Guatemala

"The In-Country staff were superb, attentive, humorous, interested, creative. I could go on and on. I feel I should make special mention of them. Wow, I want to go back. The food was excellent, the Spanish lessons appreciated, the sharing very pleasant. Then the clean beds and bathrooms...it was like living in a warm, welcoming home. They were always there. They are very professional in the highest sense of the word."

Andrea Cookson, Guatemala volunteer

In-Country Staff in Guatemala City

Local CCS staff in Guatemala City will welcome you to the community, make you feel at home and help you better understand the culture. They help facilitate your volunteer experience and are always available to handle any questions that may arise. CCS staff is always from the region where we operate, so they can provide a local perspective, help you with learning the local language, and guide you in what to do in your free time.

All of our in-country staff members are warm, loving people who want you to feel at home and will make sure you are well cared for. Each CCS program site has a Country Director or Program Director and a full staff to take care of all programming, administrative, and logistical needs, as well as housekeepers, drivers, house guards, and cooks. Because the staff office is typically located at the CCS Home-Base, a helping hand is never far. Learn more about our Guatemala City staff below.

Country Director - Virginia Burmester Virginia Burmester, Guatemala Country Director
Virginia’s earliest cross-cultural experience was as a student in a year-long high school exchange program. She later traveled to Belgium as a participant in a community service project. These travels shaped her view of the world dramatically and proved to her that intercultural education was (and is) a very effective and successful way to bring peace and progress around the world. Virginia’s passion for education led to a 25-year career as an English teacher in Guatemala City. She later worked with the American Field Service, placing high school students with host families around Guatemala and preparing Guatemalan students to study abroad.

Her academic studies and internship experience in a rural area of Guatemala, and her extensive professional experience in intercultural education has brought Virginia recognition and respect as a recognized leader in intercultural exchange and an expert storyteller of the history and development of Guatemala. She takes great pride in her work and enjoys collaborating daily with the CCS Placement Coordinator Sonia, a director and teacher with the National School for Children Living with Mental Disabilities.

Placements Coordinator - Sonia Tello
Sonia is responsible for coordinating your volunteer placement and with maintaining Cross-Cultural Solutions' relationship with all of our partner programs in Guatemala. She also coordinates all cultural and learning activities.

Office Manager - Aneliesse Burmester
Aneliesse is responsible for managing the office and other secretarial duties. She coordinates airport pick-up and drop-off, Spanish lessons for the volunteers, and more. She is available for any questions, from helping with cultural adjustment to providing directions to local points of interest. Aneliesse is also on the National Volleyball team and has represented Guatemala in many tournaments.

Cooks - Mari Oliva and Amabilia Valiente
Mari and Amabilia are in charge of all meal preparations. They are also great at ensuring that meals meet the needs of any volunteers with special dietary needs, such as vegans, vegetarians, et al. These ladies are great cooks, and Mari loves to sing in the kitchen while she prepares the meals.

Housekeepers - Julieta Pirir and Olivia Lopez
Julieta and Olivia are in charge of cleaning the house and making sure that the house is comfortable for the volunteers.

Driver - Francisco Carrera
Francisco is our main driver and will be picking you up at the airport, transporting you to your placement each day and bringing you to the cultural and learning activities, as necessary.

House Guards - Luis Alvarez and Henry Arizandieta
Luis and Henry are in charge of overall security of the house, including making sure that all volunteers return safely to the Home-Base each night.

Choose from these programs in Guatemala City:

Volunteer Abroad -- 2 to 12 weeks | Click for Start Dates
Intern Abroad -- 4 weeks | Click for Start Dates
Insight Abroad -- 1 week | Click for Start Dates

Request more information about volunteering in Guatemala or read more about the CCS Experience in Guatemala City, Guatemala from the topics below:

Learn about volunteering in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala or return to the main Guatemala page.