Chile is a fascinating country. Maybe it’s the almost 4,000 miles of coastline in the west, the majestic Andes Mountains on the Argentinean border in the east, or the maze of islands and peninsulas in the south. Perhaps it is the variety of cultural expression you encounter as you travel from region to region. One thing is for sure – when you travel to Chile, you won’t have any trouble finding sights to see and people to meet.

Chile is incredibly geographically diverse: stretching up the western coast of South America, it is (vertically) the longest nation in the world. Chile’s vast landscape boasts deserts, forests, grasslands, mountains, beaches, and islands. From the distinctive Araucaria trees to Torres del Paine National Park, a trip in the undiscovered Patagonia region is a celebration of majestic lakes, snowy volcanoes, fjords, unforgettable giant glaciers and lost rivers. In the north, the vast desert of the Atacama will have you reaching out to the stars in one of the purest skies in the world. Chile is truly a nature-lover’s dream.

In the middle of the impressive silence of nature lies the capital city of Santiago, an energetic and modern metropolis, and home to one third of Chile’s population. Most United Planet projects in Chile are based in Santiago, and you will have many opportunities to experience the city while on your Quest. We recommend exploring the popular bohemian neighborhood of Bellavista and visiting the bustling Paseo Ahumada. Once you hear the local music, Cueca, you will probably want to learn how to dance to it!

As a volunteer, you may also have the opportunity to trek in the Andes, the longest mountain chain in the world. If hiking is your thing, our Chile Country Coordinator Paul wrote this great blog post about his favorite treks around Santiago. You will also have the chance to taste South American food: delicious completos, a type of Chilean hot dog, tasty empanadas, a sort of salty croissant with cheese, beef, or vegetables, or ceviche, a mix of delicious seafood originally from Peru.

Living in Chile, you will be amazed by the diversity of people you can meet.  In the north, there is a large influence from the indigenous populations of the Andes and the Conquistadors. In the south, Mapuche culture is predominant. You can also feel German influences in the big cities in the mid-south. Many returning volunteers have told us that their most cherished memories from their Quest involved interacting with their host families and local communities in Chile. Says Chile alum Sydney Yovic, “I am unbelievably appreciative to every person I met in Chile for being so warm and patient with me. I learned a lot [of] Spanish and ended up having some life changing conversations.”

Chile is the most politically and economically stable country of South America. It leads Latin American nations in human development, peace, freedom and democracy. Unfortunately, not all Chileans have benefited from the recent growth and extreme poverty is not yet eradicated. United Planet sends volunteers to Chile to help the country strive for full social equality and to provide access to housing and education for populations in need. Below are two of the many projects United Planet offers in Chile:

English Teaching Quest: Are you an aspiring teacher? Do you love working with kids? On this Quest, volunteers work as English teaching assistants in government-subsidized schools in Chile’s capital, Santiago. English teaching assistants work closely with Chilean English teachers, developing lesson plans, providing small group tutoring, and correcting tests. They may also read aloud and sing songs in class with the younger students and talk about their own experiences. No previous knowledge of Spanish is required for this Quest!

Physical Rehabilitation Center Quest: This volunteer project site provides care to  young children and teenagers with physical disabilities. To volunteer on this Quest, you don’t need specific qualifications, but should have a strong interest in healthcare. Volunteers will help organize recreational activities for the patients while learning about physical rehabilitation in a different country. Though the primary task for volunteers is observation, opportunities to become more involved vary depending on the volunteer’s level of medical expertise and Spanish proficiency.

Each United Planet volunteer returns from Chile with different memories and unique stories to tell. However, all agree that it was an incredibly rich experience full of culture-sharing and personal discoveries that changed their life. 

If you are interested in volunteering in Chile, visit our Chile homepage to read more about each volunteer project. If you would like to volunteer in another country, check out our interactive map to see where we offer volunteer trips!

The significance of the Middle East as a region

Many believe that the first society originated in the Middle East. Scholars have claimed that poetry originated in the deserts as travelers rhymed words to the rhythm of a camel’s footfalls. It was the Middle East that preserved the culture of Rome following its fall. The Arab contributions to the modern world are numerous.

