DENTAL VOLUNTEER TRAVEL KIT Explore and have fun while you make a lasting difference through dentistry.
Antigua (est.1524), is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It s Guatemala s premier tourist destination due to it s delightful Spanish colonial architecture. Easy walking access to shopping, museums, historical sites and a variety of international food options ranging from cafés to five-star restaurants make it the perfect place to stay.
Freuented Half & Full-day CULTURAL TOURS
TRIP AND TRAVEL STEPS STEP 1: PICK DATES & REGISTER YOUR TRIP PICK ANY MONDAY-THURSDAY (clinics are open year-round) and fill out the included trip registration form, send it to us by email to volunteer@openwidefoundation.org STEP 2: FLIGHT RESERVATIONS (Arrangements & expenses are each volunteer s responsibility.) Once you ve chosen your dates in Guatemala; you re ready to book your flights to GUA/ Guatemala City (Aurora International Airport). We recommend that you arrive on Saturday or Sunday and leave the following Friday or later depending on your plans for further cultural experiences or travel. Service in the clinic will begin Monday through Thursday, 9 am 3:30 pm. Note: Make your flight and hotel reservations as soon as possible. We recommend no later than 60+ days prior to your travel date. Late bookings risk splitting your team/travel group into 2 hotels, if the preferred hotel is booked. PASSPORT REQUIRED, NO VISA REQUIRED for North American Citizens HAVE ONE: Please check to make sure the expiration date is 6+ months from your travel date. North American citizens do not need a visa, any other country, please call to confirm visa reuirements. Please travel with an extra photocopy of your passport. DO NOT HAVE ONE: If you do not have a passport, you will need to apply for one by visiting the following website. http://travel.state.gov (U.S. residents). Process typically takes approx. 6 weeks. STEP 3: HOTEL & TRANSPORTATION (Arrangements/expenses are your responsibility.) Open Wide has a designated a travel agent who takes care of reserving hotels & transportation, arranges lunches for you at the clinic & gets special price rates for excursions you may want to take before or after your clinic days. Please email Maya Sky as soon as you re ready to make your transportation and hotel reservations. EMAIL: carmen.navaro@mayasky.com.gt. STEP 4: SEND FLIGHT INFO, PASSPORT COPY & WAIVER Submit for each volunteer to volunteer@openwidefoundation.org. STEP 5: MAKE YOUR TRIP DONATION If you did not fill out the payment information on your original trip registration form, please visit www.openwidefoundation.org/donate and make your trip donation online. If you d like an invoice or have uestions, please contact us at 855-843-8444 STEP 6: VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION In the volunteer orientation, you will be provided information regarding arrival in Guatemala City, Antigua, Schedule for the week, Clinic Staff, Set-up and Systems.
ONE-STEP HOTEL SELECTION & TRANSPORTATION FORM Main Contact Information Hotel Selection & Dates Arrival & Departure Details for Transportation MAYA SKY CANCELLATION POLICY Cancellation Policy 1. All deposits will be refunded in full for cancellations made 50 days or more prior to arrival less a 7% credit card processing fee or 5% management fee. No refunds will be given for cancellations received less than 30 days prior to arrival date. 2. Last minute hotel cancellations: hotels charge full payment for not taken nights or rooms for any reason. 3. No refund will be given for unused package portion, hotel rooms and facilities, tours and transfers for any reason. 4. There will be no change of excursions two weeks prior your arrival into Guatemala or during your staying. We highly encourage you to take out travel insurance to cover against cancellation, date changes due to unforeseen events, weather conditions, circumstances or accidents that occur from time to time. Maya Sky will not refund payments for any cancellations reason or changes after the cancellation period. EMAIL TO: Carmen.Navarro@MayaSky.com.gt
FREQUENTLY ASKED TRAVEL QUESTIONS Cell Phones: Check with your cellular phone company regarding international options on your phone. You can also use the wifi at any of the hotels to use online calls for free through services like: Skype, Viber, WhatsApp, Line, and others. GUA TRAC Phone: You will be provided with a local Guatemalan TRAC phone (pay by minutes) when the driver picks you up at the airport. You will also receive a call list including: all important phones numbers, the other volunteer s phones, hotel, driver and travel agent numbers. You may also call out internationally for less than most international phone plans, and all you need to do is load the number of minutes you d like to use while in the country. At the end of your stay, simply return the trac phone to the driver before you enter the airport and it will be made available to the next week s group. You can purchase minutes from any pharmacy or kiosk around Antigua. Electricity: All outlets are the same as the