Duration: 10 Days    Group: New England Medical Missions Club

“When you see a team of people working together it is far superior to an individual; you can accomplish a lot!”

- Steve, Spanish professor at University of New England

The University of New England sent a group of students to Guatemala to volunteer in an orphanage. We were able to catch up with a student, Kate LeGrand, and Spanish professor, Steve, to get their thoughts and experiences.

In January of 2012, The New England Medical Missions Club sent a group of students from the University of New England to Quetzaltenango, Guatemala for ten days. They worked in an orphanage and in schools providing the children with education on proper dental hygiene and dental treatment. In the short amount of time spent there, they worked with 500 to 600 people and were able to accomplish a lot for a population in need.

Quetzaltenango is a very rural area, which was a big change for some of the students who had not experienced anything like it. Kate described it as, “a camping experience and I really enjoyed it a lot. We are not used to that kind of environment and this makes the experience very interesting.” This environment provided them with a better understanding of the people and culture they were surrounded by.

They entered their project with open minds and were eager to help in any way possible. A few days were spent assisting in the clinic in the morning and then spending some down time with the kids in the afternoon. They took the children for walks, played games with them and did various arts and crafts activities. Some days they were working with the doctor and others were spent helping with various projects, like painting at some local schools.

Although some of this work may seem minuscule other tasks, like performing physicals on the children, had a huge impact on the community. If the group from the University had not been there, it would not have been done.

Two out of the ten days in Guatemala, were spent in local elementary schools. Between the two schools, there are about 300 kids ages 3-15. Their impact here was similar to that of the orphanage, teaching the students about oral health, helping out in the classroom and spending time with the kids.

The kids were not the only ones who learned something from this trip! The volunteers learned how to preform a physical, concentrating on aliments commonly seen in the children there,  and by the end of the trip that had improved their Spanish and even picked up a few medical terms.

The volunteers were able to see how any small gesture, like teaching a child the proper way to use a toothbrush, can positivity impact a whole community. Kate recalls one child who came in with a stomachache and was in a lot of pain:

“Even though physically we could not have helped him, being there was important to me because I realized that people need help. No matter if you teach them how to brush their teeth or give a donation from home, what matters is to help them in some way”

Arlyn in her classroom!

While on sabbatical from teaching, Arlyn volunteered in Nepal for one week. She is thrilled she had the opportunity and tells more of her story below.

Meet Arlyn, a seasoned teaching professional who recently won a week-long quest through United Planet while attending a local neighborhood auction.  Arlyn is no stranger to traveling and has been fortunate to have visited many countries during her career.

“I’m a very service-oriented person and I’d been thinking about doing a volunteer service trip for some time. With a lifelong interest in education around the world, the opportunity to teach English in Nepal was thrilling. When this opportunity came up, I jumped at the chance.”

Happy students playing outside the school

Packed and ready to go, she set off on her adventure.  Arlyn’s initial impressions of Nepal were through the plane’s window as she stared wide-eyed at the some of the highest peaks in the world.  Once on the ground, she marveled at the colorful clothing of the people she saw, was tickled to see monkeys wandering here and there, and amazed by the massive traffic congestion on the streets.

Cars, motor scooters, trucks and tractors lugging cargo all fought for space on narrow, one way roads often no wider than alleys.

The constant honking, gridlock and pollution was a shock to someone who thought she had seen chaotic roads in other countries. On her first day in Nepal’s capital city of Kathmandu, she was eager to begin her adventure but anxiously wondered what everything would be like. Would she like her home stay? Would the food upset her stomach? What would teaching really be like? As she finally got settled into her home stay, she found she was able to relax and enjoy the beautiful moments of Nepal each day.

“Teaching for 6 days in Kathmandu was a wonderfully rewarding experience,” said Arlyn, “although it certainly had its challenges. Education is happening there; it’s just not built out to the capacity one would hope.”

The school, where Arlyn taught, was founded by a local visionary named Uttam Sanjel, who is working hard to provide a decent, affordable education to poverty-stricken children throughout Nepal. Because she arrived in Nepal as a seasoned traveler, she wasn’t as shocked by what she saw yet was still saddened by the poverty, pollution and lack of basic supplies available at the school.

