Construction Programs—Volunteer in Guatemala!

An exceptional and unforgettable experience that would not have been possible without the extremely friendly staff at Maximo Nivel and the foreman at the construction site who made the work was never boring and that everybody felt comfortable with their tasks.

I had the pleasure of volunteering for two weeks with Maximo Nivel in Antigua, Guatemala. I was enrolled in their holiday program during Christmas/ New Years. During my stay there we worked with children from impoverished areas to help brighten up their holidays. We had a wonderful Christmas fiesta with plenty of games, food and even a piñata. The children especially enjoyed the arts and crafts, jump rope, cards games, twister and soccer game. I even became a doll for several of the young girls as they pretended to put makeup on me and do up my hair, it was adorable! We also participated in some construction at a health clinic called the Centro the Salud Sumpango. Together volunteers worked enthusiastically help build an additional room and add in a new entrance so patients would no longer have to wait outside in the rain to see a physician. It was quite rewarding seeing everything once it had been completed. The out pour of appreciation was overwhelming. I also had the opportunity of touring Antigua, Guatemala which was absolutely breathtaking. I climbed the Pacaya volcano, went to Tikal and enjoyed touring several museums and churches throughout Antigua. I even took Spanish classes with Maximo Nivel, which I loved!! The icing on the cake for me though was the friendly and attentive staff at Maximo Nivel which was a huge relief since I was traveling alone and had never been to Guatemala. The staff was truly, sincere, caring and kind; you simply can’t put a price on that! This was my second time traveling with Maximo Nivel and I‘m sure it won’t be my last. A special thank you to Collins and Maritza! I showed up in Guatemala with a large number of donated Christmas toys without even warning them and without skipping a bit Maritza organized/ planned and helped me to give out the toys to orphaned boys and girls throughout Guatemala, thank you so much Maritza!! My heart is still overflowing with great memories of joy! Christina Rodriguez Christmas & New Years 2016

I´ve stayed in Antigua for a total of five weeks, and till this point it has been amazing! I´m combining volunteering with Spanish classes. In the morning we go to the volunteering project by bus and work from roughly 8 till 11.30. In my first three weeks I was on the construction and renovation project. We were building two small offices for the municipal of San Bartolome. One office will provide a place for the women in the town to go to with problems within their marriage or in other situations. The other office will be used as an ecological office. The purpose of what we are building is very noble, which really enhances the experience I´ve had! The house I am staying at is a big house with around 15 people in it (changes every week). The atmosphere is very relaxed and chilled. We eat together, watch movies, play games and go out or on weekend trips. The city is very pretty with beautiful sights and plenty things to do. There are a lot of cool coffeeshops, lunch places and bars. Besides that there is a big market where you can buy a variety of street food, vegetables, clothes and souvenirs. On the weekends there are several things that can be done. Thus far I´ve been to the beach and climbed a volcano (with overnight stay). Those are just two of the things, because there are plenty and for every taste. The staff of Maximo has been amazing too. I twisted my ankle while playing basketball during my stay. The next day an employee of the organisation comes and visit me with several things that helped my ankle heal. Also the supervisors at the construction project really knew what they were doing, which helped me develop my own set of construction skills. After three weeks of construction, I switched to working on a coffee plantation. I didn´t plan on doing this but switching was very easy and it gives some variation to your days. In the afternoon I´m following Spanish classes. This helps me to understand the country and the people better since I am already applying it in my daily live. The pace of the classes are pleasant and you get individual attention, even in the group classes. All together my experiences have been great and I recommend anyone to volunteer with Maximo Nivel in Guatemala!