Differences between Middle Eastern and Western cultures

Many Arabs find Western culture’s depiction of sexuality in media offensive. Gubera states, “As we see it as a matter of style, they see it as a matter of sin.” Some individuals from the Middle East also do not understand how Americans can dedicate such large amounts of money to the entertainment industry while teachers, police officers, and other social service workers are left unrecognized. Many Arabs interpret a strong American attitude of flippancy towards the past and the environment.

Shared values in the Middle East and the West

Charity has been exemplified by both cultures. After a tornado hit Joplin, Missouri in May of 2011, the United Arab Emirates donated almost five million dollars to the city for rebuilding efforts, provided a laptop for each student at Joplin High School, and continues to exercise its generosity in the community. Like the West, the Middle East is largely capitalist and its inhabitants value good work ethic. The Middle East has made many technological advances in the past 50 years and the United Arab Emirates is making excellent progress towards a city powered entirely by solar energy. Scholarship has also made much progress in recent years. In particular, the number of women pursuing an education has greatly increased. This ranges from achieving literacy to earning university degrees.

Relating on a personal basis

Most Arabs are extremely generous and helpful. Gubera shares a story of a memorable evening in Jerusalem when he decided to stray from his group. A young, local boy approached him and said, “Grandfather, would you like to see where Jesus carried the cross?” Gubera agreed to allow the boy to practice his English while giving him the tour. As they walked along the Via Dolorosa the boy explained its religious significance. Because it was late in the afternoon, vendors were taking down their stands and tourists were ending their days in cafes. Finally, the boy led Gubera to the doors of a large church and said, “Jesus buried in here.” They entered and Gubera was able to approach an altar and touch the rock on which Jesus’s cross was placed at his execution. The two went through a door next to the altar and down a set of stairs that led to the ground. Gubera turned and the boy said “Golgotha.” The rock the he had previously only been able to touch was now visible in its entirety, just as it was in Jesus’s time. They returned to the church and the boy led him to a tomb. As Gubera entered, his disbelief was answered by reassurance from another local that it was indeed where Jesus was buried. Gubera recalls, “Now if I wasn’t with him, and if he and I hadn’t been by ourselves, and if it hadn’t been at closing time, I would have never, ever seen that.” It was this boy’s willingness to help a stranger that allowed Gubera to enjoy this unique experience.

Gubera stresses the importance of interacting with individuals from the Middle East in order to better understand the culture of the region. Gubera emphasizes that for the most part, we all share the same values, and stresses the importance of interacting with people of different backgrounds. The Arab world is changing faster than our conceptions of it and it is our responsibility to discover and appreciate the culture of the Middle East.

Have you had a specific interaction with someone from a different culture that changed your understanding of their perspective? Let us know below! If you are interested in volunteering abroad in the Middle East, check out our Short-term Quests in Jordan!

Dr. Conrad E. Gubera is a professor of sociology and international studies at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, Missouri. He has taught a course entitled The Arab World since 1991. He has been a fellow of the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations (NCUAR) in Washington, D.C. since 1988 and will accompany his twenty-first group to participate in the NCUAR-sponsored Model Arab League this year. He has traveled extensively and visited the Middle East multiple times with NCUAR.

“The Pro Vita Elder House is finally finished and occupied as of last week. Mihail has sent some pictures taken before occupancy…. It looks like a modern, lovely home for Pro Vita’s elderly residents and a huge improvement over their previous abode. Thank you all so much for making this great achievement possible. We are in the process of developing our plan to extend the reach of the [American Friends of Pro Vita] Foundation and hopefully support the priority building activities of Pro Vita on a steady state basis.”

Pro Vita, located in Valea Screzii, is a community in Romania that welcomes orphans, families in difficult situations, abused mothers, adults who grew up in state institutions, and pregnant women who have nowhere else to go. The new Elder House will surely be a welcome addition to the infrastructure of the community.

Would you like to help? You can volunteer at Pro Vita with United Planet! United Planet offers Orphanage and Community Development Quests, Healthcare Quests, and Construction Quests at the Pro Vita orphanage. Click here to learn more!

