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My friend Julie from France and I wanted to volunteer somewhere this summer- the only question was – where? After a comprehensive internet research we decided to go to Guatemala. Why? Because the Mayan culture of Guatemala seemed quite interesting, it was not too far from the States (where I will be studying abroad soon) and on top of that we were offered the opportunity to travel to Belize and Mexico after our volunteer work. After some research about good places to volunteer with, we finally came across an interesting company: TRAMA Textiles in Quetzaltenango, a big Mayan city. It is a weaving organization run by women, employing about 400 females in the Western Highlands of Guatemala. The aim of TRAMA is to offer fair prices for their workers and sell their products either in their store in Quetzaltenango or via the internet,  but also to offer training to the women and maintain and develop the art, stories, designs, and textile traditions of Guatemala. The company was founde...

I had always wanted to visit Guatemala. The coffee, the picturesque landscapes, the beautiful handwoven textiles, the ongoing Mayan culture… the list of fun things to do in Guatemala just goes on and on. And in 2017, I finally did. I spent three weeks exploring this beautiful country, which is not nearly enough — you need at least 4 to 6 weeks to  really see all the top places to visit in Guatemala. Partly, this is because the not-great transportation situation means that you’ll be spending lots of long days on cramped shuttle buses in transit. However, if you have a short amount of time, check out this 2-week itinerary for Guatemala to best help you maximize your time. But it’s worth every moment in transit to see natural wonders like the emerald pools of Semuc Champey, the manmade wonders of Tikal, the ring of tiny towns circling the magical Lake Atitlan, and the beautiful colonial cities that dot the map of Guatemala. Come see for yourself and y...