Emergency Contact Information

Content taken from an e-mail from Allan dated 19 Aug and updated based on e-mail from Tim dated 24 Sep 

For the duration of your trip someone at Global Village will be available, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to assist you with emergencies. If we are not immediately available we will return your call as soon as possible. You may contact us anytime, day or night if you need assistance.

Please limit contact to these numbers for definite emergencies.

When calling from Guatemala to Canada, dial 001- and then the ten-digit number in Canada.
When calling from Canada to Guatemala, dial 011-502 and then the eight-digit number.
When calling within Guatemala, just dial the eight-digit number.

Global Village in Canada

Name: Suzanne Bullock, Senior GV Coordinator
Phone: 613-267-5537
E-Mail : sbullock@habitat.ca

Name: Phyllis Power, GV Coordinator
Phone: 519-885-4565 ext 267, or 1-800-667-5137 ext 267
E-Mail : ppower@habitat.ca

Name: Paulo de Souza, GV Coordinator
Phone: 519-885-4565 ext 251, or 1-800-667-5137 ext 251
E-Mail : pdesouza@habitat.ca

Emergency phone: 613-264-1250 (call collect if necessary): If you don’t reach someone, leave a detailed message and call the emergency cell phone.

Emergency Cell Phone: 613-264-7355 If we are not be able to answer immediately, please leave a message and we will return your call as soon as possible.

Habitat para la Humanidad Guatemala

Name: Shannon Baines, GV Coordinator
Phone: 502-2331-0456
Cell: 502-4740-6268

Name: Sarah Grabenstatter, Assistant Coordinator
Cell: 502-4740-6716

Name: Carla Wiggins, Logistical Coordinator
Cell: 502-4740-6236

Name: Lauren, Field Coordinator
Cell: 502-4740-6736

Emergency Cell: 502-4613-8282

Habitat Office in Guatemala City

Address: 2ª Avenida 9-60 zona 9 interior •1,Guatemala CA
Phone: 502-2362-6386
E-Mail: sbaines@habitatguate.org

Habitat Office in Chimaltenango

Address: 2 calle A 6-27 Zona 1, Chimaltenango
Name: Emy Garcia, Administrator
Phone: 502-7839-3483, 502-5169-9199
Cell: 502-5961-9521

Canadian Embassy in Guatemala

Address: 13 Calle 8-44 Zone 10, Edificio Edyma Plaza, 8th Floor.
Phone: 502-2363-4348, Fax: 502 2365-1216
E-mail: gtmla@international.gc.ca
Hours open to the public: Monday to Friday: 8:30 - 12:00
After-Hours Emergency: Call collect to Canada: (613) 996-8885 / (613) 944-1310 (TTY)

Medex Travelers Assistance Network

Policy # 6404-54-47 Medex code - CHB
Phone From Canada: 1-800-527-0218
Phone From Around the world: Baltimore, Maryland 1-410-453-6330 (call collect)
Hours: 24 hrs, 7 days a week

Delayed Flights

In the event that your flight is delayed or you are unable to find the Habitat representative at the airport please call our emergency line (502) 4613.8282. (if you are using a Canadian phone you must dial 011 before the country code). You should have the GV Coordinator’s cell phone numbers with you when flying to Guatemala in case for some reason you cannot find them at the airport.

Lost Luggage

If for some reason your luggage does not make it with you on the flight please tell your airline to courier it to your Affiliate hotel address in Tecpan as soon as it arrives. Get a phone number from the airline and please give them the GV coordinators phone number.

Hotels (see more details on accomodation post)

Tecpan, Chimaltenango (Build Site)
La Villa de Don Pancho
Phone: (502) 7840-3202

Panajachel (on Lake Atitlan)
Hotel Kaqchikel
Phone: Tel: (502) 7762-0634, (502) 7762-1312
Hotel E-Mail: hotelkakchiquel@yahoo.com.ar

La Antigua City
Hotel La Merced
Phone: (502) 7832-3197
Hotel E-Mail: posadalamercedantigua@gmail.com

Room Assignments

Content taken from an e-mail from Allan dated 18 August

Room assignments are now available!

