United Planet Quests would not be the amazing experiences they are without the hard work and effort of our host project supervisors and host families in each of our destination countries. In December 2012, we celebrated our partners in Chile and Nepal at two end of the year gatherings, which were hosted by our in-country coordinators in both countries.
If you’ve been on a Quest with United Planet, we’re sure you agree that our host families and host project sites really allow our volunteers to immerse themselves in the culture of the region and form personal bonds with the community. The majority of United Planet volunteers stay with a host family while abroad, living in their house, eating the meals they prepare, and oftentimes learning to converse in a foreign language together! Many returning volunteers express their regret that they had such a short time to get to know their host families, and work hard to keep in touch with their new friends.
The supervisors of local project sites also help make our United Planet Quests unique – their close relationships with United Planet and our in-country coordinators allow for truly meaningful and sustainable work to be done in the host community. Without their efforts to integrate volunteers in their programs, United Planet would not be able to offer such a wide variety of volunteer experiences. The supervisors at these projects work tirelessly not only to better their communities, but to embrace foreign volunteers and help them feel at home.
UP volunteers with their host family in Chile
As a small gesture of gratitude for all their hard work, Chilean and Nepalese host families and host project supervisors gathered together to enjoy good food and conversation with the in-country coordinators in their respective countries. Host project supervisors also filled out surveys about the impact of United Planet volunteers at their project sites, and we hope to use their answers to continue to improve upon our partnerships and make the Quest experience as rewarding as possible for both the host community and our volunteers!
Several host project supervisors in Chile noted that United Planet volunteers had helped broaden and strengthen cross-cultural ties, and are eager to continue the partnership into the future. Says Carolina Pizarro Goete, an English teacher in Chile, “the students’ speaking level of English has improved since they realize they can really communicate in a real context, outside a classroom, with native speakers…the confidence that the students gain in themselves is fundamental for the rest of their development.”
We are so glad to hear that our volunteers’ efforts have lasting impacts upon the communities we serve. A huge thank you to all of our host-country partners for their continued dedication to United Planet’s mission, and for working tirelessly to help volunteers feel at home in their communities.
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.