Jenny’s fantastic CAP to class of elementary school English teachers in Universidad Gabriela Mistral diploma program:

Ariela Milla’s (homestay mom) warm welcome to Minnie:

Elizabeth Cortes’ sad good bye to Jenny:

Thanks, Jenny and Minnie, for your dedication to spreading our mission of cross-cultural understanding! Find out how you can host your own Cultural Awareness Program event in Chile or in your local community!

Thanks Kate for all your hard work and for sharing your experiences with us! If you are interested in having an experience like Kate’s, check out our Guatemala homepage. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-292-2316 or email us at quest@unitedplanet.org.

The recent tragedy in Boston reminds us why we do what we do.

The disease that we fight every day is not one of the body; it is one of the mind.

It is a plague caused by ignorance and mistrust of people who are different in one way or another — whether it is religion, race, culture, ethnicity, gender, social economic circumstances…

It is a disease which has been the source of strife for centuries in the form of war, terror, genocide, slavery, hate crimes, discrimination just to name a few.

This is a disease spread not by human contact, but instead spawned by human separation and isolation.

It is a disease that can only be cured by getting to know each other better, by crossing borders of all types to build understanding, respect, and mutual support for one another.

The importance of this mission has never been so real with bombs exploding right at our very doorsteps.

It’s a reality that people from many countries face every day from Syria to Israel and many other parts of the world.

It is a reality which is hard to explain to a wheelchair-bound child of eight years old who lost his legs while cheering on charity runners at a marathon.

So what can we do to rid the world of this disease from its roots — to end this senseless violence and ignorance, instead of just destroying its fruits?

We must work hard to accept “the other” as a brother or a sister. Turn the “us versus them” paradigm into one of “we.” Create a global mind shift so that diversity is no longer viewed as a reason for adversity, but as a cause for celebration. Build cross-border relationships in our neighborhoods, around our countries, and across the world. Honor each other and the world in which we live and never ever succumb to the grip of fear, retreat into isolation, or harbor resentment towards people who are different.

If we do these things, one day we will live in a more united planet — a world in which people understand, respect, and support one another.

This is our wish for the world.

From Boston with Love.

Many of those who have traveled to South America will know that some regions of the continent have high levels of abandoned cats and dogs roaming free on the streets. It was in Peru that I experienced the highest number of street dogs, and I found it incredibly sad to witness them living in the streets, malnourished and ill-tempered because of bad treatment from humans. Slowly but surely, the problem is being addressed, and charities and organisations are working on solutions to reduce the number of street dogs and educate the public to keep it that way.

Why does this problem exist?

As an outsider, it’s hard to understand why local communities can let the street dog problem carry on, but for them, it’s completely normal. Many Peruvians have a different attitude toward animals: they don’t domesticate them in the same way we do and do not own dogs for companionship. Families take a much more functional and practical slant on pet ownership – dogs are owned to chase off intruders or other animals from their homes. Once the dog is older and no longer useful to the family, owners leave the dog to fend for itself. The poverty found in many parts of Peru means that many families can’t afford to keep the dog anymore if it has outlived its use. These dogs often pick up diseases which can spread to humans, another reason why locals don’t want to adopt pets. This is an attitude and way of thinking that has been passed down from generation to generation and has been normalised, but the time has come for the problem to be solved before it gets even worse.

What is being done to help the problem?

In January 2013, I worked at an animal shelter in northern Peru for a month, caring for 10 dogs and 40 cats. The owner is a half-Peruvian, half-South African woman who has a deep connection with animals and decided to set up a shelter because she couldn’t take the sight of the street dogs anymore. Her funding comes from a couple of charities in other parts of the world, and she relies on help from volunteers to maintain the shelter and to care for the animals.

The shelter has a resident vet that comes in a few days a week and spays or neuters dogs that are living on the streets. Anywhere between 8 and 15 dogs are brought to the shelter from the neighbouring towns and villages on the days that the vet is working, and she deals with them all in one day before they are returned to the place they were found. It might seem strange that the dogs are returned to the streets, but spaying or neutering is really the best solution to try and stop more dogs being born into a world that doesn’t have enough room to keep them. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough resources to find homes for the dogs or enough people willing to take them in, so eliminating the problem from the source is the best way to make sure that there aren’t future generations that could suffer.

