W20 Guatemala – Healthcare & Service: It Takes A Village

Status

Closed

Trip Destination

Guatemala

Approximate Price

$1799 +/-

Trip Date

02/22/2020

TO

02/29/2020

Application Deadline

10/07/2019

Cost Information

Cost for Domestic Students: $500-$1000 (includes IFS + BWR Course)
Cost for International Students: $1000 (includes IFS + BWR Course)
Cost for Students Not Willing to Take the BWR Course: ~$5000 (Full amount of IFS)

Above costs are for International Field Studies, for other programs please see the approximate cost listed above.

Program Information

This opportunity is available to all Niagara College students and alumni within 6 months of graduation. Please note that part-time students are not eligible for the Be World Ready Grant.

 

Physical Intensity

Accommodations

Meals

Steps to Apply

W20 Guatemala – Healthcare & Service: It Takes A Village

For an action packed 8-days, we’ll step out of the classroom and into the complex world of healthcare in Guatemala’s western highlands. From big bustling cities to small rural communities, we’ll live and learn alongside local health practitioners, administrators and activists. We’ll visit frontline nurses, ride along with volunteer responders and meet with underserved patients. We’ll examine the gaps in public service delivery and explore how a diverse village of local community, business, and non-profit actors are stepping in to fill them. So, get ready to challenge yourself with service learning, cultural immersion and adventure. This is our chance to explore healthcare in a new and different landscape while reflecting on the challenges facing practitioners in Guatemala and back home in Canada.

Here are a few of the highlights of the program:

  • Visit big city hospitals and small rural clinics and learn about Guatemala’s healthcare system alongside local practitioner.
  • Join the doctors and nurses of Primeros Pasos and see how a small rural clinic is affecting health outcomes in the shadow of Volcan Santa Maria.
  • Ride along with members of the Red Cross and Bomberos and see challenges for Guatemala’s volunteer first-responders.
  • Meet the social workers, teachers, and students of EDELAC and its Hogar Abierto to see how an innovative educational program is impacting health and wellness in Las Rosas.
  • Stay with a Guatemalan host family

Travel Visa + Immigration Documentation:

Students are responsible for researching and applying for any required visa(s) or ETIAS on their own; Be World Ready is not able to apply for any travel visa(s) or ETIAS on your behalf. Be World Ready will provide you with supporting documentation 11 weeks before departure to apply for a Visa as long as you have confirmed your appointment date at [email protected]. All international students will need to ensure that their Study Permits and Student Visas are not expired before the date of return from the international experience, to ensure that there are no challenges upon reentry to Canada. Travel restrictions and requirements for entry to Canada may change at any time. All travellers are responsible for remaining up to date with any restrictions and requirements for travel and re-entry to Canada leading up to and throughout their International Field Study. Niagara College Canada will assume no responsibility for any changes to governing body travel restrictions, required documentation for travel or any refused entry as a result of change. Travellers are encouraged to review the Government of Canada Website for the latest restrictions and requirements for entry to Canada, as well as to check entry requirements to their destination country as a Canadian citizen. If an ETIAS is not acquired, a visa appointment is not secured, or if a visa application is rejected, Niagara College and Be World Ready are unable to refund any payments made. All payments made towards the International Field Study are final.

All international or domestic students, in full-time or part-time* status, and in good academic standing at Niagara College, are eligible for a Be World Ready grant to help offset the cost of their international experience. You must be actively enrolled in studies during the term of travel to participate. International Field Studies participation is permitted only for students who have not yet experienced a Be World Ready IFS since beginning their studies at Niagara College. Students will not directly receive grant money as the full value of the grant has already been applied to the final payment to offset the total cost of the learning experience abroad. For students who do not complete all grant requirements by established deadlines (including the time of submission), the full grant amount may be charged directly to their student account. Details on grant requirements will be shared with you as part of the mandatory Be World Ready (SOCL 1128 or IDPL 9103) course, which all students participating in a Be World Ready International Field Study must enroll in and successfully complete. Eligibility requirements can vary from term-to-term, and from one opportunity to the next. Please complete the eligibility quiz linked on the specific opportunity page to determine if you meet eligibility requirements.

