[Mom2to]

We are planning to visit Guatemala this summer, visiting my son's foster family in Guatemala City and then mostly staying in Antigua. Has anyone been recently and traveled a bit with their child(ren)? Based on some recent news reports, I am trying to get a sense of how safe it might be. When we spent time in Antigua in 2007, fostering my son, we took the usual precautions and aside from being screamed at once on the street about "stealing" a child, we felt safe. I imagine that things may have changed a bit since 2007. Any thoughts about planning this visit trip which we hope to be the first of many? Thanks!

[PRINCESS1976]

I would like to bring my 2 back and have been wondering the same thing ??? I also fostered in '06 and part of '07.

[grumpyskirtgirl]

we took our son (adopted dec '06) to GC and Antigua a few months ago (august). We had no problems whatsoever.

[Ana01]

I was planning on traveling end of March. However, we have canceled our trip after the travel advisory issued by the US Embassy in Guatemala.

Hoping that things settle down a little bit and am looking forward to traveling and spending time with our foster family.

[iccsd]

I think you need to do what you are comfortable with. I travel back to Guatemala frequently and haven't had any problems. We were in Guatemala (staying in Antigua) last December and January with our three kids and didn't have any concerns. We are going back in mid-January and will stay for a month. I saw the Advisory, but still feel comfortable being in Antigua and doing daytrips.

Good luck with your decision.

Sara

[Mariais5]

We just returned from Guatemala about four weeks ago with our girls ~ they've been home for a year and a half and almost three years ~ We stayed in Guatemala City and took a day trip to Lake Atitlan.. We were on a mission's trip and traveled about an hour outside of Guatemala City for the work there and walked a lot in zone 10.. We had no problems at all..

However, our friends ~ who live there ~ told me last week that there is a travel advisory for Americans on certain roads in Guatemala now.. One of the roads was the one we traveled on daily for our mission project.. I would be cautious but would probably still go.. We were able to meet with both of our girls foster moms, and it was a wonderful time..

[dac_cincy]

I leave next week to take my son back. he will be 3.5 years old and has been home almost 19 months.
We are planning on staying in Guatemala City- no traveling outside of the city this trip, but that is due to issues with the foster family being able to travel to visit with us.

I spoke with another person last night, at a local gathering of families with children from Guatemala, who just got back from a trip. She encountered no issues.

I do agree with everyone that precautions might be prudent- I knwo we never take lots of moeny out of the hotel or go into some areas- but I take many of the same precautions in some areas of my own city.

I will post a full report once I get back in January.

love to you

[mommyto2guatboys]

We went back in May with our boys and stayed in GC and Antigua and we felt pretty safe. Now I was just there about 2 weeks ago without my kids and I can say things don't feel the same as they did even 6 months ago. I talked to many Guatemalan's on the plane and other friends and they all advised to be very careful while in Guatemala. I would definatly be careful, but Antigua does definatly feel safer then other areas. I would still go, but don't go out at night and stay in areas that have people in them and that you know are safe. I also was told that around holidays, Crime in Guatemala is up.

Have a wonderful trip, just be alert.

Magen
My family!

[PackGirl]

We had all four of our children with us in May.... we were there for about 9 days.... went all over they city and took some day trips.
Just had a wonderful time.
We are actually trying to plan a trip for next may to visit foster families and such.

jmo

[Jaime Christine]

We brought our 2 year old to pick up her little sister mid 2007 and had no problems. I would be curious to read the rest of the posts.

[dspakowsky]

I've traveled there 5 times with my children. The last time was in May and I didn't feel safe at all. This report just came out, https://www.osac.gov/Reports/report.cfm?contentID=93817 and due to it, and what other stories I've heard, we will not travel to Guatemala again for some time. My next trip I'll be alone, but I'm still going to hold off a while. I know some areas (Antigua) are safe, but the roads are not, and I travel much further than Antigua.

But don't let me worry you... I was just too shaken up from my last trip (VERY different vibe these days) to do it again so soon.

[BosMom]

This was/is scary and disappointing.... since I'd like to visit within the year as well... But I looked up the Netherlands (where we also have family) and there are scary warnings there too! While I don't mean to suggest they are at all comparable, the truth is there are dangers everywhere... including trips to New York, Chicago, etc.

[Steffie]

I travled last month with my 4 year old son to meet his birth family. We stayed in GC, but I hired a driver/translator to take us to Monjas (their city) which is 3 1/2 hours outside of GC. We also traveled to the GC zoo, local malls, etc. We had absolutely no problems and I felt completely safe. I am very pale and my son is quite dark so it was obvious that he was not my biological child and still I had no problems.

I think the embassy tends to be a bit hypervigiliant when it comes to warnings etc, in order to ensure Americans are absolutely aware of any potential problems. But, like someone else said, what would an an embassy warning say about NYC or any other large city in America.

[Alexismandyjr]

I was planning a trip to Guatemala with Ana another forum member. We were going to take the boys and stay a couple of days in Antigua and and a couple of days in Guatemala City. We both have friend in Guatemala who told us that it wasn't a very safe place to visit right now. That's all we needed to hear to postpone our trip. I really do not feel comfortable taking the risk with my sons. If I needed to go because of a pending adoption or to resolve an issue I would, but I wouldn't take the chance just for a visit. My sons are very young and we will have plenty of opportunities to travel to their birth country when we feel it's a little safer. But thats just our perspective, if you are planning on traveling just be extra careful!!!