Volunteer in Vietnam: Most Affordable & Real Impact!

I travelled with Ubelong to Hanoi for a month, they were extremely helpful in preparing me for my trip, with amazing communication and organisation all the way to my volunteer house. I was put at ease straight away and never felt that things would go wrong, and they didn't! The most affordable and professional volunteer org by a mile, I will definitely use them again, as I had the most unforgettable experience in Hanoi! Amazing food, people and culture! I miss the heat!

Thanks UBELONG! I had such a wondering and unforgettable volunteer experience in Hanoi, Vietnam! My three-week project was to teach elementary students English. The class size was about 60, which was a lot bigger than I expected. When I first started teaching Grade 1 students, I found them very difficult to teach. Their vocabulary was very limited even in their native language. It also didn’t help that I did not understand Vietnamese, so I could not understand what they wanted to say. Coming in with very little experience in teaching, I found it difficult to communicate with them or understand their behaviour. But after a few classes, I found some ways to talk to them. For example, I drew pictures, used my body language and used simpler words to communicate with my students. This helped the school children understand me a lot better than before! The locals I met were very warm and friendly. Most Vietnamese people that I met outside of the school didn’t speak much English, but they knew that smile is a universal language. They always smiled at me and tried to talk to me and help me, which really made me feel welcomed in this country! On the weekend, I usually went outside of Hanoi with other volunteers to explore the beautiful nature. Overall, I had an amazing experience because of the great volunteer organization, local supporters, other volunteers and my students!

I chose UBELONG from a wide range of options for volunteer projects abroad. I was convinced by their common sense approach, with no attempt to make the project sound too good to be true. Honesty about some of the challenges, as well as the opportunities made UBELONG the obvious choice. The back-up and support from Barbara was also a factor. Further, UBELONG make you work for the opportunity, and that in itself makes it more valuable. I chose to become a volunteer because I wanted to help and to have a new and challenging experience.

UBELONG and especially my mentor Bárbara have been a great support during the preparation phase and during the time I spent on site. I felt perfectly prepared and always in good hands knowing that I could aks all the questions I havae. I would definitely recommend UBELONG to other future volunteers as an experienced and serious organization which is offering valuable projects for the smallest reward.

UBELONG is a reliable and professional organization. It definitely lives up to its reputation. My very friendly UBELONG mentor, Barbara was always prompt to help me. To everyone who is interested in volunteering, please don't be afraid to contact the organization. You may discover a whole new side of yourself through a volunteer experience with UBELONG.

UBELONG is the only organization I came across that clearly puts the needs of the local programs they support ahead of their own bottom line. Unlike other programs, UBELONG's fees are extremely reasonable and their internal support system is second to none! There was never a moment that I didn't feel completely supported prior to my trip or while I was with my local organization in Vietnam. UBELONG sticks to their founding principals in everything that they do and it gives me great pride to know I worked with such a wonderful organization. UBELONG is truly the real deal.

Volunteering with UBELONG is easy and fun! I've had one of the best experiences in my life and I wished I stayed in my program for a longer time. Daily life presented an exciting challenge as the culture and language are vastly different than my own. However, that is part of what makes the experience great as you get to immerse yourself in an entirely different environment.

UBELONG provided with the tools to embark on my first international experience in a country very unlike my own so I could go out and find what we have in common. I am truly changed for the better because of my stay in Vietnam and all of the serendipitous things that happened along the way.