Program Reviews

I went to Cartago, Costa Rica for five weeks and had the time of my life. My host family was great, the conditions were great. I had two volunteer sites, one was mentally disabled adults and the second was an orphanage. The orphanage was my favorite, but they were both learning experiences. UBELONG was so helpful throughout my trip and everything went very smoothly.

My time at Ubelong was amazing. I volunteered for 2 weeks in Merida. I work with disadvantaged youth. I felt that I could not ask for a better organization to volunteer for. For me applying with the organization, making sure I had everything ready for my trip, to assistance during my time there. Cedric, Leo, and Martina were professional, caring, and all around wonderful in making my experience in Merida Mexico, and my volunteer experience, an experience that I will cherish and never forget.

I had an excellent experience with UBELONG, and felt well supported throughout my time in Cambodia. My work placement was locally managed meaning it was sustainable and had long term goals, which I felt I was able to contribute towards as part of a larger team. My living conditions were also excellent and I met amazing people who I still keep in touch with! Overall I had a great experience and would definitely recommend UBELONG

My day to day experience involved working from 11am-5pm. 3 days a week I would work in the school which is located in the middle of a basti. It was an awesome experience to be able to work right in the middle of a slum. I would help clean up the school, teach English, walk around and survey the families, play with the kids, and any work I could do on my computer that didn't require wifi. The other two days I would head to the office, and work on bigger tasks that included using the internet. Filing out donor receipts, sending emails, working on sponsorship and fundraising forms/pages. Office work was definitely more administrative and business like.

Volunteering through UBELONG was a great experience. It was great of UBELONG to set up all of my accommodations in Phnom Penh from the moment I arrived from where I would be staying to where I would be volunteering. Not only was there someone at the airport to meet each of the volunteers, but our living situation was ideal. The volunteer house we stayed that was set up by UBELONG was another one of the highlights of my trip and allowed for me to instantly meet and connect with a diverse group of fellow volunteers from all around the world. Thank you UBELONG.

Why did you decide to become a UBELONG Volunteer?
I decided to become a UBELONG Volunteer because I was looking for a way to make an impact abroad with my volunteer work. I wanted to make a tangible difference in the lives people whose country I visited. UBELONG stood out because instead of offering me a manufactured experience, UBELONG allowed me to shape my own experience abroad and make a visible change for the better.

What was your impact on your volunteer project?
I worked to secure nationality papers and reduce statelessness among Cambodian minority groups. Through my time in the office and in the field, I helped my NGO work with three floating communities of over 200 people each. As each member of the community gained citizenship, they were able to buy land, access state healthcare, send their children to school, and have a chance at a better life. Knowing I had helped make that change was the most gratifying part of my experience.

What were your major challenges?
My biggest challenge was the language barrier. Most of my target communities did not speak English, and many did not speak even Cambodia’s national language of Khmer. Although my coworker helped me with translation, it was a significant hurdle.

In a sentence or less, how would you describe the locals you met?
The locals were welcoming, warm, generous, and fun!

UBELONG is a fantastic organization because they have lots of programs in all different places around the world. They also allow you to choose how long you want to stay, so there's no problem creating a volunteer trip that fits all of your needs. The UBELONG leaders on site were absolutely fantastic! They were extremely helpful in getting us comfortable with our project and even showing us all around Merida. However, there was some disorganization with figuring out the volunteer projects. I signed up for the trip to Merida because it was advertised that I'd be teaching English in schools, and I didn't get to do that. I really enjoyed my project, but I wish I could've done what I signed up for.

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 am more than happy that I chose UBELONG as the organization to volunteer abroad. I always felt secure, because I had contact persons of UBELONG and intense support by the people in Vang Vieng. I really hope that the teaching at the college is pursued, since the students there really need to speak to foreigners to improve their English.

UBELONG really is an amazing organisation that provides you with support from your point of inquiry to the end of your placement. The preparation materials are great and help clarify any confusion about the country you’re going into and the role you’re taking on. The in country support and relationships you build with other volunteers is unbeatable. Its great value for an experience you will never forget and the difference you can make to the lives of others.