Quetzaltrekkers

Placement organization

Name of organization: Quetzaltrekkers
Town/city: Leon
Country: Nicaragua
Website:

Name of student: Niels de Jong

Specialist area: TM
Placement period: 2013-2014

Information about placement organization

Type of organization: Non-profit touroperator
Organization’s activities: Quetzaltrekkers is the only all non-profit, all volunteer-run trekking and outdoors association in Nicaragua. In fact, apart from our sister organization, Quetzaltrekkers Guatemala and the recently founded Condortrekkers Bolivia, we might just be the only organization of our kind anywhere in the world. Quetzaltrekkers offers adventurous hikes through the volcanoes in the surrounding areas of Leon, Nicaragua and then donates ALL profits to locally-run projects working with disadvantaged youth.
Target group of the organization: Backpackers
Company culture: It is a flat organization with the director and the assistant director in charge. Everybody helps each other and is open to criticism. Overal it is an informal culture in this organization
Number of employees: 12
Dress code: casual
Did the organization meet the agreements you made beforehand? yes

Information about your placement

In which department(s) are you working? Office and as a guide
Brief description of your daily activities: My daily activites are:
– Work 2 part of the day in the office (4 hours)
– Hike 4/5 days per week.
– Go and visit the projects
Brief description of your company assignment: NHTV- assigment and work in the company
Comment briefly on your supervision by the organization: The supervision is really good here. They give you a lot of responsibilities but they don’t do this all at once. every week they give you a bit more and if you have any questions they are very patient to answer your questions.

Requirements for students on placement

What kind of personal skills are required for this placement? teamplayer, independent, stress-proof and social
Additional company requirements for this placement? none
English: Advanced
Spanish: Basic
French:
German:
Italian:
Other languages:

The trip

Mode of transport to reach your destination: airplane and then local bus

Accommodation

How did you arrange your accommodation? company and myself
How did you go to work every day? by foot

Visa / work permit / vaccinations

Do you need a visa? Just the one that you can get at the border for 10 dollars. This one is legit for 90 days
Do you need a work permit? no
How did you arrange the necessary documents:
How much time did it take to arrange the necessary documents?
Did you need certain vaccinations? Yes
How long in advance? don’t know ask GGD

Language course

Did you take a language course before you started your placement? Yes
Would you recommend to have a language course prior to this placement? Spanish

The costs in euros

Travelling expenses (e.g. return ticket): € 1000
Accommodation (monthly): € 80
Local transport (monthly): € 0
General costs of living (monthly): € 150
Costs of visa: € 10
Costs of work permit: €
What did the company pay for/to you? The company pays 1 hour of spanish classes each week.

Culture

How did you prepare for the country’s culture?
Didn’t I just went there and experienced it.
Did the culture of the country influence your performance during the placement in any way? no

Future students on placement

Future students are free to contact me for further information: Yes
My e-mail address: 120803@edu.nhtv.nl

Other information

Recommendations on what to do and what not to do: just send me a email and we will arrange a meeting to talk about this.
Leisure possibilities in the city/surroundings of where the placement took place: there is enough to do in this city

Media

Youtube link Youtube placement video link