I am Lila, and I volunteered with my friend Betsy for 2 months. This volunteer experience was one of the best and most fulfilling experiences I have ever had, and I would wholeheartedly recommend this program to anyone interested. I would also recommend staying for as long as possible, since I wish I had stayed longer than 2 months!
To begin
… read more with, the most important part of the exchange, the people, I have nothing but amazing things to say. Soth was really helpful and very organised with relaying all of the information to us, and all of the English teachers that were part of the program went above and beyond to welcome us not only into their classrooms but into their lives, especially Alejandra, whose mother’s accommodation we stayed at. Betsy and I never felt unsafe, being able to walk around alone at any time of day and only ever being treated kindly by locals. I am a vegetarian, and the cafes and restaurants tried their hardest to accommodate this! The kids are all amazing as well, and are always brimming with questions and energy. Everyone is so kind and eager to find out about you since there aren’t many foreigners in town, and we were able to make lots of good friends from the university and beyond. I was lucky enough to have a good level of Spanish; however, the students and locals are always eager to help you develop your language skills. I would advise that any aspiring volunteers take into account that you will have to communicate in Spanish the majority of the time, but by no means should that be discouraging, since many volunteers haven’t spoken Spanish and have loved the experience.
Although the weather in Honda is very hot and humid, the town is absolutely beautiful, with the town square having a very Spanish European feel, and other parts of town with more of a traditional Tolimense look. The town boasts a host of facilities such as gyms, supermarkets, restaurants, bars, and pools, and there is never a lack of things to do! There are also many activities to do, such as hikes, visits to the river and the museum, and it is also very easy to travel to a neighbouring town to visit things there, such as the waterfalls in Mariquita. It is also only an easy 6-hour bus ride to get to Medellín, which I would highly recommend since it is a beautiful city with such an amazing culture. (Also, to get to Honda from Bogota when flying in, Soth can put you in contact with a woman who does a private taxi service, or you can get the bus.) Honda is a town bursting with culture, and they love to share and involve you in everything from the food, the dance, and the music. If you are interested in nightlife, there are two main dance places to go to, which are always good fun on the weekend, and there are many different bars where you can enjoy a drink and maybe a game of Tejo! The main form of transport is motorbikes, and Betsy and I got around mostly using taxis. The taxis are very cheap and easy to get, since there are always some which can be hailed on any street.
In terms of teaching, the kids were always very enthusiastic and kind, and they love to hear about you and where you are from - so be ready to answer some questions! I spent my time teaching at Coreducación (the private bilingual school) and Juan Manuel Rudas (the public school). Most of my lessons were scheduled at Coreducación, and I had two long lessons at Juan Manuel Rudas a week. However, I spent most of my free periods/days returning to Juan Manuel Rudas when I could and doing extra lessons. Through this, I feel like I was really able to get to know the kids at both schools, and I absolutely loved my experience at both. Coreducación also has a big playground with a volleyball net where you can play games with the kids and volleyball with the University students in the evening. Classes were always very fun, and there is a good mix of being able to choose the format of the lesson whilst still having the support of a teacher.
I wanted to give a big thank you to Soth and Hugo for making this all possible, and also to Alejandra, Edward and Jason, who made our assimilation so seamless and allowed us to have such a great time. If any volunteers have any questions to ask, I would be happy to answer any questions or give any advice!
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Babysitting and creative play
General Maintenance
Eco Projects
Helping around the house
Hospitality/Tourism
Charity Work
Teaching
House sitting
Languages
