Program Reviews

It was overall a great experience to be able to be here and volunteer some time. I do feel like there are some limitations with the amount of help we can provide due to resources and also the inconsistency of patients arriving to the clinic while staff is available to help. I wish we could have done more for the population while we were here but there were some days where no patients showed up at all or only some that confirmed came. I overall enjoyed my time and would definitely consider another medical trip. I would hope to stay longer to have a better ability to do more work not just medically but also some other volunteer work as well.

From start to finish the staff at Maximo was very helpful and attentive to our needs throughout the trip. Initially the change was different from what I used to, but with the help of the Maximo staff and clinical staff, it went smoothly. Maximo also proved multiple free activities to engage in throughout the week. This allowed for different students and volunteers to connect! If you have the opportunity to volunteer or take classes in any of the multiple sites that Maximo has available, I definitely say go for it!

I loved the course, Quepos is beautiful and I loved teaching. A lot of this would come down to my TEFL trainer who was brilliant. Annabelle is an AMAZING TEFL trainer, and made all the lessons so fun and engaging! I also had practical teaching experience and loved working with the students. Whilst I was very sad for the course to end, this course has landed me a job as I am now working for Maximo in Peru! The only downside is that it is very hard work but it’s a good qualification in the space of 4 weeks. I would do it again :)

This was a small TEFL program embedded in an institute with an English language program for folks in Cusco, which made the practice teaching quite authentic. There were many additional options, like tandem conversations, cooking classes, salsa classes. The teaching was excellent - Sean Barter is an enthusiastic expert teacher. We got a lot of detailed feedback and learned a lot in a short period of time. I loved Cusco - the mountains, the sky, the people, the food -- I'm so glad that I went. I highly recommend the program.

I never imagined that I would get so much from a four week course. Wayne's one of the best teachers I've ever had - with his help, all of us on the course felt very guided through the (admittedly challenging workload). I feel so much more capable of teaching after this course, particularly after the practical teaching week. It definitely put me outside my comfort zone, but for the best!
Everyone on the course was also incredibly lovely, and we were all keen to help each other out. Speaking for all of us, we all found this course pretty transformative.

I've been an English teacher for 20 years and I had never taken a TEFL course before. I decided to take Maximo Nivel's course because of all the wonderful reviews and ratings (I visited webpages that selected the best TEFL Programs and Maximo Nivel was one of them). I’d say this course is worth it. It teaches you things to help you teach, and in my case, since I did it online, this also helped me improve my discipline and perseverance. If you're a teacher like me, I can tell you, it helps you improve your technique. I also learned things that I didn't know and that was really nice. I immediately started including all the new knowledge in my classes and I liked what these new techniques and ideas were helping me achieve. Overall, I’d say go for it!

I highly recommend this course for anyone looking to go into the exciting and fulfilling venture of English Teaching. I have had experience teaching English in the past, but this really helped me to strengthen my knowledge and made me a lot more competent.

What makes this course unique is the amount of support you get from their team. Everybody I spoke to was amazing and really friendly. A big shout out to Annabelle, who really helped me to increase my confidence and inspired me throughout! :)

This trip has been so rewarding and was more than I ever expected! Since day one I have felt welcomed, supported and safe in my volunteer program. Which has made the whole experience of traveling solo that much more memorable. The impact left on me after one month of caring for patients and exploring, will be lifelong. During my time caring for patients I got to assist in managing blood pressures, blood sugars, health education, wound care and so much more! Soon I hope to return! Thank you everyone at Maximo!

Incredible. That was my first travel alone and as a 17 years old girl I felt secure all along the trip. The Maximo staff are super nice and make a great accompagnement. They are listening and give you solutions for any problems you can have. I have meet some incredible people. I dont regret at all my decision to go with Maximo Nivel. I was travelling alone but with my amazing guest family, friends I have make and Maximo staff, I was not really alone. I’ve always had a back up somewhere. Well, best adventure of my Life.

I just finished my experience volunteering with Maximo Nivel at a clinic in Antigua, Guatemala. As a medical student, this was an incredibly enlightening experience that taught me a lot about the importance of global public health. The staff at Maximo Nivel were lovely and super helpful, and Antigua was a beautiful city to get to spend time. Overall, I would definitely recommend this programme to medical students and health professionals who are looking to gain experience in a global health setting.