Volunteer Teaching and Travel across Latin America

Global Vision International

Volunteers who join this extended program have the unique opportunity to live and work for six months in four different countries throughout Latin America; from the indigenous heartland of Guatemala to the Pacific coast of Costa Rica moving high up into the Andes of Ecuador and the deserts of Southern Peru.

Volunteers will be teaching on GVI initiated and run projects, dedicated to literacy and numeracy. English will be taught in Costa Rica. A large percentage of the fee goes towards the running costs of these projects, including food programs, scholarships, local salaries, daily transport, learning utensils, scholarships and expenses incurred for teaching. Volunteers will also be building an energy efficient stove for cleaner air and less wood consumption in Guatemala.

Included in the programme are 120 hours of Spanish classes to be taken throughout the 6 months, an introduction to Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) in Costa Rica, food and accomodation, airport pick ups and drop offs, plus required internal flights. On top of this volunteers will undertake various trips including biking, hiking and kayaking at Lake Atitlán in Guatemala; rafting, surfing and canopy tours in Costa Rica, horseriding and trekking in Ecuador and the Nazca Lines, Paracas National Reserve and the Inca Trail in Peru.

No formal teacher-training is required as each Volunteer will be supported by the GVI staff. 120 hours of one-on-one Spanish lessons are included, plus further group sessions in Costa Rica. Plans and curriculums are available and the volunteers will undertake an Introduction to TEFL course in Costa Rica. Volunteers should be enthusiastic, willing to work in basic conditions and happy to work with adults and children.


In Guatemala volunteers live in the beautiful old Spanish colonial town of Antigua. Project work is carried out in San Andrés Itzapa and Santa María de Jésus, both within a 45 minute bus journey from the town.

In Costa Rica, nestled in the North Western Guanacaste region of Costa Rica, is El Coco is a small fishing village, 35km from Liberia and a five hour bus trip from San José, the capital. The Guanacaste is home to many beaches and National Parks, all within travelling distance from El Coco.

For the Ecuador part, volunteers stay in the peaceful yet lively town of Otavalo. This market town is famous for its Saturday handicraft market which encompasses the entire town and its indigenous Andean communities. Volunteers work within communities situated about a one hour ride from Otavalo (with some walking), up in the mountains.

Finally, in Peru, you will be based in Arequipa, Perú’s second city, over an hour´s flight, or 13 hours by bus, south of the capital Lima, between the desert and the Peruvian Andes. You will study and live in Arequipa whilst traveling to nearby communities or “pueblos jovenes” to undertake the teaching projects.