The school rooms were filled with many benches on dirt floors. They were positioned in front of long, thin tables illuminated only by the light coming in through the lattice and spaces between bamboo walls. A few light bulbs hung strategically to illuminate the darkest corners. A blackboard, eraser and small pieces of chalk were all that functioned as teaching materials. Some content-area books did exist, yet they weren’t culturally relevant and often contained vocabulary that was too advanced for the students. On the narrow benches sat forty-five to sixty-seven uniform-clad students crammed so closely together there was hardly room to stand – as is customary- when called on to speak. Because of the sheer number of students in one room, it was very difficult for teachers to learn everyone’s names – thus they sometimes resorted to calling out numbers to identify them.

A typical interaction between student and teacher went something like ‘Student #42, what did you have for an answer to this homework question?’ The school was not able to supply typical items such as papers and pencils, computers or photo copiers. No gym or cafeteria, no rooms other than the school rooms themselves. There was no running water, other than a tap at the school’s entrance. Students had to bring their own pens and sometimes had to share. If one ran dry or broke, it became very stressful for the kids. Basic supplies are clearly a valued commodity and not easily replaceable.

“I thought about all the extra pens I have laying around my house and I couldn’t believe I didn’t bring a whole bag of them” she said while recalling the poverty stricken country. Despite the difficult conditions, her students were so eager to learn and happy to come to school every day. The children rejoiced as they were taught songs such as “You are my sunshine” and the “Hokey Pokey.”

They were enthusiastic and immensely grateful for everything Arlyn taught during her forty-five minute classes. When asked if they wanted to learn about American holidays, they enthusiastically shouted “Yes”! The myriad of questions they asked about America both warmed Arlyn’s heart and saddened her, knowing they have so little access to the wider world.

Students working hard in class

It did take some time for Arlyn to get used to certain aspects of life at the school.  For example, when everyone in the modest teacher’s room was finished eating lunch, they would throw their garbage in a corner on the floor, rather than use a wastebasket.

At the end of the day someone would come and clean it up, leaving a litter-free floor the next day. While this was an odd, foreign practice to Arlyn, she knew littering was very normal for the Nepalese people. She also mentioned the standard fare students ate for lunch included dry ramen noodles, and if they were among the lucky,their parents would bring them hot pails of food.

When the weather was nice, children would eat outside and then play together in the bare, open space. There were no aspects typical to a western playground such as slides or swings, just dirt and open air. Yet knowing no differently, the children still found joy in the simple art of play.

When asked what biggest teaching challenge Arlyn faced at the volunteer project site, she replied the noise level made teaching and learning incredibly difficult. Not only did she have to strain to hear individual students as they spoke, but the thin bamboo walls allowed her to hear neighboring classes loud and clear, along with children playing outside and the typical pattern of low-flying planes overhead. Trying to focus on one noise at a time proved difficult and frustrating. Speaking loudly enough for students to hear left Arlyn with a tired, raspy voice by day’s end. Needless to say, this was quite a different educational experience than in America.

Hindu temple in Kathmandu

It wasn’t all hard work though. During her time in Nepal, Arlyn was able to take advantage of several cultural excursions and time off. She saw Mount Everest, visited an organic farm, explored local shops, and enjoyed walks through neighborhoods, observing Nepalese people in their daily life.

One highlight was her visit to the biggest Hindu temple in Kathmandu.  She felt deeply moved when she had the opportunity to observe the sacred ritual of cremation over funeral pyres at the Ganges River.  “I was breathless, struck by the life that was over and the ritual that has sustained itself for millennia” she said.

Arlyn felt lucky that she was able to return to a nice family in a comfortable home each evening. Her home stay family lived in a house with running water and western toilets, for which she was grateful. She found the family very accommodating and they even offered Arlyn the first floor where they slept, so she wouldn’t have to travel up and down the stairs to her guest room.

She was also able to get to know the family’s children and extended family. Typical to many Nepalese households, the extended family lived together, separated by different floors. Brothers, sisters and grandparents all shared the house, living peacefully among bells, prayer and the thick smell of incense. There were some adjustments however.

