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Because Quetzaltenango is in the western highlands area of Guatemala (at an elevation of 7,500 ft), it can be cool here in the morning and at night.
From March to May is Quetzaltenango's "summer" climate. This is the warmest part of the year, but it never gets too hot. For those who like sunny weather, this is the best time of the year to visit. May/June begins the rainy season here in Guatemala, so if you're studying between May-October, be sure to bring a rain jacket.
Typically, it's warm and sunny in the morning (approx. 25° Celsius) and it rains in the afternoon. It may be the best time (scenery-wise) to visit here because the rain makes the countryside and mountains turn a beautiful, lush green color that hopefully you'll see on the bus ride from Guatemala City. November-January can get quite cold. In December and January it's common to have ice on the ground in the morning. It can be cold in the morning but once the sun comes out after 10 or 11 a.m. it warms up.
There's no heating in the buildings here so we rely on warm clothes, blankets, and hot drinks to get warm. Since the weather/temperature here can vary a lot, even over the course of one day, we recommend that students bring layers of clothing.
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A partial list of suggested clothing items is:
- long-sleeved and short-sleeved shirts
- sweaters/sweatshirts
- sweatpants (for comfort and for sleeping in)
- long underwear, gloves and warm hat (if you're here in the coldest months)
- a fleece type jacket
- rain jacket and umbrella
- long pants/ jeans
- shorts
- bathing suit
- good walking shoes (hiking boots recommended!)
You should bring a swim suit, as Xela is situated in the middle of a mountain/volcano range with tons of natural hot springs and hot saunas. Ahhhh, que rico! If you find that you need additional clothes once you arrive here, there's plenty of used American clothing stores in Xela where you can buy clothes at very cheap prices.
The other areas of Guatemala have different climates, so if you plan on traveling it's best to have layers of clothing anyway: a bit of everything!
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- towel
(your host family will provide bed linens but not towels)
- English/Spanish dictionary
- ATM card/Visa card
(There are several ATM machines in Xela, but the machines do not accept all cards. ATM cards that are also Visa cards tend to be most readily accepted. There are limited facilities that accept MasterCards.)
- present for your host family
(This is optional, but many students choose to bring gifts for their families. We recommend that students bring general gifts for the family such as chocolates, nice soaps/lotions/shampoos, herbal teas, etc. These are great gifts because these products are very expensive here and Guatemalan stores do not have the same variety of brands/choices that are available in other countries. Other possible gifts are items from your hometown such as calendars, t-shirts, baseball hats, books, etc.)
- donations for our Children's Scholarship Program: As indicated in the "Philosophy" section, Escuela Juan Sisay provides educational scholarships for children in low-income families. We provide the children with their school uniforms as well as school supplies. We are always looking for donations for this project, such as
- Notebooks
- Pens and pencils
- Children's picture books and chapter books (in Spanish)
- Games
- Art materials (scissors, drawing paper, crayons, etc.)
- Medicine
- Clothes
Some students have been able to secure donations for this project from stores in their home country by presenting the attached ["donation letter"]. Thank you in advance for your support of this important scholarship program.
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