Volunteer testimonials

Neil Postman, a great cultural critic, once said that children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see. I, a simple Polish volunteer, want these messages to be the wisest possible. This is possible in cooperation with Walk Beside Me for Knowledge, which works by the principle of the popular saying: children are our future. It is the only right way.

I didn’t come here to be an adventure seeker.
I didn’t come here to find the love of my life.
I didn’t come here to have an easy life.
There was only one reason: to work with those who are in need.

I urge you all, brothers and sisters from all over the world, to help the Republic of Honduras in a matter of widely understood humanism. I urge you once again to release any fears through empathy by joining us and becoming a WBK volunteer.

Honduras is a beautiful but troubled country. However, despite the high crime and poverty here, the people are determined to build a better country. The most important tool for this is education, especially the education of the children of Honduras.

Walk Beside Me for Knowledge are a perfect example of how the people of Honduras are working for a better tomorrow. By appealing to lower-income families and offering scholarships to those without the means for a bilingual education, Walk Beside Me for Knowledge are giving children a better chance in life.

As a volunteer, I have been fortunate enough to experience this wonderful, dynamic country. The landscape, the climate and the culture have all been memorable, but the most memorable part was the opportunity to teach. I have been given all the support I need by the school’s passionate staff, and I hope that I have made a positive contribution to the lives of the children.

Walk Beside Me for Knowledge offer children from all walks of life the chance of a greater future. I would recommend this amazing organisation to anyone looking to teach abroad.

Volunteering at Coral International Bilingual School has brought so much joy and opportunity into my life. I first went in 2015 and stayed for 10 weeks. The first couple of weeks were challenging, but by the end I didn’t want to leave. In such a short time I had made so many friends and connected so much with the students. After just a couple of months living there, Villanueva felt like home to me. That is why I’ve been back every summer since.

Teaching is hard work, but the kids at Coral make it worth it. They are so loving and grateful for the opportunity to learn. Coral has high expectations of its teachers and students: they are serious about providing a good education and know that good teachers are the most important part of making that happen. Working at Coral gave me experience not only in teaching, but also in team collaboration, event planning, leadership and many other areas. I have always found the other teachers at Coral to be kind, passionate and welcoming.

Spending time in Honduras has given me so many amazing experiences. Before I visited, I had no idea that Honduras is such a beautiful country! There are mountains, jungles, beaches and cities. The administrators at Coral are eager to help foreign teachers experience all that the country has to offer, and often help coordinate trips on weekends and during school breaks. Without the support of Coral’s teachers and administrators, I never would have been able to experience so much of this amazing country. I am incredibly grateful to have visited Copán, Tela, Roatán, Cayos Cochinos and many other destinations that are now some of my favorite places in the world. My Spanish has also improved so much, which has given me more opportunities for teaching and other jobs back home.

My name is Vania Clark, and I’m one of the teachers here, from Silverhill, Alabama. I first came to Honduras four years ago on a missions trip, and knew instantly that this is where I was meant to be forever. A lot of people have a very incorrect idea of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, because all they’re shown on the news and in the media is the bad. Of course, there are some things to use common sense with, but that has to happen literally anywhere you go in the world, not just San Pedro Sula. This place is one of the most beautiful places, with some of the most impacting people. The people here are so welcoming and open.

Fast forward four years: I finished college and moved back here permanently. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do here, just that the first step was to come. A few months after moving here, I received a message from a friend saying she’d sent my information to someone who has a school here. The next day, I received a call asking me to come in for an interview a couple of days later. During that interview, I instantly felt like I’d found where I wanted to be, and that I’d found a family to be a part of.

In this school, your coworkers will become some of your best and closest friends in a short amount of time. It really does feel like a family. You’ll fall in love with each of your students, even the crazy ones. Teaching is hard because you’re responsible for teaching other people things they’ll need to know forever, but it is one of the most rewarding experiences. You may have moments of frustration, or even wonder if what you’re doing is making a difference when that one student still doesn’t want to work, or still doesn’t understand after the third time. But those moments are little compared to the countless moments of joy you’ll experience with these students. To these students, you’re more than just a teacher. You’re a friend, a safe person to talk with about whatever is on their mind, or simply an encouraging word when they need it.

If I could give any advice, it would be to remember that ultimately, these are more than just students: these are the next generation, and to be able to teach them even for a little while is one of the biggest honors you’ll get to have. I wouldn’t trade the experiences I’ve had here for anything, because they’re that amazing. If you’re considering coming here, I would highly suggest doing it, even if you’re not sure what it would be like or if you would fit. There’s a place here for everyone, and so much joy and love found here.