In the fall of 2025, we officially launched the Culture Chalk Old School program. A one-of-a-kind world-schooling hub that essentially turned the small and neighbouring hidden villages of San Juan and San Pedro La Laguna, Guatemala, into a school campus. The program's concept was to go back in time and offer children opportunities to learn 'old-school crafts' such as shoe-making, woodworking, oil painting, weaving, beading, and farming, taught by locals.
The program booked up in no time and was such a success that we have sought a larger venue for our fall program of 2026.
So, without further ado, we are proud to present:​
Old School 2026
BAMBU edition.
The Santiago Bambu campus features direct access to Lake Atitlan, stunning views, jaw-dropping, vast green spaces for play, a swimming pool, temazcal, hot tub, koi pond, kayaks, a greenhouse for our tropical botany course, and so much more.
The Bambu world-class restaurant (breakfast and lunch included in the monthly package) will not disappoint!
The program offers a fantastic itinerary to learn new skills; yet the true strength of the experience lies in its built-in community aspect and opportunities to engage with local families. During Oldschool, every guest family is paired with and introduced to a suitable local family in the area, providing a fast-tracked window into the daily life of Mayan locals. A program designed to build long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationships for you to continue to nurture and grow once your family returns home.
Oldschool is all about connecting with and learning from the local community in genuine ways. Guests are expected to work hard to integrate and hang out with their host families! (Everyone's highlight of the 2025 program!)
PROGRAM RUNNING:
AUGUST 1-28
SEPTEMBER 1-28
OCTOBER 1-28
What is included:
Delicious 'a la carte' restaurant breakfasts and lunches every day.
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Hotel accommodations with plenty of common areas, green space, and direct lake access.​
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Biweekly boat tours to different villages around Lake Atitlan
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Spanish Lessons with local teachers
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English English-speaking host and leader who will be available to the group for the duration of your stay.
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Soccer program with several pitch time-slots booked every week!
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POOL - HOT TUB TIME - TEMAZCAL!
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"Family Pairing" with a local family with children of similar ages or interests to yours.
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Shuttles to and from the Airport on start and finish dates.
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Arts and crafts room stocked with supplies, Lego, games, books, and scheduled childcare with daily activities.
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Professional artist on staff for instruction and slotted one-on-one time teaching your child during the week.
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"Old School" age-appropriate apprenticeships
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Guided tried and tested sustainable community service activities. -A cornerstone of our program.
2 optional monthly guided hikes or birdwatching tours.
Coffee and cacao demonstrations,
Walks to town for guided market tours. ​
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Bottomless fresh Guatemalan coffee all day, every day.
What is not included:
Flights
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Personal Travel Insurance (Required)
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Gratuity for guides/hotel staff
Suppers
Minimum Stay: 4 weeks
Weekly Schedule
Monday
6am
Sun is up, coffee is on.
7am - 9am
Breakfast served
9am - 10:30am
Spanish School
10:30 - 12pm
Play time on the grass: guided games, running around and fun.
12-1:30pm
Lunch hours.
1:45 -3:00pm
Soccer or Swimming
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Evening free
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*Time slots with Artist Heather and tortilla making classes for kids throughout the day.
Tuesday
6am
Sun is up, coffee is on.
7am - 9am
Breakfast served
9am - 11:30am
Morning skills elective
12-1:30pm
Lunch hours.
1:45 -3:00pm
Afternoon skills elective
6:00pm
Soccer or swimming
Wednesday
Phys-ed Day
6am
Sun is up, coffee is on.
7am - 9am
Breakfast served
9am - 12
Time with your local family and craft apprenticeship.
12-1:30pm
Lunch
2:00 -4:00pm
6:00pm
Special event: smores/live music/local guest speakers/story telling
Thursday
6am
Sun is up, coffee is on.
