We were delighted to welcome the group of Mongolian high school students and teachers to Boston this past month–they brought amazing energy and enthusiasm into our city, our office, and the homes of 14 lucky host families. Now they’re continuing the program in Washington D.C.–their smiles and flashing cameras will be missed! Lots more photos on Flickr.

Last Tuesday we hosted a celebratory event for this wonderful exchange program.  It was held at the Villa Victoria Center for the Arts, in the charming South End neighborhood of Boston.  The program was arranged so that we could all hear more about the program and the exciting experiences the group has had.

First we heard from Dave Santulli, executive director of United Planet, who expressed his gratitude, on behalf of United Planet, to be able to facilitate such a unique exchange program.

“How better for two such different cultures to get to know and understand each other? I am so thrilled to meet the students, teachers, families, and sponsors who’ve worked so hard to pull this program together. And who are now experiencing the joy of living and eating and laughing in each others’ lives. Great young people, truly emerging leaders, who will take these bonds forward with them as they grow into global citizens.”

We also had the pleasure of hearing from Helen Smith, executive director of the New England Press Association, who has many years of experience as a teacher and a journalist, including teaching journalism to kids and teachers in the former Soviet Union.

She has worked in Hungary, Romania, Republic of Georgia, Armenia and especially Kyrgyzstan, and studied Russian for six years at Newton North in Massachusetts.

On Tuesday, Helen spoke about her time teaching the Mongolian students.  She gave a lesson about how to conduct a proper interview, and assigned the students a project to interview their host families, (read some of the interviews here!) She also spoke about the importance of a free press in a Democratic society.

It was also wonderful to hear from one of the host families; they talked about what a joy hosting the Mongolian student has been and how close of a bond they had already formed with their host-son.   They also expressed their happiness with the program and the amazing opportunity to experience a new culture and share their home with such a wonderful and grateful exchange student.

A few students and a teacher from the Boston Public School trip who traveled to Mongolia in July spoke about the trip and what it meant to them–they shared some cool pictures too, such as planking in the Gobi Desert!

The Mongolian students each spoke about their favorite part of the trip and most of them gushed about how much they loved getting to know their host families! We also heard from the Mongolian Educational Alliance representative, the group who had facilitated the exchange in Mongolia back in July.

Finally Aqueela, a representative from iEARN in New York City, spoke on behalf of iEARN as well as the State Department.

Overall it was a great evening–a wonderful way to see the amazing work that both groups of students have accomplished.  Thanks to everyone involved!! If you’d like to read the blog written by the Mongolian students, please click here!

More information about the exchange program:

The project is a program of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. It is being managed and implemented by United Planet (based in Boston, MA) and iEARN (International Education and Resource Network).

Over the past nine years, United Planet has worked with local communities all over the world to find meaningful work for volunteer travelers; and has placed thousands of volunteers in those communities to live and work – for periods ranging from a week to a year. United Planet is the U.S. and Canadian member of the International Cultural Youth Exchange (ICYE) Federation, founded in 1949.

About iEARN

iEARN was launched in 1988 as a pilot project between the US and former USSR to demonstrate that students could use emerging new technologies to work together on meaningful educational projects that enhance the quality of life on the planet. It is iEARN’s vision that if students start working together globally from the earliest ages (5-19), they will learn better through experiential interaction with peers in other countries and learn that the world’s issues can be resolved by collaborative solutions. iEARN has grown to become the world’s largest educational network for project-based learning, with programs in more than 130 countries.

iEARN-USA was awarded the 2003 Goldman Sachs Foundation Prize for Excellence in International Education and is a 2004 Tech Museum Laureate winner for “technology benefiting humanity.” Please visit www.iearn.org and www.us.iearn.org or e-mail: iearn@us.iearn.org iEARN-USA is based in New York City.

About MEA

The Mongolian Education Alliance is an independent non-governmental organization established in July 2004 as a successor to the education program or the former Mongolian Foundation for Open Society. Th mission of MEA is to strengthen and sustain the network of local and international partners that contribute to open society values such as transparency, accountability, participation, equal access in the Mongolian education sector; identify underserved areas of educational reform; and initiate projects supporting reform in teacher development, student center learning, and community involvement. MEA is the officially designated iEARN representative for Mongolia.

About ECA

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State fosters mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries to promote friendly, and peaceful relations, as mandated by the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961.

ECA accomplishes its mission through a range of programs based on the benefits of mutual understanding, international educational and cultural exchange, and leadership development. We engage youth, students, educators, artists, athletes, and rising leaders in many fields in the United States and more than 160 countries through academic, cultural, sports, and professional exchanges. Striving to reflect the diversity of the United States and global society, ECA programs, funding, and other activities encourage the involvement of American and international participants from traditionally underrepresented groups, including women, racial and ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities.

ECA exchange program alumni encompass over 1 million people around the world, including more than 50 Nobel Laureates and over 350 current and former heads of state and government.

Lilyanne, posing for a recent post on her well-known fashion blog, "Bleed For Fashion"

Meet Lilyanne, a fashion blogger from Vancouver with an edgy style and a passion for life.  I had the chance to catch up with Lilyanne about her recent Quest to Nepal.

