Live and teach English on a Caribbean Island in Mexico

Working with VolunQuest has been an incredible, eye-opening experience which I believe I have gained so much from.

Living within the local community of Isla Mujeres, teaching English to the children in the public schools on the island, making new lifelong friends and enjoying the benefits of this beautiful island has been everything I could have hoped for and expected it to be.

VolunQuest benefits almost 2,000 children on Isla Mujeres by providing free English lessons. And the children really do appreciate your presence… the feeling when walking down the street, into your school, around a shop or anywhere else on the island and hearing the word ‘Teacher!’ whilst being greeted with a running hug from one of your students, really is one that fills you with a sense of pride.

When I was looking for an opportunity to work abroad and teach English, I loved the look of this one and am now so glad that I found it. I have not only adored working with the children and teaching them English, but I have also loved learning about myself, learning about different cultures, improving my Spanish and have completely fallen for this little island paradise.

One of the goals of the programme is “to provide an exemplary full-immersion experience abroad that mutually enriches the local community and the lives of our program participants.” And I believe that this goal is definitely met. The interns not only work together, but live together in a house provided by the government within the local community, with friendly neighbours and only a short, cheap taxi ride to anywhere you’ll need to go. I have learnt to live simply and with less than we do back at home. I feel like I have truly learnt so much, benefited from this wonderful experience and given so much back to the children and community, making a difference and would love to stay on for longer to see this programme evolve even more.