houses in San Andrés are typically made of concrete blocks with tin roofs.  Some houses are still made of adobe and sticks with thatched roofs, though those are now extremely rare.  Most houses have dirt floors, although all volunteer accommodations have concrete floors. Average family size in San Andrés is 7 (one of the highest in Guatemala).  There are 3 public elementary schools, 2 private elementary schools, 4 private junior high schools, and 2 private high schools in San Andres, with a total student body of about 2,800.  Nearly all children in the area are enrolled in school, though many rarely attend.  With the modern world now an integral part of San Andres, everyone believes that a high school diploma is necessary to make money.  So nearly all children now enroll in high school program.  Unfortunately, they forgot to establish an educational program in the schools, so the town is quickly filling up with frustrated men and women walking around with meaningless pieces of paper.

The average income for families in San Andrés is about 1200/month/household (about $150).  In villages around the town of San Andrés, the average income drops to about $40 per month/household.  Conditions in surrounding villages are much more severe as they usually lack running water, electricity, stores, and most importantly, employment.  The biggest (and only) industry in San Andres is the timber industry.  There are 3 sawmills in the town of San Andres, and the municipality of San Andres is home to 4 very large forest concessions in the Mayan Biosphere Reserve.  A full time worker in a saw mill (9hours daily/ 6 days a week) earns on average $140 per month. The second biggest employer in San Andrés is the school system.  Many young graduates from high school find employment by traveling to small villages in remote areas of the Petén teaching in public elementary schools.  Average salary for a full time schoolteacher is $150 per month (which does not include travel, housing, or food costs).  The rest of San Andrés and nearly everyone in surrounding villages make a living from working on cattle ranches, since nearly all of the land has been sold off since 2008.  There is very small number of families that depend on tourism (or the buzz word “eco-tourism”), which includes Spanish teachers, jungle guides, and of course, those who work with Volunteer Petén.  A salary for each caretaker in Volunteer Petén is $225 per month (more than a full-time school teacher).  Unfortunately, tourism has been drastically declining since 2009 and now the biggest industry in the Petén is drug running.  

  Living conditions / What to bring

           Long-term volunteers (4-12 weeks) will live with local families in San Andrés. We currently work with 10 families that provide housing and food.  Volunteers will live in a separate room that has its own entrance.   Rooms include bed with all bedding material, mosquito netting, desk, lights, electrical outlets, chairs, shelving, and an electric fan. Rooms are made of concrete blocks, have wooden or metal doors, and typically tin roofs.  Host families are trained to cook healthy meals, wash all fruits and vegetables properly, provide purified water, and maintain clean living conditions for the volunteer.  Host families are not required to do a volunteer’s laundry; however, most families do offer this service.  It is easy to find local women who will wash your clothes for about $5 per load.  The most difficult part about living with a family is communication.  None of our host families or staff members (with the exception of the director) speak English.  We feel that by living with a family, volunteers can feel more like a member of the community, and families will help introduce volunteers to other members of the community.   

We recommend that volunteers bring a flashlight, good working shoes, sandals, swimwear, rain gear, work gloves, light clothing, insect repellent, a camera, reading material (nights are usually boring), a hat (for the sun), and a water container.  Always carry water…at all times…and drink water constantly.  

Safety and Health / Personal Responsibility

Volunteer safety is one of our biggest concerns at Volunteer Petén.  By following a few simple guidelines, we hope that we can keep all volunteers out of harm’s way.  The most important thing to remember is that all parts of Guatemala are potentially dangerous, so never let your guard down.  Over 70% of Guatemalans live in poverty and 35% live in extreme poverty.  Therefore, never leave any personal items unattended, as things quickly seem to vanish into thin air when no one is looking.  Also, break ins and robberies in host families have not occurred to date, HOWEVER, this does not mean that if cannot happen.  Therefore, do not bring anything to Guatemala that you cannot live without.  Also, armed robberies in buses have happened (although no volunteers have been affected) throughout the Petén and in all regions of Guatemala, and the robbers are extremely desperate.  Therefore, if you are ever being robbed, give them what they want.  They won’t take no for an answer, and it’s just a material object anyway.  We do not recommend traveling alone in Guatemala (although many do), nor do we recommend traveling alone in San Andrés (although it is a small peaceful town).  Always ask the director, co-director, any caretaker, or other volunteer to accompany you if you want to go exploring, walking around at night, or just feel uncomfortable in a situation.  That is why we are here, and we usually have nothing to do, so it never hurts to ask. 

