This post was written by United Planet team member, Alex Endsley
On September 23rd, we celebrated United Planet Day. This annual event is held on the Fall Equinox because it “is the only time of the year when the middle of the sun is positioned above and below horizon—shining on every location on Earth for an equal amount of time.” This “represents United Planet’s mission of fostering mutual understanding, improving the quality of life for everyone, and creating harmony among the people of the world.” While it was a day filled with activity, I also found it to be a time for reflection.
One of the purposes of our blog is to keep everyone informed of what’s going on here at United Planet. As such, I thought it appropriate to use this medium to show my appreciation for the time that I have spent as a volunteer in United Planet’s Boston office.
I’ve been working in the marketing team for the past couple of months, and while I may not be having the same exciting and life-altering experiences (I think) that our volunteers overseas have – say, helping to improve the lives of impoverished children- I feel fortunate to have had this opportunity to volunteer.
What is it about this experience that makes it worthwhile? Most importantly, United Planet’s mission to foster cross-cultural understanding. UP’s multikulti philosophy is certainly evident in the office, and the results are phenomenal! Our Boston team consists of people from all over the world and the diversity makes for a great working atmosphere. There is always something to learn from, or share with, the diverse staff. Working with a team of individuals from various backgrounds allows for diverse perspectives that often lead to better work-related solutions, as well as hilarity.
Not to be overly sentimental or corny, but working with the team at United Planet has been delightful. My teammates are charming, warm, witty and terribly fun to work with. That is not to say that we don’t work hard. We certainly do and the work that we do is rewarding because it holds the potential to make a positive difference in our volunteers’ lives.
In short, I thoroughly value the time I have spent volunteering with United Planet because of the positive and diverse work environment.
ABOUT UNITED PLANET
United Planet is a non-profit organization with a mission to create a global community, one relationship at a time. Established in 2001, United Planet offers volunteer abroad, virtual internships, internships abroad, gap year volunteering, and global virtual exchange in more than 40 countries.
