Guatemala's Cost of Living

[@edgargalicia251]

Nace video

[@hugoberlusconi]

Guatemala is so beautiful, rich, unique and magical. God bless

[@josefinigo7100]

Tomorrow I will move with my family to Guatemala.Excellent!

[@britos5955]

🇬🇹👍👍

[@josefinigo7100]

Bro. you are an excellent actor!!!

[@hugoberlusconi]

Is so beautiful and rich the United Kingdom of Guatemala established since 1609 and that extends from El Soconusco (today Chiapas) to part of Panama. Guatemala is 12th producer of silver in the world and 20th producer of gold besides having massive reserves of nickel, jade and so many other natural resources too bad for almost a century big foreign multinational corporations have been taking most of it. The Malvinas belong to Argentina, The Esequibo belongs to Venezuela and Belice belongs to Guatemala.

[@esdrasperez4792]

Well that's it's just for the very poor people ,but for the most part we all live very good .

[@tonywalton1052]

Introduce Guatemala to Western Anxiety and our hamster wheel workaholic system.

[@eliort404]

What about the rent?..

[@bananapatch9118]

How can people help...retirees teaching English ? Bringing computers ? I mean, I know we can but food but it does go back to buying fish or teaching someone to fish, right ? My wife grew up in a similar fashion in Nicaragua so we ask these questions out of love.

[@Servants]

Hi Banana Patch! Thanks for your comments. Yes we are all about teaching people to fish. Our goal is to interrupt generational poverty through by providing access to education and job/skills training. Our ministry focuses on the whole family so we provide food (sometimes), access to education for the children, and work with the parent(s) to help them earn a livable wage. Often times that means helping the parent finish school or helping them learn a trade where they can then earn more money to provide for the food and education needs. We work with families on a pathway to independence not interdependence.

[@pputnam100]

Hooray for MJ Cuba and J Garcia who made real and helpful sense here

[@prieten49]

It is startling how little many poor Guatemalan families have to live on. They suffer from hunger, poor education, exploitation, and poor health. Is it any wonder that some risk life and limb to get to the USA? In my opinion, it is far easier and cheaper for the USA to help these people in Guatemala than it is to pay for elaborate border control regimes which only enrich "coyotes." We in the USA have created some of the conditions--like climate change, which is hitting Central America especially hard, and our demand for cheap coffee and bananas--which are pushing these people to the breaking point.

[@latinaalma1947]

FIRST A DISCLAIMER: I do not know the people who posted this so what I am saying below is in GENERAL after spending decades in Guatemala off and on. So many Americans, Canadians and Europeans come to Guatemala to run non-profit organizations some shoestring operations, some well organized and funded, often through church missions etc. We have had MANY friends who were involved and /or employed by such organizations. The number of scams though,are simply incredible.The number of horror stories of places founded by pedophiles or just plain scammers , are rife. It is a virtual industry and some cater to poverty tourism...people who MEAN well, coming to see poor people and help them for a week or whatever. The very first place we saw as we arrived by boat in the RIo Dulce was a beautiful LARGE home with dock and large new pricey power boat sitting very close to a concrete block "missionary " church. We learned that this was a scam. I am certain the donors back in the USA got photos of the church and people who went to that church, but NOT of the fancy house and dock and boat. Next we were told about another long standing so called local charity that had been there a long time (we came in our boat in 1999), more than one just in tiny Rio Dulce in 1997! Then in Antigua we met and saw all the NGO people, dozens and dozens maybe a hundred people, making there living doing this there in total, who knows? Some were foreign govt sponsored personnel drawing very high salaries sitting on their fannies in very expensive apts in Antigua, driving large SUV type vehicles supposedly "helping" the rural poor, but actually sitting inside their apts on the internet all day fundraising, writing reports etc ( this I saw with my own eyes as a neighbor of one such parasite) who rarely left her apt. only going out to the hinterlands when some big shot from the USA, Canada, or whichever European country (I know, but am not saying)came to the airport where they were met and taken around, The number of what I would consider legitimate charities or people running such organizations I can count on one possibly two hands out of the at least HUNDRED I have known personally or on good authority over the years. These scams infuriate locals in the know..others who aren't in the know, mostly the poor, are happy to take whatever little scraps the gringo poverty scammers want to throw them, but laugh at them behind their backs (how do I know? Well bec I have KNOWN these poor recipients as well , who took the handouts, one saying to me hey there is XYZ available at so and so you should go get some)!