*Part-time students, are defined by Be World Ready as those actively enrolled in a Niagara College program, taking a minimum of 2 classes during the term of travel that contribute to their program progression and credential completion. Students taking a class that does not contribute to a program would not qualify to participate in a Be World Ready International Field Study.

Day 1 – 3|Guatemala City

February 22 – 24, 2020

We begin our adventure at the front doors of La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City. There in the hustle and bustle of Guatemala’s capital the group will acclimatize to the sights, sounds, smells, and smiles of the region  while getting a crash course in Guatemala’s economic, social, and political context. We’ll join JR from Hijos (Children of the Disappeared) for a very different type of tour exploring Guatemala’s recent history and the city’s socio-politically charged street art. Finally, we’ll visit the Hospital Roosevelt, the largest public hospital in the country, and begin to unpack the healthcare system in Guatemala. Get ready for a whirlwind orientation!

  • Local & Climate: Guatemala City is BIG. think 4 million people and growing. It’s got a slightly gritty vibe and streets are pretty chaotic. At 1500m above sea level, so while it can be warm to hot during the day, evenings can get cool and chilly.  It will also be RAINY SEASON, so be sure to pack a rain jacket and waterproof cover for your pack.
  • Partners and Projects: Hospital Roosevelt
    •  Note: We’re not going to be volunteering here, this is more of an introductory activity (part of orientation!) to health and healthcare in Guatemala. We’ll be doing more interactive and community-engaged learning in Xela and San Juan La Laguna
  • Activities:
    • Day 1 will be the first full exposure to both Guatemala and OG’s educational and travel style: So, as part of orientation, we’ll facilitate a number of ice breakers, team building games and conversations about Guatemala, and how we want to perform as a group of backpacktivists.
    • On day 2, we’ll continue orientation and begin to talk more about health and healthcare with a visit to the National public hospital where we’ll learn get a glimpse into how local healthcare works. 
  • Accommodations: Hotel Spring is located just down the street from the central plaza, so you’re in the heart of the action.   It’s a common spot for activists and NGO workers, so while it’s nothing fancy, it has all of your basic comforts including flush toilets, electric showers, and wifi. There’s also a beautiful courtyard common space and you’ll be sleeping in twin beds in shared rooms.
  • Transportation: We’ll take taxis or a private micro (kinda like a club van) from the airport. Then we’ll mostly be exploring by taxi and by walking in the city.  
  • Food: Lots of beans, corn tortillas, eggs and chicken!  We’ll be delving into these local staples right away. 
  • Physicality: We wont; be doing any hiking or adventure activities but we will be walking around the downtown quite a bit and days will full of other types of  activities and engagements.
Day 3 – 5| Xela, Quetzaltenango

February 24 – 26, 2020

Next, we’ll travel by bus through the Western Highlands to the city of Quetzaltenango, popularly known as Xela (pronounced Shay-la). Here in Guatemala’s second city, we’ll immerse ourselves in highland culture and engage with a variety of healthcare initiatives that serve the regions indigenous population. We’ll stay with local families and get a little lesson in medical Spanish at Escuela La Paz. We’ll also team up with EDELAC, the Red Cross and Primeros Pasos to learn about some of the local challenges by engaging with their nurses, social workers and first responders. Finally, we’ll celebrate our time in Xela with a little trip to nearby Zunil and the therapeutic waters of the Fuentes Georginas.

