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Integrated Learning Experiences- INLEX

4.77 Rating
79 reviews
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Why choose Integrated Learning Experiences- INLEX?

Integrated Learning Experiences offers volunteer programs , group volunteering and internships in Guatemala, Costa Rica, Peru and Argentina. Our programs are customized to the participants to create great cultural experiences.

Website
www.inlexca.org
Founded
2004
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Enjoying dance lessons.
Parrots Feasting
Kindergarten in Cusco
Kindergarten
Lake Atitlan
Tikal
Semuc champey
Vulcan Pacaya

Community Awards

  • Go Overseas Award

Reviews

Default avatar
Niklas
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Volunteer in Costa Rica | Education, Healthcare, & more

Amazing Experience

Dec 30, 2024

As part of my final year of my medical education, I wanted to explore a foreign country to experience different approaches to help people in need, gain new experiences and learn a new language. On my search for fitting options, I stumbled upon Inlex and immediately was convinced by this organization. I finally chose to travel to Costa Rica to work at a small clinic in San Ramón. Shortly after I submitted my application they reached out to me and assisted me on every step during the application process and answered all my questions. As I didn't speak any Spanish at this point, the option to book online classes directly through them was very convenient. When I arrived in Costa Rica, I immediately had support from a representative of Inlex, who was extremely nice and accommodating. Even during my stay they always checked up on me and made sure I had a comfortable stay. In Costa Rica I had the most amazing host family and was able to work with amazing people at the clinic as well as learning some Spanish. I didn't know what to expect when I applied to this organization, but in any case I was overwhelmed with their services and can truly recommend this organization to anyone who wants to explore a foreign country!

Thank you so much for everything!

Pros
  • Host Family
  • Clinic
  • Spanish improvement
Default avatar
Rahel
25
Female
Germany
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Volunteer in Peru | Education, Preservation, Medical, widlife and more!

12 weeks at Hogar Juana de Aza in Cusco

Feb 9, 2024

I spent 12 weeks in Cusco working at the Hogar Juana de Aza and living with a super lovely host family. Together with my host family I was able to get to know and explore the Peruvian culture and the country and I am grateful for this experience.
However, my work at Hogar Juana de Aza was different than expected. I had the idea of ​​working more with the young mothers, but in the end it was more like childcare. I spent my time playing with children between 2 and 6 and looked after them. Nevertheless I really enjoyed my time and took both the children and the mothers very close to my heart. I'm happy with my decision to stay for so long, because it obviously took some time for the children to develop a bond with me and for the mothers to fully trust me with their children. After the first few weeks, I realized that I could make an important contribution to the Hogar and that I was greeted with a big smile every day and said goodbye with a heavy heart after work. Even though I expected something different I was happy to be there. I would recommend going to this program but it's important to know that you will be working with children most of the time.

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
After about 7 weeks I was alone with the 8 children in a small playground. As is normal with children, they tested my limits, but that day was special. Being alone with the responsibility for 8 children who fight, testing my boundaries and taking advantage of the fact that I don't understand them 100% (and I do have solid Spanish skills) was a big challenge that day. The feeling of not doing justice to the situation and the worry that something might happen overwhelmed me at that moment. At the end of that day I was grateful that everything went well (except some small bumps and bruises), but the tension and worry stayed with me for a few days. It wasn't the co-workers who helped me, but rather friends who had similar jobs and were able to give me tips and understood my worries and fears and just listened to me.
Pros
  • Experience in working with children
  • Becoming more independent (and making a home for yourself in a place where you know no one)
  • Cusco as a city for volunteering is the perfect place to feel home, save and welcome and experiencing the Peruvian culture at the same time
Cons
  • Starting work and it’s not what I expected
  • At first not really having something to do and having to finde work for myself
Default avatar
Lowie
25
Male
Belgium
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Volunteer in Costa Rica | Education, Healthcare, & more

Microfinance internship, San Ramon, Costa Rica

Aug 4, 2023

I worked at a company that specialises in constructing social housing. It's a family-owned business where the father is a lawyer, one son is an architect responsible for designing houses and overseeing construction sites, and the other son and daughter handle administrative tasks and interact with clients at the office. As an intern, my primary responsibility was to assist with administrative tasks. The company faced challenges with inefficient processes, where some tasks were performed without others being aware of it. This led to duplicated efforts and occasional tasks being overlooked. Therefore, I worked on implementing a solution in consultation with the team.

Key tasks:
- Maintaining up-to-date information
- Scanning and uploading signed documents to the platform.
- Compiling and preparing documents for submission to the foundation for approval.
- Automate the process of generating contracts with client-specific details, saving time and effort.
- Creating a user-friendly program to replace manual calculations done by the architect

Pros
  • Beautiful country
  • Ability to have impact
  • Great support from company and organisation
Default avatar
María Guadalupe
61
Female
Mexico
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Volunteer in Costa Rica | Education, Healthcare, & more

Awesome Experience in Costa Rica

Aug 3, 2023

I had a great experience, visiting an extraordinary country, with the best people.
I was placed in an excellent program. Working with native women has been fantastic. I came back to my country with new experiences, knowing a wonderful country with beautiful places to visit, and the kindest and warmest people. I surely recommend this project. I wish I could have stayed longer. I definitely think is a once in a lifetime experience. I received much more than I expected. My staying in Costa Rica has enriched my life.

