Antigua, Guatemala

I had a wonderfully meaningful experience volunteering at a day care center in Dueñas, Guatemala. I stayed with a local family in Antigua, one of the most beautiful and safest towns in Guate.
IVHQ was very thorough in preparing us for the trip and Maximo Nivel, the onsite contact, was excellent at making sure we were taken care of during the duration of our stay. They were organized, professional and very hospitable.

I enjoyed taking the famous chicken bus to Dueñas then working and playing with the children at the day care center for four hours each day. I assisted them in their daily assignments and meals and even played songs for them with a ukulele I brought. I also learned a lot from my Spanish instructor who was patient, funny and very organized.

I’m glad I decided to stay and extra few days to unwind after the volunteering portion of the trip, as Lake Atitlan was the perfect destination to end the trip on.

I left Guatemala feeling changed for the better and felt I made a difference to the children I met, as they certainly made an impression on me. I look forward to working through IVHQ again in the future and highly recommend them for anyone interested in volunteering.