  • Local & Climate: Xela is Guatemala’s 2nd city with a mixed indiegnous and ladino population. The city itself is a little rough around the edges but is well known for its vibrant culture and positive energy. Staying at around 2,360mt in elevation, days are hot (when it’s not raining!) while evenings are cool and chilly. Bring layers!
  • Activities: Arrive in the indigenous metropolis of Xela where we’ll be meeting up with some cool orgs and exploring this urban center on foot.
    • We’ll scavenge and explore the market of Xela in small groups.
    • We might do a cool cooking or weaving workshop with Café Red Kat or Yabal handicrafts
    • We’ll also divide into groups and engage with 2-3 organizations depending on the group’s size and specialties. (See below)
    • Surprise activity 
  • Partners and Projects: We won’t be doing any clinical work here but may have the opportunity to shadow practitioners on their rounds. We’ll also be learning from orgs around the city to learn about health-related challenges and how local folks are tackling them.
    • EDELAC or the school of the street is an organization that provides education, shelter, and healthcare to vulnerable children in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. Their goal is to restore family relationships and give children better opportunities for a better future. OG has worked EDELAC and its social enterprising arm, Quetzaltrekkers, since 2011. We maintain a scholarship program for students from the Hogar Abierto “open home” and have worked collaboratively on a number of projects including on a health and hygiene program. 
  • PRIMEROS PASOS or FIRST STEPS is a non-profit organization based in Quetzaltenango. Primeros Pasos works collaboratively with health professionals, health educators, volunteers, and community leaders, to provide quality and affordable health care and health education to the rural, underserved communities of the Palajunoj Valley.
  • THE RED CROSS was founded in 1919, the IFRC comprises 190 member Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies, a secretariat in Geneva and more than 60 delegations strategically located to support activities around the world. The Guatemalan Red Cross provides disaster relief, capacity building and emergency medical services including ambulance.
  • Accommodations: Homestays in Xela are organized through Escuela La Paz Spanish school. Comfort levels may vary a bit depending on the family but participants can definitely expect to have their own bed. Rooms will be individual or shared with 1-2 other participants. Homes in Xela have electricity and running water (that generally means flush toilettes) but hot water can’t always be guaranteed. Breakfast and dinner will generally be eaten with host families and vary by home but likely consist of beans, rice, tortillas and other local staples. Most families don’t speak any English but are super friendly and patient with those that want to practice their español.
  • Transportation: On day 3 we’ll take a shuttle bus for 4hrs along the Panamerican highway, a bumpy and windy road that will take us up into the western highlands. (Bring gravol if you get motion sick!).
Day 6 – 8| San Juan La Laguna, Solola

February 26 – 29, 2020

At Operation Groundswell’s place-based operations or Hub, located on the beautiful shores of Lago Atitlan, we’ll have the opportunity to rest our legs, and centre our minds in the vibrant indigenous community of San Juan. The Hub is also the physical embodiment of OG’s culture, philosophy, and mission. It is a place where solidarity is cultivated in and between people and local partners through conversations and collaborative projects. So, our team will team up with two of OG’s local partner, La Voz and the Centro May, who one of OG’s partners and engage with a local health initiative underway. On our last night, we’ll gather around a BBQ and bonfire for disorientation. A staple of every OG program, this is the time to kickback and reflect, discuss lessons learned, assess our impact, and prepare
for our return home.

