Volunteer in Costa Rica with Maximo Nivel - Best Rated Projects

Maximo Nivel has an awesome program in San Jose where you can teach English to refugees at Fundacion Mujer. I had a great time. My students were awesome and I gained teaching experience. I started the volunteer program in the beginning of August. My third day into it, I learned that I loved teaching English and I decided to get my TEFL certification through Maximo Nivel in Manuel Antonio. My first time volunteering in San Jose was for three weeks. Then I had to leave and get my TEFL certification then I came back for a week after my TEFL certification to volunteer teach and gain more experience.

The experience was awesome. My last day volunteering was September 27th. I am going to return again about a month to volunteer some more. I got a job teaching English. I was training and tomorrow I will be starting my new job so I cannot volunteer just yet. I think Maximo Nivel really helps you get ready for your volunteer project and you have a field manager that will take you to your project and guide you along the way.

Here is an example of what I teach in the classroom. This was this past Friday's lesson:

Friday’s Lessons at Fundacion Mujer September 27, 2019

This past Friday at Fundacion Mujer during my volunteer duty teaching English, my students learned about describing different processes in passive voice. Then we worked on some worksheets that I copied from my business English book. The worksheet was about how to inform clients using the present continuous tense. Then we learned about perfect progressive. I had copied a page from one of the English books I had gotten during my TEFL course. Afterward, we worked on present perfect progressive exercises.

We then worked on more exercises from the business English book. Afterward, we looked at the different verb tenses. I copied the pages from my Maximo Nivel TEFL book, which had the different verb forms. We learned about regular and irregular verbs.

I highly suggest this volunteer program. If you give it a try I know you will end up wanting your TEFL certificate so you can teach English for a living.

I spent 5 weeks in Manuel Antonio volunteering with Maximo Nivel. I did both the Teaching English project and the childcare project and found them both an amazing and rewarding experience. Getting to know the locals in this way opened my eyes to a new culture and feeling like I was helping the lives of these kids was my reason for coming. With the English teaching, you are set up in a classroom with support from other volunteers that ran the class with you, it was an awesome way to bond with the other volunteers because we researched and planned the lessons together. Similar with the childcare, there were three volunteers and we would often split up with the kids and do different activities. The girls at Maximo Nivel were super helpful and accommodating with any query or concern I had and getting to know them was a highlight of the trip.

Volunteering with children for 5 weeks in the beautiful Costa Rica has got to be one of the best things I've ever done. I made lifelong friends through Maximo Nivel and will never forget the amazing memories I made in such a beautiful tropical rainforest with a vibrant, unique culture. Travelling from Zimbabwe, I had never spoken Spanish, so was completely thrown in the deep end but I wouldn't have had it any other way. Being fully immersed in a culture has to be the best way of exploring and learning a new language. I was so lucky to have a lovely, kind - hearted family looking after me (who I know I will continue to stay in contact with) and a house full of volunteers & Spanish students from all corners of the world whom I can call best friends. I was so lucky to work with special children from all walks of life, making saying goodbye to them very hard. If anyone is thinking of doing this, I whole - heartedly recommend stepping outs of your comfort zone and embracing a different way of life.

I loved my experience with Maximo Nivel, I felt like I was really immersed into the culture and the town where I lived. Our host mom was such an amazing cook who taught me her recipes so I could practice at home for my family! The other volunteers in my house became my best friends and amazing adventure buddies. As far as my project goes, it was my first time teaching English abroad after being certified and it was an incredible experience working with all ages and skill levels. I got really close with all my students and found it very hard to leave after making such progress with them. Living by the beach and exploring the parks were also an amazing way to spend my free time. Anyone who is interested in practicing their Spanish while living in and learning about another culture, should experience Costa Rica with Maximo Nivel!

I have never traveled outside of the United States, and I was a bit anxious yet very excited about this trip. I was very impressed with the staff and accommodation, everyone is very understanding, helpful and kind here. There is a staff member that brings you to your placement, shows/tells you everything you need to know and I felt very confident in what I was doing. My host family is super welcoming, despite the small language barrier, that did not stop us from enjoying my experience. My advice: live in the moment, step outside your comfort zone, take each opportunity that comes to you, and make the most of this experience.I have never traveled outside of the United States, and I was a bit anxious yet very excited about this trip. I was very impressed with the staff and accommodation, everyone is very understanding, helpful and kind here. There is a staff member that brings you to your placement, shows/tells you everything you need to know and I felt very confident in what I was doing. My host family is super welcoming, despite the small language barrier, that did not stop us from enjoying my experience. My advice: live in the moment, step outside your comfort zone, take each opportunity that comes to you, and make the most of this experience.

Before I came here I was really nervous and had not done anything like this before, so it was all new to me. From when I first arrived until the end of my program the staff at Maximo were really supportive and helped in any way that they could. On your first day at your project, one of the field managers will come with you and introduce you to the staff and children, so you're not thrown into the deep end. Overall. I had the most amazing experience here and I highly recommend Maximo Nivel. Before I came here I was really nervous and had not done anything like this before, so it was all new to me. From when I first arrived until the end of my program the staff at Maximo were really supportive and helped in any way that they could. On your first day at your project, one of the field managers will come with you and introduce you to the staff and children, so you're not thrown into the deep end. Overall. I had the most amazing experience here and I highly recommend Maximo Nivel.

Even though I was only in Costa Rica for one week, I had a wonderful and amazing experience. The staff was extraordinarily friendly, helpful, and informative. They were always available and eager to help. My host family was fantastic! they were very welcoming and accepting. My host mother cooked the most delicious food! I did not know that Plantains could be cooked in so many different ways (and how delicious they are!). At my project (nursing home) I felt welcomed and like the work I did every day was making an impact. I learned so much from my project, and from living like a local. I also took Spanish lessons through Maximo Nivel, and had the most amazing Spanish professor. As someone with no background whatsoever in Spanish, I learned enormous amounts and it was all thanks to the amazing personality, skill, and hard work of Senorita Ana.

My time in Costa Rica volunteering with Maximo was short but extremely rewarding! The staff are very nice and are here to always help if the volunteers need anything. Working in the childcare program was extremely fun. The kids love to play soccer and hang out with the volunteers; going into this program I thought I would be mainly helping the children with their English (which I did) but they also helped me with my Spanish. During my time in this program, I was able to really get to know the kids and the teachers. They all are very caring and patient. This program or any other program with Maximo Nivel is worth it! Also, consider taking the Spanish classes offered through Maximo Nivel. The teachers here really help you learn the language. Overall, this program was life-changing!