New Development Experience: A Unique Company

Who we are...

As our name states, New Development Experience was created by development professionals working in Guatemala to provide travelers, teachers and volunteers with the means to truly EXPERIENCE the unique culture, adventure, learning and volunteering opportunities that this amazing country has to offer.

New Development Experience was founded by social entrepreneurs Greg Van Kirk and George “Bucky” Glickley . Greg and Bucky are former Guatemalan Peace Corps Volunteers who founded the unique not for profit, development organization, Community Enterprise Solutions CE Solutions is “changing obstacles into opportunities” by transforming what have traditionally been development and relief projects into local entrepreneurial and educational ventures. In short, CE Solutions provides resources, training and designs creative solutions whereby local people create sustainable local solutions to solve long- standing local problems.

New Development Experience will allow others to experience the wonder that Guatemala is, to observe and participate in successful development work and to provide the human and financial resources necessary for CE Solutions to continue to achieve its mission.

It is only through the network of CE Solutions expatriate volunteer and hard-working local constituents that we are able to maximize travelers', teachers' and volunteers' precious time in the country. Specifically, by visiting and working with the group of dedicated folks that CE Solutions supports (amongst many others), participants in all New Development Experience programs will have the experience of a lifetime and will be contributing to the development of rural Guatemala . Only through years of extremely hard work and organic growth have we been able to create an infrastructure in which short term travelers, teachers and volunteers can experience such a tremendous impact and provide one as well in such short periods of time. Through New Development Experience we are proud to say that we have been able to create a unique situation in which all parties involved, foreigners and locals, truly gain from the experience.

Why Choose NDE

We understand that there are many options out there when searching for the right out-of-country experience, options that can be as varied as the interests and goals of the prospective traveler. However, we are confident that if you are looking for a complete, development based, Guatemalan adventure, short or mid term no one can offer you a better EXPERIENCE than we can. And just in case our “expertise” and our “proven development success” don't have you 100% convinced…don't forget to consider the following.

Community Enterprise Solutions – All of our programs have strong ties to our not-for-profit development organization CE Solutions and all of the participants in our programs have direct interaction with our Guatemalan constituents. This interaction guarantees our participants a genuine development experience and the rare opportunity to not only peer into the lives of those struggling in the developing world but the chance to help. New Development Experience also donates a percentage of revenues and provides quality volunteers to CE Solutions.
Focus on Guatemala - We realize that many companies offering travel and volunteering opportunities have a much broader selection when it comes to locations…that's just fine with us. We feel that our focus on Guatemala allows us to provide our participants with a true expertise and knowledge of the area that will make their experience an unforgettable one.
Small Groups – By design, all of our programs are limited in size. We feel that in smaller groups our participants have much better access to our staff and tend to be less intimidating when traveling through more remote regions of the country where “gringos” are not often seen by locals.
Development Workers at Heart – Even though New Development Experience is a for-profit company, our entire staff is made up of true development professionals. All of our staff has at least two years of experience working in development; in fact the majority of our staff are former Peace Corps Volunteers.
Price – New Development Experience offers the best package for the most economical price on the market. Compare the quality of our offering to others in the market and you will see what we mean. Most importantly, we can offer this low price not by cutting corners but because we already live and work in Guatemala and have established trust and networks.
Flexibility - As hard as we try, we realize that our pre-structured programs are not perfect for everyone. Varied personal interests, time frames and tastes make it impossible to fit the needs of every traveler interested in Guatemala with static programs, which is exactly why we created The Custom Experience!
Professionalism – New Development Experience staff and guides are extremely professional. We offer a blend of first world experience and first world sensibility and on the ground grassroots knowledge. Your guides are seasoned development professionals who understand the nuances and intricacies of Guatemala inside and out. No other company can offer you this level of understanding and professionalism.
Language – As our lead staff is made up of expatriate development workers from the United States and Europe, English is our first language and Spanish is our local working language. You don't have to struggle through trying to convey what you are trying to say. We want you to practice your Spanish with local people when appropriate but don't want to have to rely on it to get by if you don't feel comfortable.
Depth of Understanding - We live and work in Guatemala every day and have years of experience working in rural communities with myriad Maya populations. For a unique perspective and in depth background and practical knowledge of Guatemala, New Development Experience is the only choice.