Volunteer El Salvador: Meanguera Isd

Meanguera is a small volcanic island in the Gulf of Fonseca. Offering pristine beaches, diving, snorkeling, and jungle expeditions the island is also a breeding ground to a number of endangered turtles including Leatherbacks, the Olive Ridley, hawksbill and green turtles.

Meanguera is part of a volcanic archipelago including the Islands of Zacata Grande, El Tigre, Gueguensi, and Exposición (which belong to Honduras), Rocas Desnudas, Aislas, Los Farallones (part of Nicaragua) and Meanguerita, Conchaguita, Punta Zacate, Martin Pérez, and a number of other small islands which all belong to El Salvador.

Tourism is slowly increasing on Meanguera bringing the islanders much needed income and its hoped that a new port being built in Cutuco will be a point of economic and tourist development for the region. Despite this the island remains mostly untouched by tourism offering volunteers an authentic view of the islanders culture.

Photo Gallery: Meanguera Island

More Meanguera Island images.

Volunteer Projects in Meanguera Isd

Computer Teaching

As part of out El Salvador computer program volunteers collaborate with local teachers to teach children and youths IT skills. El Salvadorian's are very keen to learn computer skills as some basic IT knowledge is very helpful in improving their future job prospects, but access to qualified computer teachers in poor schools is very limited. Volunteers can help by training children and young people in computer projects including hardware and software basics, Microsoft Office programs, the internet and educational games. Volunteers can combine computer teaching with teaching English.

English Teaching

In El Salvador our volunteers work with elementary and school age children in both public and private schools. As a volunteer English teacher you will assist the established teacher in the classroom and sometimes lead and prepare lessons yourself. Volunteers work together with the local teacher to help improve basic English skills, particularly conversational English.

English Teaching for Tourism

As well as teaching in schools our volunteers also work with young people to teach English for the tourist industry. Tourism has been gradually increasing on Meanguera Island and providing locals with much needed job opportunities if they are able to speak English. Our teaching aims specifically at teaching people skills they need to work in the tourist industry enabling them to work in hotels or as guides.

Sea Turtle Conservation Project.

Meanguera Island is the breeding ground for a number of species of sea turtle including the critically endangered hawkbill, the worlds largest breed of turtle, the critically endangered and shell-less leatherback and the endangered Olive Ridley turtle. All of the species are in decline for various reasons including accidental fishing catches, pollution and particularly on Meanguera because their eggs have traditionally been eaten by the local population.

Volunteers can work at the Don Chentillo Hatchery between September and December, where they help the turtles hatch and survive their first 3 months until they are ready to go into the sea. This is the most critical stage in the turtles life as they are also vulnerable to natural predators during this period.

General Meanguera Isd Info

Where Will I Stay?

Travel to Teach volunteers are accommodated in a beautiful area of Meanguera Town. Volunteers stay with host families where they will experience daily Meanguerenses life. Volunteers will have a private single room and will share facilities such as the kitchen, refrigerator and bathroom.

Food

The diet on Meanguara Island is based around sea food and famous local specialities include apretadores and lobster soup. Other specialities which have to be tried include exotic zapamiche and peje aguja fish. As well as island specialities you can also find El Salvadorian favorites such pupusas, vegetals and tropical fruits like mango, marañon, jocote and coconuts.

Weather

El Salvador has a tropical climate with pronounced wet and dry seasons. Rainy season (winter) runs from May to October, and dry season (summer) from November through April. Despite the seasons temperatures remain consistently hot throughout the year.

Free Time

Activities on and around Meanguera include diving, snorkeling, trekking, volcano tours, bird watching, boat trips to neighbouring Islands and jungle expeditions to remote archaeological sites. For the less active volunteer there are the isalnds beautiful and often deserted beaches.

Where Is?/ Getting To Meanguera Isd

You will spend your first few days at one of our home-stays in Santa Tecla before going on to Meanguera Island.

Transportation to Meanguera Island will then be arranged by Joaquin, our in country coordinator.

There are many airlines serving El Salvador. Check American Airlines, COPA, Delta Airlines and Iberia. You can also travel overland by bus from Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama and Nicaragua, check with local companies for times and costs, we at Travel to Teach recommend Tica Bus.

You will either be met at Comalapa Airport or San Salvador Bus Station in Santa Tecla (depending on your means of travel) by our representative who will be holding a placard that reads "Travel-To-Teach".