There were moments filled with pure love, true enthusiasm, unrestrained laughter or unbridled joy. For me, every single moment I spent with my loved ones was special and wonderful.
Laura was looking for adventure and traveled to beautiful Guatemala. First, she took a language course at Lago Atitlán, where she was able to get to know the culture first-hand through her host family. Laura then supported the Hostel Experience and got to know the backpacker life from a completely different perspective. She created countless memories, made new friends and experienced the warm Guatemalan culture.
As I had studied Spanish for 6 years at school, I decided after a stay abroad in the USA that I needed a bigger adventure. After all, life in the USA is similar to life in Germany and my English was already quite good. I decided that I would find my adventure in Latin America. At the beginning, however, I was totally clueless about what exactly I should do there and spent about a month researching various things. However, the range on offer was extremely huge and all the options too overwhelming, until I finally found WanderWorld Travel. I booked my program about two months before departure. I always felt supported and well prepared by WanderWorld. :)
1. to be honest, I found the first few days in Guatemala a little overwhelming because the culture and everything about this country is simply extremely different to anything I had known before. It was also my first time traveling alone. So I would say that I had a bit of a culture shock. However, this subsided after a few days and the first few days in the project went really well. My host family was really lovely and never gave me any reason to feel uncomfortable.
2. it was a different story at the hostel, as I had already overcome the culture shock. The arrival was really great and the entire hostel team was extremely warm and welcoming. After a few days, I had already settled in. I got on really well with the other volunteers and bar staff straight away and my manager was the best boss I've ever had.
1 My first project was attending a language school and staying with a host family at the same time. I always got up at 7.30 a.m. and then ate breakfast cooked by my host mother. I then went to the language school. Lessons took place from Monday to Friday from 8.30 am to 12.30 pm. The teachers were all really nice and there was always a typical snack. After class, I went back to my host family's house, where lunch was already waiting for me. In the afternoons and at weekends, I either went for walks or on excursions to other villages on Lake Atitlán. The two weeks definitely took my Spanish a big step forward and were therefore the perfect start to my trip.
2 My second project was the Hostel Experience in Antigua. I worked there 25 hours a week as a bartender. I gradually learned how to mix cocktails and how best to deal with customers. As I had no previous experience in this area, but I had always wanted to work in this field, it was perfect for me and I really enjoyed it. After a while, the team at the hostel became like a family to me. I also really enjoyed spending my free time at the hostel.
1. in my first project, I mainly spent my free time with my host family or alone. From time to time we went on excursions together. My favorite was the trip to the viewing platform in San Juan La Laguna. From there, there was a wonderful view over the entire village and the lake. On the way back, we hiked off the beaten track along the water's edge through the countryside. That was very exciting.
2 In my second project, I spent my free time with a wide variety of people. After a while, I had lots of local friends with whom I did things from time to time. I also enjoyed spending time with other volunteers or simply with backpackers. It never got boring because you always met new people who you could do things with.
Antigua was also in a great location for excursions. It's quite close to the beach, so I once went on an excursion to El Paredón. However, one of my absolute highlights was the hike up the Acatenango volcano. This is an inactive volcano from which you had a perfect view of another active volcano, the "Fuego". It was the most strenuous thing I have ever done in my life, but it was more than worth it as we had such an incredible view of an erupting volcano.
One of the things that excited me the most was that there are so many different Mayan languages. Apart from that, I loved how open the people in Guatemala were. It felt like you were welcomed with open arms everywhere you went. Even if most of the locals don't really enjoy working, they always work to make you feel comfortable. What I would like to take with me to Germany is to be as open and nice to everyone and not to be afraid to give the odd compliment.
This is a very difficult question, as my entire trip was filled with incredibly beautiful moments, all of which were special in their own way and left their mark on me. There were moments filled with pure love, true excitement, unrestrained laughter or unbridled joy. For me, every single moment I spent with my loved ones was special and beautiful. One of these moments that has stayed in my memory is the hike up the Acatenango. Finally reaching the top after 6 hours of unbearable effort and then being rewarded with such an incredible view was a truly incredible feeling. Especially because my girlfriend and I made it together, even though we both struggled a lot.
