Dental Volunteer Program in Guatemala - Antigua

The kids I taught were amazing. They were enthusiastic, full of energy and were willing to learn. This makes the experience so much easier to enjoyable because you can see the progress the kids are making. They trust and affection the kids shows you is so precious. Every weekend, I was able to see many of the beautiful sites in Guatemala, like Atitlan Lake, climbing Acatenango, Tikal and Semuc Champey. I was also able to learn some Mayan history and culture.

It was important for me to have my team gain exposure to a country and community that we could not easily access. The collaboration between IVHQ, the local team, and community partner brought the exact experience I wanted for my team. As my initial point of contact, IVHQ made the planning and preparation for the trip easy and seamless. I would highly encourage anyone looking to conduct a volunteer opportunity in a foreign nation to give IVHQ a try!

I learned so much during my time volunteering in Guatemala. I learned that I am capable of much more than I knew, I reached beyond my limits and expanded my comfort zone, I met so many amazing people who were supportive and kind, I learned about how much work and effort it takes to sustainably grow a variety of plants and vegetables, and I was able to see/immerse myself in a new culture that I would never have been able to fully understand without living and seeing.

I would 1000% recommend joining this program or one similar for all these reasons and so many more. I would say that if you are hesitant, just go for it!! Don’t hold yourself back from a wonderful experience!!

I think the biggest things I gained from this experience was learning Spanish, being emerged into a new culture, and helping people in a way I've never before. I would say stay open to any opportunities that come your way.

I gained a lot from this experience, an appreciation of the things we take for granted in the western world, an appreciation for what’s really important, it was humbling to see how important family is in the Mayan culture, a time to reflect and gain insights into your own intrinsic motivations and what’s important to you in life, so many great things came from this experience.

My advice would be to “just do it”, it’s the best way to experience a culture, it’s super well organised and life is short, so experience the world before it might be too late.

My favorite moment from the volunteer experience was helping kids get out of pain. I'd encourage others to do it! Giving back makes you feel better.