“I never had a hot shower while I was there, and the electricity was frequently cut off for hours at a time, but I adapted” said Arlyn. Overall, she was very happy with her home-stay placement and understood the reality that her daily life in Nepal would look very different than in America.

Young Nepalese child

Arlyn’s biggest accomplishment while in Nepal? Because the tiny, under-stocked library at the school wasn’t open to students, she suggested that the teacher assign each child a trip to the local library at least once per month.

“I hope the teacher follows through – a library can open the world to them.”

Arlyn only spent 6 days teaching, but feels she gained just as much as she gave. The trip of a lifetime she called it, that everyone should have the opportunity to take.

Here is a note from our country coordinator in Romania, Melanie:

I would like to thank eveyone who has helped over the last few weeks.  It has been an especially difficult time for us and the support and messages have really helped to keep the spirits up.  We have been touched by the kindness of our volunteers and thank you so much for your help.

We are going to use the funds raise to rebuild as soon as the weather allows.  We are awaiting structural engineering results to see whether we can rebuild on what was left or whether we need to demolish and start again. We will keep you posted.

Best wishes to all and once again many thanks

Melanie

Multumesc-Thank You from the adorable children at the Romanian orphanage

Please consider making a donation of any size through our donation site set up specifically to raise money toward helping the orphanage.

Or, text ROMANIA to 85639 on your mobile device.*

Thank you for all your support, for your dedication to our programs, and for your well wishes!

*$10.00 donation to United Planet Romania Fund. Charges will appear on your wireless bill, or be deducted from your prepaid balance. All purchases must be authorized by account holder. Message and Data Rates May Apply. Text STOP to 85639 to STOP. Text HELP to 85639 for HELP. Full Terms: www.mGive.org/T.  Privacy Policy

Megan reports that the language barrier was challenging, but the rewards were immense.

What did you enjoy most about your Quest in Japan?

The time spent with my host family and the time spent with the children at the school was what I enjoyed most about my Quest.

What was most challenging about your Quest experience?

The language barrier, if anything, was the most challenging.

Describe your volunteer work experience.

I helped at the local kindergarten at first with the small children and towards the end I worked with the 4, 5, and 6 year olds. I read to all the children in both English and Japanese, served lunch, and taught English songs. Everyday I played with the children.

Please provide a testimonial of your experience with as much detail as possible.

I could not have imagined a more perfect first visit to Japan, all thanks to United Planet. It was the most organized, fulfilling organization I have ever been apart of.

The experience surpassed my expectations: from the host family, to the volunteer work, the visits around Japan, to the everyday cultural involvement - the people of United Planet and Japan made me feel like I was a family.

I went to Japan to volunteer and in turn I learned more than I could have dreamed of in such a short quest time period. I will absolutely be using United Planet again and would recommend this amazing organization to anyone that asked with flying colors.

Can you describe your volunteer work experience?

I volunteered at a private hospital pharmacy.

My experience entailed shadowing the pharmacists on hospital rounds, a visit to an international pharmacy industry company,  and a visit to the University of Costa Rica Pharmacy school.

On a typical day at work, I would come in and work alongside pharmacists as they approved medication orders, filled prescriptions, counseled patients, and listened to drug representatives.

Tell us how you feel overall about your experience.

One of the adorable kids at the orphanage

For several years, United Planet has been proud to partner with a wonderful orphanage in Romania. We have sent hundreds of volunteers, and they report about the generosity, dedication, and joy of the people who work there.

Megan, a volunteer who traveled to Romania this summer, summed up her one month experience in Romania, remarking:

“I have never felt so attached to a single community I have been involved in my life. The people were so welcoming and kind. It is a beautiful country. ”

We’re sad to report that on December 12, 2011, the orphanage suffered a devastating fire, which damaged several buildings.

Fortunately no one was hurt during the fire, which blazed until late hours of the night/early morning.  Melanie, the United Planet Program Director of Romania, reports that everyone is safe, and the living quarters were not damaged.

Local people and staff at the orphanage evacuated everyone immediately. Due to dense fog and bad roads it took the fire truck 1 hour to reach the orphanage.  The community is busy cleaning up and assessing the full extent of the damage.