It was great to hear about her trip—the people she met, the places she saw, the independence she gained—the list goes on.  Here are some of the highlights as well as a few pictures from her 4 week long journey.

 

According to the “about me” section of her incredibly popular blog, “Bleed For Fashion,” Lilyanne describes herself as, “Vancouver-based, Calgary-raised. Dreamer. Inspiration seeker. A wall that so few can hurdle across.”

She certainly took a trip outside her comfort zone while traveling to Nepal, and the “dreamer and inspiration seeker” portion of her personality was put to the test.

Considering this was her first time traveling independently to a foreign country, there were obviously aspects that took some getting used to, but all in all her trip was a success.

She remarked, “Overall it was really great.  There was a lot to get used to, but given the chance to stay longer I would’ve, and I’m determined to go back.”

Lilyanne’s first major adjustment was to the capital city of Kathmandu where she spent the majority of her 4 week trip.

She said the traffic and congestion was overwhelming at first; not surprising as it is the largest metropolitan in the country, and has nearly one million inhabitants.

After a week or so she was able to embrace the intensity of the city, and by the end of the four weeks she said, “I was able to see quite a bit–nothing really shocked me anymore.”

Another adjustment Lilyanne faced head-on was at the orphanage where she volunteered.  She quickly realized that the approach to schedules and following a routine is a bit different in Nepal than what she’s used to back home.

“It was up to me to schedule how much time I wanted to spend at the orphanage. It’s a very different structure; you have to be creative and think on the spot.  My priority was at the children’s home, and I tried to give everyone equal attention.”

There were 28 children at the orphanage she worked at and about 4 other volunteers who overlapped with her time there.  She made the most of her time by splitting the children into smaller groups so no one was left out.

Lilyanne was constantly impressed by the incredible children at the orphanage, explaining, “they’re amazing children! So smart– and they all have their own personalities.”

She recounted one of her most memorable experiences in Nepal, an experience that happened to combine her love for shoes with the joy and beauty of volunteering. During her days at the shelter, she couldn’t help but notice that many of the children didn’t have proper footwear—and some didn’t have shoes at all.

She and another amazing volunteer at the shelter decided to take the 28 children to a shoe store downtown and bought them each a new pair of shoes.

Shoe shopping!

As you can imagine, it meant the world to each of the young kids.  Lilyanne recalled happily, “to see their faces light up for something we so easily take for granted really warmed my heart.  For the first time in my life I really felt like I was doing something right.”

Another major adjustment she faced during her Quest was being without a set support system of family and friends.

“In a foreign country you can only rely on yourself.  I learned a lot about myself, and definitely became a more independent person.”

Throughout her time she also learned to lean on the staff and friends she made at the orphanage, remarking, “by the end I was so sad to leave; I made relationships with people that now feel like family.”

Her host family was incredible and had a huge impact on her trip. They made the transition into foreign life comfortable, loving, and exciting.

I could almost hear her beaming through the phone as she gushed, “I couldn’t have been happier with the family I was placed with.  I clicked with my host mother immediately—she spoke almost perfect English.” Laughing, she continued, “I’m also Vietnamese, and my host mother and I actually looked alike!  I was often mistaken as a local.”

Lilyanne also easily bonded with her host sister, and they were even able to spend time together at the orphanage during a holiday while her host-sister was on vacation from school.

Though most of her time and energy was spent at the orphanage, she was also able to enjoy the culture and beauty of Nepal.

She got to go to some of the main Buddhist and Hindu temples around Kathmandu, and even witness an eye-opening live cremation at a Hindu temple.

She said it was fascinating to explore the beautiful temples, especially since religion is such a major part of the culture and heritage of Nepal in general.

During Dashain, “the most auspicious festival in the Nepalese annual calendar,” she found time to travel to Pokhara, the third largest city in Nepal.

Beautiful Pokhara

She shared with her many followers in one recent post,

“I had the chance to be rid of the crowds, noise and pollution of Kathmandu and leave for higher ground for a couple of days. Located 200 km west of Kathmandu, Pokhara is the third largest city in Nepal.

Surrounded by beautiful peaks of the Himalayas, luscious green forests and the magnificent Phewa Tal lake, Pokhara is a remarkable place of natural beauty and for some R&R.”

Her trip only raised her spirits further as she found more and more to love about the country of Nepal.

Lilyanne had an amazing trip and made a deep and meaningful impression on the people she met.  Here’s some advice she had to share—what a great approach to life she has!

“Go in with open heart and mind. In the beginning I struggled. I needed to remind myself this was my decision—I made it on my own—I had to just tell myself what I’m doing is for a purpose and I need to embrace it and live in the moment.  Remember: Stay humble and give back. You never know when you’re changing someone’s life, or saving it.”

A mother and daughter in Thimi

 

Thanks, Lilyanne, from all of us at United Planet. You made a meaningful impact on the lives of so many deserving children, and you’ll surely be remembered every time they look down at their feet!

