Description

La Mariposa is a non-profit Spanish School and Eco-hotel, in which our main goal is to provide employment to the local community. We also use the income generated by our guests to fund a range of environmental and community projects, which are designed and run by local people. Our volunteer packages allow students to participate in community projects, while learning from local people and improving their Spanish.

Volunteers at La Mariposa combine volunteer work with Spanish language classes, and live with a host family in the community of La Concepcion.

Currently available volunteer placements:

Primary school reading and writing
Primary schools need people to work alongside teachers to help small groups of children improve their reading and writing skills. We support two local schools, Panama School and Ruben Dario School, and an after-school reading program in the barrio of Santiago. These positions are not teaching positions, and thus require no certification, but the children benefit immensely from the individual attention they receive from our volunteers.

Childcare
In the barrio of Santiago, the community has begun using the same building for the after-school reading program for a daycare project in the mornings. The daycare provides childcare targeted at the poorest families in the barrio. This allows parents to work in mornings and also prepares young children (ages 1-5) for primary school. Volunteers would work alongside three daycare workers in the mornings, helping out with childcare.

Gardening
We have placements both on the grounds of La Mariposa and in the barrio of Santiago. On Mariposa grounds we are our gardener, Santos, can always use extra help caring for our garden. In the barrio of Santiago, there is a small community garden around the after-school reading program that we support. We place volunteers with a community organizer, Pedro, who takes care of the garden and often brings volunteers along on work he is doing locally.

Organic Farm
Between planting, weeding, and watering there's never a lack of need for an extra pair hands to help out on our three organic farms. The veggies that our volunteers help plant and harvest are served up here at the hotel to our guests.

Healthcare
The volunteer placements in the local health centers offer a unique learning opportunity. Volunteers provide support to over-worked doctors and nurses and under-staffed local clinics. For anyone working in the health field, the experience of observing the practice of medical care in a country with limited resources is invaluable. Opportunities range from assisting the nurses with routine cleanings, injections and paper work to accompanying in-home preventative education. An intermediate level of Spanish is desirable for this placement. Placements in a health care facility requires a copy of your professional certificate and a letter of reference from your school or work facility. These must be faxed to us before your arrival.

Reforestation
La Mariposa maintains a small plant nursery with local flora and fauna sprouts as well as tree saplings. We plant these, as well as the flower seed donations we receive from guests, in public space around San Juan and la Concha. Volunteers are placed alongside a local gardener and/or members of the Ecological Brigade from San Juan's secondary school to work on reforestation projects.

Construction
We are always looking for a pair of useful hands to do any number of construction projects we have lined up either on Mariposa grounds or in the community! From helping build shelves and birdbaths on our premises to repairs at local schools to repainting public buildings and constructing fences to replace barbed wire, there is always a bit of building that needs to be done.

Teach English
The teachers at the local secondary school welcome help with both formal grammar classes and, especially important, small group conversational practice. To teach formal grammar, volunteers must have TOEFL certification. As there is always an overwhelming desire in our community to learn English, particularly among secondary school students and our staff at La Mariposa, conversation classes can be arranged as well (no certification necessary).

Soccer Coach
This volunteer placement would entail working as a coach and mentor with Los Zapatos Rotos Corazón De Campeón, a soccer league created by Marlin, one of our Spanish teachers here at La Mariposa. His desire to help the local children of San Juan stay out of trouble and out of local gangs prompted him to devote his weekends coaching various teams in la cancha (the field) down the street from La Mariposa. The time commitment for this volunteer placement would include working weekends and Monday nights. The upside of this placement is that you would take Spanish classes in the morning, and would have the weekday afternoons free to participate in our various activities in and around La Concepcion. No experience is necessary, just a strong belief that participation in sports instills a sense of achievement and community.

Highlights

Voluntary Work at Mariposa - The Mariposa operates a uniquely rewarding scheme for visitors to Nicaragua who wish to contribute directly to the local community and environment by doing volunteer work.

What is so unique about the Mariposa volunteer scheme?
* You combine volunteer work with Spanish classes we offer 20 hours formal classes (2 hours of grammar and 2 hours of conversation) within the delightful garden surroundings of the Mariposa. For newcomers to Nicaragua we also recommend starting your time here with a week or two joining in with the Mariposa programme of afternoon and weekend activities in order to familiarise yourself with Nicaragua, its history and culture and with the immediate surroundings of La Concha.

* We do not place groups of volunteers only individuals. This ensures flexibility to meet your learning needs and that you do not spend your time here mainly interacting with groups of other Westerners on the contrary, we maximise the opportunities for you to work alongside and so get to know individual workers in La Concha.

