Come and experience a real local lifestyle and help us at our kite school in Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka
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Best Workaway Projects for Spanish Speakers
You’re scrolling through Workaway’s host list and feel like giving up. It seems like every host is asking for good English skills. Language schools want people to teach English, not Spanish.
You know English is the international language, but still. Does no one appreciate that there are over 474 million native Spanish speakers, much more than the 400 native English speakers?! Where are all the Spanish volunteer opportunities abroad?
I understand this article is published in English. This may not be helpful! But I tried to write in simple English. Hopefully, your translator app will be accurate.
Don’t worry! Many Workaway projects welcome Spanish-speaking volunteers with little English knowledge. This guide will help if it is difficult to find them.
Yes, most volunteer opportunities are in Central America, South America, and Spain, but not all. Here are Workaway projects in Spanish and non-Spanish-speaking countries that welcome your native Spanish language skills!
1. Volunteer at a Kitesurf School in Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is famously not a Spanish-speaking country. However, host and kitesurf school owner Rubén is originally from Spain. He is happy to host Spanish, English, French, or Catalan-speaking volunteers.
Stay in a hostel-style room, eat Sri Lankan food cooked by local chefs, and help at the kitesurf school in many ways. You can organise activities on calm days, lead yoga classes, help with their website, and collect plastic waste from the beach.
2. Help at a Non-Profit Sea Turtle Project in Costa Rica
There are lots of volunteer opportunities for Spanish speakers in Costa Rica. Spanish is an official language. Take advantage of the life-changing turtle conservation projects in this beautiful, biodiverse Central American country.
This Workaway project requires help constructing cabins/hatcheries and cleaning the beach to prepare for the turtle nesting season. They also want Workawayers to help with social media and assist local coconut farms. Fluent Spanish and English speakers are welcome in this slice of paradise!
Find out more about this Workaway project in Costa Rica.
Sustainable project
Language exchange
Related blog post: How Workaway Can Help You Improve Your Language Skills
3. Teach Spanish and Garden in Phitsanulok, Thailand
Most people want to improve their English to travel abroad, but not Lek! This host is keen for a Spanish immersion volunteer to help at his resort in Thailand. It is located on the banks of the River Khek surrounded by orchards.
Your tasks will include maintaining the eco resort’s gardens plus teaching Spanish writing, speaking, and listening with Lek. Basic English and experience teaching Spanish is a benefit, but not necessary.
- Language exchange
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4. Learn Fermentation at a Hostel in Oaxaca, Mexico
Many volunteer opportunities in Spanish-speaking countries like Mexico require intermediate Spanish skills. Luckily, you have these skills! This hostel and camping site in the food capital of Oaxaca has many projects you can help with. They accept stays of three weeks.
They are interested in community development and running activities like karaoke and movie nights. The hosts also need Workaway volunteers to help brew fermented drinks like Kombucha and Tepache. General cleaning and maintenance are also helpful tasks.
- Sustainable project
- Language exchange
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Related blog post: 11 Reasons to Volunteer in Mexico
5. Teach Spanish and Run Social Media in Oława, Poland
Most schools want to hire volunteers to teach English language classes. However, this 10-year-old language centre in Poland (a historic town 20 minutes from Wrocław) needs Workawayers interested in teaching English and people to teach Spanish.
Stay in a private bedroom, attend free Polish language classes, and teach children and adults who want to learn Spanish. Social media and content creation skills are a bonus!
6. Learn Ethnomedicine at an Eco Project in Peru’s Jungle
Peru has over 70 indigenous languages, but their version of Spanish is still the most widely spoken language in the country. Hosts and traditional medicine teachers Jesus and Hernan are looking for Spanish-speaking Workawayers. They need help at their treatment centers deep in the lush Amazonian jungle near Tarapoto.
Workawayers can expect to sow medicinal plants in their garden, maintain the roads and buildings, and assist with retreats. There is little electricity and modern comforts, but this could be a transformative experience for the right Spanish-speaking volunteer.
- Sustainable project
Cultural exchange
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7. Garden and Beekeep on a Farm in Joinville, Brazil
As you know, Brazil is a Portuguese-speaking country. However, host Alexandre is also fluent in English and has intermediate levels of German and Spanish. He welcomes speakers of all these languages to work on his former dairy farm.
Help with agroforestry, horticulture, cooking, maintenance, and gardening. You can also assist with the beehives and social media for the farm. This beautiful region is on the Santa Catalina coast and is perfect for Workawayers looking to escape Brazil’s hectic cities.
Find out more about this Workaway project in Brazil.
- Sustainable project
- Language exchange
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8. Harvest Organic Cacao in Puerto Misahuallí, Ecuador
Can you think of a better cultural experience in Ecuador than working on a chocolate farm? This Workaway host is a bio-construction project that grows cacao and constantly builds new sites to scale up their business.
They need Workawayers to build a cafeteria to host ‘farm to table’ events. And help with the chocolate production during the peak growing season, of course! You’ll live in a private, traditional house and the minimum stay is only two weeks.
- Language exchange
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9. Help on a Homestead in Arizona, USA
The USA has a thriving Hispanic community, so it’s not surprising there are plenty of Spanish volunteer opportunities here. Zach (American) and Vale (Argentinian) live on and run a 2.5-acre homestead on the border of Arizona and Sonora in Mexico.
They mostly need help growing food, tending to animals, water harvesting, and constructing natural buildings. Since host Vale loves to speak her native language and Zach is fluent, they prefer hosting Spanish speakers.
Related blog post: Top 10 Countries to Visit on Your Next Working Holiday
10. Volunteer at a Hostel in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Usually, it is useful for long-term travellers to speak English. In South America, Spanish is key! A lack of English will not hold you back from working in this vibrant hostel in Argentina’s capital.
The hosts are ex-Workawayers who need help with a range of projects. If painting murals, cleaning, and helping with the bar, reception, or events sound good, this could be a great opportunity for you. You’ll stay in a hostel dorm and meet people from all over the world!
11. Tend to an Orchard in Castilla La Mancha, Spain
It is surprising how many volunteer opportunities in Spain prefer native English speakers over Spanish speakers. However, Workaway host Maria had beginner English skills so she welcomes native Spanish speakers into her home.
The project is located in Spain’s beautiful Castilla La Mancha region, the land of Don Quixote. She wants someone to help with permaculture in her garden and orchards. However, there are other projects you can help with depending on your skills.
Find More Spanish Volunteer Opportunities With Workaway
It couldn’t be easier to finish Spanish-speaking volunteer opportunities through Workaway. Find the full host list and write ‘native Spanish’ in the keyword box. Some will not suit your requirements, but many will!
As always, check you meet the visa requirements before contacting a Workaway host. But don’t let a lack of English language skills stop you from volunteering around the world!
About Rebecca
Rebecca caught the travel bug when she spent a summer as a camp counsellor in the USA during university. She quit her job in 2017 and started volunteering with Workaway as she grew her remote freelanc
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