Boston, Massachusetts, UNITED STATES
Joined December 11th 2006
United Planet send people to volunteer abroad in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America. If you want to take a gap year overseas, if you are looking for a peace corp alternative or an alernative spring break : United Planet is for you!
Recent PostsThe UP Blog is moving!April 7th 2009 14:33
We're sorry to inform you that your favorite blog has changed its address. You can now find the United Planet Blog at www.unitedplanet.org/blog/ Thank you for staying tuned!
 Hannah in Cai Cay, PeruMay 2nd 2007 16:10
Los burros, los gallos, y los chicos del campo
For those of you that don't speak Spanish (which is probably a lot of you), this title means "the donkeys, the roosters, and the children of the country"! My last week in Peru was spent in a rural village outside of Cusco called Cai Cay, and I'm so thankful that I had the opportunity to spend time here. Cay Cai is the epitome of what you think of (or at least what I thought of) when you think of Peru.... it is in the "countryside" of Peru and is surrounded by simply incredible scenery. The people live VERY simple lives here, and most of them live in mud brick houses with a thatch roof that doesn't exactly help to keep the cold or heat out, dirt or concrete floors, and windows without the glass. Many people choose to wear indigenous clothing with EVERY SINGLE different color (!), a flat hat that keeps the sun off of their face, and layer upon layer of shirts and chompas (kind of like a long-sleeve over shirt) and skirts and knee high socks and sandals, etc. Most of the people here speak only Quechua, but thankfully, most of the kids also spoke Spanish, or else it would have been a very long week! While I was here, I helped out in a kindergarten (helping the teacher with whatever she needed) with some of the most precious 3, 4, and 5 year olds you've ever seen, and every afternoon, the other volunteers and I were responsible for running a youth center (by ourselves) where we'd help teach English classes or play games with the kids. We usually had about 50 kids or so show up every afternoon for 2 hours.... and some of the kids had to walk over an hour through the mountains, by themselves, afterwards just to get home at night (talk about an honor to get to work with these kids!). The people here were absolutely amazing, and welcome all of the volunteers with open arms. Not to mention the fact that when you live in a tiny little village (it was seriously 1 street long, and that's it!) where everyone knows each other, everyone acknowledges everyone else and they greet each other every time they see one another.... I seriously miss the fact that EVERYONE greeted each other everyday with "buenos dias" or "buenas tardes" or "buenas noches" ("good morning", "good afternoon", "good night").... most of the time here, it seems like people just walk right past each other without even acknowledging the other person's presence. Cai Cay is also the epitome of the country (not just the Peruvian countryside).... very peaceful and tranquil lifestyle (the first day, we had 6 or 7 hours to do nothing except write in our journals or sit in the sun! what?!?), fresh corn from the garden (one day at the kindergarten, we all had a little picnic together outside with fresh choclo (really yummy "corn") and a salad made from fresh lettuce and onions from the garden!), ROOSTERS that crow at ALL hours of the night(!), and DONKEYS that are also incredibly loud throughout the night and make some very peculiar noises! haha. I loved these noises during the day, but most of the time I would wake up 5-6 times each night to the sounds of roosters or donkeys or barking dogs.... not exactly a restful week  However, one of the best parts about being there was the view of the night sky! There aren't exactly a lot of lights in the country, and to be completely surrounded by a HUGE sky with stars twinkling like diamonds all night long was spectacular...I seriously felt like each star was smiling at me like in a movie scene. And, I even saw a UFO (in Spanish, it is OVNI), which I can tell you about later! SWEET!  Cusco, Peru
Erin in EcuadorApril 12th 2007 14:52
 Children in Ecuador
Erin Duffy left the United States in April 2006 in order to spend a year to work in an elementary school in Tonsupa, Ecuador. She teaches English and cultural fisica (physical education). For grades 2-7, there are a total of three teachers, each in charge of a pair of grades in one classroom. The walls of the school are made of bamboo with dirt floors and an outhouse for a bathroom. Before her trip, Erin was fortunate to gather four large boxes full of donations, which she recently distributed to her students. Here is what Erin thinks about her experience in Ecuador with United Planet: This is absolutely a once in a lifetime experience. I really wanted to do something for someone in the world who wasnt born into the same fortunate circumstances as we were. Nobody asks to be born into poverty. As much as we like to think we are giving something to the people here, we are receiving so much more. We have been welcomed with open arms and are absolutely enjoying every minute. What has she learned so far? First of all, Erin improved her Spanish right away! Working with so many children, she has also learned to be much more patient. In Ecuador, people live at a different pace than in the United States... Her host father says "time is not running," and that is certainly the case according to Erin. Erin has learned so much about the culture and the people of Ecuador as well as the intricacies of how to teach English as a foreign language in Spanish. Most of all, she has learned that a little bit of kindness can go a long way. Erin had to face the challenging cultural differences, especially related to the language. This experience is important to her because she is gaining more perspective on her own life every day, while being able to give something to the people here. She was greeted with smiles everywhere she went. Theres so much more to life and happiness than I ever could have imagined before this trip.
Rebecca in GhanaMarch 30th 2007 14:56
 Accra, Ghana, Africa
Rebecca Holloway-Nahum left the United States in August 2006 in order to spend six months as a nurse in a small health clinic in Wiamoase, Ghana (a village northwest of Kumasi). She works three days a week in the clinic and has created a project with her roommate to fund and paint a malnutrition ward three other days of the week
Uncoming showsMarch 14th 2007 14:13
 United Planet's table on Conference
- C.O.O.L Idealist National Conference in Chicago : March 22, 2007 to March 25, 2007
Cultural Awareness ProjectMarch 12th 2007 17:54
You can't go abroad but still want to volunteer? Check our CAP program to see how you can help in your own community.
Communities are like small worlds, encompassing many cultures, races, and religions. As featured on CNN, the Cultural Awareness Project (CAP) is a cutting edge educational program designed to celebrate and bridge diverse cultures within our own communities
Summer 2007 group programsMarch 6th 2007 21:01
 volunteer abroad in costa rica
United Planet is proud to offer the following Group Quests for Summer 2007! Cultural activities and excursions are included in all of United Planet s Group Quests!
New Programs in Morocco, Jordan, and Turkey!February 21st 2007 16:06
 turkey, jordan, morocco
In special celebration of the launch of our Morocco, Jordan, and Turkey programs, United Planet will offer a 10% program fee reduction to new applicants during the month of February! Spots are limited especially during summer months. Visit our Short-term Quest page to learn more
UNITED PLANET TO PARTICIPATE IN BLOOMINGDALES'S MULTI-CHARITY EVENTJanuary 16th 2007 15:41
 bloomingdale's, united planet, charity, event, sale
"The shopping Benefit" will feature live entertainment, discounts and fashion events. Admission is $10, with 100 percent of ticket proceeds benefiting the participating charities. Tickets may be purchased in advance from United Planet by calling 617-267-7763
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