How can I get involved?

There are spay and neuter projects operating all over the country, as well as in other parts of South America and the world, that can always benefit from extra help. Many projects have sponsorship sections on their websites which take donations, and you could pay for a dog to be spayed or neutered for as little as $15. There are also other donation packages that will pay for a vet to go to Peru to help the dogs, or pay for other health procedures for the animals.

Plenty of volunteer projects that require a more hands-on approach are available as well. Vets are almost always welcome to help at these projects, but volunteers without veterinary qualifications are still welcome, as the clinics need support for general upkeep of shelters and rescue homes.

It’s going to be a very long and hard battle to change attitudes towards animals in Peru, but it is one that can be solved in the long-run with spay and neuter programs and by helping people to see the benefits of caring for the animals around them. These efforts create a healthier environment for both animals and humans, eliminate diseases that can spread from street animals, and help future generations to live peacefully with their four-legged friends.

Looking to expand your mind, visit the world, and make a difference at the same time? Volunteering locally or internationally, studying, travelling, or living in other countries gives you an opportunity to view life through a different lens.

Being originally from France, having studied in Israel, and now living in the United States for quite a number of years, I have had the opportunity to view life through many lenses. How has this journey shaped me, and how could I share what it has brought into my life?

As far as I can remember, perhaps because I come from a multicultural/multi-lingual family, I was curious about other places, other cultures, and other languages. So prior to heading to college, I took a road trip to Eastern Europe with my sister and a friend in a mini Cooper. We traveled from France to Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Austria, Hungary and Romania (still behind the iron curtain at the time) and back via Yugoslavia, as it was then. When crossing the Hungarian border, we picked up a hitch hiker and proceeded to converse in English, which was helpful since we did not speak Hungarian. This young man had never left Hungary, and yet we were able to communicate with each other. We were both surprised and, at a certain level, in awe.

Once in Budapest, we set up our tent in a local campground and visited the city, ending up in a restaurant off the beaten path. The menus were only in Hungarian, a very different language. Dilemma: what should we order?  We looked around at what other patrons had ordered, and we just pointed to their dishes. I settled for a Hungarian goulash (stew) -delicious!  The patrons, in turn, looked back at us smilingly, and one even offered me a necklace made out of coffee beads…kindness, generosity, and humanity in this simple gift! These are extraordinary, simple moments that stay printed in one’s heart and mind forever. In Romania, we were able to communicate in French and Italian but, due to the very repressive regime at the time, could not really mingle much with the locals.  So, we visited and observed; we hired a fisherman to take us on his small boat on the Black Sea and proceeded to be bitten by the biggest mosquitoes I had ever seen!

Deciding to study abroad came after I visited Israel, and the experience was life-changing. The energy, the beauty of it all – won me over. Though English is widely spoken in Israel, learning Hebrew, the official language, was mandatory in order to attend lectures and get a degree. So, for one school year, I was part of an immersion program along with other students from all over the world. It was exhilarating and, at times, a little confusing when all those different languages came crushing into my mind. The result: make a sentence with a few of them and, of course, use my hands!

Israel was truly a magical time: going to the market place and bargaining with the merchants, smelling the spices and taking in all the colors, traveling to the desert, sleeping under the stars and being awoken by a camel starring right at me! This experience became part of me. Living abroad helped me integrate here in the United States, the biggest “melting pot” in the world. Professionally, it translated into working in international settings and being able to communicate with co-workers and customers around the world in different languages. I now share my multicultural experience as an extracurricular program assistant at an international French immersion school, where every day, I learn as much from my students as they do from me. I experience this same multicultural environment as a volunteer at United Planet and look forward to going on my own United Planet Quest to India in the near future.

So what would happen if you decide to go teach or volunteer for one week or one year in another country with United Planet? You will certainly make a lasting impact on those whom you decide to help, but the impact they will have on you, I am venturing to think, will be even greater.

Through these experiences, we are able to connect with people, places, smells etc. We even seek them out long after the experiences have passed.  We seek, often unconsciously, to rekindle those feelings that arise when we, through childlike innocence, allow ourselves to be vulnerable and to step out of our comfort zone, to hear the music of a different language, to marvel at the beauty of people and places. It is then that we understand our universality as human beings- we no longer see what separates us but, rather, the humanity that unites us.

