Volunteer Stories in Asia

United Planet volunteers share their joys and frustrations while working and living in Asia

	Victoria Gan, 24. India 2011: Education (4 weeks) "It was the most eye-opening experience of my entire life. I saw things and did things that will stay with me forever and the way that I see the world and make decisions has been completely altered. I have a newfound perspective that I hope to keep and maintain long after this quest has left the close peripheries of my mind." read more...
	Antoine Cassar, 32. India 2010: Education (2 weeks) "I spent the mornings teaching English, Hindi (!), and Maths to a group of 7 mentally challenged children, and the afternoons in the tiny rural village of Padhiarkhar, teaching teenage girls who until recently had never had the chance to attend school. This was a highly uplifting and human experience. I have never seen children so happy and excited to go to school! After two intense weeks teaching and playing with the children, it was very difficult to leave them..." read more...
	Justin Lebron, 19. India 2010: Education (4 Weeks) "The children that I taught and all the others were overcome with immense joy every time us volunteers showed up! I enjoyed it so much and felt that one month was too short that I stayed another four weeks!" read more...
	Abbie Mood, 26. Cambodia 2010: Education (2 weeks) "I really enjoyed the volunteering. The sites were great; the director at my volunteer site was amazing and so selfless..." read more...
	Emily Herries, 22. Cambodia: Social Work/Orphanage (3 weeks) "With tourism being so huge there, learning English is so important for these children. It makes you feel as though you're really making an impact there. I was able to come up with fun and creative lesson plans for the children that I knew they would enjoy and learn from. I grew extremely attached to the children, who were beyond grateful for the time that I had spent there with them." read more...
	Elizabeth Blair-Shockney, 63. Cambodia: Education (2 weeks) "Por Meng (in-country coordinator for Cambodia) was extremely accommodating. He assisted me in accomplishing everything I wanted to, during my time in Cambodia. I worked with the children at the orphanage and I taught English to orphanage children and interacted with them after the lessons..." read more...
	Brendon Lim, 23. Cambodia: Children Care (2 weeks) "I taught English twice a day at the orphanage; one class in the morning and one in the afternoon. Most nights I would stay back to watch them perform traditional dances for visitors of the orphanage; they performed three nights per week. In my spare time during the day, I would just play games with them and sometimes ride with them to school..." read more...
	Michelle Haywood, 18. Cambodia: Orphanage (4 weeks) "I would go to the orphanages each day and teach them English or play games with them. The whole time I was there I felt like I was making a difference; they were always so excited to see me and they knew it was time to learn. It was really rewarding when the kids understood what I was trying to say. The language barrier could get frustrating, but when the kids understood me and there was a break through it felt so great..." read more...
	Arlyn Roffman, 62. Nepal: Education (12 weeks) “Teaching for 6 days in Kathmandu was a wonderfully rewarding experience, although it certainly had its challenges. Education is happening there; it’s just not built out to the capacity one would hope.” read more...
	Samuel Rudy, 19. Nepal: Teaching (4 weeks) "I taught English at a school in Gati and then again in Kathmandu. It was very challenging and, at times, frustrating, but it was also rewarding. All the students were eager to learn English and really appreciated my helping them. That always sends you home at the end of the day feeling good about what you've done..." read more...
	Vatissa Mitchell, 27. Nepal 2011: Social Work/Orphanage (8 weeks) "The best part of Nepal was definitely the children and the people that I volunteered with. They have such a positive outlook on life and a magnetic energy. It was really a life changing experience for me and I suggest that everyone take time and volunteer with a culture completely different from their own..." read more...
	Leah Carlon, 18. Nepal 2011: Orphan Quest (12 Weeks) "I enjoyed being with the children at the orphanage every day. I loved adventuring around Nepal and going site seeing. The culture was amazing to learn about. I met so many great people who will be life long friends. Raj (Country Coordinator) was great to have as support. He was the most helpful and friendly person I could ever ask for." read more...
	Lilyanne Nguyen, 18. Nepal 2011: Orphan Quest (4 Weeks) "In a foreign country you can only rely on yourself. I learned a lot about myself, and definitely became a more independent person." read more...
	Julian Mu, 17. China 2011: Teaching Quest (4 weeks) "The teaching was definitely rewarding. Being able to see the understanding and appreciation in the students' faces was one of the best things I've ever seen. Just knowing that you have made a difference, no matter what size, in someone's life is really an experience that everyone must have." read more...
	China Summer Teaching Program: Teaching Quest (3 weeks) "A great group of students participated in the China Summer Teaching Program in 2011 — three weeks in a beautiful and remote area of the Hunan province. They taught, traveled, hiked, made bonds, and ate a whole lot of wonderful food. " read more...
	Sarah Daniel, 25. Tibet 2011: Construction Quest (4 weeks) "I enjoyed most the chance to get immersed right into the culture in places that most tourists would never know about or even think of trying to get to." read more...
	Kayla Ma, 19. Jordan 2011: Ecotourism Quest (3 Weeks) "Being involved with my house family was an amazing experience and I have relationships from this that will last a lifetime. Seeing the country of Jordan in such a nontraditional way really opened my eyes and gave me more than I could have imagined." read more...
	Leila Abulashin, 22. Jordan 2011: Environmental Awareness Quest (8 Weeks) "My experience in Jordan was an amazing experience, from the moment I arrived I became immersed in the culture. I learned so much about the country, the people and myself through my volunteer quest in Jordan." read more...
	Sarah McNeil, 20. Indonesia 2011: Teaching Quest (6 months) "My experience in Jordan was an amazing experience, from the moment I arrived I became immersed in the culture. I learned so much about the country, the people and myself through my volunteer quest in Jordan." read more...
	Megan Feeney, 19. Japan 2011: Teaching Quest (3 weeks) "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." read more...