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Teaching English Volunteer in Guatemala!
Are you interested in sharing your love and passion for the English language with impoverished Guatemalan children? Would you like to visit Guatemala and make a difference at the same time?
Guatemala is a beautiful country with a rich history. Witness elaborate Carnival style parades where people dance in the streets to the Mayan sun god, explore ancient ruins and traditional villages. Explore the fascinating culture of Guatemala while volunteering abroad.
Sadly, education for kids in Guatemala is quite poor, especially for low-income families. Two million tourists flood this Central American country each year, but without a proper English language education, none of these kids will ever be able to escape poverty and have successful careers which take advantage of this lucrative tourism industry and other fields.
Global Crossroad’s Teaching English Volunteer opportunities in Guatemala teams up with local schools and childcare centers. We bring international volunteer English teachers just like you to the kids that need them and help pave the way for a brighter future for the youth of Guatemala.
Contact Global Crossroad to learn more about Teaching English volunteer in Guatemala!
Volunteer Responsibilities & Impact
In the Guatemala volunteer program you will be work with disadvantaged Guatemalan children in a variety of settings. We work with schools, childcare centers, and community centers who are dedicated to educating kids, and giving them hope for a better future. You’ll teach basic English, help in other areas with the kids, and do fun activities like arts and crafts. You can also help create lesson plans and teach other subjects.
By doing volunteer work in Guatemala as an English teacher, you open up a whole new world to your students and make a big impact on their lives. They’ll have brighter futures because of you, rising out of the poverty and hardship they struggle with now. You’ll inspire your students to get excited about learning and give them the gift of the English language while gaining a valuable teaching experience yourself.
Skills and Qualifications:
There are no specific skills or qualifications required to volunteer with children in Guatemala. What you will need is a love for children, an open heart, patience, flexibility, independence, and creativity. You will also need to be fluent in English and be interested in teaching.
We welcome enthusiastic volunteers over the age of 18 from around the world. Volunteers who are at least 16 can also volunteer on their own with parental consent. Volunteers below the age of 16 can volunteer only if accompanied by a parent, guardian or faculty leader. A background check is required for volunteers working with children.
Basic Spanish skills will be helpful though not mandatory. If you cannot speak Spanish, we recommend enrolling in our Spanish Language Studies program. You can spend a whole week doing an immersion class before you begin your project or take classes while you volunteer.
In the Teaching English volunteer in Guatemala, every day will be a fun and exciting adventure. Have a great time with your students while helping them get ready for their future.
You can expect to volunteer 3-5 hours a day, Monday- Friday. Your schedule will depend on your final placement and may vary from day to day.
Here’s a sample schedule just to give you a rough idea of what to expect:
First Day: On your first day of volunteering in Guatemala as an English teacher, our in-country coordinator will take you to your placement. You’ll be introduced to the local project staff, and you’ll meet the great kids who will be your students!
Orientation: Go over your volunteer project, schedule, safety protocols, and learn about the fascinating culture and customs of Guatemala.
- Weekdays: A typical volunteer day might look something like this:
- 7.00 to 7.30 AM : Have breakfast with your welcoming host family.
- 7.45 AM : Head out to your placement, and get ready for an exciting day
- 12.00 PM : Break for lunch and chat with your fellow volunteers to make friends from around the world.
- 3.00 PM : After you’re done teaching for the day, head into Antigua and explore. Go with one of your new international friends for a fun adventure!
- 6.45 PM : Enjoy a traditional Guatemalan dinner around the table with your local host family. Learn more about their culture, practice your Spanish, and try new food!
Program Dates & Fees:
Program Dates
Global Crossroad volunteer programs begin every Monday year-round. We still allow flexibility if you have travel constraints. Volunteers can join our programs from 1 week up to 12 weeks.
Fees
Global Crossroad is committed to offering the most affordable and highest quality Antigua, Guatemala volunteer trips. We strive to keep our costs low. The humanitarian side of the business is our passion.
Global Crossroads volunteer opportunity in Antigua, Guatemala application and registration fee costs US $299. The application fee covers the cost of advertising, program promotion, and office expenses (rent, utilities, and staff salaries in the USA office).
In addition to the application fee, you are required to pay a weekly program fee. You will pay your weekly fee directly to your host family and project (via the country coordinator). This way, the fees that you pay will benefit those who rightfully deserve them, and are not for company profit.
Weeks | Program Fees |
---|---|
1 Week | $380 |
2 Weeks | $640 |
3 Weeks | $825 |
4 Weeks | $995 |
5 Weeks | $1,170 |
6 Weeks | $1,345 |
7 Weeks | $1,520 |
8 Weeks | $1,695 |
9 Weeks | $1,870 |
10 Weeks | $2,045 |
11 Weeks | $2,220 |
12 Weeks | $2,395 |
Comprehensive Travel Insurance $3.49/day ( below 28 years) and $4.49/day ( above 28 years) »
Spanish Lessons (2 hours per day) $55 per week
How your fee is allocated?
