A bit about our story...
Founded by a Canadian family of seven that moved to Lake Atitlan during the pandemic, Culture Chalk retreats aim to bridge cultures and give families a practice run at community living. Having lived in a rural Guatemalan local neighbourhood for a number of years, we have been humbled by finding true meaning in the saying, "It takes a village".
Our Mission
Above all, the aim and goal of Culture Chalk programs is to offer connections between international guests and Guatemalan locals that result in mutually beneficial, long lasting relationships. We have so much to learn from one another and we are humbled by the acceptance and open arms we have experienced from our neighbours.
Our Values
Our core values begin with loving our neighbours as ourselves. We respect the Bible and, as parents, do our best to live out our faith by making sure our actions match up with our beliefs.
We are dedicated to building meaningful connections with people from all walks of life and backgrounds.
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Learn more about our personal family story by checking out our blog.
Christina, Owen, and Simon were exceptional hosts. They were immediately welcoming and Owen was helpful with logistics for money exchange and booking shuttles. Simon led a group of us on a sunrise hike and made pancakes, which were amazing. Christina provided lots of activities that she coordinates with locals in the community. The tortilla class I did with Concepcion and Josefa was the best experience I had on the lake. San Juan is the perfect town to use as a base for exploring Lake Atitlan and I wouldn't stay with anyone else!
Erin
-Canada
..Christine & Owen go above and beyond for their guests from arranging private transport from the airport, arranging tours, hosting community dinners, the list goes on & on!..
Deidre
-United States
My favourite thing about the stay was the view of the lake every morning, I really loved waking up to that amazing view, ensured a good start to each day. My other favourite thing about the stay was meeting Christina and Owen and their beautiful family. I like how they try to bridge the gap between tourists and locals and work very closely with their neighbourhood, I very much enjoyed taking Spanish classes with their neighbour Dorly and spending time with Conception and their families, truly some amazing women, I loved learning about their culture and I'm ever so grateful to Christina and Owen for their amazing hospitality and the opportunities they suggested that allowed me to immerse myself in the local culture here!
Yara
-United Kingdom
Cultural Immersion Retreats