Antigua, Guatemala

With this being my first experience of volunteering abroad, I can honestly say that I'm tremendously happy I chose Guatemala, and Maximo Nivel to work with. It's obviously not easy to step foot into a different country with minimal knowledge towards their language and customs, but with everyone's support, I was able to adjust with ease. The tías at my placement were patient because they knew my Spanish wasn't advanced, and put in so much effort into communicating with me nonetheless. Every child had a huge smile on their face as soon as I walked into the room, which warmed my heart because despite their individual situations, they acted as if they had the entire world. No one judged, but instead tried to help in every way possible. This goes for the staff at Maximo Nivel as well. The ambiance was truly something special, which is why this trip for me is definitely one for the books. I only hope that others would give an opportunity like this a chance because I promise they won't be disappointed.