Volunteer in Guatemala with Maximo Nivel - Best Rated Projects

I had no idea what to expect for my first trip abroad, especially over the holiday season, where all my friends, family, and usual customs and traditions were miles away. To my own surprise, when I first arrived in Guatemala, I was not overwhelmed with anxiety of being boldly confronted by completely foreign culture and landscape. Instead, I fell head over heels in love.

There is so much color and life in Antigua, Guatemala. You can hear it from the music blaring in the streets, and see it in the color draped over every building. Also, with the lush green hills of the surrounding mountains, and sight of the volcano looming over the town, I was easily captivated by this magical place.

I came to Guatemala as a volunteer through the local organization called Maximo Nivel. I didn't have any volunteering experience beforehand, knew very little about the city of Antigua (other than the fact that I would be living there), and had a very limited Spanish vocabulary.

Maximo Nivel did an excellent job preparing the volunteers about the city and the culture. On the first day, they gave a thorough tour of the city, showed us good places to eat, where to find an atm for money exchange, and gave several important tips for getting around and staying safe. They were very caring and accommodating for each of the volunteer's needs.

Finally, the actual volunteering experience, is what really made my time truly invaluable. For the holiday experience, I spent my time working in a few different spots, with a local coffee farmer, playing with children in an after school program, and help building a wall in a local clinic. Even if my volunteering roles sometimes felt small or really simple at times, I still felt a great sense of appreciation from each individual whose life was directly effected. I really felt that I really got to catch, the real glimpse into the heart of the Guatemalan culture and community. Also, it was really amazing realizing you don't need to share the same roots, culture, or even fluently speak the same language to connect with another human being. Sometimes all it takes is a smile, and a little bit of time and energy.

I know this is long, and I could easily keep going. My point is, if your contemplating going, just do it. Don't worry about your job, bills, or your messy room. Those things will always be there for you waiting. Its ok to let them wait a little longer. Go out and experience life the way we were meant to live it.

Volunteering in Antigua, Guatemala with Maximo Nivel was an amazing experience that I would wish for everyone who has the opportunity to experience. The entire Maximo staff was always super friendly, ready to help with anything and everything, super supportive, always responded quickly and was just overall AWESOME. I couldn't have wished for a better team to help me through my volunteering journey.

I chose to volunteer in the coffee farms because it was completely out of my comfort zone, and I wanted to learn and experience something new. Each farmer I had the pleasure of meeting and working with was super sweet, and it was a great time practicing Spanish. It was definitely the most hard labor type work I've ever done, but each day was rewarding and I learned so much about each step in coffee from doing compost in the fields, hauling firewood, to picking coffee, sorting, roasting, packaging, labeling and promoting. The hikes up into the fields were challenging for me, but beautiful and worth it every time. I truly enjoyed all 4 weeks of my placement.

Beyond placement, I also loved that I had the opportunity to meet and connect with people from all over the world. Made lifetime friends, went on weekend trips to visit all the beauty in Guatemala, and there was always something fun to do each night. The people, culture, food, landscapes and everything about Guatemala is absolutely beautiful and I would encourage anyone and everyone to take a chance and experience it through volunteering with Maximo Nivel.

This experience has opened my eyes to a new world, I learned so much more about life and myself, and because the Maximo team was so supportive and caring, I never felt alone and always knew I could go to them for anything. Volunteer in Antigua! You'll be super stoked you did :)

In the summer I went to Guatemala to volunteer in the healthcare program and had the time of my life. I volunteered at Obras Sociales and felt myself becoming attached to the patience and staff there. One of my most memorable experiences was going to Semuc Champey where we went hiking, explored a cave and jumped off a bridge all in one day. I met some really great people from around the world and I plan on returning in the future.

I had a great time volunteering with Dr. JP. He cares a great deal for the animals and this techs.
I spent my time working with the dogs he is fostering. I took them for walks, brushed them and sat with them. There was a kitten there with a hurt back, and I tried to help it with walking. I'm hoping it has improved. Dr. JP gets his fosters up to date with vaccinations, etc. He has such a good heart and I think he is a wonderful veterinarian.

I had an incredible experience teaching English in Guatemala for 4 weeks. Maximo Nivel was the organization responsible for arranging my teaching placement. I arrived on a Friday night to my volunteer house and the following morning I was greeted by an employee from Maximo Nivel who gave me a safety orientation about Antigua, Guatemala. It was a detailed power point presentation on safety tips and advice. He even went above and beyond by printing out a map of Antigua and showing me where the best places are to eat, where to exchange money and even took me by foot to show me where the bus depot was located. The next day a different staff memeber Andrea - - gave me and another handful of volunteers an orientation of the building and a walk about around the city. Maximo Nivel did an absolutely phenomenal job assisting me with anything I needed. They are extremely focused on client service and made my volunteer trip a smooth, safe and positive experience. Whether your a first time traveller or veteran backpacker and you wish to volunteer, please take the opportunity to do it with Maximo Nivel. The staff are extremely friendly and very approachable and I would highly recommend this organization to anyone who is eager to make a difference in this world.

I spent two weeks in Antigua this summer, volunteering at a medical placement at Casa Maria, an elderly care facility just outside Antigua, and taking spanish classes through Maximo Nivel. I had no idea what to expect when I got off the plane, but the whole experience was beyond amazing!

The Maximo Nivel staff was wonderful and very supportive. They had great suggestions on places to visit over the weekend or in the afternoons (there's so much to do and see!). The volunteer house I was placed in was a great way to meet and connect with other volunteers in Antigua. My host mom was very sweet and made delicious dinners every night.

At my placement, I was with one other volunteer, and we got to help with wound care and taking vitals, as well as interacting with the residents. I knew little spanish going into this, but the placement staff and maximo nivel were all very supportive and open to teaching me things.

Travelling around guatemala on the weekends was an unexpected joy as well- there's so much to do! Visiting Semuc Champey, hiking Acatenango volcano, and seeing Lake Atitlan and Tikal were all highlights for me on this trip. Overall I had an amazing experience- it was a great blend of volunteering, learning spanish, getting to know interesting people, and seeing Guatemala!

My two teens and I left Antigua in the early morning, every day for five straight days. We would hop on the "chicken bus," our newest form of transportation, and head toward "Guate, Guate." We would hop off the bus and ring the bell at Casa Aleluya, a home for precious children who needed love, hands to hold and faces to smile back at theirs. We hope we offered something to these beautiful children because they sure offered something to us. Thank you, Maximo Nivel, for a life-changing experience.

My daughter & I spent 2 weeks volunteering our time and energy, 5 days/week, about 4 hours per day for an amazing orphanage called Casa Aleluya, near Antigua, Guatemala. Casa Aleluya is an AMAZING organization, housing around 430 kids of all ages. Over the years they've taken in about 5300 kids who were in very unsafe or abusive situations and now have a safe place in which to grow up. They are provided with love, care and respect. They are taught, rather SHOWN how important love and respect are to the health and well-being of both individuals and organizations of which they are a part. Many of the kids go on to attend college or university programs, all supported by Casa. Maximo Nivel was a crucial part of this experience too. The folks here truly care and execute their role with professionalism and alacrity. They are also known to be one of the most inexpensive ways to gain an experience of this kind. Kudos to Phomolo, Nancy, Maritza, Colin and the entire crew at Maximo!