One place that has grown incredibly dear to my heart and is now one of my favorite places in the world is definitely Antigua. A beautiful colonial city that has everything you need. The architecture is simply stunning and somewhat reminiscent of a few European towns, making it all the easier to feel at home there as a European. The city is also not too small and not too big. After a while you get to know some of the locals and meet people on the street, in the café or in the bar in the evening. Nevertheless, it never gets boring, as there are always new tourists from all over the world. So the city not only broadens your horizons for the local culture, but also for cultures from all over the world. I also felt incredibly safe there day and night, safer even than in some German cities. The climate is also great and it is very warm most of the time. The biggest difference between Antigua and my home country is the atmosphere. The air simply tastes of smiles and good humor and the people are all cheerful and extremely open.
1. during my first project, I had my own room in my host family's house. It was simple and clean, with a bed, bedside table and closet. I shared the bathroom with my host family. Basically, the house was really super cute, but very different to the German architecture, as the garden was in the middle of the house and at the same time the hallway led to all the rooms.
2 In the second project, I slept in a shared room in the hostel I was working for. It was a room with 14 beds and both the volunteers and other tourists slept there. At first I was a bit scared of what it would be like and wasn't sure if I could really stand it for two months, but my fears were unfounded and it wasn't as bad as I thought. Each bed had its own curtain and so you at least had a bit of a feeling of having your own private space. The hostel was generally very clean, the bedrooms and bathrooms, as well as the pool and the rest. I never felt uncomfortable.
Latin America is a really incredibly diverse region and that's what makes it so special. Not only the nature, but also the culture and the people in general have so much to offer. From beaches and jungles to beautiful cities, you really can find everything you need over there. The people are incredibly open and cheerful, so much so that it's infectious. And then there's the food. I ate some of the most delicious food I've ever tasted in my life and that alone made my trip worthwhile. I can only recommend everyone to visit this side of the planet one day. I'm sure you won't regret it.
I felt incredibly safe in both San Juan and Antigua. In Antigua, I sometimes even walked home alone at night without feeling unsafe. So during the day it really wasn't a problem at all. Nevertheless, I always made sure that I never had too many valuables with me and always carried them close to my body and as hidden as possible, just to be on the safe side. I would advise everyone to talk to the locals and ask them what to look out for and how to behave. They know best. Most of the time, the very touristy places in Guatemala are quite safe and you don't need to worry too much. Nevertheless, you should never behave naively.
Latin America has given me an incredible boost in terms of my self-confidence. That's because the local people aren't afraid to constantly compliment you on the smallest things. So I got to hear a lot of positive things every day, which felt really good. It also helped me to spread this joie de vivre and positivity back in Germany every day. I've also become a lot more relaxed and stress myself less when it comes to small things.
Studying abroad in Latin America offers a unique and enriching experience that I can highly recommend for many reasons. Here are some tips for future participants:
1. take the opportunity to improve your language skills. Speaking several languages is very helpful and beneficial for many reasons. In Latin America, you can practise Spanish on a daily basis, which makes it easier to memorize everything.
2. make contacts with locals and other travelers. Latin Americans and travelers are the most open-minded kind of people there are. Take advantage of this opportunity and make international friends.
3. be open to new things. Be it the prevailing culture, typical food or the people you meet. Always be curious and try to try out as much as possible.
If I had to describe Latin America in three words, I would say: joie de vivre, warmth and diversity. And these are exactly the reasons why I would recommend a stay abroad over there to anyone. I would love to discover every single country in Latin America one day. However, Nicaragua and El Salvador are currently at the top of my list. They are both supposed to be very affordable countries and I would love to try volcano boarding in Nicaragua and eat my favorite food: "popusas" in El Salvador, as they are originally from there.
1. for the language school, I definitely recommend a keen interest in Spanish and some basic knowledge. You should also have a keen interest in the prevailing culture and the everyday life of the local people. I learned a lot about typical traditions during my time there.
2. for the Hostel Experience program, I would recommend very good language skills in English and good language skills in Spanish. You should also be a very open-minded and outgoing person who is not afraid of daily contact with people from all over the world. I was already an open-minded person before, but my program has made me even more so. I also gained experience in dealing with customers, both great and not so great customers.
Sophia, founder of Wanderworld Travel
Lisa, Coordinator & Participant Support
Amanda, Support and advice before departure
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