Volunteering in Mérida, México

I volunteered at an animal shelter in Mérida, México, for 4 weeks. I chose México for its culture and delicious food and I wanted to stay for the people I met and the animals at the shelter.

As a volunteer I worked cleaning the dogs and cats cages, feeding them, brushing them, walking them and also just playing and cuddling with them. That was a very important part of the job because the goal is to get those animals adopted and so they need to get used to human touch.
The shelter is only a 15 min walk from the volunteer house, which is a big plus!

I decided to stay for 1 week at the volunteer house, which was very fun and comfortable (it also has a pool!!), the food was great and I liked spending time with the other volunteers. The rest of my time in Mérida I spent it with a host family. This is something I recommend to everyone because in my opinion it gives you the full experience, especially if you want to improve your Spanish skills. During my time at the homestay I didn't feel isolated or far away from the other volunteers, on the contrary, I saw them all the time and we hung out together, took trips together, etc.

I chose IVHQ because it was important for me to feel safe and supported during my stay and this is something that really was true, there was always 24/7 someone I could talk to or contact in case of trouble. Also, I feel like Mérida is a great choice because I always felt very safe no matter what time of the day, the people were friendly and helpful and it's very easy and cheap to move around. You must be prepared for the heat, though :)

For those who are still not sure, I would just tell you to take the plunge and do it :)