PHYSIOTHERAPY WORK EXPERIENCE INTERNSHIPS IN ANTIGUA

This project will allow you to gain experience in physiotherapy, or simply to challenge yourself in a friendly environment where your assistance is really needed. The centre where you'll be working works to better the lives of approximately 70 children who have physical and/or mental handicaps. This is a challenging and rewarding project!

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You will need to have some Spanish skills participate in this project. You should ideally have GCSE or equivalent skills, or be prepared to learn some of the language in Guatemala before starting your project.

As medical terminology is likely to be used at the centre, it is also highly recommended that you take some extra medical Spanish lessons before starting your project, even if you’re already confident in general Spanish. We can arrange these specific lessons, where you’ll learn medical terminology, which will not only be useful to you on the project but perhaps also in your future career.

If you have a low level of Spanish or no Spanish at all, you are still very welcome to come on the project, but it is a requirement that you spend some time learning Spanish at our language schools before starting work at the care centre. It usually takes between 4-8 weeks to reach the required standard of Spanish. If you were comfortable with languages at school and feel confident about languages in general, you should be at the lower end of the scale.

It is also possible to arrange Spanish lessons for you during your volunteering if you have a lower level of Spanish but would like to brush up on your skills. Please speak to your Project Co-ordinator about your level of Spanish so that we can discuss the option that’s best for you.

You also need to have an interest/qualification or some knowledge about physiotherapy to take part in this project. No particular qualifications are required, but you must either be studying a related subject, qualified in a related subject or intending to peruse a related subject as a career or as study. Please talk to us about acceptance criteria, as we can usually be very flexible if your intent is there.

This project also has a minimum length of 8 weeks. The centre is open all year round.

As with all our destinations, the Guatemalan culture and heritage is different to Anglo-Saxon cultures and this must be borne in mind. Self-reliance and independence are highly appreciated in all our destinations and will help you to make the most of this wonderful opportunity! 

Once you have applied for a placement, we will send you a very detailed Guatemala Information Book, as well as an equally detailed Safety Guide - both of these will help to make your stay in Guatemala one that you will never forget!

OPTIONAL ADD-ONS

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Accommodation with host families means that Travellers volunteers get to eat, sleep, work, socialise and generally live like a Guatemalan. Most of the families take more than one volunteer or student at once (some up to 10!), so the atmosphere is somewhere between a regular family and a hostel... Often very social, but with the benefit of gaining insights into the Guatemalan way of life from the inside - the best of both worlds!!

Many of our volunteers remain friends with their host families long after they leave Guatemala and in some cases they return to the country later especially to visit their family. Many offer the option of single or shared rooms, and generally houses within the same town are in close proximity with each other. The accommodation is comfortable, with a ‘western-style’ bathroom.

"The house I am staying at is like something out of a travel guide, and the family I am with is sweet and so thoughtful! Flori, Edgar Sr., Edgar, Denise and Paula are sure to be fast friends! My housemates are great too, there are 3 guys from Germany, Colorado and Miami, and we get along great! They are showing me around the city and explaining important rules of thumb (like don't flush the toilet paper down the toilet!!)" Elizabeth Collin, Teaching 2008

All of your meals will be provided from Monday to Saturday, leaving you free to sample local eateries on Sundays. Expect to develop a taste for corn tortillas, tostadas and tacos in plentiful supply! Western and international dishes are also easily available in Antigua. Although Guatemalans are big on eating meat, we can easily cater for vegetarians.

One of our hosts outside her house!
 

You'll be met at the airport by Lilian, our Guatemala Organiser, or one of her staff. From the airport you'll be taken to your accommodation and introduced to everyone. Within the next couple of days you'll be taken to the school and she will ensure that you are well settled in.

You have the option to arrange your own flights or we can assist you with your flight arrangements. If you would like us to do this for you, we will liaise with you regarding available flights and dates to suit you. All arrangements for your flight bookings/payments will be fulfilled by Murray Rogers Travel Limited, ATOL No. 6856. Where possible, we arrange for two or more people to travel on the same flight and we will let you have the names and telephone numbers of other volunteers on your flight, so that you can chat to each other or even meet up before leaving for your placement.

VISAS: Visa’s are not required for a stay of 90 days if you are a British Passport holder. If you're from another country, we'll liase with you about your visa requirements, if any, and make the Visa process very easy. 

Where possible, all flights we arrange for you have changeable return tickets because many of our volunteers choose to extend their stay once they are in their destination country. Changeable return tickets enable you to do so, within the limits of your visa and the level of your air ticket, of course. If you choose to book your own flights, you should endeavour to get a changeable ticket.

To read about the excellent Support & Backup we provide before you leave and during your programme, please click here.

We can also arrange your flight dates to give you additional time at the end of your project for travelling around and sightseeing - this is a fascinating and wondrous country!

Volunteers enjoying lunch at their accommodation