Program fees cover:
- Shared Accommodation with host family
- 2 meals per day (Breakfast & Dinner)
- Airport Pick up
- In-country support
- Program Orientation
- Project Management
- Volunteer Certificate
- Discount for returning volunteers
Program fees exclude:
- Visas
- Airfare
- Miscellaneous personal expenses, soft drinks, food, etc.
- Daily transportation
- Airport return transfer
The volunteer programs fees in Antigua, Guatemala cover expenses from the first day of your program to the last day of your program. If you arrive before the first day of the program or you decide you stay beyond your program’s last day, you will be responsible for any additional expenses.
Accommodations and Meals
Volunteer teachers in Guatemala can rest easy, since Global Crossroads offers safe, clean, and comfortable housing, and two healthy local meals a day. You’ll be staying with a socially respected host family. You’ll eat your meals around the table with them and experience their culture in a unique and personal way.
Learn more about your housing and food in Antigua, Guatemala.
Free Time and Weekend Exploration
You’ll have your evenings and weekends free, so get out and see more of Guatemala! This country has a lot to offer, from the people to the landscapes, you’ll find a colorful array of options to discover. Check out the safe and beautiful city of Antigua in the evenings and use your weekends to travel!
Safety and In Country Support
We’ve got you covered when it comes to safety. Global Crossroad has been in the volunteer abroad world since 2003, and we’ve helped 20,000 volunteers have safe and satisfying experiences without a single incident. Let us take care of you while you go on your Guatemala teaching volunteer program.
We offer pre-trip guidance, insurance, carefully vetted humanitarian projects we routinely visit, airport pickup, and a stellar in-country team to guide and support you every step of the way.
Volunteer Teaching English in Guatemala: FAQs
You’re bound to have a few questions, so we’ve put together this handy info to offer you some of the answers you’re looking for:
Arrival and departure
You’ll be flying into La Aurora International Airport. Arriving in Guatemala one day before the start date of your Guatemala teaching English volunteer project is highly recommended so you can rest up and be ready to get started.
Give us your flight details, and we’ll set up your airport pick up for you. Our local representative will be waiting for you when you land and will take you safely to your accommodations. Just let us know if there’s a delay, and we’ll rearrange things for you.
Visa
You’ll need a tourist visa to travel to Guatemala, but for many of you that’s something you can get when you arrive at the airport. Citizens of countries such as the US, UK, Canada, and Australia can apply for a 90-day visa when they land.
If you aren’t eligible for a visa on-arrival, you can apply at the local embassy of Guatemala in your home country. Or skip the trip and apply online!
Check out this website if you want to learn in detail about Guatemala’s visa requirements and policies.
Vaccination
Before you head out to Guatemala to volunteer teaching English, make sure you get up to date on your vaccines to avoid getting sick. Make an appointment with your doctor and find out what you’ll need.
The CDC recommends travelers to Guatemala get vaccinated for hepatitis A, malaria, typhoid, yellow fever, hepatitis B, and measles. You can learn more about these vaccinations by clicking this link.
Why Volunteer Teaching English in Guatemala?
Get experience teaching
Future teachers can gain fabulous professional experience teaching in a classroom. Get a feel for your future profession while giving back and helping kids in need!
Make new friends from around the world
Not only will you connect with your students, you’ll also meet fellow international volunteers from all over the world, the Guatemalan local project staff, and your local host family. Volunteer projects like this are a great way to make new friends from all over!
Offer hope to disadvantaged Guatemalan kids
At this Guatemala teaching English volunteer program, you’ll teach kids from orphanages and low-income families. Your students live in poverty, and their hope for escaping this is bleak. Help shine a light into their futures and change their lives by offering them valuable English skills they can use to one day have successful careers in the tourism industry.
Travel abroad for a purpose
Travel to an exciting international destination and make the world a better place at the same time! You can share your passion for English while indulging your passion for travel!
Contact Global Crossroad to learn more about teaching English in Guatemala.
Volunteer Opportunities Available in Antigua, Guatemala:
No matter your passion or interests, we offer a variety of life-changing, volunteer programs in Antigua, Guatemala such as
- Underprivileged Children
- Medical Healthcare
- Construction
- Exotic Animal Conservation
- Sea Turtle Conservation
For more information on our exciting programs in Guatemala, contact us today.
Other Teaching English Projects Worldwide
English is a global language and learning it will open up new opportunities for kids from all over the world. Global Crossroad organizes various English Teaching volunteer programs in many different countries, the most popular of which are listed below:
- Bali - Teaching English
- Cambodia - Teach in Schools
- China - Volunteer English Teaching
- China – Paid Teaching
- India - Teaching English
- India - Teaching in Slum
- Nepal - Teaching English
- Sri Lanka - Teach English
- Thailand Surin - Teaching English Project
- Thailand Ayutthaya - Teaching English Project
- Ghana - Teaching English in Rural Schools
- Kenya - Teaching English
- South Africa - Teach English in School
- Tanzania - Teaching English
- Uganda - Teach English in School
- Zimbabwe – Teaching English Project
- Morocco – Teaching English or French Project
- Brazil - Teaching English Project
- Costa Rica - Teaching English
- Ecuador - Teaching English in Rural and Urban Schools
- Guatemala, Xela - Teaching English
- Peru - Teaching in Rural School