Centro Infantil de Los Angeles

I just returned from a week at Centro Infantil de Los Angeles, a day care and preschool in San Miguel de Allende. It is for children aged 6 months to 5 years old from disadvantaged homes in San Miguel. I spent the week in the 4 year olds' classroom. It was a joy - the kids were wonderful, so sweet and full of love and hugs. The teachers were also very welcoming. I helped with various things in the classroom (hand washing, serving lunch, distributing papers and supplies for activities) but mostly gave the kids a little extra attention. I was very impressed by the staff and the organization of the school. There is a volunteer coordinator who helped me organize my stay and transport from the airport. I stayed in the volunteer house just next door to the school - it was $180 US to stay for a week - I happened to be the only volunteer that week. I think all the rooms have their own en suite bathroom. There is a common kitchen and living room. It's really nice. About 25 minutes walk into the center of San Miguel. I really recommend CILA as a place to volunteer - on my last day there was a school assembly - some parents put on a show. Afterwards the whole school sang to me (Gracias a ti, a ti, a ti) - it was amazing and made me cry! Amazing how you can be so touched by people in just a week. Very grateful for the love and welcome I was given at CILA and hope to go back one day.

What a great experience to share a month with these children. I must say that CILA is doing a wonderful job and I am sure that they provide the essential foundation for all these children to move forward in life.
The activities are very varied, and the children are very comfortable with the volunteers. They are used to receiving people and this opens their acceptance of others which will be very useful for their future. I had a lot of good moments. Imagine how you can feel on a bad day, a few minutes later you enter to the room and 6 children (or even more) jump into your arms? pafff it’s magic, the bad mood of the day flies away.
We get attached to them very quickly, they have a lot of love to give and just need to receive the same. I congratulate all the staff for the excellent work they do and the organizers who make our visits possible. It is possible to come for a week but my recommendation would be to stay there for at least two weeks so that the experience is complete.

This is a great volunteering experience - there's a reason I've returned every year for the last four years. I highly recommend this experience for anyone looking to make an impact and likes working with kids. You're not going to beat Centro Infantil de Los Angeles in terms of the quality of the volunteering experience, the location, and the price.

In terms of the volunteering, you'll work/play with kids between 1 and 4 years old at a day care. Each class has a maestra and you will be her assistant, doing things like cleaning, escorting kids to the bathroom, making photocopies, serving food, and changing the kids clothing at the end of the day. You do get a lot of time to play with the kids and at the end of the experience you will feel like you've made a difference in their lives.

The facility for volunteers to stay at is really nice. At most, it's three people per room (although I've never shared a room with more than one other person). The building is beautiful with nice common areas and a rooftop with a killer view. There is a daily cleaning service and they serve you two meals a day at the day care - all in all, a very good deal for the <$200 you pay per week.

San Miguel de Allende is an awesome town with a lot to do including hiking, day trips, hot springs, shopping, yoga, and walking around town. It's such a beautiful city - you've gotta see it! It's also relatively safe and has a great food scene.

When you put it all together, it is truly a great experience. I always miss it as soon as I am on my plane home and feel at home every time I return.

For the past two years we have brought high school students to Centro Infantil to serve and work with children attending the day care for a period of one week to four weeks. We're an all-boy, rigorous college prep school from St. Louis, MO -- St. Louis University High School. Community Service is a major component of our curriculum and mission, and we serve those in need both locally and abroad. Having worked with numerous and worthwhile non-profit organizations over the years, Centro Infantil distinguishes itself from other organizations on several levels.

First, the organization of the Voulunteer Program is top notch. Centro Infantil has a full-time Volunteer Coordinator (Ryan) who dedicates himself to working with the volunteers on all levels. He helps set up the itinerary, provides us with a comprehensive volunteer manual, leads an entertaining and informative orientation, and offers many opportunities (some structured and some casual) for reflection about the work our students are doing, its value for the children and families they serve, and how it fits into a bigger picture of our societal needs.

Second, it's a wonderful experience for our students -- their interaction with the children is personal, consistent and enriching. Serving essentially as teacher aids, our students help feed, care for, play with and educate these children (from infants to nearing pre-school) on a daily basis. When not working with the children, they're doing a variety of projects from painting to cleaning or whatever manual labor is needed. They truly experience a wide range of service opportunities during their stay.

Third, Centro Infantil makes the logistics very convenient, safe and affordable. Volunteer housing (adjoining the day care facility) is provided at a very low cost, with a breakfast and lunch provided. San Miguel is a beautiful and safe city that is free of the concerns found in coastal and border towns. It's very comforting to know that I can send my students off to explore in small groups without having to worry about their safety. Ryan is also very helpful in providing options for dining, recreation and transportation.

I fully expect to bring more students to Centro Infantil in the future, and I would recommend this service opportunity for everyone.

I have loved my time here at Centro Infantil de los Angeles! All staff and teachers are so kind and truly care for the students. The children are the sweetest and you can tell they really like it here. The children love to sing, dance, play on the playground, and get their hair done before they go home each day -- it is a really great environment for kids. The daycare is right next door to the volunteer house and all the volunteers and staff are very inviting, kind, and helpful, which has made my first time traveling abroad alone very comfortable. Plus it is absolutely beautiful here! Other volunteers and I are going on weekend trips to explore other cities in Mexico, but you don't ever have to leave San Miguel de Allende to see the beauty of the city. I would highly recommend Centro Infantil de los Angeles to anyone who loves kids, traveling, and living in beautiful places.