Program Reviews

I had the privelege to work with 3rd graders in Cape Town, South Africa this past spring 2013. The Principal, staff and students were very appreciative of all volunteers and I was able to make a valuable contribution while learning about their culture and history. Cedric, my UBELONG representative was very kind and helpful throughout the entire process. The Cape Town local team was efficient and checked in with me during my assignment to ensure I was happy and everything was going smoothly. I highly recommend UBELONG because of its program options, great staff and low program costs. I had a wonderful time. I hope to volunteer with UBELONG again in the future.

I signed up for the forest conservation project in the Galápagos Islands and spent three weeks there. In the period leading up to my trip, as well as throughout my time on the Islands, I received plenty of support from Cedric and the rest of the UBELONG team. I had a wonderful and enriching experience while participating in the forest conservation project and I am extremely grateful to UBELONG for putting together my volunteer trip in such a dedicated and professional manner.

That said, to really benefit from the trip, one should have realistic expectations. Do not expect to gain a lot of technical or scientific expertise as most of the work you will be doing is relatively simple and manual, like cutting down plants or harvesting fruits. Nevertheless, they can be really fun as well. And it is a good way to bond with other like-minded volunteers who share a passion for nature, travelling and just having a good time.

Having gone to several different reserves around Ecuador, I met many people who had set up their trips through organizations other than UBELONG. What I found was that, compared to these volunteers, I was much more prepared and understanding of what I was going to be doing, had better contact with my mentor, and even paid less than most. Overall then, my experience with UBELONG was nothing but positive and I would easily recommend it to anyone looking for a supportive network for volunteering abroad.

My experience with UBELONG thus far spans two trips to Ecuador and Peru, one year apart. I first went to the Amazon forest in Ecuador to conduct a forest conservation project in the spring of 2012 and subsequently traveled to the Sacred Valley of Peru to work on an education project in the spring of 2013. I can wholeheartedly say that these two experiences have completely altered my perspective of the world and have opened me up to experiences that I never imagined would be in my horizon.

My trip to the Amazon Jungle of Ecuador was both eye-opening and exciting. I had never lived in such a wild environment, both in the figurative and literal sense. The work we did there ranged from harvesting tree saplings to reforest the forest to building a bamboo bridge to traverse a river to working in the local Quechua school to remodel and rebuild their walkways to planting a square plot of crops for the local Quechua and more. We never felt like a day was wasted and always had ample time to truly explore our surroundings, whether it was swimming in the river or adventuring through the jungle or climbing a watchtower to look above the forest canopy. This trip was surely the defining moment in my life up until that point.

After such a successful trip to Ecuador, I went through UBELONG again to conduct an education project in the stunningly picturesque backdrop of the Sacred Valley, Peru. We taught children in the local primary and secondary schools and built a greenhouse for a local orphanage that couldn’t afford to buy its own fruits and vegetables. This volunteer trip was drastically different from my trip to Ecuador in terms of the work we did, but the impact that it had was exactly the same. I was able to reinforce my love for volunteering that I established during my time in Ecuador and was also able to make a significant impact in the lives of numerous individuals along the way.

Without a doubt, UBELONG does an amazing job of setting you up with a meaningful project coupled with kind-hearted indigenous peoples that essentially become your surrogate family for the duration of your stay. Cedric has been my UBELONG contact for both projects and he was so easy to work with and so helpful every step of the way. UBELONG does very well to set you up in safe project sites with reliable individuals and, as such, I never had any concerns going into my volunteer trips. Truly, the relationships that I forged and the work I carried out during these experiences will never be forgotten and will always continue to be a part of who I am. If I choose to go on another volunteer trip in the near future, I know for certain that UBELONG will be the first place I look!

During the spring of this year I spent three weeks in Quito, Ecuador. This was my first time traveling outside of the United States by myself for an extended period of time, and Ubelong helped make for a wonderful experience. Before I left I received a very helpful and detailed briefing manual that helped answer most of my questions, and any that were left unanswered, my mentor was able to quickly respond to via email. Also, before I left, I had a Skype safety meeting with my mentor that went over how to keep safe in the field and really helped to calm some of my nerves.Once I arrived in Ecuador the host family I stayed with was wonderful. I was immediately welcomed and made to feel like part of the family, which made for a very unique experience. The teaching project I worked on was something that I will never forget. Not only did I help the children learn English, but they also helped me learn so much about who I am and who I want to become. With full confidence, I recommend Ubelong to anyone who is looking to volunteer abroad. It is a family that I am so proud to be apart of!

The search was over as soon as I stumbled upon UBELONG. In such a globalized world, the number of programs that take one abroad are numerous and expensive. Most of those projects don't come close to the amount of independence UBELONG allows you. UBELONG is for the maker, the kid who can land in Ghana, or Laos and immediately work for the adventure rather than expect it to come, much like tourists do now a days. Their projects, in spirit, are adventures and their values, in nature and application, are altruistic. When you decide to volunteer abroad you, in turn, decide to give yourself over to a program, a project, and a country. The word program is too strict for what UBELONG really is for in truth it is more of a step or spring board into action. UBELONG accepts that those who find it, in nature and spirit, are the doers of this world. We come here, and sign up here, in order to make a better world. With the guidance of our mentors and community we succeed, in an innovative fashion, that allowed us to throw our own individuality into the world as we pour our selves into the projects across the globe. The UBELONG community is the most open, accomplished, and effective community I know, second only to the Avengers. I truly encourage anyone and everyone to find and sign up for their project today.

My experience with UBELONG was phenomenal. There was a lot of communication with my mentor prior to the trip, so I felt very comfortable when I arrived in Quito. This was my first service trip abroad and I can't wait for my next with UBELONG!

Last summer I received a grant from my college to study ecotourism in Ecuador. I quickly discovered UBELONG through my research, and after learning of the project on the Galapagos Islands, I quickly signed up. My two weeks there completely changed my attitudes towards environmentalism and I returned home a better person. Talking with my peers persuaded me to lead a group of students from my college for an alternative spring break trip in the Amazon. Working with the UBELONG staff made at what seemed like a daunting task of planning both informative and encouraging. From the airport pickup, to a home-stay in Quito, UBELONG delivered on their promises of safety and logistics. The project itself in the Amazon exposes the volunteer to a variety of culture and environmentalism, and working under the guidance of experienced locals, a volunteer can come back with the greatest souvenir one can obtain from Ecuador, a feeling of self-accomplishment and unique cultural exposure. You can really make a difference by becoming a UBELONG volunteer, and you can learn more about yourself in the process. I have confirmed my passion for environmentalism through UBELONG and made friends from all around the world that I continually stay in touch with. I encourage those seeking to travel to check out the UBELONG experience, you won't regret it and you will gain this unsatisfiable quest for global volunteer work.

As a future Peace Corps Volunteer, UBELONG has given me the incredible opportunity to do volunteer work in the continent where I would be living these next two years. Their connections were great and the experience overall was fantastic. I never could have had this experience without their connections and resources.

I volunteered in Cambodia for 3 months at the end of 2012 in the Advancing Community Rights program. UBELONG was able to provide me with my first experience working with NGOs abroad, which has given me some understanding of how development work functions in other parts of the world. Through my volunteering experience with UBELONG I gained some comfort with the procedures NGOs go through to function, such as surveying the sites of beneficiaries, seeking potential donors, and writing important documents like project proposals and concept notes. Living in Cambodia was also extremely useful for gaining some understanding of what life is like in the culture and country of the beneficiaries. Additionally, UBELONG gave me the opportunity to cultivate relationships with likeminded individuals among other volunteers from around the world.