Volunteering between vocabulary, volcano hikes, and full backpacks

For Sally and Jacob from England and Ireland, a dream came true: a volunteer mission in Guatemala. The two 23-year-old students wanted to take a break from their studies and get to know Latin America better. For this, they chose to volunteer with The M Story. Not only was this mission very special for them, but also for us, as their arrival marked the first international volunteers in our program.

It certainly takes a lot of courage to embark on a volunteer mission in Latin America. Even more courage is required when traveling alone for the first time, especially to a country where you don't speak the language. However, Sally and Jacob were not deterred by this challenge and simply combined their volunteer mission with our language course. Thanks to their dedication and Evelyn's exciting lessons and patient approach, they were able to engage in small conversations in Spanish in no time.

During their stay, the two not only learned Spanish but also gained experiences for a lifetime. While they spent their mornings diligently learning Spanish, they got to step into the role of teachers in the afternoons. They taught English to the children at Maison Michelle. As you can imagine, the classes were just as much a highlight for the little ones as they were for Sally and Jacob.

Despite their busy schedules, we wanted to ensure our volunteers had enough time to explore the country, its people, and deepen their impressions. Therefore, the two embarked on numerous volcano hikes, went kayaking, attended a festival, and strolled through the streets of Antigua.

A visit to Santa Barbara, with our school class in Suchitepéquez, gave the two a deeper insight into real life. In Suchitepéquez, they were able to pitch in from the very beginning, distributing food with our volunteers and teaching English to around 65 children. This day was incredibly impactful for them. Confronted with the living conditions in Guatemala, they gained a profound awareness of the standard of living there. Despite the challenging situation on the ground, two things remained vivid in their memories: the great joy of life and the enormous motivation to learn among the children.

After their successful volunteer stint, Sally and Jacob leave Guatemala with mixed feelings. The fascinating country captivated them in no time. They filled their backpacks with many beautiful memories and know with certainty that it's only a temporary goodbye, as they plan to return to Guatemala soon.

If you're interested in a different kind of volunteer experience where you can truly make an impact, you can find more information directly on our website: https://www.explorengo.ch