If you’re interested in volunteering abroad in Nepal, here’s some more information about United Planet Quests, and how you can get involved in over 40 countries around the world! For more highlights from Lilyanne’s trip, including pictures and videos, be sure to check out her blog!

 

United Planet would like to extend a hearty congratulations to the winners of the 2011 United Planet Day Contest!

Our Grand Prize Winner is Andi Enns,who wrote a wonderful piece about her experience in Uganda and how it influenced her to raise money for a Ugandan village upon her return home. Here’s an excerpt from her piece…

“I went back to my room at the hotel we were staying at and stared at the blinking cursor on my computer screen, trying to figure out how I was going to tell the story. I felt dizzy as I thought of way after way that I could help the village myself. Maybe I could sell my jeans and my laptop, and that would help. My iPod? My luggage? I realized in that moment that I would give up everything – from my laptop to my coffee addiction to my mascara – if only that little boy and his family could have some clean water.

There’s a simple word in Uganda that means a lot, “kyambura,” meaning “I have searched, and I have prayed, and that is all that I can do.” I had my own kyambura moment that day – I had searched and prayed for answers, but that was all I could do.

So I pulled out my voice recorder and pulled every conversation I had had that day off of it. And I edited a radio story that contained my heart and soul. My voice was all I had.

When I came home, the piece played on the local NPR station. The community responded, and now my university is trying to raise enough money to give a Ugandan village a well.”

 

Justin Lebron is our winner for the Photography portion of the contest, who traveled to India with United Planet and captured a great photo as he was driving out of the village on his last day. Justin hopes to join the Peace Corps after college.

Kathryn Murphy is our winner for Video, who captured her experience in Quito, where she taught for four weeks. Kathryn traveled to Peru with United Planet following her trip to Ecuador.

Kathryn’s video of children dancing to the beat in Ecuador!

These students love to dance!

Honorable Mention goes to Sarah Daniel, who traveled to Nepal and snapped a shot of a breathtaking view from the Himalayas, as a woman trekked with her woven basket.

Congratulations to all! We are looking forward to next year’s contest!

This is a warm-hearted couple from the U.S. who just finished a volunteering tour in Chile. They enjoyed home stays, mining tours, sharing with students, and so much more.  We love our volunteers!

Mary with homestay Maggie Diaz, at their apartment entrance

United Planet volunteers, Craig and Mary Noke, a retired couple from California, flew into Santiago after four days of sightseeing in Peru, including  Machu Picchu.  Their three week teaching assistant/CAP quest in Chile included two weeks in Santiago and their final week in Viña del Mar.

In Santiago they quickly felt “at home” in the large, comfortable apartment of Maggie Diaz, a gregarious, warm-hearted widow.

In Viña del Mar they were welcomed into the home of a couple of engaging journalists, Karen and Marcelo, and their three young children.   The fact that Karen is Maggie’s niece made their homestay transition easy.

The logistics were also easy as UP’s coordinator took them to the Santiago bus station and two hours later Karen was waiting for them at the  Viña del Mar bus station.

Speaking to Guillermo Fernandez, 4th grade students at boys school

During  their first week, Craig and Mary made CAP talks to engineering students in  business English classes at Universidad de los Andes, as well as, to a group of seniors at a community center.

Their second week was spent helping Chilean English teachers at a girls school (grades one to twelve) in a populous section of Santiago known as La Florida.

One day they developed a special presentation on different kinds of music which was very well received by their students.

Another day they were invited to make CAP talks at one of Chile’s top private schools, and finished that day by giving a presentation before the school’s 90 teachers.

On the weekend, they took an all-day bus tour high up into the Andes Mountains, to El Teniente, the world’s largest underground copper mine, and Sewell, an abandoned mining town.

Tour of Copper Mine. Inside the world’s largest underground copper mine

Craig later commented that, as a fan of processes, he especially enjoyed watching how a huge rock crusher operated inside the mine.

Another day the UP coordinator took them on a walking tour of historic downtown Santiago that included such landmarks as the Plaza de las Armas, the Cathedral, Santiago’s Stock Market, and the Moneda.

During their last week the Nokes gave CAP talks to English classes at a technical college of 5,000 students in Viña del Mar. They later commented that they could not believe how warmly they had been welcomed by the teachers there. They also spent an enjoyable day touring the Port of Valparaiso with its picturesque hills, and visiting the home of Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda.

The day before leaving Chile, they sat down with the UP coordinator to explain why they considered their Chile quest such a fantastic experience. They loved both their homestay families.  They had received a warm welcome by the Chilean English teachers at all the schools they visited.

They enjoyed their classes with both high school and university students, especially the interest shown by students in their CAP presentations.  They liked answering the student’s sometimes unexpected questions.

Their advice to future volunteers was simple and along those same lines.  They say you have to learn to expect the unexpected. They are also convinced that sharing their life experiences, as they did for three weeks with Chilean students and the new Chilean friends they made, was valuable for everyone.

 

In July, this high-spirited, warm-hearted, joyous group of nursing students went to Quito to work in clinics, children’s hospital, daycare center. What we got is this gorgeous video. Thanks so much to them all!!!