Maximo Nivel

Program Reviews

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Titus
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing Experience

Maximo Nivel was an amazing experience that I plan to enjoy again. I had the pleasure of visiting the Capital of CR, San Jose for the majority of my spanish immersion course. I was pleasantly surprised by the excellent customer service and sense of community in the environment. One of my favorite location to visit was the turtle habitat where we released the new hatchlings into the free ocean. The weather was beautiful day and night, a comfortable pair of shorts and a t-shirt no matter the hour!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
My advice to future travelers would be to not neglect the use of sunscreen and bug spray!
Pros
  • Beautiful environment
  • Friendly Employees and locals
  • Amazing travel locations within the program
Cons
  • Bugs!
  • Some hiking trails are very steep
  • Projects can be very far away from SJO
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Sue
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Brilliant Projects

We (husband & I) had a great time teaching English to youngsters and teens for 3 weeks in 2 diverse projects. I have already recommended IVHQ & Maximo Nivel to several friends who want to volunteer. We really can't fault the organisation & support MN gave us. Once we were shown the ropes for each of the projects, we were left to manage how we undertook the teaching. We built great relationships with the kids and it felt great to be putting back into these communities. Muchos gracias, Maximo Nivel!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Go with the flow and expect the unexpected. And above all enjoy and embrace this beautiful country.
Pros
  • Professionalism
  • Friendliness
  • Sense of achievement
Cons
  • No cons
  • No cons
  • No cons
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Haley
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Haley Mason’s Review

I really enjoyed my experience here in Guatemala. However, I would recommend for the future that a more detailed list specific to dentistry be provided for volunteers coming because they can then bring supplies that they know the clinic they will be working at doesn’t have. Additionally, it would’ve been helpful to have a translator at the clinic, but I know this is a harder ask. You guys are doing great things here & I hope the work continues and improves to reach more and more people!! I am very glad I came!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Embrace the difference in culture and explore it. There will not be many opportunities to see the world so rawly. Just embrace your time here & make the most of it! Also, definitely bring snacks if you’re a picky eater.
Pros
  • Great people
  • Amazing rare opportunity to see different culture
  • Great connection through IVHQ
Cons
  • Traveling alone in this program can be a bit scary with the travel to the clinic being farther
  • No lunch
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Anne
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Holiday Week Vounteer Activity in Guatemala

The IVHQ program was easy to register for and complete all the predepartute steps. In country orientation provided the details needed and reinforced information shared in the program.gude. My host family was welcoming and flexible with meals based on the volunteer schedule. The staff at Maximo was energetic, fun and led by example, creating great experiences. Everyone was very patient with my limited language skills, it was much apprecitaed! I look forward to my next adventure with IVHQ & Maximo and would recommend this program to others.

What was your funniest moment?
Great experience at the elder shelter on the first day. One activity for the morning was the piñata. It was great to see the older generation get into the fun of hitting the piñata. They broke the stick & almost hit a volunteer when they missed the piñata. Everyone had a good laugh.
Pros
  • Flexible
  • Welcoming
  • Safe
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Mian
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Healthcare Volunteering

I had a great experience in Antigua, Guatemala through Maximo Nivel. The services are great, the people are wonderful and they have a 24/7 service too. Antigua city is just an adventure on its own, there are lot of beautiful and advantageous places to visit. Great placed to hike, they have many volcanoes and the view is just awesome. I volunteered at a healthcare facility called Virgen Del Socorro and it was the best experience I’ve ever had. Loved interacting with the patients, they were so nice and welcoming. I got a different perspective of the medical field and it was a great experience….

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Chloe
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Worth it

Annabelle is an amazing TEFL trainer !
She is supportive, funny and her energy is so high! The certification itself was difficult but everyday, Annabelle would motivate me, help me, and help me have the confidence to be an esl teacher.
The program was intense but passed so quick thanks to her and her passion for training people to be esl teachers.
The program included a lot of practical teaching, it was not only theory, so every week we could progress and learn from our mistakes. It was so fun
Thank you Annabelle !

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Maria
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best TEFL trainer in the World 🌎

Annabelle is an amazing instructor. The course is very rigorous and challenging but she is available for support and is always trying to help students in whatever ways she can. She’s so fun and a really genuinely caring person, not to mention extremely organized. I couldn’t have imagined a better trainer than her, seriously. I highly recommend getting your TEFL certificate through her program at Máximo. Manuel Antonio is also the perfect location for this course — loved going to the beaches and partying at the nearby Selina hostel and the Villa Roca. Both had great pools and service and were very fun alternatives to the beach.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I would have been more organized / disciplined with my homework schedule. I still got through fine but it would have made the experience less stressful for me if I had done a better job staying on top of the assignments instead of doing them all last minute
Pros
  • Top tier instructor
  • Beautiful area and beaches close by
  • Making friends within the program
Cons
  • Amount of course work in such a short time
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Beth
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The best decision!

I had done a lot of research into in-person TEFL certification courses before I chose Maximo. Their consistently good ratings are completely deserved. You are teaching actual English students starting in week 1! The Peru TEFL teacher, Sean, is a teacher’s teacher. I learned so much and he really went above and beyond for our entire class. I was really nervous about relearning all that grammar, but it was really Ok. It is a rigorous course, to be sure. I am so happy I chose this course, it was 100% worth the time and money.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
I stayed in an Air B&B while completing my TEFL at Maximo Nivel in Peru. As an older student I thought a homestay might be awkward. The Air B&B was a good choice for me.
Pros
  • Teaching my own class the last week.
  • Teaching English learners my first week.
  • The support from the instructor, Sean.
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Michael
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Tefl Guatemala

Nice course, enjoyed it and would recommend. I studied really hard and learned a lot. It's an intensive course. There are many modeles which need to be completed, but it's an awesome induction to the esl world. The course lasts a month. Is set in a valley between volcanoes, and has a beautiful backdrop for study. I am really pleased that I decided to do my course at Maximo Nivel,. I learned so much because the course is rigorous and thorough. If you are considering a tefl course, ho for it. Worth it. Don't hesitate to give it a go. I am glad I now have my certificate.

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Madelyn
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Excellent TEFL Course and Teacher

The TEFL Trainer, Sean, is amazing, and the techniques he teaches truly work and are easily applicable to a classroom setting. This program is especially beneficial because you get hours of practical teaching experience before you graduate. The course is rigorous and not easy, but overall I had a very good experience. The course and knowledgeable teacher can answer every question brought up through an understanding of real-life experience. Outside of the TEFL course itself, Maximo Nivel was able to place me with a wonderful host family to experience the culture of Peru during my time here. Would recommend this program to any age or professional experience level.

Pros
  • Good teaching techniques
  • Hours of practical teaching experience
  • Professional development