Program Reviews

I just returned from a trip to the Galapagos. I was with a group of friends on the environmental project. I was very pleased with UBELONG they were a joy to work with from start to end. My only other volunteering experience was in Kenya two years ago and I paid much more for a much lesser experience. Cedric, who was our mentor, was a particular joy to work with and he made everything very easy for us in terms of logistics, understanding what to expect and support. Thank you! My biggest advice would be to prepare for lot of bugs and come in shape because the work is hard. My experience was a 10 throughout, I only gave safety a 9 because you are oftentimes outside working with machetes and tools that could be dangerous. Great experience, this won't be my last with UBELONG.

I just returned from volunteering in the Galapagos with Ubelong in San Cristobal and absolutely loved it! I was with a small group of college friends and we volunteered on the environmental project for 3 weeks. It was my second volunteering experience and first with Ubelong. I picked Ubelong because of how affordable it was and that it was based in the US, where I am from.

From the moment I signed up my Ubelong mentor was extremely accesible, and I also found it very helpful to meet with him on Skype for a safety meeting. Everyone I spoke to really, really knew what they were talking about and would bend over backwards to help. They are all volunteers themeselves, and their passion shows. The Galapagos itself was incredible. The work is hard, you are nearly always outdoors cutting down invasive species or planting native trees, but it is very rewarding. The other volunteers were from all over the world and a joy to be with and the local staff passionate about what they were doing. My biggest surprise was how basic the living arrangements are. My mentor told me, but until you experience it you don't really realize it. The bathrooms are outdoors and while the beds are comfy enough, sleeping under a mosquito net can take some getting use to. On the weekends there's so much to do, with snorkeling and hanging out in the relaxed town of Puero Moreno that is about 30 minutes from the reserve my favorites.

So I recommend Ubelong and especially the Galapagos to anybody looking to volunteer. I am very thankful to Ubelong for making the experience so affordable and enjoyable, it was a remarkable time in my life.

I had a great experience with UBELONG. They did a very good job with organizing everything for me from the beginning. My volunteer project was amazing and I really enjoyed working with the children. Overall Cusco was beautiful and an awesome experience. I am so greatful to UBELONG for everything.

I learned about UBELONG from a classmate at Johns Hopkins-SAIS. I researched the organization online, attended a happy hour and was very much pleased with the detailed information provided including program costs. Having gone to Quito, Ecuador through UBELONG was a pleasant experience (Quito and its people will always have a special place in my heart). My mentor provided guidance before the trip, during the trip and we even met for coffee upon my return. My fellow volunteers in Quito were good-surprised of the personal attention provided by my mentor. Highly recommend it.

I volunteered in Cusco, Peru for 2 weeks. My time in Cusco exceeded my expectations in every way. I was not aware of Cuzco's rich history and unique culture. I did not speak a word of Spanish; however, I did not have any particular problems communicating with the locals and the UBelong staff were extremely helpful. In the end, we all smile in the same language. I volunteered at the Nutrition Rehab Center in the morning, organizing recreational activities for malnourished children. And on the weekends, I traveled to Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca. I wish I am still there right now. UBELONG ROCKS!

This past summer I spent around 2 months in the Congal Coastal Forest Reserve in Esmeraldas, Ecuador. I learned about UBELONG through my global health professor at my university. As part of my minor's field experience requirement, I had to choose a program for 8 weeks which included a health project component. I found these qualities and much more in the program offered in the Coastal Forest Reserve. I admittedly, had my reservations about the being one of the first health volunteers to work through the UBELONG program here, but went with an open-mind and that was all I needed.

Travelling to the reserve was a bit tricky with the taxis and buses, but once there the people, life, and work we ended up doing was fantastic. I had already been working in the emergency department of my hospital for the past few summers and breaks off from school so experience was not necessarily a problem. The language barrier was difficult to overcome because it was 3 years since I took a Spanish class or practiced speaking, but I caught on fast and was working all around the hospital within 2-3 weeks. I would recommend spending at least 2-3 weeks to become acclimated before trying to pursue an independent project because there is so much to learn about the surrounding town, history, and culture during that initial period.

Now about the work I did there, I really cannot expressions the gratitude I have for my program and its awesome and varied opportunities. I worked in the hospital three days a week either in the laboratory, emergency department, or outpatient shadowing doctors. In the lab, I helped with many different types of tests including blood and stool. Using the microscope to peer into the rich world of parasites in this part of the world was really amazing. In the emergency department, I was able to see all kinds of cases including 3 live births!!

These experiences were unlike anything I was able to witness in the States. Besides the hospital, I also worked along side a Peace Corps volunteer I met in town. I assisted her with 3 sets of sex education workshops to the local teenagers since these classes are not always taught in the schools there, which is really a shame in a community where teenage pregnancy and STD's are so prevalent. Additionally, I worked with the volunteers at the station on many environmental projects that included planting corn, painting schools, cutting bamboo, herding cattle, fishing, constructing trash cans, and picking up litter on the local beach. These activities taught me much about the environmental problems in the area and the steps being taken to combat them.

