GVI: Alumni Network

Morning: A typical day volunteering in Guatemala began early; breakfast at 6.30 in a home-stay with a lovely four-generational Antiguan family. We volunteers set off for a 20 minute walk across the city then travelled by minibus to St Andres Itzapa, an indigenous community in the hills, where the Phoenix project, a partner with GVI, set up the school with community and volunteer help ten years ago.

At school I helped with the morning kindergarten class and even taught them a little English. The children really put their heart and soul into their lives at school - like all kids, sometimes that was more focused on mischief and fun than learning! One playtime I was included by the kids in a make believe household when they put together pieces of wood, stones, leaves etc to make a pretend stove and food.

Afternoon: After lunch made for us by community leaders (and delicious; all basic Guatemalan cooking) I met my four or five-strong class of six year olds needing extra help with reading and writing. I was really pleased that they all managed to put together, on their own, some letters to write simple words - I have photos of them proudly holding up their efforts.

Evening: We waved goodbye at 4pm and got back to Antigua for my hour long Spanish lesson. I'd already been learning Spanish for a few years but I benefited hugely from my lessons. I headed home for an evening meal with the family at 7pm.

It was great to experience family life and to practice listening to and speaking Spanish. Once or twice we went into town in the evening - there are plenty of bars, many of which show English language films - but, more often than not, I was happily in bed before ten.