Working with Kids—Volunteer in Guatemala!

My program went to a school in San Pedro. I worked with 4 year olds. They learned how to make shapes. They did a workbook page of tracing triangle with a crayon then painting over it. They also did a workbook page of cutting out animals to glue them in the image of the jungle. I loved working with my group and so recommend it.

I recommend volunteering in guatemala to everyone! Working in a local daycare and school in Guatemala gave me the chance to connect with the kids and fully immerse myself in the vibrant culture. It was so meaningful!

The home stay was comfortable, project placement was exhausting but so rewarding—I felt that I was actually making a difference. All of the pre-trip support was great, and the Maximo Nivel staff is supportive responsive, and so kind & fun!

Living accommodations great, host family was fantastic but at the school needs one more person per group. I was with the babies age 6m to 2y and on Thursday and today Friday there were no teachers. Cooks helped out.

This was a great experience! I loved working with the kids. Maximo-Nivel staff were very knowledgeable and supportive. The students were engaged and fun to work with. I’d recommend this experience to anyone who wants to volunteer their time to this wonderful country!

Training and communication prior to arrival was amazing!! My host family was so sweet!! Clean house, wonderful meals. The kids in the schools will forever be in my heart! I am going to miss the daily hugs and smiles!!

I had a very fun time. The kids and staff are very amusing and comedic. I hope to come back again and would love to share this experience with basically everyone I know. This is indeed the best spring break.

Working with the kids was a very valuable moment for me because it changed how I act towards others because I am I shy guy and it also gave me a chance to travel the world and expirence new things and exposed me to a different culture.

This was our first time with Máximo and they did not disappoint! We felt so safe and supported by the staff there and loved the volunteer environment. The times were extremely flexible and gave a lot of time to explore on our own. It was truly heaven on earth.

I am so so happy that I chose to volunteer with Maximo and I had the best time in Guatemala! Everyone was so friendly and the staff made it really easy to navigate things throughout my time here. I definitely recommend!!

I volunteered and studied Spanish through Máximo Nivel. I felt completely supported by the staff and was very happy with my advisor, Daf. As a volunteer through Maximo Nivel, I worked at a an elementary school with kids ages 5-12 in Antigua, Guatemala. My experience was amazing! Both the kids and teachers I worked with were incredibly sweet and energetic. My host family was extremely kind and welcoming and the food was great.

I would of never imagined the things that I saw and heard. The kids have such big hearts and it is very moving to see how happy they get with the simplest of things. Being with the kids was truly the best thing by far they were so loving and welcoming from the first second we walked in. I would defiantly do this again.

This was my first time out of the country and Maximo Nivel made it easier and made me feel like everything was going to be okay! enjoyed meeting local and exploring the city. All of the kids I worked with were amazing and really sweet. Everything around me was different than what I was used to but I felt like everything was okay because everyone made me feel so welcomed from the start. We did a cooking class and that was really fun because I never made dressing from scratch. Also, having to walk everywhere was hard but it really helped me enjoy the things I have back home.

I was truly taken aback with the logistics and coordination of the Maximo Nivel staff. Working with the children was very sweet. I am extremely happy with the program. Antigua is a beautiful city! Looking forward to future vacations here.

coming to Antigua was probably the best decision I made in a long time. This experience was everything I was expecting, plus more. Being with the kids was one of the best opportunities, they were all so loving and welcoming and very eager to learn from us. The staff at Maximo Nivel and our host family were always offering us help and managed to make this trip one of the best experiences. HUGE thank you to everyone in Antigua, Guatemala

I came to spend a month in Antigua working in a school only for children with disabilities through Maximo Nivel. Although I work with children with disabilities back home, I was definitely nervous! I didn't speak Spanish, I was used to working with children through my job as a speech therapist and here I was going to a completely new culture and new country! However, I couldn't of asked for a better experience with Maximo. The orientation and support they gave, both at my project and just throughout my time in Antigua, was fantastic! I always felt welcomed by the staff, and got some great suggestions of places to go and things to see. Working in the school was not easy, especially being the only volunteer there, working with my poor Spanish and coming to terms with the different standards of disability care in another culture. But overall it was such a brilliant experience! The children are such beautiful and fun to be around, even if it is just taking them for a spin in the wheelchair or playing a game of soccer. My field manager at Maximo, Isa, was amazing at coming and helping me translate things with the staff and just make sure I felt comfortable. My advice to anyone thinking about coming to do a project working with children is : #1 Do it! You won't regret it #2 Consider giving a special needs placement a go! It may seem scary or unknown, but I promise the children you meet and genuine help you can give, even with something as small as catching a ball or doing a craft activity is worth it.

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I came to Guatemala with my 16 year old daughter to volunteer with the child care program. I wasn't sure what to expect and we both were a little nervous. We arrived on Sunday for orientation. Right from the start we knew we were in excellent hands. Maximo Nivel is very well organized, the atmosphere is upbeat with a focus on making this world a better place. After orientation we were ready to start! Monday Isa went with us on the bumpy bus ride to Santa Maria. The childcare center is colorful and each child and teacher had a smock on with his-her name' this helped a ton! There are about 40 kids between the ages of 1 and 5. They are so eager to love and give affection, we were greeted with hugs and cheers! The week went fast and today was our last day, I cried when it was time to leave. I know that I was able to give some individual love and attention to these kids (despite not speaking Spanish) and in return I have added a big slice of value to my life. My daughter told me this was the best trip of a lifetime!

This was our first volunteer experience away from our hometown and having 4 children (ages 8,11,12,14) - 2 with severe nut allergies and our family being vegetarian, children born and raised in a suburb of Chicago, plus travelling with over 9 pieces of luggage with donations collected in our home town friends, family and neighbors - I was nervous about a lot of things! MAXIMO NIVEL made us comfortable in every step of the way from the coordination and planning from home to the airport pickup and drive to Antigua, to the home stay, and the volunteer child care project in SOSEP Santa Maria. We had the most amazing support staff (Isa and Rosa) that helped us answer 100s of questions related to the program as well as for our own travel interest. They were friendly and helpful, very accommodating in every step of the way. Antigua is a very special town with warm people and rich culture, and MAXIMO NIVEL was supportive for our interests. Thank you and hope to be back here again soon

We had the best experience working with the kids and teachers of Sosep at Santa Maria. Our field manager (Esa) gave us a tour and some great do´s and don´ts. It was extremely easy and rewarding to help in the day care. It was a perfect way for our young kids (ages 8, 11, 12, and 14) to feel helpful and also appreciate where they come from and all the opportunities they have back in the comforts of our home in the US. My wife and I would strongly encourage any family to try this. The host family experience, commuting with the locals and finding ways to help, along with the freedom to enjoy vacation activities in the evenings is perfect blend of vacationing and volunteering for families. Shah Family

Overall, my experience whit kids has been memorable and enjoyable. It was a one of a kind experience and I could not have done it without the help of Maximo Nivel. There is nothing better than having an encouraging, supporting team by your side through an incredible volunteering experience. I have worked whit several day cares around Guatemala and had the opportunity to experience the differences between each one. Helping kids in need has always had a place in my heart and it has a great impact on our society. Children deserve to live happy and have the opportunity to receive a good childhood. Guatemala can be a challenging place to raise a child and having the extra help is always a plus.