Gratis · Certificado incluido
Preparing for a Mission Trip to Guatemala
Arrive as a guest who did the homework — the culture, the language and the harm to avoid.
Reviewed monthly · last reviewed October 2026
Este curso se tradujo al español con asistencia automática. La versión en inglés es la original.
Lo que aprenderá
- Explain who you are visiting — Guatemala’s regions, languages and the Maya majority in the highlands
- Greet, thank and apologize in Spanish, and use a handful of K’iche’ courtesies
- Follow local norms for dress, greetings, time and hospitality without being told
- Apply the photography and child-safeguarding rules that protect the community and your team
- Recognize the short-term practices that do harm, and choose the ones that help
- Prepare for water, altitude, food and road travel before you go
Verifique a sus voluntarios por $5
VolunteerBadge realiza verificaciones de antecedentes conformes con la FCRA por solo $5, con verificación de identidad incluida. Sin cuotas mensuales ni contratos.
Cree una cuenta gratis →Contenido del curso
- 1
Why preparation is the work
What goes wrong when teams arrive unprepared, and the posture that prevents it.
6 min Cuestionario - 2
Who you are visiting
Guatemala’s regions, the Maya majority in the highlands, and the history still in the room.
7 min Cuestionario - 3
Spanish that earns trust
The twenty-odd phrases worth memorizing, plus the K’iche’ words that change a room.
8 min Cuestionario Escrito + interactivo - 4
Respect in practice
Greetings, dress, hospitality, time — and the photography rules that protect everyone.
7 min Cuestionario Interactivo - 5
Do no harm
The short-term practices that quietly cause damage, and what to do instead.
8 min Cuestionario Escrito + interactivo - 6
Staying well and getting around
Water, food, altitude and road travel — the practical things that end trips early.
6 min Cuestionario - 7
Before you fly
The team checklist, including the screening step most groups forget.
3 min Escrito + interactivo
Fuentes y lecturas adicionales
- U.S. Department of State — Guatemala International Travel Information
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — CDC Travelers’ Health: Guatemala
- UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights — Guatemala: Memory of Silence (CEH) report summary
- UNICEF — Children in Alternative Care (2024) — global data on institutional care
- Academia de Lenguas Mayas de Guatemala — Guatemala’s recognised Maya languages
VolunteerBadge Academy courses are provided free for general educational and informational purposes only. Every course is researched from reputable, authoritative sources (cited on the course), but VolunteerBadge and ScreenForge Labs, LLC make no representations or warranties of any kind — express or implied — as to the accuracy, completeness, currentness, reliability, or suitability of the content for any purpose. Content may contain errors or omissions and may become outdated, and laws, regulations, standards, and best practices vary by jurisdiction and change over time. This material is not legal, medical, mental-health, clinical, financial, safety-certification, or other professional advice, and completing a course or earning a certificate creates no professional relationship, license, accreditation, or endorsement and is not a substitute for training, certification, supervision, or policies required by law, your organization, your insurer, or a licensing body. Always follow your organization's own policies and applicable law, use your own judgment, and consult a qualified professional (such as an attorney, licensed clinician, or medical provider) about your specific situation. In an emergency, call 911 (or, for a mental-health crisis, 988). To the fullest extent permitted by law, VolunteerBadge and ScreenForge Labs, LLC disclaim all liability for any loss or harm arising from reliance on this content or participation in any course.