• Discovery Program •

You caught the travel bug, but traditional tourism does not attract you? Instead, you would prefer to experience cultural immersion and discover another country, its people and its customs? You would like to be involved as a volunteer, working within a community, getting to know its inhabitants, and living with them – all this while discovering a new way of life and another reality? You want to live this adventure with a dynamic and passionate group? The Discovery Program is exactly what you were looking for!

Are you ready to dive into a culture that is totally different from your own? With our Discovery Group Program, you will have the chance to travel in a unique way: you will live with a family that will welcome you as one of their own and you will work every day alongside local populations, especially with the most disadvantaged communities. Many cultural activities will be organized to get to know the country, its roots, its culture and its history.

GUATEMALA

Participants will receive private Spanish language lessons (one teacher per student) and will live with a host family in a traditional community for the length of the program. They will be involved in different community projects of their choice, such as a daycare for the children of single mothers, a hospital, construction project, an elementary school, etc. Participants will have the chance to work alongside Guatemalan people on a daily basis,in some of the most marginalized communities. Some cultural activities will also be organized to familiarize the participants with the country and its roots. The participants will live an unforgettable experience in this Central American country rich in tradition, warmth and colors.

NEXT DEPARTURES:

Summer 2020

Departure Dates:	to be confirmed
Lenght:	2 to 5 weeks
Cost:	2 weeks: $1875 / person (tax included) 3 weeks: $2289 / person (tax included) 4 weeks: $2605 / person (tax included) 5 weeks: $2815 / person (tax included)
Registration Deadline:	to be confirmed
Pre-Departure Orientation Session:	to be confirmed

Winter 2020-21

Departure Dates:	Departure at the end of December, after Christmas (exact dates to be confirmed)
Lenght:	2 weeks
Cost:	$2200 / person (tax included)
Registration Deadline:	to be confirmed
Pre-Departure Orientation Session:	to be confirmed

Please note that pre-departure orientation is mandatory and will take place in Montreal.

* The exact dates of the trip will be determined when the group is formed and the air tickets are purchased.

Registration procedure:

Participation fees for the Discovery Program can be paid in two separate installments:
1st payment : $500 CAD + tax, before the registration deadline.
2nd payment : Remaining balance, 45 days prior to departure.

What’s included:

20 to 40 hours of private Spanish lessons (one teacher per student);
Volunteer work of your choice in community organizations such as schools, hospitals, daycare, community centers, etc.;
Participation in a reconstruction and renovation project in an underprivileged village;
Accommodation with a host family in a Guatemalan village;
Three meals a day, seven days a week;
All transportation within the country (for activities organized within the program);
Cultural activities: Salsa and merengue classes, guided tour of the town of Antigua, visiting a Mayan women’s cooperative, visiting a museum on Guatemalan culture, visiting a macadamia nut plantation, climbing a volcano, participating in an evening with traditional food and many others;
The services of a Canadian guide for the entire duration of the program;
Supervision from our Guatemalan partner for the length of the stay;
Pre-departure orientation session offered by HorizonCosmopolite and a printed version of the participant training guide;
DVD training on reverse culture shock and reintegration upon return;
Support from the whole HorizonCosmopolite team before departure, for the duration of your stay and upon your return.