Involvement Volunteers International WHY we need you in Guatemala
- Guatemala has an extremely high poverty rate, estimated at 59.5% (23% of those live in extreme poverty).
- 8 out of 10 indigenous children are said to be suffering from chronic malnutrition.
- Income equality is very high in Guatemala, with a huge difference between rich and poor families.
- Guatemala is prone to natural disasters, such as hurricanes, flooding, earthquakes and landslides. This leaves the landscape and homes ruined and many people struggling.
- Deforestation and other environmental issues have become a big problem in the county.
WHAT Does the Internship Involve?
- Assist with sales, reservations, pre-arrival services, and day-to-day operations
- Helping with basic accounting and stock and supply purchases.
- Support online marketing via website updates, social media management, and review sites
- Providing client services, managing bookings, offering recommendations, and addressing requests.
- Provide information about local activities, restaurants, and travel
Why Involvement Volunteers International?
- Non Profit Organisation & Charity
- Over 30 Years Expertise Globally
- Low Program Fees - From US$295
- Excellent Safety Record, In-Country 24/7 Support & Emergency Assistance
- 1 Application Fee - Multiple Countries
PROJECT NAME: HOSPITALITY & TOURISM INTERNSHIP
LOCATION: ANTIGUA, GUATEMALA
START DATES: WEEKLY (SAT/SUN ARRIVALS)
ACCOMMODATION: HOMESTAY
MIN DURATION: 4 WEEKS
MIN AGE: 19+
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Criminal background check required
Overview
Hospitality & Tourism internship placements are hosted by small, locally owned businesses such as hotels, hostels, tour agencies, tour operators, or restaurants. Interns contribute to various business functions, including sales, customer service, marketing, and daily operations.
We strive to align placements with your goals and interests, ensuring you gain valuable experience in your chosen field. However, placements are designed to be mutually beneficial, and tasks will vary based on the business’s current needs and projects.
In-country coordinators are available to support you but will not be present daily at your placement. Interns should be ready to work independently and show leadership.
Work Schedule
Work hours vary by placement, typically ranging from 4–6 hours per day, Monday to Friday. In addition, you’ll attend a daily 1-hour Spanish class from Monday to Friday. Weekends are free for relaxation, exploration, or personal projects.
Dress Code
In Guatemala, personal hygiene and professional appearance are highly valued. Even in hot weather, beachwear is not appropriate for the city. Pack clothing that ranges from casual to business casual and ensure it is modest and not overly revealing or extravagant.
Interns are expected to wear business casual attire and maintain a neat appearance.
Transportation
Internship placements are in the Antigua area. Walking or taking the bus is the most affordable and effective way to travel to your placement. Travel times vary from 20–60 minutes each way, depending on your placement and housing. Bus fares typically cost Q8 (approximately $1) or less, though costs may be higher for placements further from Antigua.
On your first day, a representative will guide you using local transport, providing all the necessary information. Afterward, interns are responsible for their daily transportation. Taxis are available but more expensive. Budget around $5 per day for transportation expenses.
Spanish Classes for Interns
As part of the program, you will receive a 1-hour Spanish lesson daily, Monday to Friday. These classes are tailored to your level and work schedule, focusing on vocabulary relevant to your placement.
The Native Spanish Program uses the Communicative Method, emphasizing immersive spoken interaction. Lessons are conducted entirely in Spanish by certified, native-speaking instructors.
Internship Deliverables
All interns are required to submit weekly journals and a final deliverable.
- Practicums (under 8 weeks): A 10–20-page written report or a 1-hour PowerPoint presentation.
- Internships (8 weeks or longer): Both a 10–20-page report and a 1-hour PowerPoint presentation.
Deliverables should cover:
- An overview of your placement and role.
- An organization review.
- A sector analysis in your host or home country.
- Challenges faced during the internship.
- Outcomes and results achieved.
Maximizing Your Experience
The success of your internship depends on your efforts and proactive approach. Be prepared for language barriers and differences in work culture, structure, and management. Flexibility and adaptability are key to making the most of this experience.
Location
Projects are located in and around the city of Antigua. Which was declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. This is a popular tourist spot due to the pretty colonial buildings and ancient ruins. From the streets and rooftops, you can even see volcanoes towering over the city. Antigua’s Central Plaza has plenty of restaurants, shops, markets, and regular cultural events, making it an exciting city to call home.
Project Tasks
- Assisting with sales, reservations, pre-arrival services, and daily operations.
- Supporting promotional efforts through community outreach and updating materials.
- Managing online marketing, including website updates, social media, and review sites.
- Providing client services, managing bookings, offering recommendations, and addressing requests.
- Sharing information about local activities, restaurants, and travel options.
- Helping with basic accounting and stock and supply purchases.
- Ensuring excellent guest and customer satisfaction.
Food & Accommodation
You will stay with a pre-approved middle-class Guatemalan host family. Internship volunteers will have a private room. You are provided with a key to the house and are free to come and go as you please, we ask you to respect the rules of the family. Our host families live in and around Antigua and are 10-25 minutes walking or by bus from the volunteer centre.
You can also choose to stay in a student residence room, hostel, hotel or apartment, all of which can be private or shared between single genders. Please note, for hostels, hotels and apartments, meals are not included.
Breakfast and dinner are provided 7 days a week* and will generally be of local cuisine. Corn, rice, beans, beef, pork, chicken, cheese, and tortillas form the basis of the typical local foods. Meat stews and soups are very popular also.
Photos below show a typical South American homestay and images of the volunteer centre.
