1
Take the time to get to know yourself outside of the circumstances that define you. You owe it
to yourself. It’s only a year. Twelve months. Three hundred and sixty-five days in a new place,
living and learning about a culture vastly different from your own. Yes, a lot can happen in a
year and that’s precisely the point.
“I came to Costa Rica knowing zero Spanish, and not knowing what to expect. What I found
there were experiences and friendships that I will treasure for the rest of my life. I left with just a
little knowledge of Spanish, but the hospitality and friendliness of the locals, my host families,
and the other volunteers will stick with me for life.” – Brett Clark, United Planet Volunteer in
Costa Rica, 2014
2
Take a breath from the breakneck pace of everyday life to nurture, explore and savor the world
that we live in. The world awaits.
“I could go on and on about the cool things I did, and everything that frustrated me to no end.
But the point is that this experience was unlike anything I have ever done, and will probably ever
do again. And that’s pretty cool.” – David MacMurtrie, United Planet Volunteer in Indonesia,
2016
3
Diversity enriches the soul. Embrace diverse experiences, cultures and people to refresh your
spirit. There is more to life than measuring the world of infinite content. Go out, take a chance,
experience a new place, converse with somebody new. There is something to be said about
surrounding oneself with different opinions, outlooks and cultures. After all, we become far
more grounded after understanding the many differences of the world.
“It was simultaneously the best and hardest thing I have ever done. It was difficult- going
somewhere where you didn’t know the language, or the culture- but in the end, the difficulties
made the victories more sweet. It is not an easy thing to do, but it is absolutely worth it. Over
time, I did see some of the more dedicated students improving their English, and that alone was
worth the price.” – Christie Michelle, United Planet Volunteer in Vietnam, 2016
4
Experience is an excellent teacher. Expand your horizons. Learn new skills and languages. Don’t
let your comfort zone become your prison. It’s easy to yield to routine. Often, we don’t even
realize we’ve fallen into a mundane existence only to realize we missed an opportunity to
explore and adventure.
“I found my confidence again. I feel much smarter and wiser in myself and the world because I
want through so many experiences and different situations with relationships.” – Regan Elliot,
United Planet Volunteer in Sweden, 2018
5
Help build a more united planet. By expanding your boundaries, you become a bridge builder.
Our planet grows more connected with each day and it needs more builders, connectors and
peace-makers.
“My quest started with my desire to teach and have experience with it before I went to school
for it. By the end of my year I had taught all kinds of kids between the ages of 5 and 16. I was
sure I didn’t want to be a teacher but I was sure of a the field I wanted to enter. I made many
connections and spent an important year of development completely alone in a different
country living with strangers and it was a mind-blowing year.” – Sophia Brown, United Planet
Volunteer in Denmark, 2017
Learn more about Gap Year Volunteering with United Planet!
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.