Hey - how did he get the n'ice' pillow! 

    Room #1: Lisa and Teresa

    Room #2: Melanie and Megan

    Room #3: Krista and Amanda

    Room #4: Eileen and Joanne

    Room #5: John and Brooke

    Room #6: Dan and Trent

    Presidential Suite (just kidding): Tim

Gifting and Other Social Commentary

Content taken from an e-mail from Allan dated 18 August

GIFTING

During your time in Guatemala you will have the opportunity to meet and work with the families who will be living in the new Habitat homes, as well as with members of the community and the affiliate. This often results in team members wanting to give both individual and group gifts. The purpose of Habitat for Humanity, and of the Global Village program, is to help families improve their situation by giving them a ‘hand up’ rather than a ‘hand out’. In keeping with this philosophy of creating independence, it is important for teams to understand the issues surrounding the giving of individual gifts/money as well as our policy regarding ‘gifting’.

Habitat for Humanity strongly discourages individual gifting as well as large gifts/donations given directly to the individual affiliates. Please note, Habitat for Humanity affiliate staff are not allowed to accept cash donations. While we very much appreciate the sentiment and understand your desire to ‘do more’, the gift of your time, effort, and GV donation is already a tremendously generous one! If team members wish to further support the affiliate and Habitat for Humanity Guatemala, they are encouraged to let their Team Leader know this information and the Team Leader will tell them how to proceed.

Giving individual gifts sets a precedent and falsely raises expectations among the families involved in the project(s) as to what future teams might provide. Individual gifting also has the potential to create jealousy, competition and feelings of ill will among the Habitat families as well as within the community, depending on what type of gift is given and to whom.

If team members wish to bring gifts to the affiliate or to the local community, this should be done in communication with their Team Leader and should be discussed and organized in advance.

Please remember that the families and the affiliate do not expect individual gifts and are already very thankful for your volunteer efforts. Spending time with the affiliate, community, and family members, especially with the children, is the best gift that you can give - and those memories will be everlasting and priceless.


TEAMWORK

(…the difference between a group of isolated individuals and a team of interconnected members...)

T is for Teachable: A teachable spirit helps create a noncompetitive environment in which learning and sharing come naturally. Teachability gives all members the freedom to make mistakes as they learn.
E is for Encouraging: Think of how encouraging words enhance the development of a community. What differences do they make?
A is for Appreciative: What things can we appreciate in others on the team? How can we show our appreciation?
M is for Motivated: Take initiative!
W is for Willing: Team members may have different levels of strength, skill and health, but each should be willing to work to the best of his/her capabilities. Willingness also includes accepting uncomfortable conditions in the host country. Willingly take on the heat, food, bugs and germs.
O is for Open: Be open with what you are learning, experiencing, feeling, thinking, etc. Express both the positive and negative. Your vulnerability with others builds community.
R is for Refreshing: The times may be tough – heat, sickness, exhaustion, physical labour, emotional drain and so on. In those times it will be incredibly refreshing to have another team member help pick up your spirits! Think about how you can be replenishers to each other on a daily basis.
K is for Kindred Spirits: There’s a sense of camaraderie as we pursue this together….different people from different places and walks of life meshing.

F is for Flexible: Anything can change from day to day. A flexible team member will learn to accept the unexpected as the norm.
A is for Agreeable: Living together in close quarters, sharing bathing facilities, and every other aspect of group travel requires everyone to be gracious.
C is for Cooperative: Share with one another, help and assist one another. Instead of grumbling about problems, propose solutions!
T is for Thoughtful: What can you do to make a teammate’s day a little easier?
O is for Obedient: There may be times when the team leader has to ‘pull rank’ and make unpopular decisions. A team player will respect the leader’s authority and encourage others to do the same.
R is for Relational: Get to know the others on your team, especially if you are traveling with someone you already know quite well. Go out of your way to learn about the others…their hopes, their dreams, their history