Salaam Garage trip to Guatemala

Salaam Garage was born from the realization that travelers and their home communities really wanted to participate in the ground-level work of NGOs around the world. Amanda Koster came up with the idea for her 

unique service trip-plus-community experiences in her work as a photographer: all of her friends and relations kept asking, “Can I come with you?”  on her worldwide journeys to document NGOs.   
But Amanda realized something else that would transform the trip to a life changing experience: incorporating

 a project of the traveler’s own design to bring home and share with his or her community after their abroad experience ended.  That way, “the trip doesn’t end with a ‘thud’,” Amanda explains.  “It adds value to share the experience… The content (of past exhibits) was unexpectedly magical.  One trip hung a photo exhibition and the work has not touched the ground since.  All the money from the sold work was given to the NGO.  All this content created all this opportunity.”

Join in Amanda’s inspiring mission on Salaam Garage’s trip to Guatemala, June 19th to 30th,  where you have the unique opportunity to actually stay and work with Agros International  Carry out projects with the landless local communities to enable economic stability through land ownership-then take that experience home and present a slideshow, a photo exhibit, or start a fundraising campaign for Agros, and bring your experience to your own community.

The trip begins in Antigua, and then travels to Ixil Triangle and the Agros villages.  Next, you’ll adventure around Lake Atitlan by foot and sea kayak.  Observe ancient Mayan rituals still in practice and shop for authentic wares at the famous Sunday market in Chichicastenango.  Finally, brainstorm strategies for exhibitions in your own community, and depart from Guatemala City with a great gift for tangibly connecting two worlds.  
Instead of sending a check off and wondering where that money goes, Salaam Garage gives travelers the opportunity to bring their passion and inspiration home and enduringly link two communities that are continents apart.  Visit their site and join our SalaamGarage Facebook group

Tips from the Adventure Doc on Guatemala

• Ensure your routine immunizations (MMR, polio, diptheria/pertussis, etc) are up to date.
• Hepatitis A, B and typhoid vaccines are advised for all travelers to this area
• Malaria is found in Guatemala below 1500 meters, in rural areas.  There is no risk in Guatemala city or Lake Atitlan. Chloroquine is the advised antimalarial.
• Use special caution when traveling by car and bus.