I could keep writing about this awesome place, but if you are interested in an adventurous, fun, and enlightening trip I would definitely recommend travelling to the Coastal Forest Reserve in Ecuador!! There are also many places to visit in the surrounding area, nice beach towns, and plenty to become involved with once you are there. Becoming immersed in the community is probably the best way to have a great experience so talk to people and be social!

My trip to Ecuador, arranged through this wonderful volunteer organization, was my very first major excursion of this sort, and so I was pretty nervous to begin with. But with the extraordinary service and personal guidance given to me by my UBELONG mentor, I arrived at my placement - I'm convinced - more prepared than I ever would have been had I gone through a more expensive organization. And the perks of volunteering through UBELONG didn't end there: while I was in school teaching English or helping to clean up Ecuador's beautiful beaches (thus unable, at times, to get to the phone), my mentor was personally taking calls from my worried mother and reassuring her that yes, I was safe and doing fine. Plus, our conversations that took place both during and subsequent to my placement really helped me make sense of this complex, wonderful experience and place it in context both globally and personally. On the whole, I would say that my experience working with UBELONG was completely, totally, overwhelmingly positive; I sincerely recommend them to the prospective volunteer, and I hope that their success continues to allow them to offer amazing experiences to new generations of volunteers and world-changers.

With out a doubt, my time in Peru with UBELONG was the greatest summer of my life. Here are just a few things I have learned:

About volunteering –
1. It’s a strong drug; you just can’t get enough.
2. The last week comes up quickly and you will never have done it all. That is okay! Just be ready to go back!
3. You are important. You are not a faceless human lump just moving through. The people around you will appreciate the effort you put in, the children will love you for playing Red Rover, your fellow volunteers will appreciate the energy you have and your new friends will appreciate your different outlooks and perspectives.
4. Instead of thinking, “Am I doing it right?” think “Are they getting something from this?” My particular experience involved teaching children and there was nothing more satisfying that seeing the kids write the correct answer on the quiz. Don’t worry, just do.
5. It’s a total blast! Volunteering isn’t work, it’s fun. How often do you get to impact and change lives with a smile on your face the whole time?

About UBELONG-
1. Founders Cedric and Raul are pretty freakin’ cool.
2. Volunteer. Discover. Impact. – truer words were never spoken.
3. There is no better support than the support UBELONG offers. Though you may have only booked one seat on the plane, you are not going alone.
4. UBELONG has placements all over the world and there by opened numerous doors to you. Definitely open a new door as often as possible.
5. While you can’t put a price on the experience, the price of UBELONG is more than reasonable; it is unbelievably affordable and the quality of service belies it’s modest fees.

About myself –
1. I am strong enough to have done international volunteering and so I am strong enough to do anything.
2. Never say no; saying no only limits you. Experience, taste and appreciate everything that is offered to you.
3. Without a doubt, I will be back to Peru. I feel madly in love with the place, the people, the food, the music, even the dust.
4. Some of my very best friends in my life are from Huaycan and they have a perpetually open invitation to my home and I to theirs.
5. I am a Red Rover Champion.

If it hadn't been for my time with UBELONG, I don't know that I would be applying for the Peace Corps today. I owe UBELONG and all the wonderful friends in Lima a huge thank you.

Sitting in my New York home, I can't help but let my mind wander back to all the bits and pieces of Cusco, Peru. The kids at the rehabilitation center, the friendly locals, the new friends I met in the Amauta school, the talent chefs who made us delicious Peruvian dishes daily, the "Viva el Peru" symbol carved into the surrounding mountains, the morning church bells, and the sparkling night lights are all unforgettable. The two weeks I spent in Cusco were more than just participating in a program. I learned to adapt to a new lifestyle, immersed in a culture built on tradition and history, became friends with the adorable kids at the Mother Teresa Care Center, and was amazed by the beauty of this new home of mine. The UBELONG experience is truly a remarkable one. The directors and managers of the program clearly value global services and want to provide this opportunity to everyone. Indeed, they do a very good job. From the moment we arrived in the Cusco airport to settling into our homes to discovering the city of Cusco to learning about our volunteering project, UBELONG provided support and assistance.

I just got back from a wonderful experience in Huancayo, Peru. Although Huancayo is a smaller city in Peru, the people in the community were amazing and welcomed us with open arms. Our host family and Cecilia, the UBELONG local coordinator, helped us navigate to our work sites and cooked us amazing food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. My group and I worked in the day care and taught English in one of the local schools. We also had time to paint a mural inside one of the day care centers. We had a great time and I highly suggest looking into volunteering in Huancayo.