Do you think you know Mexico? Think again – to know the country is to know her people. When you teach English in Mexico, you obtain a unique perspective through the lives of Mexico’s future leaders – its students. Learn about a vibrant culture, strong family traditions, a clear and proud national identity, and students’ determination to contribute to their nation’s welfare. Teaching English in Mexico rewards you with a deeper understanding of the country – and the opportunity to truly advance Mexican students’ career opportunities.
Service program fees are tax-deductible for U.S. taxpayers when you follow our itinerary. Select the community below to see available dates. After you select a specific program, you can register to teach English in Mexico by providing your $350 deposit. Available discounts are explained here. If you prefer, you may print a text registration form and submit it by mail or fax. Children under age 18 must register as a minor and travel with a parent or adult legal guardian. Please call a volunteer coordinator at (800) 487-1074 for help if needed for any of these steps.
Most partner community lodging is double-occupancy, with a single room option for an additional fee. See single room fees here for countries where this option is available.
Pam Cromer is our volunteer country manager for Mexico service programs. She first served on our Turkey Service Program in 1997, and followed the next year in China. She has since led more than 50 teams to nearly all our partner communities. Pam earned a Masters Degree in Clinical Social Work, and has been in private practice doing long-term psychotherapy for more than 40 years. She has served on boards for abused children, counseled patients with HIV, and participated in early research on death and dying. With all this, she says her “ best job in the whole world is being a grandmother to my five grandchildren…ages 5 to 16.”
Pam’s team members “follow” her to Mexico year after year, and credit their fulfilling experiences to her leadership. Her dedicated fans are quick to point out her kindness and attention:
“Pam’s very helpful, efficient, kind, understanding and knowledgeable. A wonderful leader!”
Ann Kawell, Mexico Volunteer
“Pam facilitates an exceptional experience for Global Volunteers. She provides program details every day, communicates openly and honestly, and has the respect of teachers and students.”
Mary Mastin, Mexico Volunteer
“No single word can describe how wonderfully suited Pam is to lead, share, impart wonderful values, experiences, kindness, and tireless dedication to volunteers and local people. She’s unique in her ability to make everything run smoothly. She’s tireless and one of a kind. We love her!”
Linda Noonan, Mexico Volunteer
Our service program officially begins with the evening meal on the first Saturday. Plan your arrival in Querétaro (airport code QRO), anytime before 9:00PM on Saturday, and your departure anytime after 6:30AM on the final Saturday of your service program. Meet your team at the airport within this window if you travel in the country before the start of the service program. Provided you send us your flight itinerary at least two weeks before the service program arrival date, you’ll be transported to the partner community with your teammates. This coordinated schedule helps us account for all team members, and provide smooth in-transit transportation. If your flight is delayed, please contact us as soon as you confirm your new arrival plans so your team leader can arrange an airport pickup for you.
Your health, safety and security is our top priority. Your lodging, food and transportation are provided always with a mind to protect you while at the work site and in your hotel. Your team leader is trained in CPR and first aid. Read more about health and safety here.
We strongly recommend you consult your own physician, public health clinic and/or travel clinic for detailed travel health information and preventative measures. For general recommendations, consult the following sources:
Centers for Disease Control | Health Canada Online | Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Global Volunteers includes emergency medical evacuation insurance in your service program fee. We also recommend health insurance that covers you while you are outside your home country, and trip cancellation insurance in the event you must cancel your participation on the service program. Your travel agent can refer you to travel insurance providers. Click here to read risks associated with international travel.
Ample free time is provided each evening and on weekends to enjoy the numerous cultural, educational and natural attractions in and around Querétaro (also called “The Pearl of the Bajio”). The city’s Historic Monuments Zone was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996. It’s Baroque architecture dating from the 17th and 18th century and neo-Classical buildings tell an intriguing story of it’s rich history. You may visit museums, churches, theaters, plazas, and unique shopping venues. Other points of interest are the Templo de San Francisco, the Museo de Arte de Querétaro, the Teatro de la Republica, the Convento de la Santa Cruz, and the gems and jewelry stores in San Juan del Rio, a nearby town. While our non-profit status prohibits us from planning your free-time activities, your team leader will provide suggestions from previous volunteer teams.
For instance, you can tour the Sierra Gorda on an all-terrain vehicle, visit historic Franciscan missions, or satisfy your “inner vintner” at a winery tour. On the “Leyendas” (legends) tour, actors imitate historical characters and explain the significance of historical events in amusing and engaging stories. A hike up Campanas Hill, the city’s emblematic site of French defeat, brings you close to the country’s colonial history. Another popular site is Cerro de las Campanas (Hill of Bells), a beautiful national park with extensive green areas, playgrounds, an artificial lake, a theater and a small museum called The Magic of the Past.
Your group is quickly and fully engaged in meaningful Mexico volunteer opportunities – teaching English conversational skills to young adult students. It’s in Querétaro’s classrooms where you encounter the “real Mexico,” far apart from network news stories and government reports. Group volunteering in Mexico can be many times more enriching than a traditional “tour” experience. Learn about your colleagues in a non-traditional way while leveraging your unique skills to enhance learning in Mexican classrooms.
Team teach and work together in small groups by day, and after class, share free time at museums, markets and musical events! Around the dinner table with your teammates, you compare notes to paint a mural of true understanding and respect. Nothing exceeds volunteering together and experiencing the culture of Mexico as you live it.
You don’t need previous experience to teach English in Mexico – just a sincere desire to help university students improve their conversational skills. Our partnership with Universidad Tecnológica de Querétaro (UTEQ) in Santiago de Querétaro enables you to tutor eager students and boost their confidence. Gain a new perspective of this colorful country in cheery classrooms, and discover the country’s finest cultural and historical centers in free-time. Review a standard work-day schedule for teaching English in Mexico here.
1 & 2 week programs available
Tax-deductible Fees From:
$2,495 – $2,695
Projects Include:
Teaching English
Local time:
When you teach English in Mexico with Global Volunteers, your health and safety are our highest priorities. Your secure, private hotel is within walking distance from the city center and the University. The bright and comfortable guest rooms are double-occupancy with private baths, twin beds, dressers and TVs. Observe daily life outside your window from a unique volunteer perspective.
All your meals are served in restaurants providing authentic Mexican cuisine based on egg, rice and bean dishes. You’ll enjoy the familiar choices – enchiladas, tacos, tortillas, soups, and more. Bottled and filtered water is provided daily. Vegetarian diets can generally be accommodated.
Be The Change.
Through important, full-day volunteer assignments, cultural activities and time for personal adventures, you’ll learn about the Mexican people, and remain forever invested. Our time-tested and proven philosophy of service ensures that when you teach English in Mexico, you help advance the host community’s development vision and goals. What’s more, in doing so, you’re accepted as family. Our commitment to work in partnership on long-term community projects enables you, in just a short time, to serve as a critical link in a chain of volunteer support spanning three decades.
Read about teaching English in Mexico below and on our program blog.