Standard
Projects
- Human Rights Internship
- Medical Internship
- Education Internship
- Micro-Business Internship
- Hospitality & Tourism Internship
- Special Education Internship
- Veterinary Internship
- Dental Internship
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1 Month - $1495
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2 Months - $2195
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3 Months - $2975
What's Included
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Accommodation
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Meals
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Airport Pickup
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Local Transportation
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1 Day Orientation
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24/7 In-Country Support
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Project Materials & Equipment
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Pre-departure Expert Advice
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Preperation Tools & Checklists
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Certificate of Completion
- Application fee is one off per person (unlimited placements)
- Click Here to convert the below prices to your local currency
- Discounts may apply if travelling in a pair or group!
- All credit card /international fees included in below pricing! 🙂
Testimonials...
FAQ
– At least 19 years of age
– Hard working, ready to learn and contribute!
– Positive mindset
– Able to be creative with limited resources
– Spanish language skills are not required
– Final project required
- Airport pick-up
- Host family accommodations
- Breakfast and dinner, 7 days/week
- 3-4 hours/day practical work, Monday-Friday
- Program and safety orientation
- Walking tour
- Official certificate of volunteer service
- Letter of recommendation
- Spanish language tutoring table
- Tandem Conversation Program
- Office-wide WiFi and computer lab
- Salsa dance classes
- Cooking classes
- Free coffee and tea and on-site snack bar
- Institute is open 7 days/week
- Emergency contact number 24/7
- Flights
- Medical insurance
- Daily transportation
- Travel and tours
- Transfer back to the airport
- Personal spending money
Each project will include a 1-day orientation to familiarise yourself with the local area, rules, safety advice and general information. Your host family will show you the best way to get to/from your accommodation to the volunteer centre. Orientation will include health and safety advice, do’s and don’ts, cultural norms, activities and tours you can do on weekends, and a short walking tour, showing you the local area. You are also able to take a free Spanish placement exam. On your first day the local coordinator will take you to the placement, where you will be introduced to everyone and shown around the project.
Our projects are situated in the Antigua area. The most effective way to get you your project is to walk or take the bus. Travel time can vary between projects, and you should expect to spend 20-60 minutes travelling each way. You may need to change buses, depending on where your accommodation/project is located. Taxis are widely available but much more expensive than the bus.
PLEASE NOTE: You are responsible for your daily transportation to and from your project site. Local bus journeys are very affordable and will typically cost Q8 (about US $1) or less each way but may cost more if your project is further outside Antigua. We recommend budgeting about US $5 per day for transport.
Days and Hours
Working hours vary by placement, but you can expect to work 4-6 hours per day,
Monday to Friday. Your daily 1-hour Spanish classes are Monday to Friday, and you
may have additional planning or tasks to do outside of work. Weekends are free to relax,
explore, travel, or do any independent work you have.
There is so much to see and do around Antigua, including cultural events, tours and treks, and exploring the various markets. The local coordinators regularly post a monthly events calendar to let you know of the activities going on nearby. For more ideas on things to do in Guatemala…
Tikal Ruins
These Mayan ruins are set amidst the jungle of northern Guatemala and close to the borders between Belize and Mexico. The incredible ruins are a little hard to get to but have a spectacular backdrop. The ruins used to be one of the most influential cities in the Mayan empire.
Semuc Champey Pools
Another destination a little hard to get to (think long and windy bus ride) but definitely worth it for the incredibly blue pools of water you will find here, all surrounded by Guatemalan jungle. You can go swimming in the pools too!
Acitve Volcanoes
Pacaya, Santiaguito and Fuego are active volcanoes which visitors can climb up. These 3 are still active but Guatemala also has 37 volcanoes dotted around the country. If you love hiking, then make sure to try one of these treks for spectacular views.
Lake Atitlan
Lake Atitlan is a place where you can easily spend several days. This pretty lake has the backdrop of volcanoes and pretty wildflowers around the edge of the water. There are lots of small towns around the lake to explore, or you could simply relax by the sparling water or try SUP and kayaking.
Indian Nose Hike
This is a spectacular viewpoint which will only take around a 45 minutes climb. Situated close to San Pedro, this mountain is known for incredible sunrises, but we would recommend going with a tour group for this, for safety reasons.
– At least 19 years of age
– Hard working, ready to learn and contribute!
– Positive mindset
– Able to be creative with limited resources
– Spanish language skills are not required
– Final project required
Limited access to education and healthcare, poverty, illness, unemployment and illiteracy continuing problems in Guatemala. Guatemala is bordered by El Salvador and Honduras to the South, Belize to the East, and Mexico to the North. There is plenty for outdoor and nature lovers here, including tropical coastal beaches and lush jungles, mountains, rivers and volcanoes. Guatemala has a population of 14 million people, half of that being indigenous. You will see plenty of ancient Mayan traditions and customs still alive today.
The climate in Guatemala changes somewhat dramatically. In the lowlands there is a hot, tropical and humid climate year-round. The mountain regions are a lot cooler and can even fall below freezing in the cooler months. The climate in the popular tourist destinations in Guatemala, such as Antigua and Guatemala City, is temperate and a comfortable warm temperature.
May to October is the rainy season, which brings short rains usually in the afternoon. This can be a great time to visit, as the landscape are lush and green. The dry season is from March to May.
Guatemala has strong Mayan and Latin influences, with the main language being Spanish, as well as some Mayan languages. The indigenous people are known for their colourful clothing and textiles and Guatemalans love their sport (soccer in particular) and music. The designs of the clothing vary in patterns from which village you come from. Religion in Guatemala varies from Mayan spirituality, Catholicism, and Evangelical Christianity. Muslim and Jewish populations can be seen in Guatemala City as well. A lot of the festivals here are influenced by religion.
30 Years Non Profit Experience
IVI is an Australian charity & non profit organisation founded in 1989 and is one of the pioneers of overseas volunteering successfully placing over 20,000 volunteers globally.
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