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Centro Internacional De Idiomas

Why choose Centro Internacional De Idiomas?

LA CEIBA OUR COMMUNITY:
The third largest city in Honduras has a small-town warmth.
Located on the north coast of Honduras bordering the Caribbean Sea and a blue-green mountain range rain forest.
A charming and safe port city.
Easy access to the US and Europe through San Pedro Sula.
Good night life, restaurants, and access to adventure and eco-tourism.
Just a short ride by ferry boat to the beautiful Bay Islands, famous for their snorkeling and scuba diving

A CULTURAL EXPERIENCE:
Explore richness of diversity through cultural events and programs.
Centro Internacional de Idiomas sponsors events and activities to broaden horizons and make your stay more enjoyable.
To the extend possible, special programs can be arranged to suit the desires of an individual group.
Diversity of volunteer opportunities for those who wants to give a little help to the needed.

Founded
1992

Programs

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Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Manuel Mendizábal

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Tell us a little about Centro Internacional Idiomas and your role at the company.

Centro Internacional de Idiomas is a Spanish Language Immersion school located in La Ceiba, Honduras, Central America. Spanish is taught on a one on one student teacher ratio or up to three students per group, focusing in conversation practice, grammar, readings and the vocabulary according to the student level and needs. The program is based in 20 hours per week, 4 hours per day from Monday through Friday. There are morning and afternoon sessions from 7:30 a.m to 11:30 a.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. All our teachers are certified and must pass an entrance exam in order to work in our school. They are university graduates and some of them are bilingual for those at the very beginning level. Students at all levels are accepted. Teacher work on a daily planning depending of the student's level.

My position role at the company is the general director and I manage all the operation including orientation session and city tour, 24/7 emergency contact, answer all the requests and information for the programs, payrools, training new teachers, 2 times a month we have workshops with the teachers to clear doubts and review grammar subjects, etc.

How did you get involved in the volunteer industry?

After the Hurricane Mitch in 1998 many volunteers arrive to Honduras to take part of missions to help the country and some of them told me about volunteering companies, so I started to sending e-mails to ask for volunteers to come to my country as I did it with you. Every year I look for new agencies to work with them.

What makes Centro Internacional Idiomas unique?

C.I.I. since the beginning in 1992 focused in a personalized service, attention to details, make sure volunteers and students feel like they were at home. Teacher and coordinators take good care of each client, we work with agencies around the world and provide first quality service to each client.

In your experience, what characteristics make a good international volunteer?

- Proactive: Jump in and maintain a positive attitude.

- Patient: Life in your host country moves slower than one might be used to. Relax and enjoy the slow pace. They have to remember that not everything is as organized and predictable as life in the US or UK.

- Flexible: Realize that not everything goes as planned, but good intention is always there.

- Considerate; Respect those around you and be a reliable worker at the program site.

- Respectful: Understand the organization decisions or direction, remember that the local people you are working with, side by side, do so with little or not salary. They do this work because they believe in it. There are times when you may no agree.

- Friendly and Tolerant.