Thoughtful & Idealistic Program

Before I signed up to volunteer in the Galapagos, I looked at a lot of volunteer websites. What struck me about Ubelong's website was its commitment to providing guidance and support for a meaningful experience in one's chosen community.

Because Ubelong is not reinventing the wheel but is aligning itself with well-established volunteer programs, you can jump into an ongoing effort and feel useful from Day One. There is also a guest house in Quito available to volunteers that is an immersion experience in itself. The host family is generous, kind, and helpful to the point that you may not want to leave.

It's true that the conditions at the biological preserve were somewhat, well, rustic, but the community was open and accepting and the overall vibe was very positive. I say that as an older volunteer who found myself among students and other much-younger people. We laughed a lot. I am considering participating in another Ubelong project in the future--it is an affordable, effective, and open-hearted volunteer program.