Program Reviews

Pros:
-Instructor Wayne is a top notch master instructor brimming with knowledge.
-Application of the new knowledge by teaching a class which develop your ESL skills
-The staff is friendly and helpful

Cons:
-No technology (Pack a mini projector, it will make your life much easier)
-The location of the host family's house. It was far away in not a great neighborhood. Since it did not have an address or streets, the Uber driver were always lost and I was always lost. I moved to a VRBO after 1 week.

I came as a solo traveler and I was a little nervous. As I got in Costa Rica I was very welcomed by everyone and the locals were really friendly. I wasn’t sure I could make an impact on the kids for a week but I felt like I really helped and the kids were really grateful. I recommend for the people that don’t speak spanish and want to do childcare, stay with the younger kids. I already knew spanish, so staying with the older children was not difficult, but they love to talk and get to know you.
In childcare is important that you take clothes that cover more, and it’s the clothes you will wear all day, the city of San Jose has many different places to get lunch, you can go anywhere by bus but it can sometimes be very full and take longer to get where you want.

The weather here is very hot, I spent the 2 weeks of July (their winter here) only on summer clothes, but be prepared for rain.
I made friends from many different cultures and countries, on the weekend, we went to the beach and did some programs around Costa Rica. This country is very beautiful and has a lot of touristic nature places to visit, IVHQ provides many day trips that you can go with the friends you make.

The maximo nivel guides are very helpful, fun and feel free to tell anything you need because they always want the trip to be awesome for you!

I came in with an open mind and I’m leaving with a warm heart and full of new friends and experiences.

From start to finish the Maximo team was helpful and supportive. Tania was a patient and fun instructor. The International Office made sure I had everything I needed. The tandem practice was an exceptional opportunity and greatly helped my speaking proficiency. My classmates were diverse and I benefited from hearing about their cultures in addition to the Peruvian Culture. June was a great month to be in Cusco because of all the Incan celebrations and festivities. It was a life experience and Maximo helped make it feel safe and welcoming.

I loved my experience in Guatemala with Máximo Nivel. My program was to teach English to kids. It was a very rewarding and fun journey. Although it was only a week, I learned about the culture and education system in Guatemala. I will definitely be doing this again. I learned the impact a volunteer can make on a student. They were very eager to learn and play games with us. As was I. All of the staff members at the school and staff members were very welcoming.Also, Andrew was very helpful field manager.

Observing the health care system in action was eye opening. The medical problems for which there was limited access to good quality medical care. A shock to learn that without volunteers the health care clinic where I worked cannot function. Home visits to see patients who cannot get to the clinic were confronting -witnessing 1st hand the poor housing conditions. Living in a local persons home was wonderful, learning their customs and sharing their life and home with them.
The most frustrating aspect was not having enough medical supplies to meet the patients needs

I obtained my TEFL accredation through Maximo Nivél in Peru and have had a great month learning to become a TEFL teacher there. The classes were difficult but very enjoyable and gave me great insights on how to become a great TEFL teacher. I especially enjoyed getting to teach actual students and getting first-hand experience on what the job might be like. As a class, we got a lot of tips and assistance from our TEFL trainer regarding job possibilities and how we can set up for example online teaching, which was really helpful.The course was a lot of hard work, but our trainer made it a lot of fun to go to class every day. It was definitely a worthwhile experience!

I had a great experience with this program. Prior, I had no idea what to expect and no idea how to be an effective ESL teacher. I can now proudly say that I learned so much and feel very confident in my abilities moving forward. My advisor Sean was incredibly helpful, very friendly, and was always able to answer all of my questions. I felt very supported and encouraged. The online platform and being able to do it on my own time worked really well for me and I would highly recommend this program to anyone interested.

A nice experience that allows you to travel while also educating yourself and giving back…

Antigua Guatemala is very nice and has many beautiful ruins. I recommend visiting them all. The food is also very good and the restaurants are all of a high quality…

The people in Guatemala are very friendly and helpful and the market is a lively place! If you like beautiful textiles then you will like Guatemala. If you go consider taking Spanish lessons because it is a very useful language to know..

The online TEFL program was enlightening. You will learn how to be an effective ESL teacher; completing the program will give you great insight into your motivations and the kind of teacher you want to be. Best of all, you get to see the reward for your hard work during the practical teaching week. My TEFL trainer, Sean, was helpful and provided advice and guidance quickly after any inquiry was made—excellent service, and a rewarding experience. Based on my experience, I recommend this program to anyone seeking a TEFL certificate.

Maximo provided an incredible opportunity to gain experience working in a medical environment. I have gained more hands on experience and learning, of both medicine and Spanish, than I could have gained in the same amount of time back in the states. With the limited resources available in Guatemala, Maximo also allowed me to learn manual skills that have been replaced by modern techniques back in the states just as manual blood pressure and blood sugar. I have made memories and friends from all over the world that will last a lifetime.