Volunteer Stories: Helping Children
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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..." |
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Antoine Cassar, 32. India: 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..." |
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Brendon Lim, 23. Cambodia: Childcare (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..." |
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Brian Leary, 27. Costa Rica: Teaching (3 weeks) "This was a great experience that allowed me to really become immersed in the Costa Rican culture. Not only did I teach in a real Costa Rica school, I also ate typical food, watched various Costa Rican t.v. programs, and did many other things that allowed me to feel as if I was really accepted there..." |
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Brittany Becker, 17. Peru: Childcare (1 week) "It was a very positive experience that will last me my lifetime. I loved the orphanage where we worked. The kids were adorable, sweet and genuinely appreciated the help they were getting. It was so easy to jump right in to the project because we felt so welcomed by the house mom and children. It was definitely an experience I'd like others to have..." |
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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..." |
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Gabrielle Guerra, 25. Ghana: Education (7 weeks) "Akos is an incredible country coordinator. She was constantly in touch with me to make sure that I was ok and everything was going well. She cares a lot about her volunteers and goes above and beyond to make sure that they are happy and comfortable..." |
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Kaylyn Hobelman, 20. Tanzania: Children Care (12 weeks) "I really wanted to experience a new world. I felt a little caught up in my own life and studies and I just felt like it was time to open my eyes to the reality of how other people live. I’d had the drive to go to Africa since about my sophomore year of high school, it was always this little burning thought in the back of my mind..." |
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Laura Spiker, 21. Tanzania: Orphanage (12 weeks) "I worked around the orphanage and helped in the construction of the high school. I also taught English for a couple weeks and did HIV testing..." |
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Laurie Lundeen, 31. Chile: Teaching (2 weeks) "I enjoyed getting to know the people of Chile. Paul is a good coordinator. I appreciated all that the in country coordinator did for me. He did a good job of picking my host families. They were lovely people..." |
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Lucia White, 19. Romania: Orphanage (2 weeks) "To meet new people, feel I was doing something helpful in the world and learn about another culture. I love being with little kids and playing with them. I like travel and new adventures..." |
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Mallory Coletta, 23. Tanzania: Education (4 weeks) "I met some amazing people and made some great friends. My host family was so friendly and accommodating, and by the end of my quest, I felt like I was a member of their family. Also, the fruit is AMAZING!!! I miss it..." |
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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..." |
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Ragan Jolly, 26. Peru: Education (4 weeks) "For four weeks I served in a women's shelter in Cusco, Peru. I bonded immediately with the girls at the shelter and their welcoming of me was so appreciated. I taught them basic English through games, charades, dance, and art projects. It was so fun to help them learn and watch their progress. At the end of my month, we exchanged tearful goodbyes and little gifts the girls had made to remember them by..." |
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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..." |
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Tiffany Tribbitt, 25. Tanzania 2011: Orphan/Street Children Care Quest (2 Weeks) "My quest with United Planet was an amazing experience. I learned so much about Tanzania, the people there, and myself. I now have first hand knowledge of the challenges facing development projects in Africa. I also learned a new language and have made friendships that will last long beyond my return from the trip." |
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Sara Lucid, 24. Tanzania 2011: Teaching Quest (10 Weeks) "I enjoyed being with my students the most. They were the main reason I was in Tanzania and they made my experience unforgettable. I loved seeing them smile and enjoying learning. It was wonderful to see them understand a topic I was teaching and be excited about learning." |
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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!" |
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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." |
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So Yeon "Selena” Kim, 16. Peru: Orphan (2 weeks)
"It was one of the most awesome experiences! All the United Planet coordinators were very helpful with explaining the work sites and our quest. The host family was very nice, friendly, and open. They were interested in learning about other cultures with great amount of attention. They were just so nice and caring for me that I would never be able to forget them..." |
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Holly West, 18. Chile 2011: Education (1 Week) "Amazing, warm host family! My Spanish improved so much in one week. Had a ton of fun taking the metro around Santiago and playing with the local kids at the school. I was so shocked by how giving they were even though they had so little. This week changed me so much in so little time!" |
