where to meet people

Wow, that's a tough question, I've met interesting people on city buses going through El Mezquital. We can meet people anywhere we are if we initiate the conversation. I have no problem starting up a conversation. Met some nice people on shuttles also, as well as the plane.

Really though, some of the people I met in Guatemala in 2000 are now some of my closest friends. Volunteering is a good way to meet people. They all have the same thing in common; the desire to help those less fortunate. With the added bonus that they're from all corners of the globe, which can be good for visits while traveling. I like cafe's as opposed to bars, some people like bars as opposed to cafe's. Book stores are a good way to meet people that you may have something in common with.

I guess my answer to your question is anywhere. Just depends on what type of people you consider interesting. It's easy in Guatemala, I find that most people are quite friendly.

Wrong site--think about who you asking about making friends----if we had friends (or knew how to make friends) we wouldn't be wasting time on this site.

1. Antigua
   2. Antigua
   3. San Pedro La Laguna
   4. Panajachel
   5. La Iguana Perdido at Santa Cruz on Lago de Atitlan
   
   Buen viaje!
   
   

That was one of the best I've ever seen here, XINLOI!!! Good one

hello! i'll be going to guatemala from dec 1-30. flying solo as well.. if you want to get together we can! i'm planning on being in antigua for the dec 7th burning of the devil festivities and then go up north to coban/tikal etc and proabbly spend christmas in rio dulce or livingston.
let me know!

Here's a suggestion... Take two weeks language school in Antigua and stay in the "school living place". Antigua is a great place to meet people and the school provided a social center. The school did daily afternoon activities that mixed different students up andgave you sightseeing around Antigua, and weekend trips to all the places to see in Guatemala.

I went to La Union in Antigua and the language school (4 hrs per day), including room and board (but not trips) was only about $185/week. If you're not that serious about learning, take the 2 hr per day option and it's less.

If you don't feel like school, basically any shuttle bus trip going anywhere in Guatemala tends to introduce you to 8-10 new people. I would recommend starting out in Antigua.

A friend of mine stayed at my place in Antigua. She's from Chile, speaks Spanish, of course, and rather fluent English and is EXTREMELY sociable. She was making friends anywhere she went. She met people everywhere. She made friends her very first afternoon out in Antigua with an Italian and Swiss girls, as far as I can recall. I've been to all the places she went to and probably have never met even half of the people during my whole life she did in two weeks.

What I want to say is that it will all depend on you. Antigua and Panajachel (and San Pedro La Laguna) in Lake Atitlan are probably the two most important tourist hubs in Guatemala, your chances to meet fellow travellers there are very high. You will find many travellers also in Rio Dulce, Flores, Tikal and Monterrico in a lesser degree. Xela is the place for serious Spanish students, and not a good place to meet Guatemalans.

Keep in mind that we Guatemalans tend to be shy and introvert when we don't know somebody, but it is quite easy to break the ice and start a conversation with most people. Many locals will absolutely never start a conversation with a stranger, though that is changing it is still the predominant attitude.