  • Local: Located in the indegenous community of San Juan La Laguna, the Hub is Operation Groundswell’s base of operations in Guatemala. It is also a physical embodiment of OG’s culture, philosophy, and mission. It is a place where solidarity is cultivated in and between people and local partners through conversations and collaborative projects. It is also a site where OG can test and develop new ways to create positive impact alongside our participants and our local partners.
  • Activities: 
    • Projects – We’ll spend 1 morning learning about and working on some alternatives to the prevailing monocrop systems we’ve been experiencing. Working at the Hub, you will experiment with on-going projects such as the vegetable garden or aquaculture system.
    • Disorientation – On the afternoon of day 7 we’ll celebrate disorientation, a staple of all OG programs. This is a chance to kickback relax and reflect in a beautiful setting where we’ll re-live memories of the program, recap the lessons that we’ve learned, discuss how to stay connected, and collaborate on projects in the future.
  • Partners and Projects: 
    • Alma de Colores is a social inclusion organization that works with and provides employment for adults with various disabilities.  They maintain an organic vegetable garden on the Hub site. We’ll be getting our hands dirty working in their garden or on different community project in San Juan.
      La Voz is a local organic coffee cooperative located about a five-minute walk down the street from the Hub.  You’ll have to opportunity to round out your coffee edumacation with an insightful chat about the world of international coffee trade with Andres, the president of the cooperative. You’ll spend a morning learning about and working on some alternatives to the prevailing monocrop systems we’ve been experiencing.  Working at the Hub, you will experiment with on-going projects such as the vegetable garden or aquaculture system.
  • Learning: Disorientation! On the afternoon of day 8 you’ll take part in disorientation, a staple of all OG programs.  You’ll have a chance to unwind and take it slow in a beautiful setting where we’ll re-live memories of the program, recap the lessons that we’ve learned, discuss how to stay connected, and collaborate on projects in the future.
  • Climate: Warm to hot during the day, cool at night (nothing too extreme on either end).  We’re right on the 1500m mark, so there are some bugs, but it’s not overly mosquito-y.  Possible rain but not likely as it’s DRY SEASON.
  • Accommodations: You’ll be sleeping with your entire team in the Hub’s bamboo dorm right on the shores of Lake Atitlan.  Be prepared to share in communal living, including team cooking, and to live off the grid with dry composting toilets, cold gravity showers, and solar power that can be unpredictable.
  • Transportation: On Day 8, we’ll depart via shuttle for the capital (4hrs)
  • Round Trip Airfare
  • Accommodation
  • Travel Insurance
  • Meals
  • City & Rural Hospital Visits
  • School Visits
  • Professional Shadowing
  • Red Cross Ride Along
  • Hot Springs
  • & More!
The Be World Ready program at Niagara College prepares you for global success through education, exchange, and international experience. This program offers you the opportunity to experience culturally diverse learning environments, understand different perspectives and connect practical skills with a global mindset to help you launch your career.
An international field study is a 7 – 10 day experience that incorporates both vocational and cultural elements, while visiting some of the world’s most famous sights! Many of our international field studies are customized for specific Schools and programs at Niagara College, allowing students to apply the skills learned in the classroom in a real-world setting. All international field studies depart during the Niagara College break weeks to ensure that students do not miss any classes.
All international field studies will include roundtrip airfare (where applicable), accommodations, travel insurance, entrance fees as outlined in the itinerary, and some meals as outlined in the itinerary. A detailed list of inclusions and exclusions will be viewable on the posted webpage for any international field study on our website. Participants can expect to purchase some meals on their own and will need to bring spending money for any souvenirs, extra excursions, incidentals or items of a personal nature.

No. All aspects noted as included in the overall cost of the selected international field study are mandatory with no exceptions made. Our international field studies are built using group pricing and it is important that we do not deviate from the inclusions as it could negatively impact our ability to offer fair pricing to all participants.

In addition to affecting group pricing, these are our Niagara College International Field Study policies, and we cannot deviate from them, as they are part of our risk mitigation and management.

No. Students are not able to book their own flight in any way or alter the flights confirmed by Be World Ready. The round-trip flights as confirmed by Be World Ready are part of the package pricing, and the group is to travel to and from the destination country together.

These are our Niagara College International Field Study policies, and we cannot deviate from them, as they are part of our risk mitigation and management.

Each international field study destination has different accommodation providers or themes. Accommodation types that are used may include a combination of dorm-style rooms, homestays, tourist class hotels, or occasionally hostels. We strive to ensure we use centrally located accommodation when in city centres, allowing our participants to explore their surroundings more easily. Private accommodation is not guaranteed.

Rooms will vary in style on each trip; however, they are commonly twin share (2 people to a room with separate beds where possible). Single rooms may be available for an additional room fee provided adequate notice is given to Be World Ready staff. We strive to ensure you have comfortable, affordable accommodations anywhere you travel.

Students will be given the opportunity to meet their fellow travellers before the deadline to submit their roommate requests. Be World Ready does their best to accommodate rooming requests, but please note that final rooming arrangements are subject to room occupancy requirements and availability. A rooming list will be created by Be World Ready staff and shared with our accommodation providers before your departure. All participants will be emailed and will have the opportunity to identify their preferred roommate(s). While we will make every effort to ensure all preferences are met, we cannot guarantee it.

