Hi All,
Hope you enjoy your stay in Guatemala. Your stay will be what you make of it no matter how much advice anyone gives you. Experience is the best medicine..done that been there and have a t-shirt that says so...Experiences? Guided horse tours, guided sailboat tours, owned three restaurants, managed hotels and B&B's, been robbed of everything (and got back on my own two w/o any help from anybody), been imprisoned, been stopped at checkpoint (twice) w/o driver license or passport or vehicle registration in possession and was not arrested or detained, learned to speak a local dialect, volunteered with street kids, managed volunteer program, bought 6 horses to do tours of my own (bad idea that one), remodeled two bars/restaurants in Antigua,....well u get the idea. Good luck to you and yours
Don Memos' Adventures and Misadventures in Guatemala and CA
Hi Don Memo!
Welcome to Expat.com!
Armand
Thanx for the greeting Armand
Don,
Great post. Thanks for the info. I'm seriously considering a permanent move to Guatemala. My question is about your unfortunate experience in agriculture with the authorities. I'm a retired teacher who likes a smoke every now and then. Is this a problem in Guatemala-specifically the Lake Atitlan area? Appreciate a heads-up here. Thanks.
Roger
Hey thanks for your response. Good luck and best wishes on your arrival
Don,
Thanks for responding. It's a shame about the misplaced trust. I did a small bit in the joint some years ago when I got back from a year in the bush in Nam. I doubt it was anything like your experience. I have a question about residency status. I understand that one can be a "tourist" for 90 days. If I wish to become a permanent resident, is that a pain? Also, will my long-ago felony be a problem? Thanks again for the help.
Roger
Well well well! I can see I am in the company of the "bad boys" lol
I am driving down to Antigua July 1st. Should be quite the road trip. Eventually renouncing my USSA citizenship and acquiring a Guatemalan citizenship.
My understanding on being a tourist is that you stay for 90 day increments -- first one they stamp for you, the next two or three or more, you have to leave the country and get re stamped. You can file for residency after the first 90 days I think.
Good luck Roger and hope to meet and greet you and don memo once I arrive 
DQ
Thanks for the post. According to the Guatemalan embassy, the first visa is for 90 days, but an extension is granted for an additional 90 more before one has to exit the country for 72 hours.
Good luck with your driving adventure.
Roger
Articles to help you in your expat project in Guatemala
Guatemalans tend to have large families, especially in rural areas, so your children will not lack company, and ...
Guatemala has a stable economy driven by the primary and tertiary sectors. Although foreigners are only rarely ...
Guatemala has endeavoured to clamp down on money laundering by implementing stringent control over international ...
With Guatemala's rich cultural and historic heritage, stunning landscapes and dense cultural agenda, spending your ...
The majority of public means of transportation in Guatemala is notoriously uncomfortable, so being able to drive ...
Guatemala enjoys extensive and modern telecommunications networks, encompassing cellular and land lines, broadband ...
