Discover the most interesting country in Latin America at its most colorful and ceremonial time of year . . . Holy Week!

Holy Week in Guatemala presents multiple and contrasting facets, both contemporary and historic, indigenous and Ladino. The Holy Week processions, the incense, and the carpets on the cobblestone streets are famous throughout the world as outstanding examples of blending of Prehispanic Mayan beliefs and contemporary Christianity.

This educational travel program will introduce us to the stately colonial architecture of Antigua, Guatemala, built early in the sixteenth century; diverse indigenous groups, each speaking their own languages and wearing village-specific clothing; Lake Atitlan, surrounded by volcanic peaks and colorful native villages; the modern metropolis of Guatemala City, with its museums and cultural programs; the magnificent markets of the indigenous highlands; the Mayan religious observances which are often taking place in a Catholic church...but this is only a taste of what awaits us...

On this highly-educational travel seminar you will have an unparalleled opportunity to learn about the culture and the textiles of Guatemala, often in the company of the very people who have studied these textiles and in the homes of the indigenous women who produce them. We will visit villages in the highlands of the country, where the culture of many centuries earlier is alive and observable in dress, in language, in living style, and in religious practices.

Through all our travels, the village-identity aspect of the dress of the highland residents will be a distinctive characteristic of Guatemalan society. Because of this and the skill and imagination of Guatemala women, the textiles of Guatemala are justly famous the world over. Each village and each family we visit will provide an exceptional wealth of indigenous culture. A day with the curators and textile researchers of the Ixchel Museum and many visits with the Guatemalan people themselves will help us understand the culture and history of this magnificent country. To round out our knowledge of Guatemala and its people, we will also visit several indigenous families. We’ll also see many of the most colorful markets of the highlands, in Chichicastenango, in Solola, and in Almolongo.

All of this rich cultural impact is overshadowed by the Holy Week preparations and observances....the Palm Sunday processions in Antigua which take place throughout the day and into the evening; the eight processions in Quetzaltenango on Good Friday, from before breakfast till after dark; and the devotions shown as we see many indigenous processions in small villages will leave memories for a lifetime!

Itinerary (B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner)

Guatemala Holy Week procession

Holy Week procession in Quetzaltenango


Day 1 | Thursday, April 2, 2009 (D)

Day 2 | Friday, April 3, 2009 (B, L, D)

Day 3 | Saturday, April 4, 2009 (B, L, D)

Day 4 | Sunday, April 5, 2009 Palm Sunday (B, L)

Day 5 | Monday, April 6, 2009 (B, L, D)

Lake Atitlan

Lake Atitlán is surrounded by charming villages

Day 6 | Tuesday, April 7, 2009 (B, L)

Day 7 | Wednesday, April 8, 2009 (B, L)

Day 8 | Thursday, April 9, 2009 (B, L, D)

Day 9 | Friday, April 10, 2009 Good Friday (B, L, D)

Beautiful church of San Andres Xecul

Day 10 | Saturday, April 11, 2009 (B, L, D)

Day 11 | Sunday, April 11, 2009 Easter Sunday (B)

• Note: This itinerary has been prepared months ahead of the actual trip. There may some very slight changes to take advantage of new opportunities, especially due to the Holy Week observances.

Coordinator

Vivian Harvey
Vivian Harvey has been living and working in Mexico for 20 years and has traveled extensively throughout Mexico, Costa Rica, Belize, and Guatemala with university students and faculty members. Prior to moving to Mexico, she was the Assistant Dean in the College of Human Ecology at The Ohio State University for ten years. She is the Educational Programs Coordinator at the Cemanahuac Educational Community, where she works with college faculty members across the United States and Canada to establish cooperative academic programs with Cemanahuac for graduate and undergraduate credit. She also leads several trips each year in Mexico and Guatemala for groups of artists and art teachers.

Her educational background includes a degree in education from the University of Michigan, and two graduate degrees from The Ohio State University, one in early childhood education and the other in family studies, as well as a certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language.

Fees

TRAVEL FEE: $1995 (twin) U.S. Funds Only
• Note: Add $350 for single supplement
• Sorry, credit cards are not accepted

This travel fee includes:
• All accommodations
• All breakfasts & lunches and 7 dinners
• All excursions and honorarium fees
• Admission fees
• Tips and Guidance*
• Donation to several charitable groups including WINGS (for women’s health) and Orphanage at Santa Apolonia.
* Please note: the only tip requested or allowed is for the bus driver, which is about $2 per day for a total of $20 per person for the trip.


This travel fee does NOT include:
• Roundtrip airfare from the USA/Canada/Europe to Guatemala
• Arrival and departure transfers (about $40 total: airport to Antigua on arrival; Guatemala City hotel to airport on departure day)
• Departure tax and travel insurance
• Meals not included on the itinerary
• Personal expenses

Deadlines

Deadline for reservation and deposit of $400: December 1, 2008
• Deposit must be made by check.

Deadline for remaining payment of $1595: February 1, 2009
(add $350 for single supplement)
• Final payment is non-refundable, unless trip is cancelled.

All payments must be in US FUNDS ONLY! No credit cards


Questions? Please click here to send an e-mail

In order to reserve places at the hotels we will visit, it’s necessary to have a firm idea of participants by December 1, 2008. You can confirm your reservation with a deposit ($400) and registration form to be sent to Vivian Harvey by December 1, 2008, with the remainder of the fee ($1595.00) due by February 1, 2009. If the enrollment is not sufficient to hold the trip, ALL deposits will be returned in full.

It is possible to accept reservations after this time (December 1, 2008), on a space available basis, but it may be more difficult to obtain flight reservations and hotel space. Holy Week is very tight in Guatemala, and space on this trip is limited.

Please reserve your space on this trip as early as possible, so we have as much opportunity to confirm flights and hotels for the participants.

Flight Information

All participants are responsible for making their own travel plans.

Vivian will help you arrange shuttle transfers and taxis, but travelers should arrange for the best flights available, to arrive by 5 PM in Guatemala City, if possible.) Antigua is about one hour from the Guatemala City airport, and
shuttles are readily available.

We are not arranging for a group flight, since people are coming from all over the United Sates and many use frequent flyer miles. There are an easy and inexpensive (about $25 per person) private shuttle vans, and we will make arrangements for these to accommodate various travel schedules.

Please use a travel plan which fits best with your schedule and budget.

No special visas are required, but a valid passport is necessary.

Contact Vivian Harvey if you have any questions. It is best to e-mail, since I am frequently away from home, and I will be in Mexico all summer. I can generally respond to e-mails within 24 hours.

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Holy Week procession in a rural Guatemalan village