7am - 9am
Breakfast served
9am - 11:30am
Morning skills elective
12-1:30
Lunch
2-4 pm
Afternoon skills elective
6:00pm
Soccer or swimming
Friday
Day of Language, immersion, and Etiquette
6am
Sun is up, coffee is on.
7am - 9am
Breakfast served
9am - 10:30am
Spanish School
10:45-11:45
Ethics and Etiquette class
12:00 - 1:30pm
Lunch hours
2-5pm
Local immersion: time with your paired local families to explore, use your Spanish and learn about daily life in Guatemala
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Saturday
Day of rest 1
8:00-9:30am
Breakfast served
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12-2pm
Lunch​
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Free day
Activity menu provided for families to explore the area with their families or with other guests attending​​​​​​​
Sunday
Day of rest 2
8:30am
Breakfast
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12-2pm
Lunch
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Day open for family time
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​​​*Biweekly Hike or Boat Tour
Where you'll be staying while in Santiago, Atitlan, Guatemala:
The rooms offered in this package have 2-3 double beds and a garden or lake view so you enjoy the daily sun rising during your time at Lake Atitlan.
Beautiful views, local decor.
Double Bedroom Monthly Rate
All in: including up to 3 kids' tuition
5 Person Max
$6900.00
Deluxe home package with private kitchen, deck, garden, 5 double beds
6 person Max
(Only 1 available)
Includes up to 4 kids' tuition
$7900.00
Premium Package
Luxury Suite Cabanas with 2 double beds, private infinity pool, lake view.
4 person Max
(Only 2 available)
$8400
All prices in USD
Easy, simple payment plans available!
​​​​Affordable and practical education by design.
Renting this entire complex by the month during the Guatemalan low season has allowed us to offer it at an incredibly low rate. Normally $140-$280 per night, we have teamed up with Bambu to offer an unforgettable family-oriented experience to include 2 meals a day, stunning accommodations, AND your children's tuition for the month!
Experience a trial run of community living during your stay. With all that is included in this program, we have designed it to be a budget-friendly option for families that wish to settle somewhere long enough to really get plugged in to their surroundings.
We encourage scheduled community dinners, campfires in the garden, and reading circles in our shared spaces. Daily space and "time off" are given to parents during our supervised arts and crafts time in the crafts room. Board games, Lego, cards, and toys are also available! Wifi and Starlink internet are also available, and we offer private workspaces for those of you who video call regularly.
Program suitable for children 7 and up
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Feel good about your involvement!
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Your participation supports:
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Our local community centre
Pacucha Women's health clinic
Culture Chalk's homes for single mothers initiative
Accommodation Options
Want to see more? Here's our promo video that tells our story in under 5 minutes.
GENERAL INFORMATION
​Join us for an incredible one to three month stay of work hard - play hard fun! We are so proud to offer this experience! Once registered, you will be invited to the Old School WhatsApp group party-line where registered guests are posting ideas, preparation tips and general info.
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Lake Atitlan remains extremely traditional and conservative in nature. Please remember that we are guests and as such we should dress and behave respectfully towards our hosts. Please dress modestly during your time here.
Bringing some small gifts is 100% recommended to give to some of the families we support that we will be pairing you with from our community. (Quality socks, non-lingual games (like UNO, a quality deck of playing cards, Blockus), children's art supplies, toys or a quality kitchen utensil/gadget.)
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As our name Culture Chalk implies, we specialize in Cultural Education. We truly want you to experience the best of Guatemalan culture while representing your own culture with class, sensitivity and objectivity. And trust us, we know it's not always easy when experiencing new things, as good as they may be, they are still different and different can be challenging. We encourage visitors to come with an attitude of loving Guatemala for what it is and not judging it for what it is not.
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Guatemala is a vibrant place and roosters crowing, dogs barking, music playing and fireworks being set off at all times of the day is considered normal. Come ready to laugh, dance, sing, and see yourself in a brand new light.
Our goal as your hosts is for you to leave our place BETTER, in so many ways.
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Cultural Immersion Retreats