Challenges – Experiences that open my mind – Tolerance – Confidence – Happiness
During my Up with People experience, through all the different aspects of the program I had the opportunity to learn a lot! About others, about the world in general and the different issues it is going through. I learned a lot about myself and these experiences really made me aware of all the things I was capable of doing.
International group: I travelled with very poor English; indeed I barely understood half of what was happening the first two months of the tour. And believe it or not, I had a great time even not talking much. And above all I became expert in body language! Moreover, travelling with such a diverse group made me aware of cultural differences. Sometimes it was even challenging just to say “hi” to someone because you are used to kiss on the cheek but that your Japanese friend is used to bend or your American friend is hugging you while it has only been 2 days you know each other. Anyway, so you start thinking of every move you make to not step on the other’s culture. It is very interesting and specially a lot of fun!
Travelling: Moving cities to cities, host families to host families is an amazing experience and it definitely taught me to adjust and adapt myself everywhere I go. Imagine living one week with a Thai host family that do not speak a word of English, eat sticky rice and chicken for breakfast and have for shower a bucket and a water tank and the other week staying with a wealthy American family living in Bangkok.
Volunteer work:
Building houses for some families in New Orleans, taking care of orphans in Chang Mai, Thailand, leading conflicts resolution workshops in American schools, performing in front of a retirement house in Belgium…
The diversity of volunteer work we did all over the world taught me a lot and some days pushed me out of my comfort zone. But most of all, it made me realize that we don’t always need to do big things to have an impact on people’s life. Of course there is a difference between spending an afternoon with a wonderful 80 years old Lili from Belgium, playing cards and talking about life and helping building a house in Chattahoochee valley for a family. But at the end, a smile or a day spent with someone can have as a strong impact as a week spent building a house of an underprivileged family; and for everybody. I still remember the beautiful smile of Lili. Indeed, I may have had a little impact on some of the people I met but I have definitely been impacted by many of them. Yes you GIVE, but you RECEIVE much more. And that’s what I love about it!
Education: During the tour, you have the opportunities to do internships with the staff. I had the chance to do an admission internship in the States where I had to speak up in front of 100 students of my ages in different schools to talk about the program. And at that time my English was still miserable. And I left 2 weeks ahead of the Cast to go help the preparation of the city Bremen in Germany; we were looking for host families, selling tickets for the show, contacting school… It was quite a challenge but it definitely helped me get more confident in myself! 
Furthermore, throughout our travels we are confronted to all kind of realities; the poverty in the Thai slum in Bangkok, the struggle of some American tribes to preserve t heir traditions and ways of living in southwest of the United States. Did you know that some of the families that were affected by Katrina still don’t have a home and are living in a trailer? These experiences made me aware of many things and made me change my vision of seeing things and thinking about the world and the different issues we still struggle with today.
Show: The show is a just one aspect of the program but in my opinion it is really indispensable. It’s a way of finishing the week wrapping up what we did, talk to the community we stayed about their own association and a way to thanks everyone that help us in the city. And on a personal point of view, singing a solo in front of 2 000 people just made me want to “pee in your pants” at first but it end up giving me more confidence.
Take time to learn from others
Even though Up with People is a very intense program, I learned to take time with the people I meet; the host families that welcome us in their homes during the whole trip, with the members of the Cast, with the people of the community, with each person that I met on my way. There is so much to learn from each one of us!
I truly believe that sometimes we need to step back and TAKE TIME, take time TO OBSERVE, take time TO LISTEN, and above everything time take TO LEARN FROM OTHERS.
If I had to conclude my Up with People experience, I would say I have never learned that much in such a short time!! After the 6 months, they gave me the opportunity to work for the program for a year as coordinator of different cities; I got to travel in many different places (Mexico, the Philippines…). I met amazing people, amazing friends and an amazing boyfriend. I made great contacts all over the world and in many ways it helped me figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I definitely think I wouldn’t be the same person today if I hadn’t travel with Up with People.