Thank you Martine for the beautiful sentiments! If you were to take a road trip, which countries would be first on your list? Leave us a comment to let us know!

Environmental Volunteering Opportunities, Responsible Tourism, & Green Travel

In today’s global climate (and with the looming threat of climate change hanging over our heads!) it is vitally important that we take a step back and think about where our planet, and humanity, will be in the next twenty, fifty, one hundred years…what kind of world do we want to leave for our children, so that they may enjoy the same natural resources and relative comfort that we have grown up with? Our natural environment is shrinking and our greenhouse emissions are not – and this could spell disaster if we do not take action now. On a grand scale, the problem of climate change and environmental destruction can seem overwhelming – how can one person hope to make a difference when the world is so large, and individually, we are so small? At United Planet, we prefer to live by the powerful words of Ryunosuke Satoro: “Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.”  Imagine the global change we could generate if every single person in the United States took action right now – that’s over 300 million people!

Of course, this is a lofty goal to pursue. However, only by taking action ourselves can we hope to inspire others to do the same. So what exactly can you do?

If you are an adventurous soul who wants to see the world, you can volunteer in a local community in a number of global locations, working to protect the environment and educate others on how to live sustainably and respect our precious natural resources. United Planet is an international nonprofit organization specializing in volunteerism and cross-cultural understanding. We work to create a world in which everyone respects not only one another, but their surroundings and all of the living organisms that share our earth. Our organization offers a variety of volunteer abroad Quests focused on sustainability, conservation, and ecotourism in Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Jordan, Mexico, Nepal, New Zealand, Sweden, and Uganda. These volunteer trips, ranging in length from one week to one year, allow individuals to get right into the thick of things, working directly to keep our planet healthy and promote awareness about environmentalism and sustainability.

One of our most popular environmental Quest destinations is Ecuador, where individuals can volunteer for up to three months in either the Cloud Forest of Nanegal, or in the Galapagos Islands off the coast of the mainland. The Galapagos Islands boast a particularly intriguing ecosystem. Because of the islands’ distance from the mainland, many species have evolved there in isolation and therefore cannot be found anywhere else in the world! Volunteers in the Galapagos assist with organic agriculture, restoration of endemic species, invasive species control, or environmental education projects. On weekends, volunteers are free to explore the magnificent island and bask in the beauty of such an environmentally unique location.

If you are looking to volunteer for longer than three months, you can immerse yourself in environmental volunteerism for up to a full year on a Quest in New Zealand. United Planet works with ICYE (International Cultural Youth Exchange) to pair volunteers with local environmental organizations in this breathtaking country off the coast of Australia.Volunteer work includes local environmental maintenance and restoration and community education. Some volunteers may even choose to work with the native New Zealand wildlife, which is an essential part of each finely balanced ecosystem.

United Planet is dedicated to the sustainability of our volunteer projects in each of our destination countries, whether the projects are environmental in nature or not. A portion of each volunteer’s Quest fee is put into a country fund for their destination country and is used to fund sustainable development in that location. Furthermore, United Planet encourages its volunteers to eat local food, use public transportation, purchase locally made goods, and drink from reusable water bottles, among other things, to keep our environmental footprint as small as possible. We also recommend purchasing carbon offset credits for international flights. The wonderful thing is, these recommendations are easy to implement and can be taken to heart by any international traveler, not just United Planet volunteers!

Environmental volunteering is a fantastic way to make an impact for a safer, greener world while learning about a foreign culture and making friends in communities around the world. However, it is important to remember the ecosystems right in our own backyards. During those times you are not adventuring abroad, consider finding a conservation project in your local community – they are everywhere! Brainstorm ways to reduce your energy and resource consumption, and finally, step outside and revel in the magnificence of the natural world around you – this above all will make you realize the importance of conserving the environment. Alone, we can make a small difference. But together, we have the power to preserve our delicate ecosystem for generations and generations to come.

How have you committed to living a sustainable lifestyle? Have you volunteered to help protect the environment? Leave a comment and let us know!