Program Reviews

I’m extremely glad to have picked my last elective for medical school in Guatemala. From the beginning, Máximonivel has been patient with all the paperwork that my friend and I required for our university, and they were able to find a clinic which fulfilled both of our interests for a clinical rotation. I will never forget the time we spent helping los ancianos in Ciudad Vieja, the beautiful ruins we visited in Antigua and all the delicious food we tried upon recommendation from the staff. Thank you all for this amazing experience!

I did a medical internship at Ciudad Vieja with Maximo Nivel and it was a really nice experience. We had a lot of autonomy as there are no other doctors working there and we were really able to see the lives of patients as we went to their houses to do home visits. The staff were very kind though it took some getting used to the lack of labs and imagery.
Maximo Nivel also proved to be a great experience for cultural immersion as we lived with a family as well as the Spanish classes and opportunities to do salsa, cooking and one on one Spanish practices with natives.

I decided to do the online TEFL courses through Maximo Nivel, while I’m still in college. The courses were still manageable during this time and also very informative. Throughout these courses, I have learned a lot and also had a great instructor who was always there if need be. Mackenzie helped me through the process and gave me helpful & supportive feedback to get me where I should be. Along with this, the practical teaching online is very rewarding and the students are very patient with you, as is the instructor. I highly recommend this course and program!

In the midst of a career change and a big move, I started the TEFL program. I needed to leave it for a bit, and my mentor supported me through the process of taking time and coming back. In the end, I had a great experience, completed the course and really enjoyed the teaching experience in the program. I look forward to using my certification to teach and tutor in Central America and online, as a paid teacher and volunteer. This has been one of my favorite learning experiences after several university degrees and vocational programs.

I appreciated how positive and welcoming the staff were. They were very honest about what to expect from this experience so I felt very prepared before coming to Guatemala. Also, I was surprised at how immersive and hands-on my experience at the elderly home was and it was a great opportunity to learn and practice Spanish. Although I was here for a short time, it was very rewarding to know that my friends and I were able to communicate with the staff of Casa Maria to find out what their specific needs were. We then relayed those needs to the Maximo Nivel staff who were appreciative of the information and eager to utilize humanitarian funds to ensure that those needs are met.

I had an amazing time supported by Máximo Nivel in Peru volunteering at a nearby rural clinic. I gained invaluable experience and felt like I made a difference. Emails were responded to promptly and the staff were always so friendly and helpful. They were even available during the national holiday Corpus Christi. Shoutout to Becca, Dina, Alfred, Lucas, and Patrick (and the rest of the staff of course). I highly recommend Máximo Nivel and I can’t wait to travel with them again in Guatemala or Costa Rica!

I was skeptical at first when I was planning my staying in Guatemala. But the outcome was excellent: everyone from the staff to the locals to the host fam was highly welcoming and helpful throughout my 8 days in Guatemala. The trips I attended were all amazing: Monterrico and Acatenango were two beautiful excursion that further amplified my love towards the country. The highlight was the volunteering: helping children in one of the poorest neighborhoods of the country was heart warming, the sole action of making them smile gave me the forces to wake up every day. This experience changed me and my way to see education.

Although short, I had a wonderful time in Antigua. Máximo Nivel was very helpful with resources and set me up for success. The volunteer program at PAIDOS Dueñas was beyond rewarding. The kids were absolutely amazing and smart. I look forward to coming back in the future. Although short, I had a wonderful time in Antigua. Máximo Nivel was very helpful with resources and set me up for success. The volunteer program at PAIDOS Dueñas was beyond rewarding. The kids were absolutely amazing and smart. I look forward to coming back in the future.

I loved my program placement! The kids I was teaching were so sweet and it’s exactly the kind of experience I wanted for my career (I want to be an ESL teacher). The people at Maximo and at my home stay were really kind and I always had something to do in Antigua after my placement ended for the day. In addition, the excursions were really fun. The only negative thing I would say is that it would be helpful to have more information up front, such as a list of the schools I could be volunteering at and more details about what kind of work I’ll be doing. It was all fine, but I would have preferred to know more in advance. Overall, though, my experience was fantastic!

I found that helping out in the dental field really further deepened my desire and passion to apply for dental school in the future, and I learned so much regarding subjects of dentistry that my perspective on the care has changed forever. It was very cool seeing ways that differ between here and dental care in my home country and I am grateful to have gotten a chance to experience this. I would definitely return and would love to learn more and be able to help the community more having more experience in the field.