Christmas Holiday Experience Volunteer Program in Guatemala

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 gained valuable insight into a developing country and have amazing respect for the fact they are determined to stay positive and hopeful in spite of their challenges. I would recommend anyone hesitant to read the reviews and do their research as I did!

It was wonderful to see our kids so excited about helping. They really threw themselves into the work. My job is stressful and our cases seem interminable, so I really appreciated the instant gratification of hoeing and painting. It was rewarding to know that the locals who passed by the weather-worn clinic in the morning would see a brighter facade on their way home that day and in the future.

The trip was very organized, dependable and clear; the folks in Guatemala were extremely knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. The host family where we stayed were outstanding hosts; everything clean, timely, and tasty! They are wonderful people! I really enjoyed the whole experience - volunteering, and the trips that we took to the Mayan ruins and volcano. Guides for the tours to the Mayan ruins and the volcano were extremely knowledgeable, courteous, kind and friendly; it was a real pleasure to enjoy these places and learn. Everything was really FANTASTIC! I have not said much about the volunteering activities; they were the most rewarding part of the trip. Perhaps we contributed a little, but we received more, way more than we gave.