[@Kitiwake]

Shame on them. They will be judged when their time comes.

[@tangonice8189]

Love tortillas made by hand and love 😄 And I"m Puerto Rican 🕊

[@jonathanjuarez5162]

Thanks for visiting my beautiful country I'm Guatemalan GT 😃😀

[@miimiirociporras]

I'm Guatemalan and lucky to be of the middle class families in Guatemala. But either way I'm so glad that you have started this program to help people in my country. I hope this works out and if you need volunteer help or anything within my reach please contact me and ill be glad to assist. I do live in the capital of Guatemala.

[@killamilla702]

miimii porras hey I have a question if it's ok I'm moving to Guatemala for a year I think to the capital is it hard for foreigners to get jobs? I do speak English and Spanish

[@hugoberlusconi]

Is so beautiful and rich the United Kingdom of Guatemala established since 1609 and that extends from El Soconusco (today Chiapas) to part of Panama. Guatemala is 12th producer of silver in the world and 20th producer of gold besides having massive reserves of nickel, jade and so many other natural resources too bad for almost a century big foreign multinational corporations have been taking almost everything. The Malvinas belong to Argentina, The Esequibo belongs to Venezuela and Belice belongs to Guatemala. God bless

[@bananapatch9118]

We retire in 3 years and we will very likely still have a couple senior dogs, so we will likely travel around Mexico ( SE Asia later after the furbabies have passed away ). Two places on our list are near the Guatemala border in the state of Chiapas ( san Cristobal and Comitan ) so we hope to visit a couple areas in Guatemala, like Lake Atitlan and Antigua. We are excited....hoping 3 years passes quickly. We’ll be 62 and 57. We speak Spanish and have lived abroad before. Thoughts on those two areas ? Thx !

[@aventuradecuilcogt]

Bien venido a guatelinda saludos desde huehuetenango municipio cuilco

[@KimWilsonTV]

Guatemala is a food forest like many other Latin American nations...something is not right about this video.

[@trentdavis7531]

Hi Kim! Thanks for your comments. More than half of Guatemalans live in urban areas where they can't really grow their own food. Therefore all food needs to be purchased in the open market or from a grocery store.

[@shirleycervantes9757]

Thank you for the explanation of what the people in need in my country are going thru 😢

[@latinaalma1947]

Most of the Guatemalan poor...not the landless poorest of the poor but poor..more average poor, live like this: they have inherited land and a house of some material..a small one , sometimes not out of concrete but eventually out of concrete saved block by block til they have enough block and rebar to make one. They do not pay rent, they do pay annual property tax which costs MAYBE as much as $5 per month. THey also have additional land either their own or "borrowed" or sometimes rented for little to grow a milpa: corn and beans mixed...usually they have enough they grow themselves for their family for the year bec Guatemala has more than one growing season per year. There no longer is an inscription fee in Guatemala for public school...eliminated maybe 7 yrs ago which is a HUGE help. Some schools req uniforms which DO cost usually they have those made. Some rural schools do not require this. Maybe $100 for those who need unifirms and the required tennis shoes ad uniform for sport for it all. THen they DO have to pay for a large list of school supplies in Jan about $100 or slightly more per child that is what costs..Most children ARE going to school now until they finish primaria...many go through basico the equivalent of US jr high school. To go to high school that is private school and is NOT free. THis was the system in the USA until about the 1940s too and 8th grade education was normal in the USA. Legal working age in GUatemala is 14. SOme children in rural tourist areas are put to work much younger to sell trinkets to tourists esp the Lake Atitlan area...this is becoming less common in the Antigua area than it was even a decade ago. If a male teen of 14 can get a job (sweeping in a carpentry shop, working at whatever on a finca etc etc ) they are put to work to bring in cash income in the poor social class. Does this mean they are STRUCK forever supporting their younger brothers and sisters? Not necessarily. Many learn trades as apprentices and slowly move up the ladder.Social mobility up the ladder is not at all uncommon, nor is mobility down when the father drinks heavily. THAT is the number one loss of income to a family. The Guatemalan diet is rapidly changing for the WORSE. Many people keep chickens for eggs for a daily source of protein, then they eat beans and corn tortillas, tamales, etc. THey eat chicken when they can. Most have used fruit as their treat even the poor, bananas, sandia, melon in season etc in small portions when there are many children, but they have had fruit. Family size is shifting steadily downward from an average of 10 to 12 children to many fewer today. Most middle class families limit their number of children to two just like Americans. Now however, there is a craving for junk food little bags of chips and candy and soft drinks with sugar where as before fruit juice was the sweet drink. The sugary diet is leading to Obesity EVEN IN CHIDREN AND SPIKING THE rate of diabetes dramatically.

