College graduation is a landmark event, calling for celebration. Alison Lynch, a former intern with United Planet and recent graduate of Emerson College in Boston, celebrated the completion of her college years with the trip of a lifetime.
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!
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.
