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Visit Maximo Nivel's website to learn more about their programs abroad
Overview
Overview
Founded in 2003, Maximo Nivel is the Intercultural Center of Latin America. We offer Volunteer Abroad programs, TEFL Certification, International Internships, and our Native Spanish Program in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru. Maximo Nivel is a local organization in each country and we work in partnership with community groups, schools, orphanages, and hospitals to help lead development initiatives with civic and environmental goals. Volunteer opportunities include: Working with Kids, Animal Care, Teaching English, Eco-Agriculture, Conservation, Construction, and Medical projects. Internship opportunities include: Education, Micro-Business, Hospitality & Tourism, Human Rights, and Medical. Everyone has access to our support team and great home-base facilities 7 days/week year-round.
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Editorial
By Sarah Vandenberg
Director of Partnerships
Sarah has worked in the volunteer travel industry since 2004. She supports all of our partners, and shares stories, trends, and advice for travelers who want to volunteer, intern, or teach abroad.
With four institutes and unparalleled in-country support, Maximo Nivel is a leader in international education, study abroad, and travel in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru. This organization is a top-ranked local provider in Latin America, specializing in three specific areas for people who want to learn and make an impact: work abroad programs (including volunteer and intern placements), study and teach abroad opportunities, and travel adventures.
Trips to Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru
Maximo Nivel’s programs in Costa Rica bring you to San Jose and Manuel Antonio – two very different locations for very different travel styles. San Jose is Costa Rica’s capital city, and the institute is based downtown. Manuel Antonio, on the other hand, is more of a smaller, quiet beach town.
In Peru, Maximo Nivel’s programs are based in and around Cusco, with their institute located downtown (though arguably in a less hectic area than San Jose). Depending on your placement, you may work right there in Cusco or out into the mountains – or even in the Sacred Valley.
If you’re interested in Guatemala, Maximo Nivel’s programs there are based in the city of Antigua, a top destination for ecotourism that’s also a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Teaching English in Peru with Maximo Nivel
Impactful adventures
Maximo Nivel emphasizes education and cultural exchange among all of its participants. Travelers of all ages are welcome to join, and can choose from volunteer, intern, teach, study, and adventure abroad programs. No matter where you go or what you do, you will be encouraged to learn from your counterparts in-country, share skills and stories, and explore the beautiful places where Maximo Nivel works.
Programs are community-developed, meaning a local organization, school, or center either has an ongoing need or has identified an unmet one, and requested volunteers, interns, or teachers from Maximo Nivel. And all programs undergo a vetting process to ensure participants help to provide a local solution to a local problem.
Construction volunteering in Costa Rica with Maximo Nivel
Support and safety
A recurring theme with Maximo Nivel is an emphasis on support and safety. Travelers are provided excellent support before, during, and after their trips – whatever questions or concerns they have, a team member can answer. A few highlights:
- Maximo Nivel has a 24/7 emergency support line
- Institutes and staff are based in the communities where you’ll work, so they have local knowledge and context to ensure safety, to respond to any issues that could arise, or just to answer questions about places to go and things to see
- All host families are carefully vetted, and travelers are asked for feedback about their experience
Because Maximo Nivel works with so many students and less-experienced travelers in particular, they want to make sure you have the best trip possible – to get out of your comfort zone, but still to know there’s a safety net if you need it.
Volunteering with animals in Peru with Maximo Nivel
Top projects
Gallery
Volunteer working with children in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru. https://maximonivel.com/volunteers/working-with-kids/
Volunteer working with rescued animals in Guatemala.
Turtle conservation projects in Costa Rica and Guatemala.
https://maximonivel.com/volunteers/conservation/sea-turtle/
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Kaitlyn Rodriguez
13 Mar 2020
I had a great time at my construction project and my house stay has been great. Antigua is beautiful and a great place to practice Spanish. Highly recommend the program!Read more
I had a great time at my construction project and my house stay has been great. Antigua is beautiful and a great place to practice Spanish. Highly recommend the program!
Cedric Roudebush
13 Mar 2020
My time with Maximo Nivel has been absolutely tremendous. They are an organization filled with professional and friendly people who are constantly there for you and to help their students...Read more
My time with Maximo Nivel has been absolutely tremendous. They are an organization filled with professional and friendly people who are constantly there for you and to help their students grow. They also do tremendous work in the communities around them and are truly appreciated everywhere they do work. I fully recommend their programs and hope to be back soon myself!
Masha Kotlyarevskiy
13 Mar 2020
For the past three months, I have volunteered with the construction team. Our construction project was at a clinic in San Miguel Dueñas, about a 20 minute bus ride from...Read more
For the past three months, I have volunteered with the construction team. Our construction project was at a clinic in San Miguel Dueñas, about a 20 minute bus ride from Antigua, Guatemala. At first when we arrived, there were two rooms which were left completely unfinished in the clinic. It was our job to install roofs, plaster walls, paint the walls, and install a plumbing system in these two rooms. This clinic is often used for vaccines which means there are many children who come to the clinic everyday. We added murals all over the clinic of trees, various animals, trains, planets, and more so that the kids’ experiences at the clinic would be more enjoyable. I really enjoyed the opportunity that I was given by Maximo Nivel to do construction work. I had a great time working with the Maximo staff, including our construction supervisor.
Michael Chapek
13 Mar 2020
I spent three months in Guatemala completing construction on a free health clinic in the town of San Miguel Dueñas. I had a great trip and enjoyed seeing the progress...Read more
I spent three months in Guatemala completing construction on a free health clinic in the town of San Miguel Dueñas. I had a great trip and enjoyed seeing the progress of the construction each day. I also was able to improve my Spanish each day by speaking with my construction project manager as well as the people I met in Guatemala. I would highly recommend this kind of international construction work to anyone eager to make a difference in a tangible way!