Learn Spanish and explore the charming town of Antigua during a long-term internship
Program Overview
Journey to the colorful and history-rich Mayan country of Guatemala, an extraordinary country that shares its well-preserved and impressive sites of an ancient civilization in the form of Tikal.
It is here that you will explore the UNESCO-protected town of Antigua as you both learn and teach Spanish during your internship. Your essential focus during your stay will be to reinforce the educational support provided to the young children of the surrounding villages, making profound and positive impacts on their early development.
Our local in-country partner, Phoenix is the project operator and also gives you the chance to earn additional qualifications and experience throughout your stay, affording you a unique foundation for developing your own career.
Life on the Program
Once you have completed your initial training week of one-on-one Spanish lessons your days will be spent in the indigenous communities outside of Antigua, continuing your training and running your own class for a full academic year.
You will be expected you to plan and prepare your lessons along with managing the volunteers who will come and go throughout your time there. Please be prepared for long days, leaving Antigua in the early morning not to return until late afternoon from Monday through Friday, as you assist in the overall running of the program.
Your accommodation will be located in Antigua with a local family, providing you with basic but comfortable amenities and a private room. The town of Antigua is a fun, active and busy town offering international restaurants, large markets, internet services and optional excursions.
Program Details
Phoenix has made leaps and bounds since first establishing their program 10 years ago. Since beginning, our local partners have provided an education to over 600 children, while coupling the initiative with improving their overall quality of life.
The basis of the Phoenix projects focuses on a 25-year plan, where the children will later grow to start their own family, sending their children to the school for the same education. This process will ultimately provide improved job opportunities, increased income which will allow them to afford this education for children to come, creating a sustainable cycle.
Your long-term presence will dramatically impact this goal, providing another set of hands to teach children in two indigenous communities, paying forward better opportunities for generations to come.
Volunteer Testimonials
I credit GVI with putting me in an environment where I could experience Guatemala in a way that would not have been possible if I had just been travelling as a tourist. My time volunteering as a first grade teacher also heightened my pre-existing interests in education, and the community projects that I took part in through GVI drove home the importance of volunteer work that creates sustainable benefits for the communities involved.
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Program Details
Build Your Program
What's Included
- Pre-departure support and discounted services
- 24-hour emergency phone
- Airport pick-up (unless otherwise stated)
- Arrival orientation
- Long term experienced staff
- Safe and basic accommodations (usually shared)
- All meals (unless otherwise stated in field manuals)
- Welcome meeting
- Location orientation
- All necessary project training by experienced staff
- All necessary project equipment and materials
- 24-hour in-country support
- 2 weeks off every 3 months to enjoy the rest of what Guatemala has to offer. You will need to liaise with the project manager to organize time off
- Lunch
What's Not Included
- Flights
- Medical and travel insurance
- Visa costs
- Personal kit
- Additional drinks and gratuities
- Extra local excursions
- International and domestic airport taxes
- Meals on Sundays