The fire at the orphanage, around 3am in Romania

They lost a lot of valuable items, and several rooms need to be reconstructed — including the kitchen.

This community provides vital services to many children. They all need our help now more than ever.  We’re happy to be sending several volunteers to the orphanage this winter, and we hope they can be part of a quick and effective clean-up to help the community move on from this difficult time.

Please consider making a donation of any size through our donation site set up specifically to raise money toward helping the orphanage.
Or, text ROMANIA to 85639 on your mobile device.*

We’ll leave you with a heartfelt message we received from another volunteer, Katalina, who traveled to Romania this summer:

Some of the kids in class at the orphanage

“The children there are amazing and so precious and they taught me so much about caring for one another and love. The adults there are extremely kind and they were so hospitable. I, along with other volunteers really enjoyed our stay and it was a wonderful way to emerge cultures and help out the people. They are all amazing they made the stay very comfortable for me and the other volunteers. We always had a lot to do and we always felt needed. I’ll be going back next year and hopefully stay for longer!”

You can see more photos of the fire on this Romanian newspaper site.

Thanks for being part of United Planet! We’ll keep you updated on the progress of rebuilding efforts at the orphanage in Romania.

*$10.00 donation to United Planet Romania Fund. Charges will appear on your wireless bill, or be deducted from your prepaid balance. All purchases must be authorized by account holder. Message and Data Rates May Apply. Text STOP to 85639 to STOP. Text HELP to 85639 for HELP. Full Terms: www.mGive.org/T.  Privacy Policy

Describe your volunteer work experience.

I played with the children and assisted in feeding, changing, and daily hygiene.

In the outpatient area I was able to triage the patients; taking heights, weight, BP, pulse, temp and giving injections.

Tell us how you feel overall about your experience.

This was one of the best experiences of my life. I was a little unsure whether or not I was making the right decision before going, but I would do it all again in a heartbeat, in fact when it was time to come home I didn’t want to leave.

I lived with a host family for the entire 3 months that I was in Peru. They were so welcoming. They had a daughter the same age as me and we became fast friends. They showed me around the city and were very friendly and were always around to talk to and hang out with. They made the trip what it was for me. My “mom” also cooked 3 meals a day for us of traditional Peruvian food which was delicious. I am still in contact with them and am already trying to figure out when I can go back to visit.

The cultural activities were also amazing. Included in the Peru quest is a trip to Machu Picchu, which is an overnight trip. You take the train to Aguas Calientes and spend the night there and then head up to Machu Picchu in the morning where you have a guided tour and then time to explore on your own.

Also included in this trip was a tour of the Sacred Valley, a Cusco City Tour, and a Quechua (The Incan Language) lesson.

I also received Spanish lessons twice a week for the entire duration of my trip. The teachers were amazing. They really knew what they were doing and were so friendly and around just to chat if you wanted to as well.

The Spanish school also organized an event each week so you could meet other volunteers or travelers and hang out. Sometimes it was a movie night, or learning to make traditional drinks, salsa lessons, cooking lessons, or parties for the different holidays.

I also loved my volunteer work. I am a nurse and worked in a clinic for my entire stay. There is an inpatient part of this clinic which houses about 50 children with mental and/or physical disabilities whose parents couldn’t care for them. In this area I helped with the daily care of the children such as bathing, dressing, brushing their teeth, combing their hair, and feeding as well as played with the children. In the outpatient part of the clinic I was able to do more nursing tasks such as take blood pressure, pulse, temperature, height and weight to triage the patients and give injections. I also helped with preparing supplies and filing.

Overall this was an amazing experience. I am so happy that I did it and would love to go back someday. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone.

Nice piece from the UN about value and joy of volunteering.

Enjoy the day! We honor and cherish our volunteers, and all volunteers, all over the world. When you give of yourself, you build a better world — step by step, day by day.

And then there’s this.

Meg had a great time working with children in a Japanese kindergarten.

United Planet Japan opened for volunteers this fall; the first batch of volunteers are just finishing their Quests and reporting back on their experiences.

The country manager, Chie Goto, is a warm and welcoming presence, and we’re so glad to hear that everyone is having a great time.