* In keeping with the Mariposa principle of maximising local employment opportunities, we do not use volunteers to replace local workers. Instead, we place each individual volunteer alongside a Nicaraguan worker (this of course has the additional benefit of improving your Spanish)

* We offer opportunities for volunteers to become immersed in the community of La Concha by working within the community alongside workers from local organisations such as working alongside a pre-school teacher in a school, working in the health centre, or even with a bee project so you can really get out there to see for yourself, experience and understand how the community functions.

* We also have a range of volunteer opportunities within the more protected setting of the Mariposa - you similarly work alongside one of the Mariposa workers.

* Volunteers live in homestays with local families (all known to the Mariposa). This of course enhances the opportunities to get to know a Nicaraguan family and practice that Spanish!

* Weekly de-briefing sessions are held within the Mariposa, in English, so you can share the upside of your placement, reflecting on learning aspects. Also to help you make sense of some of those more demanding and difficult experiences (led by Dr Paulette Goudge who has a PhD in Development issues). You can browse the excellent selection of books on both Nicaragua and development and aid issues which are available in the Mariposa library.

* Because we work on a purely individual basis and not with groups we can offer you a placement suitable to your particular needs, subject to availability. You can also opt to do a combination of Mariposa activities and placement; or a combination of two or more different placements.

* We can offer you placements doing practical work within the Mariposa for as little as one week, but we ask for a longer time commitment if you prefer to work with people, suggested minimum one month.

We are located in La Concepcion, one of Nicaraguas tranquil Pueblos Blancos. At 500m above sea-level, the mountain breezes offer a refreshing break from the heat of the lowlands. We also enjoy a wonderful central location about an hour from Managua, Granada, Masaya, the Pacific Coast and Laguna de Apoyo. Microbuses pass by about every 10min to major transport hubs. We offer an experience that is sufficiently off the beaten track while still being very accessible to the country's amazing natural and historical places!

Qualifications

What we ask from you:
* Above all, an ability to reflect on how things work or don't work - in Nicaragua (the second poorest country in the Western hemisphere) and the reasons why. Good health is essential and an ability to go with the flow is invaluable.
* An understanding that though we work closely with the organisations to ensure that your placement runs as smoothly as possible - from both your point of view and the organisations' we cannot offer guarantees. Plans often have to be changed in Nicaragua due to unforeseen weather or other contingencies. Please note that we reserve the right to terminate a placement.
* Depending on the placement, at least a basic knowledge of Spanish is generally advisable. The Mariposa is an excellent Spanish school and we can orient your classes to the needs of your placement.
* Placements with the health authority require a copy of your professional certificate and a reference from your university, hospital or other working location. These need to be faxed to us before you arrive here.
* Teaching English placements require evidence of a TEFL qualification (except conversation practice).
* All placements require that you have your own internationally valid insurance covering illness, accident, theft etc and a liability disclaimer.
* The majority of the placements are within walking distance from the Mariposa or a short bus ride away (fares are around 10 cents, you are responsible) for placements further afield we can arrange the loan of a bicycle or even a horse!

Languages

• English
• Spanish

Cost in US$:

225 per week, 750 per month.

Cost Includes:

• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Language instruction

Program Fees Include:

* Per person per week (7 nights): USD 225
8 Per person per month (4 weeks): USD 750 (a savings of USD125!)

This price includes:
* Home-stay with a local family
* 3 meals per day
* Organized and supported volunteer placement
* 20 hours of Spanish class per week (4h per day, grammar & conversation)

Salary/Pay

N/A

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Typical Volunteer

A typical Mariposa volunteer is someone who above all is interested in contributing to the local community and environment and in increasing his/her understanding of how things work (or don't) in a country as poor as Nicaragua. The energy and commitment to work alongside local workers, thus getting to know more about their lives and the history and culture of Nicaragua is also evident.

Age Range

Any

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Home-stays

Participants Travel

Independently

Application Process Involves

• Written Application

The Mariposa Spanish School and Eco Hotel's Mission Statement

The Mariposa Spanish School and Eco-Hotel aims to create a learning environment where visitors, Nicaraguans and ex-pats come together to learn more about the world around us as well as learning the Spanish language. We offer our students the opportunity to learn Spanish through day-long immersion doing grammar and conversations in small groups in a fun relaxing environment. We have a range of activities designed to help you learn about all aspects of life in Nicaragua including history, politics, culture as well as visiting its beautiful landscapes. In our Eco-Hotel, we have incorporated features such as solar panels to try and minimise our impact on the planet.

Year Founded

2006