Maximo Nivel Guatemala

I went to Guatemala with Maximo Nivel in January and really loved it! I was originally signed up to stay for 4 weeks and extended my stay to 11 weeks. It is a really great program and the staff are super friendy & flexible. They allowed me to change projects multiple times, so I got to experience teaching English, working on a coffee farm, and construction. The project that was most impactful for me was teaching English at Jardin de Amor, a non profit school located in the rural town of Santa Maria de Jesus. By creating plans for the class and working with lots of different grade levels, I learned a lot about teaching. The kids were incredibly welcoming and loved having us there!

I lived in a house called Casa Shekina. Most of the families host around 4 people per house, but Casa Shekina is more of a volunteer house and it had 10-15 people living there at a time, depending on the week. There were both male and females living there, and the rooms were shared between 3-4 people of the same gender. We were provided with breakfast and dinner everyday too. I really enjoyed living here because I met a lot of people in the house, and I even got to practice my Spanish with Lopez, the night guard.

In terms of safety, I took caution at night. When walking around at night, especially as a female, it is important to be aware of your surroundings and try to walk with a partner or a group. Also, when riding the bus to your placement, make sure you keep your belongings protected. Antigua is a pretty touristy town, so there are lots of police there and it feels safe. During orientation, Maximo Nivel will go over safety and address any concerns.

It was really fun to take trips on the weekends! I got to climb two volcanoes, go to Lake Atitlan, visit El Paredon beach, and swim in Semuc Champey. There are lots of organizations around Antigua that help travelers with rides to places, and give different packages that include a hostel, ride, tour, etc.

Overall, my time in Guatemala with Maximo Nivel was truly unforgettable and I am really glad that I decided to go. I made so many friends and learned to value many things. I was really nervous to travel to Central America alone as an 18 year old female, but I felt very welcomed and was ready to have a good time!