[@rafaeljacobo5751]

Good job guys, thank you for helpping those people in extremely poor... cos. In Guatemala. There are two kind of poor people. The regular poor people and the extremely poor.. just to clarify... and you guys are talking about extremely poor people.

[@romeosen5086]

enjoy your beens and tortillas lol xoxo nice video!

[@annettekiel9436]

Medical doctors count ridiculous prices. Medicines are far too expensive, and made in Guatemala. All is far too expensive

[@ELBLOKE503]

Most people make their own tortillas though. It is much cheaper

[@ginag2376]

But YOU are talking of people won lives on an extreeme poorness, mi, and many families dont lives like that so I think you aint objective. We do use gas and live in concret houses etc. But its ok YOU do your research on a part of the population and Drake the time. Sorry My English.

[@masozow]

Thank you for helping my people. Great explanation of Guatemala's poor lifestyle, wich unfortunately is the lifestyle of the majority of our people.

[@Starknight00]

😔😔😔😔😔

[@jonathan2715]

it could sound kinda exagerated the way you talk about the financial situation here in my country Guatemala, but believe it or not there are plenty of families that really live in this level of extremely poverty

[@israelrodas6232]

Do you live in Guatemala ? Or when did you

[@trentdavis7531]

Yes, they do.

[@wilsonmateo2812]

I 💙 🇬🇹 ✈✈✈😎👍

[@jucon4415]

Good introduction to the American welfare system to other countries. Help them fix their country so they can live healthier lives in their own country.

[@David53D]

Interesting because I've been with stomach problems ever since leaving Guatemala 20 years ago.My ex-wives family are now very well off having worked illegally in the U.S. for many years but grew up in very dire circumstances.

[@tomgocubs]

Go see a doctor about your problem. I recently did that and he found that it was full of h. pylori, a parasite. Prescribed antibiotics and i feel like a new person after 40 years

[@pputnam100]

Oh by the way, are you two christian missionaries? You must be

[@missionimpossible4869]

Homeschool and you save 100 Q and that will provide 3 meals per day for the month. A vegan diet is proven to be better than any other diet, eliminate the milk and all dairy products, teach people how intermittent fasting as a daily routine, and water fasting to fight all types of illness, teach them to eat a plant based wholefoods diet less dairy products that create fungus in the body, and teach them how how alkaline vs Acidic foods affect health. Teach them that the soil has all the vitamins, nutrients, and minerals that the body needs. Teach them have a personal relationship with God through Christ, how to read scripture, pray, and worship the God of the bible, and God will prosper them and Bless there country as well. Good luck and God Bless.

