Program Reviews

I did the healthcare program in San Jose Costa Rica and absolutely loved it. It was the perfect combination of work and play as the placements were about 4 hours per day. The Maximo Nivel staff was so supportive once I was in the country. I was a little nervous in the beginning because I only had a week to make an impact and experienced a degree of culture shock on my first day here. However, after the orientations, meeting my host family, and the arrival of another volunteer, I felt right at home. I did not feel unsafe at any point of my program and was well prepared. It may seem as though you are heading into your program slightly blind, but you get all of the information you need as soon as you are picked up from the airport and taken to your host family. All the other volunteers are wonderful and you are all in different points of your journey so you can learn from each other. Even though I only volunteered for one week, I got to know the employees of the volunteer well and am so grateful to have met them.

In my opinion, you should have a basic level of Spanish speaking ability if you are coming for a short time. It makes the world of a difference in connecting with patients and your placement staff.

I highly recommend this experience to anybody looking to volunteer abroad in a meaningful and fun way!

Getting TEFL certified was hands down the highlight of 2022 for me! It has opened doors for me allowing me to continue teaching at Maximo in Guatemala as well as supporting my plans to travel to Indonesia this summer through online teaching :) Mackenzie was great, one of the best teachers I have had and he really supported me through the most challenging aspects of the course and made the whole experience enjoyable. He made every aspect enjoyable and fun through his teaching techniques, many of which I use in the classroom now. 10/10 would recommend!

I'm so grateful to have participated in Maximo Nivel's Medical Volunteer program in Costa Rica. All aspects of the program were terrific- the staff at Maximo were pleasant and professional. The program was well organized and well run. My host family was warm and inviting. The accommodations were spotless and very comfortable and the food was great. I'm a nurse in my home country and found the work at my project very rewarding and with just the right amount of patient interaction. The staff at my project were warm and very appreciative.

I really enjoyed every second of my time here at Maximo Nivel, and I was set up with a really cool construction project, which has had a positive impact on the surrounding area and community, which helped me feel a sense of accomplishment, all whilst I was having fun and enjoying myself, and making great friends along the way. I will most definitely be recommending Maximo Nivel to my friends, as well as anyone who wants to go abroad and leave a positive impact on the country. Make sure you have a go

As a volunteer through Maximo Nivel, I worked at a childcare center with kids ages 2-4 in San Jose, Costa Rica. My experience was amazing! Both the kids and teachers I worked with were incredibly sweet and energetic. At the Maximo Program center, I met volunteers from so many different places around the world, as well as so many kind and supportive staff members. Additionally, the host family Maximo placed me with was so friendly and hospitable. Through immersion at the childcare center, practice activities at the Maximo Program center, and time with my host family, I was also able to develop foundational communication skills in Spanish. I am so grateful for my experience and would highly recommend this program to anyone who is interested!

I would recommend Máximo Nivel a million times over. The warm, engaging staff and volunteer/student community makes you feel welcome from the moment you step in the door and I met several life-long friends. There are lots of opportunities to go explore, including around the city and the country as a whole. I felt so fulfilled working in the childcare program with students who are eager to learn-- I learned a lot about myself from them and my Spanish really flourished. I can´t say enough great things about this company and the programs, best experience ever!

The Maximo Nivel TEFL Course was an amazing experience! I highly recommend doing this course in person at one of the Maximo Nivel sites. The instructor, Jackie, was extremely knowledgeable, reliable, and hilarious. The course is designed in an extremely effective way. You learn the theory of how to teach English effectively, and also the specific teaching strategies and methods to use to be most successful. You get the opportunity to practice these teaching strategies by teaching classes of real students, both in person and online. You receive tons of feedback on your teaching, which helped me improve my teaching and increase my confidence in front of the classroom. You leave the course with all the materials you need to work as an English teacher, whether it be for a company, or independently. I got bachelors degree in teaching, but this course prepared me more for teaching than any other class I have taken. This course was absolutely worth the time, money, and work!

It was an awesome opportunity for my 14 year old niece to experience a whole new culture. We all loved the people here and hope to come again. And learn to speak Spanish. The people on the adventure were the BEST. WE SPENT LOTS OF TIME WITH THE ANIMALS AND HAD TO STOP A FEW DOG FIGHTS. IN FACT THERE WAS A FIGHT EVERY DAY. The paw project owner was great and seemed grateful for all the help we provides. You HAVE to ride the chicken bus. You never know whT you'll find ridi g the bus with you or what you'll pass on the cobble stone street.

This course set me up perfectly for becoming an ESL English teacher. Within the first few days, I was face-to-face with English students and developing my practical teaching skills. Each week, the practical experience was centred around applying recently learnt theory. Then in the final week, I led a daily, hour-long class. Alongside this, I observed other English teachers at Maximo Nivel, studying how they applied the theory, which helped put what I had learnt into context. The curriculum was logically ordered and fast-paced.

My TEFL Trainer, Mackenzie, brought the whole thing to life by giving memorable lessons and extremely constructive feedback. Mackenzie is passionate about his subject and a very experienced English teacher. This really showed during his lessons, where he embodied the mantra: "show, don't tell". Mackenzie also gave very sound practical advice for finding jobs.

Overall, this was an awesome experience. I met great people on the course and even had time to hike the volcanoes around Antigua! I highly recommend it.

I went on the Holiday Program to San Jose, Costa Rica with Maximo Nivel and IVHQ. I had an incredible experience, and I would recommend this trip to everyone. I am 18 years old, and it was my first time doing a program like this. However, I was able to adjust quickly due to the constant support and care by the Maximo Nivel staff, other volunteers, and my host family. Even though I was a solo traveler, I never felt alone. My advice to future volunteers is to come in with an open mind and kind heart, and be ready to learn, listen, adapt, and have a life changing experience!