Meet Chauncey Stephens: a self-proclaimed member of “Team United Planet,” who fostered personal growth and deep connections through cultural immersion on three different Quests in Ecuador and Peru. Her first experience with us was through CHANGE Break, a student organization at Louisiana State University.
Chauncey embarked on her first Quest to Peru in the summer of 2013 as a first-time international traveler. She was bright eyed and eager to experience a new country and many new cultures. As it was her first time out of the country, Chauncey experienced culture shock; she struggled to understand what was happening around her because the context was so different than her own. The language barrier in particular proved difficult to navigate. However, Chauncey remained open-minded in the face of her confusion and her initial struggles failed to stand in the way of what she described as,
“Amazing opportunities to see a different part of the world and to really try to understand what people are going through there, what they typically celebrate, or challenges they face.”
The twenty-person team spent time in two different cities, with a common focus on children and education. Together the team partnered with two different community organizations to support the construction, renovation, and beautification of their childcare facilities. Further, the volunteers hosted activities and games that incorporated English-learning for the kids. The experience impacted Chauncey immensely. Choosing to leave her cellphone at home, Chauncey found a new appreciation for disconnecting from technology. She recalled,
“It was such a liberating feeling not having [access to the internet], because I was living in the moment.”
One year later Chauncey said goodbye to her cellphone again for another enriching experience in South America, but this time as a team leader in Ecuador. With one Quest already under her belt, Chauncey developed her leadership skills and brought her perspectives on what makes service meaningful. This time, the volunteers primarily worked with 5 and 6-year-olds at a small school. There they taught English lessons and spent a lot of time playing with the students. Chauncey formed a special bond with one of the students, Damaris, despite the language barrier.
“During recess we would play together even though [we] didn’t speak much to each other…but the beautiful thing is that [language] didn’t really matter. We kind of just enjoyed each other’s company and used non-verbal expressions like smiles and hugs [to communicate] and make each other feel welcome in that space.”
For Chauncey and many of our volunteers, it is moments and connections like these that make the volunteer experience worthwhile, even though this kind of impact is hard to measure. The importance of building relationships through mutual respect and cultural awareness was a key take away from her second and favorite Quest. This Quest was her absolute favorite, as it significantly shaped her perspective on life; “You are able to show people you care with your actions more than your words,” she said.
Committed to taking action, Chauncey returned to Ecuador for a second time in the summer of 2015. The existing relationships she had in country not only encouraged her to come back, but set the tone for all the other volunteers. She was excited to reconnect with people she met the previous year and that excitement was contagious. On this Quest, Chauncey mentored two team leaders and supported the team in processing and debriefing the experience. She was able to give great insight on adjusting to a new culture, overcoming language barriers, and engaging with locals.
Chauncey spent a lot of time reflecting on the role of a global citizen, and determined,
“Building solidarity with each other and both building a better situation for [communities abroad] and really move everyone forward.”
Chauncey’s experiences with United Planet have further solidified her career goals – she hopes to someday work in education or social work. She is grateful for her opportunities to learn from communities in South America, and hopes to share those lessons with others.
“I recognized through these experiences that I can make a difference not only in my local community, like where I go to school and where I’m from, [but] even outside the national community – I can make an impact internationally.”
Interested in volunteering with a group? You can learn more about our programs here.
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.