            Drinking is a big problem in San Andrés and in all parts of Latin America.  On Saturday nights and Sundays, it is not uncommon to see drunkards wandering the streets of San Andrés.  San Andrés also has its stereotypical “town drunks” who never seem to be sober.  Do not try to talk to drunks, as that will only encourage them to act up. Every drunk will try to shake your hand (which is fine) and slur out the 3 or 4 words they know in English (which is fine), but don’t let them go any further.  Walk away.  Also, please do not become a town drunk.  Alcohol is relatively cheap, and there are plenty of cantinas and drinking establishments in San Andres.  Drinking is a pastime for some; however, getting drunk is not acceptable.

            MACHISMO. Women volunteers may find it very hard to adjust to the machismo culture of Guatemala.  Machismo means that men can be as disgusting and rude as they want to women in public.  Volunteers will hear cat calls, whistles, and the occasional shouting as they walk by.  “Gringo” or “Gringa” is also commonly used as foreigners walk by.  But please keep in mind that this is part of the culture (as annoying as it may seem) and they are not intentionally trying to offend you (although they seem to try awfully hard).  Although it doesn’t make it any better, try to keep in mind that all women (natives as well) have to deal with the machismo culture. 

            Major health issues in the Petén include malaria, dengue fever, stomach illnesses, allergies, cuts, rashes, and skin infections.  We highly recommend that volunteers take medication to help prevent malaria.  There is no vaccine against malaria, but the medication helps to build antibodies in the liver that can defend against malaria.  Because the medication accumulates in the liver, it in not recommended taking medication for more than 6 months.  Using the provided mosquito net at night can prevent malaria and Dengue fever, as well as using insect repellent and wearing proper clothing.  Those who are sensitive to mosquito bites should bring long sleeved clothing and wear long pants while working. 

            Stomach problems are always an issue with volunteers.  Most stomach problems and all other illness are a result of dehydration.  It is EXTREMELY hot in the jungle.  Do not think you are drinking enough water, and never stop drinking water.  But be sure to drink purified water, or amoebas, parasites, worms, etc will cause stomach problems.   Stomach problems affect all Guatemalans, are very common, and easily treated.  Do not let stomach problems go unattended.  A nearby laboratory can determine if you have parasites, and only costs about $3.  If something is detected, most medicines cost between $10-20 to treat the problem.  Most volunteers who experience stomach problems find that it a result of adjusting to different foods. 

            Allergies are very common to volunteers.  The jungle has every type of flower, plant, insect, spore, animal, and cause of allergies known to man.  I (the director) have developed allergies over the years to some unknown organism in the Petén, and do take allergy medication a few times a week.  Also, bring proper lotion and itch cream if you are sensitive to plants and insect bites.

            Most of our work in the jungle requires the use of machetes.  They are extremely sharp, even if it feels like you can’t cut through anything. Since we have been working in the park, a few volunteers have cut themselves with a machete and received stitches.  Near the park is a health clinic that can repair minor cuts.  Be sure to have tetanus shot, and be careful.  Also, blisters are common.  We do provide gloves, but it is advisable to bring your own.

            If a serious injury or accident occurs, we will transport a volunteer to a PRIVATE hospital and not the public hospital.  Keep in mind that the PRIVATE hospital is not free, but you will be looked after.  Volunteer Petén does its best to provide a safe environment for volunteers, but is in not responsible for injuries or accidents a volunteer may receive during his/her stay in Guatemala.

Please check out our Wish List before heading to Guatemala!