It’s going to be difficult to put into words how highly I value my experience with Raúl in Guatemala — but I’ll try anyway.
This was, without a doubt, one of the most enjoyable, rewarding, and educational two months I’ll ever spend in my life — that much I know. The project is more than just inspirational and admirable. I genuinely felt completely at home and at peace during my stay, despite being thousands of miles from the UK.
Raúl is by far one of the most inspirational people I’ve met in my 25 years so far. His dedication to the academy and his students, his sheer stubbornness not to let anything get in the way of his mission, and his generosity, sense of humour, energy and enthusiasm are the definition of infectious.
I challenge anyone to be in a bad mood around this guy — he could make even a gravestone crack a smile. And it’s no exaggeration to say I wouldn’t have enjoyed this experience even a quarter as much without him. He’s just an incredible bloke — there’s no other way of putting it — and the world would be a better place with a few more of him in it.
Raúl, thank you for everything. Your hard work and your permanent good mood are the backbone of why I think so highly of this experience.
So, what’s this Workaway actually like?
You get to live in a very homely flat in probably the most luxurious gated community in Palín. There are local shops, a supermarket, a restaurant, food stalls, a pharmacy, a hardware store… plus football pitches, basketball courts, and — yes — a swimming pool. You’ve got pretty much everything you could need, right on your doorstep.
You’ll be working at the extremely charming English Academy in the centre of Palín, about a 10-minute drive from the apartment. Raúl gives you a lift every day (to and from the academy), and you’ll get to hear stories from his adventures, history of the town and Guatemala, or generally be woken up by his jokes and wild energy.
When you arrive at the school, you’ll be greeted by the always-smiling Marco at the front desk, and the lovely Bella and Aura behind the counter/bar. The work itself had a really good amount of variety. Some days we’d be doing conversation classes with kids aged 9–14, other days it’d be older teenagers or adults. Sometimes we’d be teaching a full class something new, other times helping out one of the local teachers, running an activity, leading a discussion, or even just jumping in and taking over the whole lesson.
There’s always something unexpected to keep you on your toes, and when you explain a concept well or get the class laughing and engaged — it gives you a proper buzz. One of those feelings you really treasure.
Teaching and the Academy
I was lucky enough to stay for two months, and I really recommend doing an extended stay if you can. You get to know the students and the staff, and it starts to feel like home. I also got the chance to teach two regular classes solo each week — advanced students on Saturday mornings, and a smaller intermediate group on Sunday mornings. These were the highlights of my week, no question.
Being able to build a connection with my classes was something special, and I’ll remember those times for the rest of my life. The students at the academy are keen and motivated — a blessing, as a teacher. I remember one student, Kevin, who’d regularly come up at the front before or after class just to chat or get something explained again. You feed off their curiosity and energy — which I imagine is quite different from a school where the kids aren't necessarily there by choice.
The Workaway doesn’t say you need Spanish, and technically you don’t. But genuinely, speaking Spanish made a huge difference to the connections I was able to make. Being able to explain something in both Spanish and English can really help, and it puts the students at ease too — they know you’ve been through the language-learning process, and that you’re making the effort to speak their language.
I really would try and get to a B1 level (even higher, even better). It will honestly make everything better. My confidence in speaking Spanish improved loads just from being able to practice a little every day. And if you’re looking for a way to practice Spanish in a real-life setting — this is perfect. I spoke to the other teachers and staff in Spanish probably 80–90% of the time, and not only was that what I wanted, but I got the impression they appreciated it too.
Tips & Tricks I Wish I Knew Before
I'd had absolutely no teaching experience and zero training before this — but I didn’t feel out of my depth. The first week was definitely a bit of a learning curve while I figured things out, but here’s what I’d tell myself if I were starting again:
- Use Kahoot — the students love it. It breaks things up and keeps them engaged.
- Bring variety to your lessons. Three hours with teens is very doable, but you’ll want to get creative to keep their attention.
- Think of ways to get them talking and using English. One of my favourite activities:
- After a reading, ask students to shout out words or phrases they didn’t understand.
- Write them on the board, ask them to translate them, and point out the words that are similar in Spanish because of their Latin roots (they’ll start noticing these themselves).
- Then, pick 3–4 students to choose a word from the board and make a sentence or two with it.
- Bonus points if they can make one sentence using all the words!
- Afterwards, have them share their sentences. Write them on the board and ask the class to find the errors — they love this part.
- It’s even better when someone writes a perfect sentence and the others are scratching their heads trying to “fix” it.
This kind of activity really gets them thinking, boosts confidence, and breaks up the lesson nicely. Also: it’s just really satisfying when something you’ve come up with works well in class. You’ll feel great about it.
Outside of Work
Raúl really looks after you. He took us out loads — for food, drinks, little trips — and I had a lot of fun meeting locals, doing the stuff he and the teachers usually get up to. He even made sure my birthday was properly celebrated — a birthday I’ll genuinely never forget (hahaha).
He is so easy to get on with and have a laugh with, and also very wise — which is a rare combo.
Random Bits You Might Want to Know
Bring flip flops (I bought a pair for 30Q / £3 out there).
Bring suncream — it’s about £10 for a bottle locally.
Swimming costume and goggles — if you like swimming
Towels are provided in the flat
I was there July–August. Shorts and t-shirt every day. Even when it rains, it’s warm — although once or twice the rain was absolutely torrential when you leave the school hahaha.
Trips we did on weekends:
Antigua (twice)
El Paredón (twice)
Lago Atitlán (once)
Didn’t manage to get a volcano in unfortunately…
Getting around: You use the mighty chicken bus. Super cheap, pretty reliable, and gets you where you need to go. Just ask the guys if they stop at wherever you're trying to go — they’re usually very helpful. Occasionally they’ll try and charge you a bit extra if your mental maths isn’t too strong — It’s insanely cheap tho so why not let them have an extra quid (personal opinion).
The landscapes are incredible, the journeys so unique.
You’ll have loads of downtime too — to chill, read, study Spanish, or go out exploring. Just be aware that you should be back inside the community before sunset unless you’re with locals — another reason to go out with Raúl. He knows everyone and will make sure you’re safe and have a good time.
Final (random) tips:
Take out cash in big chunks — ATMs charge you.
I recommend trying as much Quetzalteca as you can hahah.
Make tortillas with frijoles, aguacate y pico de gallo at home — cheap and delicious.
Buy Picamás hot sauce — all the colours. My fave was the brown/red one.
Nutella and other brand-name stuff is pricey — go for local versions.
Say hi to Juan and Nicolas in the supermarket for me
Go for walks around the community — it’s nice, and walking’s good for you.
Sadly I never got to play football with the students after school — still gutted about that.
Write down the names of all your students in class — and in the order they sit. Helps a lot with remembering them. Mine might still be kicking about somewhere in the school.
Sorry if this has come out a bit rambly — there’s just so much to say about my time out there.
All I can hope is that you have even half as good a time as I did. If you do, it’ll be something you remember for the rest of your life — genuinely one of the best things you’ll ever do.
So yeah, good luck, learn Spanish, and choose Raúl :)
