One of the joys of working at United Planet is hearing from volunteers currently working in other countries. Their stories are vibrant, funny, touching, and inspiring — and make us want to hit the road!
This week we heard from Ben, who’s in Nepal on a Long-term Quest; and from Michelle, who just returned from a four-week Quest to Cambodia. Both have been working in orphanages and maintaining lively blogs. Great reading, touching stories.
A few excerpts. From Michelle on her first day:
You just gotta go with the flow in Cambodia…
“I’ve learned from the flights here that I can manage by myself and by doing so, I’m on the road to growing up. I also really miss everyone at home already. This is going to be a huge adjustment, I’m not sure how but I think I’ll be able to handle this… but it is going to be a long month…”
And several weeks later: “This whole thing has been an indescribable experience… Everything is so different from home and even though I miss home like crazy, I’ve gotten to be so comfortable in this area. There isn’t any structure, there is a general routine that I follow, but everything is just so laid back and carefree.
“I appreciate Cambodia and everything in it so much more every day. I can’t believe there is only one week left until I come home… I feel like my life is going to be so much more different now that I’ve done this and this has undoubtedly been the best decision I’ve ever made.
“Tonight showed me how much of a difference that I and all the other guests and volunteers make… I wish I could bring a piece of everything that is good, happy & enjoyable home with me…. so every single one of the kids … but pictures can suffice. This is really an experience that has to be personally experienced and lived for one to truly understand the magnitude of realization, appreciation and gratitude that it instills in someone. This has not, in the least, been a depressing experience. it has not been at all what I thought it would be but that is far from a bad thing, I’ve loved every minute of it… the cons are outweighed by the pros enormously.”
That’s how much you can change and grow from stepping outside of your comfort zone, challenging yourself, meeting new people and living in a completely different environment.
Ben’s experience in Nepal has been great from the beginning (see an earlier blog post of his we published). Spending 6 months somewhere really allows you to get used to feel comfortable in a new way of life.
Ben writes:”Here’s the thing about being abroad for long periods of time; after the first couple months, everything evens out and what once was your life of exciting travels and adventures becomes your life. This is a bittersweet experience. For one, you feel completely integrated into your new home and it’s like you had been here for years. On the other hand, you lose a lot of the wanderlust that once occupied your mind at every turn.”
Ben has traveled a lot around Nepal. Here is an account of a trip to Bhaktapur:
“Bhaktapur is a beautiful city full of temples and palaces that are still in near pristine condition. You could spend hours staring at one section of the roof and still not see everything the intricate hand-carvings have to offer.
“Bhaktapur is known for its temples, woodcarving and yogurt. This yogurt is honestly the best yogurt in the world. It actually tastes like yogurt should taste. If you have tried Yagoot, it’s like that, but better.
“Steve [the friend Ben was travelling with] and I had a great time exploring the city. We decided to wander out of the tourist area and see the area where people live. Steve took some great pics of the Nepali people, completely candid. It was a beautiful thing to witness. There were children on giant swings and old ladies sitting out on their stoop just enjoying life.
“What got to me most of all was how happy everyone seemed. Steve said that people here weren’t caught up with the craziness of the world like we are back in the US. They took time to just be and are much happier for it. No one could have said it better.
“After doing a bit of shopping we decided to head back to Thamel. We walked back to where we thought the taxis would be, but we must have taken a wrong turn because there were no taxis to be hailed. While we were walking we met this incredibly nice Nepali family. The oldest daughter spoke some English, so we were able to communicate. The father is a wood carver and he proudly showed us a picture of one of his pieces of work. The oldest daughter was very excited to meet us and asked us to write down our email addresses, so we could keep in contact.
“Steve took pictures of the family, which they loved and we then told them we had to turn back and find a cab. We said goodbye and headed back the way we came. Not five minutes later a taxi pulls up beside us. The daughter and her father had seen a taxi and brought it to us! This was definitely one of those moments that everyone who goes abroad to volunteer wishes for. It was such a simple thing, but it meant the world that these people would go out of the way to help a couple of foreigners that they had just met.
“When we finally reached Thamel it was dark and we had yet to eat dinner (although I was still pretty full from breakfast), so we went to OR2K, an awesome Israeli restaurant where you sit on the floor and enjoy good tunes and even better company.
“Steve and I ended up meeting a Sahdu from L.A. named Jay. He has been traveling between Nepal and India for 6 years seeking enlightenment and learning from gurus all over. His stories were amazing and definitely inspiring. We spoke for quite a while and towards the end he recommended that I travel to a meditation center outside of Pokhara for a 10 day meditation retreat. That night I hopped on the computer and applied right away! Now, on Oct. 31st I will be heading to Pokhara and participating in this retreat. I am so excited and I think it will be just what the doctor ordered.”
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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.
