Volunteer Teaching in Guyana with WorldTeach - (past program)

This program was life-changing. Teaching abroad has broadened my perspectives. In this program, you had an opportunity to teach science. Living in the rainforest was unique and every day their challenges. Be prepared to hand wash your clothes and live without internet. Favorite memory was traveling to sea turtles on Shell Beach. Travel many hours by boat through windy rivers and rainforest but was worthwhile. I saw Green Sea turtle hatchings and Leatherback lay eggs. The family that lives in Shell Beach were extremely nice as well.

As a native Guyanese, this was a unique, but quite rewarding experience for me. The WorldTeach admin officers provided excellent support, and while the conditions in the country were not ideal, knowing that I was making a difference was well worth the minor discomforts. The other teachers in the school are helpful, for the most part, and the students become quickly attached. Some may find several school practices rigorous and perhaps too structured, but approaching the experience with an open mind and not trying to change the system (too much) is a more productive use of a volunteer's time. Life is Guyana is slow. A volunteer should make friends with the locals; listen to their advice if they say to stay away from a certain person or place; become very familiar with the local stores in the villages and the vehicles that go around selling vegetables; and make sure that a seller does not inflate prices. Foreign products are available in Georgetown, but they are quite expensive. A volunteer on a stipend needs to budget carefully. The riches a volunteer may experience in Guyana are not of monetary value, but it is a learning and fulfilling experience that will stay with a volunteer for a lifetime.

I enjoyed Guyana very much. I even took addition jobs after my program was over. The people were fun and friendly.

Despite my efforts I'm sure I did not make a lasting impact on the education of my students. The conditions at my site turned me into more of a babysitter then a serious educator. But my understanding is that this is typical of these types of programs.

Worldteach ended their program midway my year. They cited safety concerns but in my opinion it was obviously budgetary reasons. It was very embarrassing to be part of an organization that dropped its responsibilities.

In addition, we received poor training and inaccurate information about our placement sites. I had to rely on a lot of help from the local community when I first arrived to just get the basics for survival. I felt like a foolish tourist not a professional.

I voted "would not recommend" for this program for the above reasons. But I do not regret my time there. If you choose to go, bring extra cash. Also be sure to check your privilege and be extra kind when asking the locals for assistance.

Guyana's education system is in tough shape. I worked in a community high school, so I was with the students who did not pass their entrance exam into middle/high school. My 6th grade students had very basic or no reading and writing skills and corporal punishment was a daily reality. This was a very challenging work environment.

The communities and people of Guyana welcomed us immediately. The schools are needy but the students appreciated you being there and trying your best to help them. You will hope you taught your students at least as much as you learned from them! It was an experience that I will forever be grateful that I chose to do!

WorldTeach is a great organization that is supportive on both the teaching and living fronts. They help develop the volunteers teaching ability and experience while also supporting living arrangements. Guyana is a small underdeveloped country that is the unpolished gem of South America and the Caribbean! It is overshadowed by the big tourism countries, leaving it untouched by industrialization. Guyanese, as a whole, may be stand-off-ish at first but are always welcoming! Also, once integrated into the community, they treat you like family. My students found out I love roti and pickled mango (unrippened mango and peper sauce) so they would bring some for me if they had extras at home! The students may be challenging at times, but it was easy anyone would do it! Patience and flexibility are musts when converting between the fast paced American life to the laid back Guyanese culture! Overall...Guyana will take you in and make you fall in love with it and make you never want to leave!

I probably tell too many stories about my experience in Guyana. Years later, the year I spent teaching in this country continues to be one of the most important aspects of my life and the person I have become. I was shaped by the experience I had living and teaching in this country and the obstacles I had to overcome to do so.

I taught 7th grade science and 8th grade information technology at a school near the country capital. It was AMAZING! Not only did I get to mold the minds of a countries children, but I was able to learn a lot from them and about myself along the way. The program helps be realize that education is my true calling and now I'm teaching in NYC. I will NEVER forget this experience and my students :)