[@JyoGa8]

LOL homeschooling is not a thing here, unless you are a certified primary school teacher you cannot do it, and if you are you get more money teaching than working at a farm, your view of this is very out of context. Let me clarify this video a bit more, remember this was an example of a poor family in the rural areas, living in a village not a town, so these parents are likely to only have 3 to 6 years of primary schooling, that's all, some may even be Illiterate. What can they teach with that? They barely know how to read most of the time, because their schooling was low quality and they stopped studying at about ~12 years old, also they did not have proper diet growing up, so their cognitive development is low. The equivalent of middle and high school involves you to walk about 2 to 4 hours by foot to a near town, or pay a bus(that is expensive for this kind of family), that involves walking to the main road that can be 1 or 2 hours by foot, to go to the center of the province, a lot families are reluctant to send their 12 year old children that far, or prefer them to start working at that age, specially their young daughters that can encounter dangers like being raped, it is not like the school has a bus that can pick up the kids at your house or near your house, you have to figure out how to get to the school. It is not like these people own a big plot of land to harvest their own food, so, the soil has the nutrients, but they do not have the to land, most of the land is owned by the rich class that inherited it from the colonial times when they stole it from the native population. The local church is likely to be protestant with a very fundamentalist view, so they do more of a damage than help, opposing the sexual education as immoral, and preservatives as sin, that is what they teach. I won't even mention abortion, that is unthinkable for these people. They also teach that women should be submissive to their husband and that results in a very misogynist culture. I know this because I have family that lives or lived like that.

[@missionimpossible4869]

J García My comment is not out of context, if you read clearly my intention is to show them how to fish rather than to just providing them with a fish that does not fix the problem. Instead your comment was to criticize my comment, rather than to provide a solution.

[@JyoGa8]

I was not criticizing your comment, I just found it funny that it is so out of context(specially the homeschooling part), and tried to provide more context for you to be able to get a better picture, because, I am a Guatemalan, I live in Guatemala, and have distant family that lives or lived like that, I have seen it first hand and in some way see it every day. Your comment is out of context because it implies that people with no primary education can homeschool, and people without land can harvest to feed themselves, the solution is access to quality education for the new generations but this is a big topic in itself to cover on this comment.

[@missionimpossible4869]

J García I disagree with you, my family is from Cuba and I know what Poverty Looks like, I know what hunger looks like, and I know what a poor educational system looks like. The solution is not to feed the problem, rather fine a solution to fix the problem and even if my suggestion was not the best, it's a start rather than suggesting to just send the money to temporarily address the matter. I will not send money, and I do not support government that oppress people so my comment in my opinion is in context, and your comment is nothing more than a criticism like I said from the start. I would rather start a school and educate people and provide them with books then to send them on an hour-long trip to a secular School, I would rather buy a piece of land and show them how to grow food then to send them a money and not teach them how to be self-reliant, Instead of asking for money to buy groceries ask for money to buy land and to establish a local school. Hopefully this will help you better understand my point, if you need me to explain in Spanish I can do that as well maybe you will understand better in that language.

[@JyoGa8]

Perfectly able to understand english here. I said "the solution is access to quality education for the new generations but this is a big topic in itself to cover on this comment.", about sending money, we don't need it, what we need is the US to stay away from our politics, if the US would have left my country alone the last half of the last century, we would be a different country, just don't meddle and destroy our government to put in place corrupt puppets, that would have been enough. I never mentioned "send money", "give free stuff", that is the solution, that is your assumption. We need secular education, religious education does more harm than it does good, I would not want a bunch of cuckoo evangelical fundamentalist pastors having a big influence on education, they have done enough harm already, we need more and better schools that I agree with, but they need to be secular. BTW these people know how to harvest, no need to teach them, the problem is the land, anyway, if you want to know the history of why they don't have the land, research it, I don't have the time to explain 50+ years of history here, so I won't reply anymore.

[@LuzLopez-ci4kl]

How can we help who are the sponsors...Thank you for your love and tender care to the Guatemalan vomunities

[@Servants]

Hi Luz, thanks for the desire to help! If you are in the US you can donate here: app.clovergive.com/App/Form/32818064-17b8-4cef-be36-b9810b725874 if you are in Guatemala, you can contact our director: [e-mail]

[@sleepyhollow2455]

Talk to me about Guatemala again when you learn to pronounce plantains

[@paulsaul2487]

Grifters

[@beatrizcarias8928]

What's your point Sr

[@jeynernavas3168]

Didn't like it sorry.