As long as they are current full-time Niagara College students and meet the program eligibility requirements. Unfortunately, we are not able to accept any persons to participate in any of our international field studies that are not current full-time students at Niagara College.

In addition to regular communications shared with participants leading up to the departure of their international field study of choice, Be World Ready requires students to attend the Be World Ready course, which includes but is not limited to, online trainings and pre-departure training sessions. During the pre-departure training sessions, students will be presented with the overall expectations of the trip as well as in-depth details concerning their itinerary.

During their time abroad, students will be able to communicate with their trip leads directly, 24/7, with any questions or concerns.

All participants are required to hold a passport that is valid for a minimum of 6 months beyond any expected date of return to participate in any opportunity involving outbound travel.

You are responsible for researching and applying for any required visa(s) on your own. Be World Ready is unable to tell you what visa you require and how to apply. Be World Ready will provide you with supporting documentation as needed to apply for a Visa. While Be World Ready is not able to advise or guide you in a heightened level of detail through any particular visa process, you may consider hiring a travel visa service to assist you with the visa application process, such as CIBT visas. Please note that Be World Ready and Niagara College do not endorse any third-party vendors, nor have any influence or control over any outcomes or services rendered. We cannot apply for a visa on behalf of any participant.

All international students will need to ensure that their Study Permits and Student Visas are not expired before the date of return from the international experience, to ensure that there are no challenges with reentry to Canada.

Yes, while it is great to have a Nexus card, all participants must hold a passport that is valid for a minimum of 6 months beyond any expected date of return in order to participate in any opportunity outside of Canada.
Depending on your destination country, we encourage you to book an appointment with a travel health professional regarding any additional vaccinations and medications you may need. It is strongly encouraged that you book an appointment with the Campus Nurse to go over this information. To do so, please visit the medical office to book an appointment at your respective campus.
Be World Ready takes the safety of our staff and students very seriously and has a rigorous risk management assessment when creating all opportunities. Be World Ready staff monitor destination country risk levels as communicated by the Government of Canada. Your safety is the most important aspect of this trip. Be World Ready and Niagara College take all possible precautions to ensure you have a safe, enjoyable experience while travelling abroad.
Students who sign up during the active promotional period for the international field study will be presented with a payment schedule to follow. At time of registration, students will be only required to pay the full non-refundable deposit that is disclosed at time of registration. Students who are permitted to sign up late will be expected to catch up on any payments missed according to the payment schedule advertised. In some instances, there may only be one payment due date.
Complete the eligibility quiz linked on the webpage of the International Field Study you’re interested in to find out if you meet eligibility requirements.
No. Students will not directly receive grant money as the full value of the grant has already been applied to the final payment to offset the total cost of the learning experience abroad. For students who do not complete all grant requirements by established deadlines (including the time of submission), the full grant amount may be charged directly to their student account. Details on grant requirements will be shared with you as part of the mandatory Be World Ready (SOCL 1128 or IDPL 9103) course, which all students participating in a Be World Ready International Field Study must enroll in and successfully complete to receive funding.
Students are only permitted to travel on an IFS to their home country if the IFS is program specific. IFS’ that are open to students from all programs do not permit students to travel if the destination is their home country. The purpose of the grant funding is to help students gain global competencies that they would not otherwise be exposed to, and as such, travelling to destinations they’ve previously lived in does not support this goal.
Students have the potential to travel and receive funding through Be World Ready up to 2 times; students can travel once on either an International Field Study, Summer Institute, or Semester Exchange, and they can potentially travel again for a Work Abroad opportunity (if eligibility requirements are met – please note that if more applications are received than work abroad grants available, priority will be given to those who have never travelled on any type of Be World Ready experience before). So, if you’re wanting to travel on an International Field Study, note that participation on an IFS is permitted only for students who have not yet experienced a Be World Ready IFS, Summer Institute, or Semester Exchange since beginning their studies at Niagara College.

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