Activities & Excursions

Learning Spanish doesn't finish with your daily classes. There are many options for after class activities, excursions, and volunteer work. These can all teach you more about the culture and allow you to practice your Spanish.

Volunteering

Other Optional Activities

Weekend Excursions

Trying on indigenous clothing at

Santiago de Atitlan.

Volunteering:

Many students choose to do volunteer work. This provides a “win - win” situation… an organization gets your valuable assistance, while you get to practice your Spanish, learn more about Guatemalan culture, and perhaps learn a new skill.

Even if your Spanish is not yet developed to the stage of you feeling comfortable  'putting it to work', there are some organizations that operate in English and these too would be glad of some assistance.

The scope of options for volunteer work is wide and varied.

You might like to consider the following:

• Working with Children

• Teaching English

• Helping in a school as an Auxiliary teacher

• Farm Work

• Working with children who live on the streets

• Office work for a charity organization

• Working in a hospital

• Working with Animals

• Teaching French

• Teaching German

• Teaching Italian

Other Optional Activities:

• Dance classes (Salsa and Merengue)

• Soccer (Teachers v’s Students)

• Guided tours of Antigua

• Ecological tours

• Latin American Films

• Social projects

• Cooking displays of typical foods

• Religious, cultural and social events (this picture shows an excursions that involves an explanation of Mayan life, Mayan textiles and their uses, and an opportunity to try tortilla making.)

Weekend Excursions

Markets at Chichicastenango

Getting away to see a little more of Guatemala (and truly test your Spanish) can easily be done on weekend trips. 'Universal' can help you to organize these excursions.

On Weekends you can  get away to places such as:

• Lake Atitlan... said to be the most beautiful lake in the world, surrounded by volcanoes.

• Chichicastenango..... the big and colourful markets

• Tikal... All inclusive package deals will get the one of the most impressive Mayan ruins in Central America.

• Livingston and Rio Dulce.... The spectacular boat ride down from the Rio Dulce to the fascinating Garífuna culture of the Caribbean town of Livingston.

• Grutas de Lanquin and Semuc Champey ....impressive caves crammed with bats and the beautiful turquoise swimming pools of Semuc Champey.

• Or Climb one of the many volcanoes!

Visiting a local village

- Santa Maria de Jesus

Authorized by the Department of Education and the Guatemalan Tourist Commission and University Rural of Guatemala.