Pros
  • Meeting interesting people
  • Being able to learn from another culture
  • Learning from women
Cons
  • No complaints.
Enjoying dance lessons.
Default avatar
emmerson
22
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Volunteer in Costa Rica | Education, Healthcare, & more

environmental conservation

Jul 20, 2023

i feel it could have been more environmental conservation, some times it just felt like i was helping with the tourism instead of the environment. the host family was wonderful and i made friends that i know will last a life time but for the actual position itself i struggled to find meaning and purpose in it. the organization did a good job of making me feel at home and were so lovely it was only at my project that i struggled and the people there did what they could do give me tasks related to environmentalism it was just a little misleading.

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Programs

Displaying 1 - 3 of 3

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Andrea Villanueva

Program
Volunteer in Peru | Education, Preservation, Medical, widlife and more!
Andrea Villanueva

Why did you choose this program?

I chose this program because I wanted to go somewhere that I could practice my Spanish, but also get hands-on experience. I also wanted to go somewhere that I had never been before. This program would give me the opportunity to get exposed to real-life experiences in the medical field. It would also help fulfill my graduation requirement at my school.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

The program arranged my placement at the clinic I was working at. They also arranged my host family, two meals each day, and transportation from the airport. My program coordinator would check in on me and take me out to visit the city. The only things I had to organize on my own were flights, transportation to the airport, and any tourist activites I wanted to do.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

I wish I had spent some more time being preparing emotionally. The culture shock was very real for me, and was something that I had not put a lot of thought into. My biggest piece of advice though would be to not be afraid to travel alone! At first I was very scared, and I wish I had spent more time in the beginning thinking about the fun I was having.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

My day would start off by opening the triage room, greeting patients, and preparing the examination room. The doctor would then come in and we'd start calling in patients. On an average day we'd see anywhere from 20-30 patients. The days consisted of shadowing doctors and helping them with their examinations. In between patients, I would have the opportunity to ask the doctor questions about the particular case or the healthcare in Peru. I assisted with translation for the doctors, and had the opportunity to help in surgeries as well.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

I think the most challenging part by far was how difficult it is on your mental health to be seeing sick patients every day. Sometimes you have to deliver bad news and it's emotionally taxing. Luckily, the doctors were always there to give me advice or talk to me about how they get through the days. It was great to speak with people who understood and had gone through the same emotional rollercoaster.

What was the best piece of advice that was given to you?

The doctors gave me some great pieces of advice as I continue my educational career: the key to being a successful doctor is the ability to empathize with your patients; treat each one as if they're your mother, father, sibling, or child.

Our job is to bring peace of mind to patients, peace of mind to live happy, healthy lives.

Staff Interviews

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

Carolina Barrantes Vargas

Program
Volunteer in Peru | Education, Preservation, Medical, widlife and more!
Job Title
Student Coordinator
Passionate about getting to know cultures and people. She loves traveling, nature, animals and the history of each country and person. She studied Social Work so she also considers herself very empathetic, friendly and always willing to help.
Carolina Barrantes Vargas

Interview

What is your favorite travel memory?

When I did a work & travel in Vermont (USA) where I was able to work with children in a day care center and many times I was their babysitter when their parents needed to go out. I had the opportunity to share with them for several months, to see them grow and learn, it was very beautiful. I always carry them in my heart.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

It has allowed me to learn a lot about people's different cultures, countries, life experiences and language, to be a more open-minded person, and they inspire me to be more courageous. They also represent a constant learning for us because each person is very different and they teach us new things.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

Recently some German students were telling me that in Germany they can drink alcohol from the age of 14, which represented a cultural shock since here it is until the age of 18. They also told me that in their schools they can go as they want, the teachers do not care if you go with only a few clothes for example, or if you have piercings or tattoos.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

I would go for the one from India, since it is the most culturally different from Costa Rica. Currently my company offers many experiences in the Latin American area, so although I think they are amazing countries, they are not so culturally different from my country. India would be a great opportunity to learn about a culture 100% different from mine. It would be a great experience.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

They are always willing to improve and open to constructive comments. They try to offer the best possible experience while maintaining adequate prices in the market. They provide the opportunity for foreigners to come to towns that are not so touristy so that they are really immersed in the Costa Rican culture and also, the volunteer programs are very different from the traditional ones offer in the country, they try to provide a truly unique experience.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

To understand volunteers and students why they travel, to understand their love for learning about other cultures and to share it as well. Be very tolerant with them, empathetic to understand that they are far from home and need help sometimes, and make them feel at home. It is important to try to connect with them through my own experiences, as well as to be a great host in my own country.