This from Meg, from Long Island, NY:

“The United Planet in Japan was beyond ideal; it was very organized and sculpted my first experience in Japan to be the best it could be! Japan is everything I expected and much much more. The traditional values that shape the every day lives of the Japanese people is extremely inspiring. The people’s respect for each other and ultimately everything on earth is so admirable.

I love it here and I will absolutely be back.”   -Meg from Long Island, NY

Meg helping out with drawing time!

And this from Taffi, from the UK: ”My experience in Japan has exceeded all expectations. 

Taffi worked in a classroom, helping with algebra and other subjects.

The cultural exchange with the locals – coupled with my Quest – have ensured that memories of my stay here will stay with me for a very long time. Having had similar experiences in different countries and with different organizations, I can say that United Planet`s Japan program offered me a more satisfying experience ” -Taffi (Abdullah) from U.KTaffi worked in a classroom, helping with algebra and other subjects.

And Jai Lin from New York says:

Jai and origami

“This is my 2nd experience volunteering with United Planet and I have thoroughly enjoyed both Quests. I previously went to Mexico for a conservation program for sea turtles and am now assisting the elderly in Japan.

“I was very pleased with the level of support both provided in both Quests. I became very immersed in both places, learned a lot of the languages and experienced the local culture and cuisine of both places which is what I wanted.”

Jai worked with the elderly in Nagoya

“I was not prepared for how different life in Japan was going to be. It is simultaneously a very modern and traditional place. There is an order in which you do everything and customs are strictly observed. I’ve tremendously enjoyed learning about Japanese culture from my host family and staff/seniors at the senior day care center where I volunteer. I wish I could stay for longer because it would take a lifetime to learn all the things I would like to about the people, culture and language. ”

Alison spent the first 5 weeks of her Quest at a women's shelter. The women --some as young as 13 -- learn vital skills such as sewing, and have a safe environment for their children

Alison spent eight weeks in Peru, in July and August of 2011, working in a women’s shelter and an animal rehabilitation center, while also immersing herself in Peruvian culture.

Alison recently stopped into the United Planet office, regaling the Team with several photos of her trip and tales of her travels.

Her first volunteer project was at a women’s shelter. Challenging at times, work at the shelter was ultimately rewarding; she built relationships with many of the girls there over her five-week placement.

The girls were often victims of sexual and domestic abuse, and they had a hard time opening up to Alison at first: “I think because I was so tall and white, they were scared of me. But by the time I left, some of the girls would cry at me to pick them up.” The center teaches the women – some of them mothers as young as thirteen – some vital skills, such as sewing and making crafts.

She especially liked the animal shelter, where she spent three weeks taking care of disabled critters who had been rescued from cruelties such as trafficking and abuse. She and another United Planet volunteer took a liking to many of the animals, and enjoyed the daily routine. “We had a blast cleaning animal cages, feeding animals, giving tours in English, painting, and cleaning trash out of the river,” she explained.  “It was great to be outside all day and I felt that the work we were doing was really making a difference.”

The animal sanctuary cares for endangered and abused animals. Someone removed the tail feathers of this bird, likely for jewelry, and left it unable to fly -- and to survive in the wild.

While in Peru, Alison was also able to refine her Spanish. “I gained such better Spanish skills and it ended up being one of the best things I took away from the trip,” she said in the survey she took upon her return to America.

Other aspects of her time: she describes her host family as warm and loving, and taking great care of her every need; and perhaps the best part of her stay. “I loved my host family so much; they are so so nice.”

During her 8 weeks, Alison enjoying several memorable excursions, including "one of the best days of my life" doing white water rafting and ziplining.

And she enjoyed several great excursions and activities: white water rafting, Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, salsa dance class, cooking class, weaving class, Quechua lesson, ziplining – and more. “I’ll never forget the thrill of white-water rafting, it was one of the best days of my life.”

“I believe when volunteering in a foreign country, nothing is going to go exactly as you have in mind,” she recognized. “I take the challenges as part of the experience. Overall, my volunteer experience was great ; I learned a lot and hopefully made a difference.”

"So so nice," Alison says of her host family in Cusco, Peru

Machu Picchu!