Gap Year Programs After College in Mexico

Iguana Abroad was such a rewarding experience. The program allows you to live in Mexico while learning Spanish, travelling and generally getting to know this awesome country! To be fully immersed in a culture and learn from local Mexican teachers was such a special opportunity and something I will remember for the rest of my life. Everyone on the course was so welcoming and open to share their life experiences of Mexico and the staff on the program made us feel excited about Mexico and Mexican culture. I would like to especially thank Harry and Harry for organizing the program and also the Spanish teaching staff for their patience with my slow uptake of Spanish vocabulary!

I found Iguana Abroad online as I was looking for summer programs to boost my Spanish level while spending the summer outside the US. The program is a really cool mix of Spanish lessons and cultural immersion, with time for relaxing as well as some daily structure to help keep you focused. We visited Aztec ruins, a village in the mountains with Spanish-era architecture, lots of nature and also an Aztec city built on canals (the Mexican Venice!). Seeing Mexican daily life and day to day Mexican culture was really eye-opening – I loved visiting the markets, buying local products, and seeing how local Mexicans live their daily lives. I also loved meeting Spanish speakers on the course during the weekend trips and excursions – many of the Mexican people who we met on the trips and at the Spanish school have become my close friends. Overall, Iguana Abroad was a perfect immersion program, both for learning Spanish and also enjoying the cultural sides of the country. Gracias Iguana Abroad!

I had never travelled outside the US before signing up to Iguana Abroad but I am very happy that I did! Iguana Abroad was an incredible experience <3 I made so many friends on the program, learnt a lot of Spanish and visiting another country for the first time was nerve-racking but ultimately so satisfying! One thing I’ll never forget is the way that the Iguana Abroad guys make you feel so at home when you are there – taking time to help you buy groceries in the market, making sure everyone is happy on the program, and generally just making the trip an awesome experience. The process of arriving in Mexico is very easy because they come and pick you up from the airport and the routine of Spanish classes, day trips, cooking classes, etc, is something that I will definitely miss! Everyone on the program was amazing and weekend trips were always so memorable thanks to the awesome people in the group <3 Overall, Iguana Abroad make the whole process so easy from start to finish, they really show you the best side to Mexico and make the whole experience so much fun. An all round perfect Spanish course!

2 years ago I did a the Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica trip with pacific discovery and it was amazing. The organisation itself is really good and made the group feel like a family. All the activities were not only absolutely fantastic but also inspiring.

Start to finish the course was excellent. Harry and Harry (the programme directors) ran this course like total experts, it was all really well designed and well organised - these guys really know what they are doing. Right from the start the IA team made me feel calm, they always responded immediately to all my questions, had clear answers and really wanted to do everything to help … they actually spoke to me 3 separate times on Zoom before I came just to answer small questions, even though there was a lot of information provided before the course started. It is also worth saying that the group vibe was incredible - this course was absolutely packed full of amazing people all having the best time together. I am honestly delighted that I found this course. (Oh, and you have got to try ‘tacos de canasta’!!)

I was able to meet friends from all over the U.S. and a few from the Netherlands. We all shared love for trying new things and got to help each other to get out of our comfort zones a little. It wasn't always easy, everyone comes from different backgrounds and experiences and things didn't always go as you expected. We all grew so much during those 3months and our instructors Tari and Jack were inspiring. This experience made me start to work my way into the outdoor education field after seeing the impact it had on me. Now im starting to work with kids and taking them on hikes and getting to share fun stories of the things i experienced with Pacific Discovery and how it's made me even more curious and determined to find my next travel opportunity.

This program made me grow a lot mentally and was a journey of self discovery as well as an outer journey of learning about new interesting cultures and ways of life. I would definitely recommend if you want to make friends and gain an eye opening view of the world.

The person that started this program and the person who has left are 2 very different minded people. I have come to learn much about myself and what I like by spending time reflecting and challenging both my mental and physical states. This trip provided the space and time away to focus on this part of myself and I am forever grateful for this experience.

Costa Rica's Turtle Conservation Project was one thing I will never forget! Such an eye opening and amazing experience. The IHQV program is an amazing way to explore the world in a feasible way. Not only is it affordable but I would have never experienced anything like it! IHQV Brings so much more, more ham any guided tour, more than a resort, and more than anything you could experience on your own. They have demonstrated such strong dedication to make sure every part of the trip is a great learning exprenice while keeping it fun. One of my most memeroble moments would be seeing the indangered leather back turtle lay her eggs. Because the leather back is in such danger it is critical that her eggs are gathered and re-nested in the hatchery where they can be taken care of and monitered to keep them safe from predators. I was lucky enough to be able to personally collect her eggs and dig a new nest to place each egg carfully. It was truley an amazing experience. I wish I could go back to see them hatch! Not only was this such an amazing experience, but every single person I met on this trip through the program m, I will dearly miss. IHQV brings everyone with similar ambitions together and from all over the world. I loved to meet people from the UK, Australia and Italy. Never could I go anywhere and meet such amazing people in one single place. I would recommend this program a million times. Leaving was hard, I'll miss my friends I have made and most importantly all the work that was done everyday to help such a wonderful project!

International Volunteer HQ [IVHQ] responded to this reviewMay 21, 2018

Hi Drew, thank you for sharing your incredible experience on the Turtle Conservation project in Costa Rica! It's amazing that you were able to help in the protection of the leatherback turtles eggs as this is such an important task in the conservation of the turtles. We would love to have you join us again in the future! ^Rachel - IVHQ Costa Rica Program Manager

My time volunteering in Portugal was the most amazing experience. It gave me the comfort and growth to travel and experience new adventures on my own. The staff, locals and coordinators ensured my stay was the best possible experience.

International Volunteer HQ [IVHQ] responded to this reviewApril 09, 2018

Hi Andy - It's awesome to hear about your time on the program, and I'm so glad you enjoyed your experience in Ghana. Our local team is awesome and I'm thrilled to hear you felt supported by them in every capacity during your time on the program. I wish you all the best! ^Caroline - IVHQ Portugal Program Manager