U.S. system, so no adapter is needed. Immunizations: Beyond clinical immunization, it is prudent to check with your doctor to ensure you re up to date and to receive any other immunizations they may recommend. For specific uestions, please visit www.cdc.gov or contact a travel health consultant like Norm Bizon 480-435-2774 www.travelbughealth.com Money: Credit Cards are accepted in virtually all restaurants & stores throughout Antigua. Consider notifying your card company of your travel plan dates to avoid confusion. Quetzal [ket-sal] is the Guatemalan currency $1.00 = 7.5 Quetzals (Q). You can also use U.S. dollars in some places, but you won t get the best rate and no U.S. change back; and many places do not accept American money if there are any tears/damage to the bill. The most cost effective way to get Quetzals is through your local bank. Please give a one week notice as Quetzals are typically a minimum 2-3 day turn around. There are also exchange booths at airports, or you can access ATM s or banks at several places in Antigua and most stores do accept credit cards. Passport/Visa: A passport is reuired for travel to Guatemala. No Visa is reuired to travel to Guatemala for either US or Canadian citizens. Temperature: Year-round temperature is usually a very comfortable 60-80 degrees F. May-Sept (rainy season, expect 1-2 hours of rain most all days) Oct-Jan temp lower at nights down to 50 F Transportation: TRANSPORTATION IS INCLUDED if you book through Maya Sky Arrival to Guatemala City: The Maya Sky transport team will be there as you exit the airport building to transport you to your hotel in Antigua. Look for a staff member in a tan shirt with the Maya Sky logo and a sign that reads: Open Wide Foundation / Your name. Clinic transportation: Your travel to and from the clinic each day is also pre-arranged. (Please plan to tip your driver as a team at the end of your stay, $30 - $50 from the team total is a usual amount.)
VOLUNTEER TRAVEL RESOURCES Questions? Contact Open Wide 855-843-8444 480-588-9081 Guatemala Travel Questions? Contact Carmen 011-502-2365-6680 Whether you have been on an international outreach trip before, or this is your first time, you ll find our turn-key approach to logistics lets your outreach week focus on what matters, the connection and difference you make in the lives of the patients you see, who are so appreciative of your week of volunteer service. TRAVEL OVERVIEW: Typical total travel costs average $1800 (flight, hotel, meals, transport, plus) A typical week will include four days of clinical work. If you arrive early or extend your stay, you can enjoy cultural experiences throughout the area. There are shops and a multitude of restaurants in Antigua which are easy to walk to from any of the hotel options. When you arrive in Guatemala City, you are greeted at the airport by a transport and taken to your selected hotel in Antigua. Monday through Thursday you will be taken by transport to work in the Open Wide Clinic. While you are there, you will provide much needed dental care to men, women and children of the community all with the help and support of a local dental team. VOLUNTEER RESOURCES: All volunteer resources are on our website in one place for your convenience. http://openwidefoundation.org/project/volunteer-resources/ Make sure to check out: Travel Video on Antigua Map of Antigua with restaurants and shopping marked Brochure on Antigua Hotel Options Optional Tours Packages Video Library And many more recourses to make your travel and planning easier. ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW: Open Wide Foundation redefines humanitarian dental outreach by focusing on locally sustainable permanent dental clinics in areas of great need. A year-round low cost dental home for the community allows for significant and long-term improvement in the oral health of the community and provides the support system to continually increase awareness and good habit building for families.
TRIP PREPARATION CHECKLIST Pick your clinic dates (any Monday to Thursday) Fill out and submit your trip registration form Book flights Book Hotel / Transportation Submit your passport copy & signed volunteer wavier Check with your cell phone provider on costs & options Volunteer Orientation Pack SUGGESTED PACKING LIST Personal scrubs (if available) Prescription loops (if applicable) Any specialty system or instruments you need for the week (Ask to see our instrument/supply inventory lists) Passport and 2 photocopies of passport. (Keep the copy in a separate place in your luggage & wallet or purse) Camera & charger Cell phone & charger Hand sanitizer Lightweight day pack/backpack & Money-belt (optional) Local currency in small denominations. (See Money FAQ s) Personal medications, sm. first-aide kit, plus Imodium Sunglasses /Sunscreen Ear plugs Small collapsible umbrella or poncho Jeans or long shorts, short sleeve or t-shirts, light jacket (Rainy season is May - Sept) (Nights may be cooler, so bring warmer pajamas; especially (Nov Jan) Comfortable shoes, Antigua streets are cobblestone, not heel friendly.